News: Research

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

Research

Inside UT’s Quantum Ecosystem: From Breakthroughs to Possibilities

The University of Texas at Austin is charging ahead with quantum innovations, built on a history of quantum science leadership.

Three scientists in PPE work in a laser facility.

McDonald Observatory

Nearby “Super Earth” May Be a Better Candidate for Life Than Previously Thought

The planet, known as GJ 3378b, orbits a small, cool star is 25 light-years from Earth and is in its star’s “habitable zone.”

An artistic rendering depicting the view from another planet with glowing liquid and a reddish star behind clouds.

Research

Limited Connections: How Stress Affects Our Brain

A study by Alison Preston and colleagues focused on how old and new memories are integrated in the hippocampus.

An illustration of a semi-transparent human head with a glowing feature representing the hippocampus region of the brain

McDonald Observatory

HETDEX Opens Massive Cosmic Dataset to Scientists, Novices, and AI

The largest survey ever of the early universe contains 600 million spectra, covering part of the sky equal to 2,000 full Moons.

An illustration mapping the location of more than one million galaxies in relation to the Milky Way. Rainbow colored lines emanate out in all directions from a central point.

Research

Scientists Map Proteins From Ancient Organism and Discover New Links to Rare Diseases

New ‘treasure map’ of ancient life holds clues to modern human diseases.

Cartoon of a microbe showing all its internal structures.

McDonald Observatory

Black Hole Found that Formed Before Its Galaxy

Findings help explain how black holes millions to billions of times the mass of the sun formed so soon after the Big Bang.

A view of space with galaxies and stars

Research

UT Scientists Help Measure Universe’s Expansion with Gravitational Waves

An era of precision gravitational astronomy has arrived, and UT physicists are helping lead the way.

A technician wearing a facemask makes adjustments to a piece of scientific equipment. The person is visible through a round glass window surrounded by metal and regions lit by purple and green light.

Research

Scientists Find Blood-based Biomarkers for Inflammatory Breast Cancer

Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) is highly aggressive, but extremely difficult to tell apart from other breast cancers.

An illustration of a strand of RNA looks like a red, coiled ribbon with short spokes at regular intervals

McDonald Observatory

IGRINS Confirms Long-Suspected Link Between the Composition of Exoplanets and Their Host Stars

A UT Austin spectrograph measures for the first time the magnesium-to-silicon ratio of an "ultra-hot Jupiter."

Illustration of a red planet passing in front of a bluish white star

Cockrell School of Engineering

The Secret Ingredient Is Salt

Eric Anslyn co-led a study revealing how salt can be used to control the formation and aging of nanocrystal gels.

A large piece of scientific equipment with wires and metal tubes sits on a long table in a laboratory