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U. of I. a recipient of grant funds to upgrade rural health network
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The University of Illinois is one of 12 institutions in Illinois to receive funding from the Federal Communications Commission Rural Health Care Pilot Program, an initiative to improve health-related communications infrastructure nationwide. The university will share in the $21 million grant to the state of Illinois. The money will be used to […]
Researchers successfully simulate photosynthesis and design a better leaf
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – University of Illinois researchers have built a better plant, one that produces more leaves and fruit without needing extra fertilizer. The researchers accomplished the feat using a computer model that mimics the process of evolution. Theirs is the first model to simulate every step of the photosynthetic process. The research findings appear […]
U. of I. entomology department swarms to ‘Bee Movie’
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – What do entomologists do on autumn weekends? This Sunday the University of Illinois department of entomology is going to see an animated insect film: “Bee Movie,” starring Jerry Seinfeld and Renée Zellweger. “Our department is so involved in bee-related issues that it just seemed like a natural thing to take the whole […]
Odd protein interaction guides development of olfactory system
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Scientists have discovered a strange mechanism for the development of the fruit fly antennal lobe, an intricate structure that converts the chaotic stew of odors in the environment into discrete signals in the brain. The fruit fly antennal lobe is analogous to the olfactory bulb in humans. Researchers at the University of […]
Parasites a key to the decline of red colobus monkeys in forest fragments
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Forest fragmentation threatens biodiversity, often causing declines or local extinctions in a majority of species while enhancing the prospects of a few. A new study from the University of Illinois shows that parasites can play a pivotal role in the decline of species in fragmented forests. This is the first study to […]
Symposium marks 30th anniversary of discovery of third domain of life
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Thirty years ago this month, researchers at the University of Illinois published a discovery that challenged basic assumptions about the broadest classifications of life. Their discovery – which was based on an analysis of ribosomal RNA, an ancient molecule essential to the replication of all cells – opened up a new field […]
How do birds ‘see’ the earth’s magnetic field during migration?
Recent studies have confirmed that migratory birds rely on their eyes to “see” the earth’s magnetic field, giving them, in effect, a sixth sense that aids them in their migratory journeys. Swanlund Professor of Physics Klaus Schulten has spent many years exploring the biochemical mysteries of bird migration. His work has led to many of […]
Wanted: Citizen scientists to help track wild bees in Illinois
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Honey bee colonies are in decline in many states, but little is known about their wild cousins, the bumble bees, or, for that matter, honey bees living on their own in the wild without beekeepers. A new initiative from the University of Illinois seeks to build a better record of honey bee […]
Census of protein architectures offers new view of history of life
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The present can tell you a lot about the past, but you need to know where to look. A new study appearing this month in Genome Research reveals that protein architectures – the three-dimensional structures of specific regions within proteins – provide an extraordinary window on the history of life. In the […]
High school footballers wearing special helmets to monitor brain injuries
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – As they root for the home team from their bleacher seats this fall, high school gridiron fans in the small Illinois town of Tolono don’t necessarily see anything out of the ordinary down on the field. But just out of sight, tucked inside many of the maroon helmets worn by the Unity […]
Wasp genetics study suggests altruism evolved from maternal behavior
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Researchers at the University of Illinois have used an innovative approach to reveal the molecular basis of altruistic behavior in wasps. The research team focused on the expression of behavior-related genes in Polistes metricus paper wasps, a species for which little genetic data was available when the study was begun. Their findings […]
Study shows parenting styles have similar effects in China and U.S.
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – A new study from the University of Illinois puts to rest the idea that overly controlling or manipulative parenting styles are less destructive to a child’s emotional and academic functioning in China than in the U.S. The study found that “parents’ psychological control” – the use of emotional manipulation such as withdrawing […]