News: Research

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

Research

More Charge Acceptors aren’t Necessarily Better for Solar Cells

Adding charge acceptors can slow electron transfer in some light-activated materials.

solar panels

Research

How Amphibious Plants Rewired a Gas Exchange Pathway to Survive in Water

Just as humans cannot breathe underwater, the tiny pores of plants can't exchange air underwater.

When grown on land, the amphibious plant Rorippa aquatica produces pores called stomata (left); but grown in water, it does not. Credit: Shuka Ikematsu.

Research

Nanoparticles Make it Easier to Turn Light into Solvated Electrons

‘Green’ reducing agents could help tackle climate change and treat contaminated water.

A large cell-like particle emerges from a grouping of smaller particles with an arrow and the large one contains chemical bonds and the letter 2 with a superscript hyphen

Research

Cosmic Dawn III Recreates the Early Universe Epoch of Reionization in Unprecedented Detail

Scientists create the most detailed and accurate simulation ever produced of the first billion years of the universe.

Hot spots appear prominent on a mass of lines that interconnect as in a network

Research

James Webb Telescope Reveals Milky Way-like Galaxies in Young Universe

Startling new images show how much more powerful JWST is than its predecessor, the Hubble Space Telescope.

Two images of the same galaxy, one blurry, the other with crisp spiral arms and a central bar

Research

How a CRISPR Protein Might Yield New Tests for Many Viruses

It might enable inexpensive, highly sensitive at-home diagnostic tests for COVID-19, influenza, Ebola and more.

A protein holds open the two strands of a DNA double helix

Molecular Biosciences

How a Plant Stem Cell Commits to Its Fate and How Plant Growth Stays in Check

Insights into growth processes and disease require knowing more about how stem cells commit to differentiation when life is developing.

Three small plant seedlings with small white flowers

Research

Nexus Point: Jayanth Taranath

A man with black hair wearing a grin

Research

Health Benefits of Wind Power Rely on Which Fossil Fuel Plants It Replaces

Health benefits of using wind energy instead of fossil fuels could quadruple if the most polluting power plants are selected for dialing down, new study...

Row of wind turbines at sunset

UT News

Doctors and Patients Have a New Tool to Aid in Conversations About Diet

Physicians will be able to get assistance from a new artificial intelligence system designed by nutrition researchers at The University of Texas at Austin.

A doctor talks to a patient as both are smiling