News Archive
Woese Undergraduate Scholars set for a summer of science
Claudia Lutz
Two of the most basic motivations that drive scientific research—exploration of the unknown and the desire to solve a pressing problem—are represented by this year’s Carl R.…
Improved model better predicts crop yield, climate change effects
Claire Benjamin
A new computer model incorporates how microscopic pores on leaves may open in response to light—an advance that could help scientists create virtual plants to predict how…
Yield-boosting stay-green gene identified from 118-year-old corn
Lauren Quinn
A corn gene identified from a 118-year-old experiment at the University of Illinois could boost yields of today’s elite hybrids with no added inputs. The gene, identified in a…
Kleinmuntz Center website launches
The Catherine and Don Kleinmuntz Center for Genomics in Business and Society provides unique opportunities for economic development, public engagement, and social impact…
Scientists transform tobacco into factory for high-value proteins
Claire Benjamin
For thousands of years, plants have produced food for humans, but with genetic tweaks, they can also manufacture proteins like Ebola vaccines, antibodies to combat a range of…
Great Barrier Reef coral provides correction factor to global climate
Lois Yoksoulian
Newly developed geological techniques help uncover the most accurate and high-resolution climate records to date, according to a new study. The research finds that the standard…
A warming Midwest increases likelihood that farmers will need to irrigate
Diana Yates
If current climate and crop-improvement trends continue into the future, Midwestern corn growers who today rely on rainfall to water their crops will need to irrigate their…
Fast, efficient way to build amino acid chains
Ananya Sen
Scientists often build new protein molecules by stringing groups of amino acids together. These amino acid chains, called polypeptides, are the building…
Scientists stack algorithms to improve predictions of yield-boosting crop traits
Claire Benjamin
Hyperspectral data comprises the full light spectrum; this dataset of continuous spectral information has many applications from understanding the health of the Great Barrier…
'Fettuccine' may be most obvious sign of life on Mars
Diana Yates
A rover scanning the surface of Mars for evidence of life might want to check for rocks that look like pasta, researchers report in the journal Astrobiology.
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Breakthrough to measure plant improvements helps boost production
Claire Benjamin
An international team is using advanced tools to develop crops that give farmers more options for sustainably producing more food on less land. To do this, thousands of plant…
Stephen Long Elected to National Academy of Sciences
Diana Yates
Stephen P. Long, a professor of crop sciences and plant biology at the University of Illinois, has been elected to the National Academy of Sciences, one of the highest…