News: Research

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

The Texas Scientist

The Mating Game

Across the animal kingdom, males and females of the same species are often locked in an evolutionary battle of the sexes.

Illustration of fish by Jenna Luecke.

UT News

In Singing Mice, Scientists Find Clue to Our Own Rapid Conversations

UT Austin researchers have identified a brain circuit in mice that might enable the high-speed back and forth of human conversation.

Alston's singing mouse.

UT News

Interacting With More People is Shown to Keep Older Adults More Active

Image shows an older Black woman on the left holding hands and talking with an older White woman on the right while smiling

UT News

LGBTQ Youths Are Over-Represented, Have Poorer Outcomes in Child Welfare System

Shadow on a white wall of a young person walking with a backpack

Research

New Drug Has Potential to Protect Brain Cells from Traumatic Injuries

Stephen Martin and James Sahn have demonstrated that a new compound protects brain cells in mice that have been subjected to brain trauma, raising the prospects...

Illustration of the interior of the brain showing active neurons lit up

UT News

Want Healthier Eating Habits? Start with a workout.

Image of a person wearing running shoes and tying laces with a glass bottle of green smootie

Research

New Material Might Lead to Higher Capacity Hard Drives

Researchers from the U.S. and Japan have demonstrated that they can store and retrieve information magnetically in a new class of materials.

Computer hard drive

UT News

Central Texas Salamanders, Including Newly Identified Species, At Risk of Extinction

More severe droughts caused by climate change and increasing water use in Central Texas have left groundwater salamanders “highly vulnerable to extinction.”

This newly identified, unnamed salamander lives near the Pedernales river west of Austin, Texas.

UT News

Evolution Used Same Genetic Formula to Turn Animals Monogamous

In five cases where vertebrates evolved monogamy, the same changes in gene expression occurred each time.

The non-monogamous strawberry poison frog is pictured on the left and the monogamous mimic poison frog is pictured on the right.