blog posts Retired Illinois soil scientist digs up information about Vietnam War tunnels Feb 24, 2018 2:00 pm The Viet Cong's tunnels 'grew from temporary quarters for a few soldiers to encompass underground villages of soldiers with kitchens, living quarters, and hospitals.' Illinois joins UChicago, national labs in quantum collaboration Oct 18, 2018 4:15 am Quantum collaboration first step in broad partnership between Illinois and the University of Chicago What the true story of the Essex - the inspiration for 'Moby-Dick' - teaches us today Dec 10, 2015 9:30 am A Minute With...™ Jamie Jones, who is writing a book on the literature, art and culture surrounding the whaling industry Illinois researchers analyze data to challenge assumptions about how we learn Sep 22, 2016 9:15 am Can online classes disrupt hundreds of years of traditional teaching? Researchers at Illinois’ Center for Innovation in Teaching and Learning (CITL) analyzed data from participants enrolled in U. of I. Coursera courses to try to answer that question and challenge assumptions about how we learn. By targeting gene expression in parasites, Vet Med researcher aims to end childhood disease Nov 28, 2016 1:30 pm As a young veterinarian in Zambia, Dr. William Witola wanted to know why the baby cows he saw were dying from a parasite resisting all treatment. Decades later, the University of Illinois Veterinary Medicine researcher is designing small molecules to silence that same parasite’s gene expression, find potential drug targets and help end a disease afflicting children around the world. Tropical fire ants traveled the world on 16th century ships Feb 18, 2015 11:30 am Thanks to a bit of genetic sleuthing, researchers now know the invasion history of the tropical fire ant (Solenopsis geminata), the first ant species known to travel the globe by sea. Is the Every Student Succeeds Act an improvement over No Child Left Behind? Dec 14, 2015 11:00 am A Minute With...™ Lizanne DeStefano, professor emerita of educational psychology 'Star Wars' and the coming of age of special effects Dec 15, 2015 7:15 pm A Minute With...™ Julie Turnock, a professor of media and cinema studies Study: Civil organizing persisted during Syrian civil war Jan 30, 2025 8:45 am Civil organizing persisted during Syria’s civil war but also shifted to 'translocal organizations' operating in rebel-held territory inside Syria and in neighboring countries, according to research by Professor Rana Khoury. Professor’s history of Coca-Cola also tells larger story of globalization May 6, 2019 9:45 am Coca-Cola’s history is one of innovation in image-making, outsourcing and other now-common practices of global capitalism – and of adapting to challenges from those resisting its practices, says Professor Amanda Ciafone Brainstorm - then rest - is key to unlocking creativity Apr 5, 2019 11:00 am Research suggests that the key to creativity is to incentivize workers to brainstorm as many ideas as possible, and then step away for an 'incubation period' before returning to idea generation. Environmental DNA study successfully detects alligator snapping turtles in southern Illinois Feb 13, 2020 10:45 am The alligator snapping turtle is the largest freshwater turtle in North America, but it is not easy to spot. Now U of I scientists have demonstrated an effective new method to detect the secretive reptiles in the wild. Does climate change result in civil unrest? Nov 18, 2015 8:30 am A Minute With...™ Peter Nardulli, political scientist Research at Illinois: Life-saving chemical detection becoming a possibility Apr 27, 2017 9:45 am Postdoctoral researcher Mohammad Amdad Ali says directed molecular transport could be the answer to both finding low-levels of chemical warfare agents and detecting early-stage diseases. Illinois archivist's prize-winning essay reveals Jewish origins of Viennese cuisine Sep 9, 2020 12:15 pm 'This is really the restitution of history. I’m trying to return a history that was forgotten and erased to Vienna and the Viennese Jewish community,” Susanne'Belovari said. Drug-delivering aptamers target leukemia stem cells for one-two knockout punch Apr 3, 2025 9:45 am The aptamers - short single-strand snippets of DNA that can target molecules like larger antibodies do - not only deliver cancer-fighting drugs, but also are themselves toxic to the cancer stem cells, the researchers said. Egypt case study shows ‘traditional’ marriage more modern than we think Jun 15, 2015 10:45 am Those “traditional” marriage ideals and practices are more likely a product of the last two centuries, says history professor Ken Cuno. Is fusion energy around the corner? Dec 31, 2015 2:00 pm A Minute With...