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How does what lives in your gut affect your health?
The hordes of microorganisms living in our digestive tracts are important to digestion and our immune systems, but what we eat can affect them, too, says Illinois pathobiology professor Chris Gaulke in a video interview.
Study finds global downturn in bias against stigmatized groups
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — In a study that tracked explicit and implicit bias against stigmatized groups in 33 countries between 2009 and 2019, researchers found substantial reductions in explicit, self-reported bias against all categories of stigma they examined: age, race, body weight, skin tone and sexual orientation. The picture for implicit bias, which is sometimes described […]
How risky is the bird flu for cats?
With domestic cats in 23 states now diagnosed with the H5N1 avian influenza virus, pet owners can reduce risk by limiting exposure through their cats’ food or environment, says Illinois veterinary medicine professor and virologist Dr. Leyi Wang.
Drug-delivering aptamers target leukemia stem cells for one-two knockout punch
Drug-carrying DNA aptamers can deliver a one-two punch to leukemia by precisely targeting the elusive cancer stem cells that seed cancer relapses.
Study: Microalgae and bacteria team up to convert CO2 into useful products
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Scientists have spent decades genetically modifying the bacterium Escherichia coli and other microbes to convert carbon dioxide into useful biological products. Most methods require additional carbon sources, however, adding to the cost. A new study overcomes this limitation by combining the photosynthetic finesse of a single-celled algae with the production capabilities of […]
How can science literacy help people better understand the news?
In today’s rapidly evolving media landscape, the spread of misinformation and disinformation regarding scientific topics such as natural disasters, vaccines and climate change can pose a risk to public health. Nancy Averett, a University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign lecturer of journalism and expert in science and environmental journalism spoke with News Bureau physical science and media editor Lois Yoksoulian about how science literacy can help the American public make more informed choices.
How do we address the problem of PFAS in sewage sludge?
Communities and federal agencies are waking up to the dangers of “forever chemicals” in wastewater treatment sludge, which is often sprayed on farm fields as fertilizer. In mid-January, the federal Environmental Protection Agency warned that this practice endangers human health. A month later, Johnson County in northeast Texas declared a state of emergency over the […]
Team finds regional, age-related trends in exposure to drug-resistant pathogen
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Campylobacter infections are the most common foodborne illnesses in the U.S., sickening an estimated 1.5 million people each year. A new study examined records of Campylobacter jejuni infections from 10 states, plotting regional, age-related, and drug-resistance trends from 2013 to 2019. The study found that drug-resistant C. jejuni infections were highest in […]
To overcome antibiotic resistance, new research says to let it flow
When it comes to screening antibiotics against resistant infections, Illinois research says: Let it flow.
Study: ‘Sustainable intensification’ on the farm reduces soil nitrate losses, maintains crop yields
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — A nine-year study comparing a typical two-year corn and soybean rotation with a more intensive three-year rotation involving corn, cereal rye, soybean and winter wheat found that the three-year system can dramatically reduce nitrogen — an important crop nutrient — in farm runoff without compromising yield. The new findings are detailed in […]
Mutation increases enzyme in mouse brains linked to schizophrenia behaviors
Researchers found a key role for an enzyme regulating glycine in the brain while investigating a rare genetic mutation found in two patients with schizophrenia.
Insect Fear Film Festival to feature ‘hairy, scary’ tarantulas
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The 2025 Insect Fear Film Festival at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign will feature “Tarantulas: Hairy, Scary Spiders” as its theme and a Hollywood bug wrangler who works with the 8-legged creatures as a special guest. The festival, which is hosted by the Entomology Graduate Student Association and is in its 42nd […]