News Archive

[ 2018-09 ] In Greek mythology, Zeus punishes the trickster Prometheus by chaining him to a rock and sending an eagle to eat a portion of his liver every day, in perpetuity. It was the right…

[ 2018-09 ] Science writer David Quammen will be at the University of Illinois to speak about his most recent book that features prominently the revolutionary work of microbiologist Carl R.…

[ 2018-09 ] Coral reefs have long faced problems like overfishing, global warming and pollution — but they’re also threatened by how slow they regenerate. To reproduce, coral release sperm…

[ 2018-09 ] Stiff microbial films often coat medical devices, household items and infrastructure such as the inside of water supply pipes, and can lead to dangerous infections. Researchers…

[ 2018-09 ] An Illinois Crop Scientist will lead a team of researchers on a five-year study of new crops that could contribute to the production of affordable, sustainable sources for market-…

[ 2018-09 ] Much like human society, microbial communities have a division of labor. In these complex groups of microorganisms, different microbes are responsible for different tasks, such as…

[ 2018-09 ] A geologist, a microscopist and a doctor walk into a lab and, with their colleagues from across the nation, make a discovery that overturns centuries of thought about the nature…

[ 2018-09 ] Bacteria are master engineers of small, biologically useful molecules. A new study in Nature Communications (DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-06083-7) has revealed one of the tricks of…

[ 2018-09 ] A workshop held at the IGB this summer set out to bridge the gap between research in animal development and research in animal behavior. The two-day workshop brought together…

[ 2018-08 ] It has been almost 20 years since the human genome was first sequenced, but researchers still know little about how the genome is folded up and organized within cells. In a new…

[ 2018-08 ] Ask Ruby Mendenhall about the scope of her activities, and you’re quickly overwhelmed. Ask her to illustrate how they all connect, and you’ll soon have a page full of circles,…

[ 2018-08 ] In a new study in cells, University of Illinois researchers have adapted CRISPR gene-editing technology to cause the cell’s internal machinery to skip over a small portion of a…

[ 2018-08 ] Researchers have developed a new method that aids in the process of making valuable compounds by using a unique combination of catalysts. A study published in Nature reported a…

[ 2018-08 ] The human genome is riddled with endogenous retroviruses – little pieces of degraded and generally harmless retrovirus DNA passed down through the generations, along with our own…

[ 2018-08 ] In 2009, Sandra Perry Sigman visited the University of Illinois campus with her husband David and son, Ryan. As an alumna of the School of Labor & Employment Relations…

[ 2018-08 ] For nearly 60 years, the red fox has been teaching scientists about animal behavior. In a long-term experiment, foxes at the Russian Institute of Cytology and Genetics have been…

[ 2018-08 ] This summer, a group of undergraduate students has teamed up with CABBI researchers to pursue an ambitious research project. Their work is in preparation for the International…

[ 2018-08 ] A new study reveals that all insects use specialized odorant receptors that enable them to detect and pursue mates, identify enemies, find food and – unfortunately for humans –…

[ 2018-08 ] After a primary tumor is treated, cancer stem cells may still lurk in the body, ready to metastasize and cause a recurrence of the cancer in a form that’s more aggressive and…

[ 2018-08 ] Scientists once thought that female mate choice alone accounted for the eye-catching color patterns seen in some male fish. But for orangethroat darters, male-to-male competition…