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Studies examine effects of California’s push for computer science education
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — New studies of computer science education at California high schools found that a greater emphasis on computer science education did not produce the anticipated spillover effects, neither improving or harming students’ math or English language arts skills, according to school-level test scores. However, one trade-off of increased enrollments in computing courses may […]
Water filtration membranes morph like cells
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Morphogenesis is nature’s way of building diverse structures and functions out of a fixed set of components. While nature is rich with examples of morphogenesis – cell differentiation, embryonic development and cytoskeleton formation, for example – research into the phenomenon in synthetic materials is scant. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign researchers are taking […]
‘Molecular Velcro’ enables tissues to sense, react to mechanical force
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The Velcro-like cellular proteins that hold cells and tissues together also perform critical functions when they experience increased tension. A new University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign study observed that when tugged upon in a controlled manner, these proteins – called cadherins – communicate with growth factors to influence in vitro tumor growth in […]
Rural air pollution may be as hazardous as urban, study finds
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — New research shows that chemical reactivity, seasonality and distribution of airborne particulate matter are critical metrics when considering air pollution’s impact on human health. Current environmental regulations focus on the mass of pollutant particles, and researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign are pushing to refocus regulatory efforts on more regional and […]
14 Illinois faculty members elected AAAS Fellows
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Fourteen University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign faculty members have been elected 2021 fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. The new fellows are chemistry professor Martin Burke; crop sciences professor Brian Diers; physics professor Aida El-Khadra; physics professor Eduardo Fradkin; cell and developmental biology professor Brian Freeman; evolution, ecology, and […]
CRISPR-Cas13 targets proteins causing ALS, Huntington’s disease in the mouse nervous system
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — A single genetic mutation can have profound consequences, as demonstrated in neurodegenerative diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or Huntington’s disease. A new study by University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign researchers used a targeted CRISPR technique in the central nervous systems of mice to turn off production of mutant proteins that can cause […]
Models predict optimal airplane seating for reduced viral transmission
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — As airline ticket sales have soared during the holiday season and the omicron variant causes surges of COVID-19 cases, a new University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign study may help passengers and airlines reduce risk of COVID-19 transmission by optimally seating passengers to minimize potential virus spread. Sheldon H. Jacobson, a professor of computer science […]
How does society impact the benefits and challenges of technology?
Technology is a big part of life in India. For example, street vendors and rickshawallahs use cellphones, the internet and Aadhar cards – 12-digit identification numbers given to every citizen based on their biometric and demographic data. However, charismatic gurus and superstition still thrive in India. In the new book “Reluctant Technophiles: India’s Complicated Relationship […]
Bubbling up: Previously hidden environmental impact of bursting bubbles exposed in new study
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Bubbles are common in nature and can form when ocean waves break and when raindrops impact surfaces. When bubbles burst, they send tiny jets of water and other materials into the air. A new study from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign examines how the interplay between bubble surfaces and water that contains […]
Sustainable electrochemical process could revolutionize lithium-ion battery recycling
Spent lithium-ion batteries contain valuable metals that are difficult to separate from each other for recycling purposes. Used batteries present a sustainable source of these metals, especially cobalt and nickel, but the current methods used for their separation have environmental and efficiency drawbacks. A new technology uses electrochemistry to efficiently separate and recover the metals, […]
New analytical technique helps researchers spot subtle differences in subcellular chemistry
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign can now rapidly isolate and chemically characterize individual organelles within cells. The new technique tests the limits of analytical chemistry and rapidly reveals the chemical composition of organelles that control biological growth, development and disease. The findings of the new study, led by chemistry professor […]
DNA sensor quickly determines whether viruses are infectious
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — A new sensor can detect not only whether a virus is present, but whether it’s infectious – an important distinction for containing viral spread. Researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and collaborators developed the sensor, which integrates specially designed DNA fragments and nanopore sensing, to target and detect infectious viruses in […]