News

Read the latest news from the College of Natural Sciences at The University of Texas at Austin

McDonald Observatory

Bass Foundation Gift Strengthens Outreach at McDonald Observatory

Updates to Field Station Network member McDonald Observatory will be in the Frank N. Bash Visitors Center and improve and expand the visitor experience.

Aerial view of an astronomical observatory set atop a mountain

Department of Computer Science

Transforming Video Accessibility Through Artificial Intelligence

UT researchers developed an AI technology that empowers users with visual impairments to engage with digital media.

A smart phone is held by its sides via a metal stand.

Texas Advanced Computing Center

Surprising Vortex Behind New Solar Cell and Lighting Materials

Using supercomputer simulations, Feliciano Giustino and his team are revealing why perovskites are so promising for solar cells, lighting and computer memory.

A colorful image of a spherical structure of arrows pointing in all directions

Dell Medical School

Arbel Harpak: Pursuing the Next Frontier in Genetics

Arbel Harpak is trying to find out why the same genetic makeup can have dramatically different impacts on health and evolution in males and females.

A scientist in white shirt stands in front of a sculpture made of aluminum canoes

Research

For Rainforest Amphibians, the Bigger the Toes, the Higher They Go

In rainforests in Gabon, amphibians with larger toes relative to their body length are found higher in the forest canopy.

Photo of orange and brown frog leptopelis boulengeri on a tree branch

Podcast

Rise of the LLMs

Greg Durrett tackles your burning questions about large language models.

A robot made of words sits on a chair and reads a book with a pile of more books at its feet

Features

What Will Extreme Weather Events Mean for Texas’s Favorite Bugs?

The answer matters for people, too, given how insects affect whole ecosystems.

A photo of a monarch butterfly on a yellow flower

McDonald Observatory

Giant Magellan Telescope Enclosure Ready for Construction

When completed in the early 2030s, the 213-foot-tall enclosure will be one of the largest mechanized buildings ever constructed.

A telescope dome under a starry sky at night with an open door and telescope visible inside

Research

Targeted Grazing May Help Beat Invasive Buffelgrass

Researchers head to Kenya to unlock the weaknesses of invasive buffelgrass to combat it here in Texas.

Image of buffelgrass and cattle

Podcast

What is AI, Anyway?

What do we even mean when we say “artificial intelligence”? And how do we make sure it’s safe and useful? Here, with all the answers...

A robotic hand pours coffee into a mug being held by a human hand