™ U. of I. nuclear engineer Daniel Andruczyk Illinois composer's new work depicts pandemic experience Apr 1, 2021 9:45 am 'Beethoven would depict thunderstorms along the banks of a creek. Now we could depict the molecular dynamics of water,' says composer Stephen Andrew Taylor. 'It’s a modern updating of a very ancient musical representation.' Cahokia's rise parallels onset of corn agriculture May 14, 2020 9:15 am Corn cultivation began in the vicinity of the Cahokia between A.D. 900 and 1000, researchers report. Its arrival may have contributed to the abrupt rise of this ancient metropolis in and around present-day St. Louis. New book examines animals' role in British Empire, racial politics Feb 1, 2021 9:45 am 'Animalia: An Anti-Imperial Bestiary for Our Times,' co-edited by Illinois history professor Antoinette Burton, examines the roles that animals played in the British Empire – both in advancing and in disrupting British imperial power. Team cracks eggs for science Apr 8, 2021 9:45 am Illinois researchers assess the factors that a bird must overcome to pierce a foreign egg and remove it from its nest. The study is relevant to the hosts of avian brood parasites, which lay their eggs in other birds’ nests. Pax Britannica? British Empire was a world of trouble, says historian Sep 28, 2015 1:15 pm Dissent and disruption were the rule, not the exception, according to Antoinette Burton, in her new book, “The Trouble With Empire" Illinois entomologists identify new family of stoneflies Aug 26, 2021 12:00 pm Scientists study stoneflies because they are the most sensitive indicators of water quality among all animals. Stoneflies won’t survive if there is runoff into streams from crop fields or sewage treatment plants. Students's startup will make diagnosing anxiety disorder easier Apr 8, 2016 9:45 am The test provides and indication of stress levels reliable enough to tell if the patient should seek further evaluation for an anxiety disorder. Study: Green view through classroom window can improve students’ performance Jan 22, 2016 11:45 am Doctoral student Dongying Li and Professsor William Sullivan the landscape architecture department, found that classrooms providing a view of green space significantly improve high school students’ performance. By imaging the brain, scientists can predict a person's aptitude for training Dec 9, 2019 8:00 am Psychology professor Aron Barbey and colleagues found that the relative size of specific brain regions predicted how much a person would benefit from interventions designed to boost fluid intelligence. Why has Putin's Napoleonic 'cold charisma' made him so popular in Russia? Oct 12, 2015 5:45 pm A Minute With...™ Richard Tempest, professor of Slavic languages and literatures Paper: Four service features impact demand for physicians’ online bookings May 15, 2018 10:15 am Four service-quality proxies (bedside manner, diagnosis accuracy, waiting time and service time) disproportionately affect demand for patient care, said Professor Yuqian Xu Using Big Data to survey the night sky May 22, 2019 10:00 am 'Researchers will be able to search through the LSST data and look for individual products. If they want to look at a specific part of the sky over 10 years, we’ll be able to do that.' That's not possible today. Technology from Professor Martin Burke behind $25M medical startup Feb 4, 2015 2:45 pm Illinois chemistry professor Marty Burke explains how his research group breaks down complex chemicals into simple 'building blocks.' His group recently discovered that thousands of molecules that could be very useful as medicines can be built with only 12 different building blocks, which could dramatically speed up drug development. Hear his full story here. Molecule-making machine simplifies complex chemistry Mar 20, 2015 9:15 am A machine in University of Illinois chemistry professor Martin Burke's lab assembles complex small molecules out of simple chemical building blocks, like a 3-D printer on the molecular level. Read more here. Schoolyard tree cover predicts math performance in high-poverty urban schools Sep 25, 2018 11:15 am Previous studies have documented a positive relationship between greenness and academic achievement, but, until now, no one had examined the relationship in high-poverty schools Report: Many Illinois students not receiving critical computer science education Jul 27, 2021 8:45 am Researchers at U of I found that many elementary, secondary school students in Illinois lack access to computer science education and qualified teachers. Over wo-thirds of states have learning standards for computer science - but not Illinois. Researchers develop self-healing materials for testing on International Space