News Highlights

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

Research

Stephen Hawking Was Right: Black Holes Always Grow in Area

Researchers celebrate 10th anniversary of gravitational wave discovery, announce verification of a Hawking theorem.

In this screenshot from a computer simulation, two objects leaving behind a white trail sprial inward and collide against the black background of space

Research

Helping Others Shown To Slow Cognitive Decline

Regular volunteering or helping others outside the home can reduce the rate of cognitive aging by 15-20%.

A woman with white hair reads to a child on her lap

UT News

Meet the Universe’s Earliest Confirmed Black Hole: A Monster at the Dawn of Time

A team of astronomers from UT’s Cosmic Frontier Center have identified the most distant black hole ever confirmed.

An artist's rendition of a black hole includes an exploding cloud around a dot of nothingness, surrounded by stars in outer space.

Research

New AI Tool Accelerates mRNA-Based Treatments for Viruses, Cancers, Genetic Disorders

UT Austin and Sanofi partner to build tool that predicts translation efficiency of mRNA sequences.

An illustration of a string of RNA and a wall of letters representing the nucleotides in an RNA sequence

Podcast

Can Tiny Bubbles Help Save the Planet?

Seagrasses store a lot of carbon in their tissues, making them a potential counterweight to rising levels of atmospheric CO2.

An illustration of a seagrass meadow, with the sediment cross-sectioned to reveal roots. There are two small black microhpones resting on the top of the sediment, connected by a cable running back to a metal box.

Accolades

Celebrating the 2025 College of Natural Sciences Dean’s Honored Graduates

Meet the graduating seniors being recognized for excellence in research, academics and improving the community.

2025 Dean's Honored Graduates

UT News

Ready to Change the World: Dat Duong

Dat Duong, a 2025 graduate from the College of Natural Sciences, made key contributions while studying in the UT School of Human Ecology.

A student with a pin, multipel cords, and graduation gown and science stoll holds up the hook 'em hand symbol on the UT campus.

Research

University of Texas-led Team Solves a Big Problem for Fusion Energy

Their method to speed up the design of “magnetic bottles” offers an answer to a complex 70-year-old challenge.

An abstract, colorful pattern resembling topographic maps. The design features concentric, oval-shaped rings in vibrant shades of blue, green, red and orange. The background is filled with intricate textures and speckles in lighter blue tones.

Accolades

Guggenheim Foundation Names 3 at UT in 100th Class of Fellows

Swarat Chaudhuri, a computer scientist, and Feliciano Giustino, a physicist, are among this year’s fellows.

Three headshots are surrounded by graphics representing the Guggenheim Foundation and UT Austin.

Features

Top Prize Image for Visualizing Science Shows a Logistic Map’s Chaotic Portion

A mathematics undergraduate took first place alongside other winners of the college’s 2025 contest.

Lavender background covered by wispy white cobweb-looking mathematical derivations.