News Archive
Quantum leaps in understanding how living corals survive
Ananya Sen
Coral reefs have thrived for millions of years in their shallow ocean water environments due to their unique partnerships with the algae that live in their tissues. Corals…
New study reveals the deep impact of research in LAS
Samantha Boyle and Dave Evensen
Dozens of professors in the College of LAS, including many from the IGB, rank among the most-cited researchers in the world in a new, widely hailed analysis designed to provide…
Regeneron Science Talent Search scholar conducts at-home study on crop improvement
Alisa King-Klemperer
In a freshman biology class, a simple demonstration comprises a candle and a plant in an enclosed space. Through the process of photosynthesis, carbon dioxide emitted by the…
Genome-editing tool TALEN outperforms CRISPR-Cas9 in tightly packed DNA
Diana Yates
Researchers used single-molecule imaging to compare the genome-editing tools CRISPR-Cas9 and TALEN. Their experiments revealed that TALEN is up to five…
Global analysis suggests COVID-19 is seasonal
Lauren Quinn
With cities around the globe locking down yet again amid soaring COVID-19 numbers, could seasonality be partially to blame? New research from the University of Illinois says…
Gut bacteria help digest dietary fiber, release important antioxidant
Liz Ahlberg Touchstone
Dietary fiber found in grains is a large component of many diets, but little is understood about how we digest the fiber, as humans lack enzymes to break down the complex…
Lab team creates fast, cheap, and accessible COVID-19 antibody test
Lizzie Roehrs
As the numbers of those infected with COVID-19 has continued to climb, the desperate need for a vaccine was apparent. Even now with the invention and administration of several…
What happens when the coronavirus mutates?
Liz Ahlberg Touchstone
Flag leaves could help top off photosynthetic performance in rice
Claire Benjamin
The flag leaf is the last to emerge, indicating the transition from crop growth to grain production. Photosynthesis in this leaf provides the majority of the carbohydrates…
Model predicts where ticks, Lyme disease will appear next in Midwest
Diana Yates
By drawing from decades of studies, scientists created a timeline marking the arrival of black-legged ticks, also known as deer ticks, in hundreds of counties across 10…
Brain gene expression patterns predict behavior of individual honey bees
Diana Yates
An unusual study that involved bar coding and tracking the behavior of thousands of individual honey bees in six queenless bee hives and analyzing gene expression in their…
Light signal emitted during photosynthesis used to quickly screen crops
Claire Benjamin
An international effort called Realizing Increased Photosynthetic Efficiency (RIPE) aims to transform crops' ability to turn sunlight and carbon dioxide into higher yields. To…