Station Jul 26, 2021 1:30 pm Some materials used in aerospace applications such as polymers can degrade and erodein that atmosphere. These self-healing materials with specially designed nanoparticles and microparticles could prove more durable in space. New aircraft-scheduling models may ease air travel frustrations Jun 13, 2018 8:00 am Researchers have developed models to help create schedules that are less susceptible to delays and easier to fix once disrupted Geologists unlock mysteries of Earth's inner core Mar 12, 2015 6:15 am Thanks to a novel application of earthquake-reading technology, a research team at the University of Illinois and colleagues at Nanjing University in China have found that the Earth’s inner core has an inner core of its own, which has surprising properties that could reveal information about our planet. Read more here. Study: Mobile device addiction linked to depression, anxiety Mar 2, 2016 10:30 am Is cellphone use detrimental to mental health? A new study from the University of Illinois finds that addiction to, and not simply use of, mobile technology is linked to anxiety and depression in college-age students. Help a tick-tracking initiative combat tickborne disease this spring Mar 29, 2018 11:15 am As the 2018 tick season gets under way, Illinois researchers are launching a surveillance program to learn more about where, when Illinoisans are encountering ticks Model predicts where ticks, Lyme disease will appear next in Midwest states Dec 23, 2020 9:15 am Drawing from decades of studies, scientists created a timeline marking the arrival of deer ticks in the Midwest. Adding an analysis of landscape features, they built a model that can predict where ticks are likely to appear in future years. New book studies intersection of psychology, environmental law Mar 22, 2021 9:00 am 'It’s difficult for people to make decisions about how they relate to the environment, because it’s hard for them to know what the impacts of their own actions are going to be when the effects will be felt thousands of miles away, and perhaps decades in the future.' Division of labor within regenerating liver maintains metabolism, mouse study finds Mar 1, 2021 4:15 pm The liver has a rare superpower among body organs – the ability to regenerate. It even continues its work of removing metabolites and toxins during the process of regeneration. But how? New IVF method mimics fallopian tube environment, increasing sperm viability Mar 25, 2025 1:15 pm “There are companies, especially related to dairy cattle, that use IVF to produce and sell high-genetic-merit embryos that... will produce milk more efficiently,' said professor David Miller. 'This technology could help produce meat and milk more efficiently.' Ancient bones, teeth tell story of strife at Cahokia Aug 6, 2016 12:00 pm “You have these earlier sacrifices of women that are very organized, and this lasts for a number of generations. And then you get this situation where everything is obviously not right in the world because they are violently killing some people..." Doctors played a role in ideas about racial differences Feb 6, 2018 10:15 am Slavery and racism played their roles in planting beliefs about race and racial difference, but so did medicine, says history professor Rana Hogarth U of I study: Electric cooker an easy way to sanitize N95 masks Aug 6, 2020 9:00 am An Illinois study found that 50 minutes of dry heat in an electric cooker, such as a rice cooker or Instant Pot, decontaminated N95 respirators inside and out while maintaining their filtration and fit. Does artificial intelligence bias human decision making? Aug 17, 2020 11:00 am Can AI bots bias human decision making? According to new research from three Gies College of Business scholars, the answer is 'yes.' College towns important to alumni’s enjoyment of homecoming events, study finds Aug 31, 2018 9:15 am Alumni who were not only strongly emotionally attached to their school but perceived the town as a unique, tourist destination rated homecoming events as much more satisfying New modeling shows greater likelihood of extreme heat events in urban areas Jun 22, 2021 9:30 am Urban heat waves can be devastating; a 1995 heat wave in Chicago caused more than 1,000 deaths. Last year’s heat wave on the west coast caused wildfires. But if cities fully understand their risk, they can prepare better. ChBE prof receives NASA award to help astronauts grow vegetables Jan 12, 2021 10:15 am Ying Diao’s goal for this research is to develop wearable sensors for plants to monitor their health and stress levels. Then, a 'smart' plant chamber will be developed to identify the best conditions for a plant to grow in to reduce its stress.