Strategic Communications and Marketing News Bureau

Science and Technology

Health and Medicine Yue (Darcy) Lu standing with one elbow on her knee with flowering spring trees in the background.

Nature videography replicates the mental health benefits of outdoor activities

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — New research led by a scholar at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign suggests that watching and creating videography of scenic locations cultivates nature-based mindfulness — conveying the same cognitive and emotional benefits as outdoor activities and fostering a deep sense of connection with nature. Yue (Darcy) Lu, an Illinois doctoral student in […]

Earth and Environmental Sciences One large and one inset photo. Inset shows Terio in Gombe Park under trees where chimpanzees are seen. Larger photo of Goodall looking up into the trees.

Following in the footsteps of Jane Goodall: A wildlife pathologist’s story

Dr. Karen Terio works to understand, diagnose, treat and prevent disease in a host of animals, from dolphins to turtles to chimpanzees and cheetahs.

Health and Medicine Photo illustration showing breathalyzer and phone app.

Study: People using mobile breathalyzers changed their drinking behavior

People who repeatedly used DIY breathalyzers changed their drinking behavior and improved the accuracy of self-assessments of blood-alcohol levels, study finds.

Veterinary Medicine A veterinarian and a canne patient

Unlocking how dogs’ fungal ear infections evade treatment points vets to drug stewardship

Outer ear infections in dogs are very common, but are becoming resistant to topical treatment. A new study sheds light on why.

Announcements Photo of Robinson standing under an arch.

Robinson to be inducted into the American Philosophical Society

Gene Robinson will be inducted into the American Philosophical Society in April, 2026.

Earth and Environmental Sciences Photo of the researchers standing in front of a projected image of a permafrost slump.

Team tracks vegetation recovery from sudden permafrost collapse

Some Arctic regions regain their “greenness” within a decade of a sudden permafrost collapse, while others can take a century or more to recover, researchers report.

Expert Viewpoints A dog wearing an orange Illini bandana.

How can a spring run cause a dog to overheat?

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — When the first warm stretches of spring arrive, pets and people alike head outdoors, eager for fresh air after a long winter. While a brisk run or country drive can sound invigorating to a dog owner, it can be dangerous for a dog, says Dr. Brent Von Schaumburg, a resident in emergency […]

Earth and Environmental Sciences Researchers genetically engineered the metabolic pathways in yeast to produce oxalic acid, which can be used to extract free rare earth elements from low-grade ore. Graphic

Engineered yeast gives the U.S. a green edge in the critical minerals market

There is a new, environmentally friendly method for mining rare-earth elements used in consumer electronics, clean energy, defense and biomedical imaging. By using oxalic acid made by sugar-eating engineered yeast, the new technique extracts almost all the rare-earth elements from low-grade ore.

Health and Medicine

RNA barcodes enable high-speed mapping of connections in the brain

Researchers mapped connections among thousands of neurons in the mouse brain with unprecedented speed and resolution thanks to RNA “barcodes.”

Earth and Environmental Sciences Photo of hollowed-out coral on a reef in Moorea. The coral is coated in brown and red algae.

Still standing but mostly dead: Recovery of dying coral reef in Moorea stalls

The hollowed-out skeletons of a bleached reef in the Pacific Ocean are changing scientists’ understanding of the factors that promote — or hinder— coral reef recovery.

Expert Viewpoints A man in a dark suit and glasses, with orange foliage in the background

Is there a mathematical method to March Madness?

Filling out a March Madness bracket from the inside out, starting with the Final Four or Elite Eight, can be a helpful strategy, says bracketology expert Sheldon H. Jacobson.

Earth and Environmental Sciences Gravel mining pits on abandoned river channels and floodplain.

Study documents conflict between commerce and conservation at mining operation in Bangladesh

A new study using multidecade satellite imagery and face-to-face human interviews tracked the environmental and societal impacts of gravel mining in the Lubha River, Northeast Bangladesh. The researchers found that the river had recovered its natural shape within just four years after gravel mining stopped. However, the local economy did not bounce back nearly as quickly.

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