News: Research
Read the latest news from the College of Natural Sciences at The University of Texas at Austin
Tropical Trees Use Social Distancing to Maintain Biodiversity
Researchers discovered that adult trees in a Panamanian forest are three times as distant from trees of their species as would be predicted.
Dopamine Controls Movement, Not Just Rewards
New study finds dopamine neurons are more diverse than previously thought, with implications for Parkinson's disease.
Some Frogs Use Toxins to Deter Predators, but Evolution Doesn’t Supply Free Lunch
Poison frogs are able to withstand a toxin which they use to deter predators, but not without a cost.
Genes That Shape Bones Identified, Offering Clues About Our Past and Future
An application of AI to medical imaging datasets has revealed genetics of the skeletal form for the first time.
Relationships Between Temperature and Animals’ Sizes Has Been Clarified
The new research offers important insights about how animals, particularly birds, may adapt to the rapid rise in temperatures driven by global climate change
Chemical Cartography Reveals the Milky Way’s Spiral Arms
The method overcomes the challenges of dust that block the view of some of the Milky Way's stars.
James Webb Telescope Catches Glimpse of Possible First-Ever ‘Dark Stars’
Stars powered with dark matter still need proving but could reveal clues about the nature of one of the universe’s great mysteries.
Webb Telescope Detects Most Distant Active Supermassive Black Hole
At about 9 solar masses, this black hole is a real lightweight compared to previously seen ones in the early universe that are typically 1...
New Technique Reveals Protein Production in Early Embryos
The earliest stages of developing life have been, in many ways, a black box for researchers before now.
Scientists use Exotic Stars to Tune into Hum from Cosmic Symphony
A team of astrophysicists has found evidence for gravitational waves that oscillate with periods of years to decades.