News

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

Announcements

New Initiative Aims to Reveal the Origins of Complex Life

There is currently a fundamental gap in the understanding of the origin of complex life, eukaryotes.

Numerous cells with their nucleuses evident

UT News

UT Austin Selected as Home of National AI Institute Focused on Machine Learning

The National Science Foundation has selected UT Austin to lead the NSF AI Institute for Foundations of Machine Learning.

The Gates-Dell Complex at The University of Texas at Austin

Podcast

Ask the COVID-19 Experts

An epidemiologist and two molecular bioscientists get to the bottom of your burning COVID-19 questions.

Illustration of a physician in a white lab coat

Research

International Project to Provide Detailed View of New Complexities Linked to Synapses

UT Austin researchers will lead research that can help us understand more about how we think, sense, learn, act and remember.

An artist's rendition of a synapse

Research

Some Bacteria Sacrifice Themselves to Protect their Brethren from Antibiotics

Discovery may aid the fight against antibiotic resistance.

Bacterial cells in microscopic image. Some are stained green and others bright orange on a black background.

Research

Tiny Insects Provide Inspiration for New Biomaterials

They may be tiny, but leafhoppers have a super power: they secrete a substance that makes their bodies water-repellant and anti-reflective.

Oncometopia hamiltoni leafhopper insect

UT News

Early Spread of COVID-19 Appears Far Greater Than Initially Reported

Thousands of patients who thought they had the flu actually had COVID-19 and spread it in the early days of the pandemic.

Artist's image shows human figures in grey, yellow and green with lines between them indicating the spread of disease

Department of Molecular Biosciences

Locking Down Shape-Shifting Spike Protein Aids Development of COVID-19 Vaccine

An experimental COVID-19 vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 elicits neutralizing antibodies and a helpful T-cell response with the aid of a carefully engineered spike protein.

A medical professional vaccinates a patient

Research

A Young Sub-Neptune-sized Planet Sheds Light onto How Planets Form and Evolve

A team of astronomers including McDonald Observatory's Bill Cochran have made a detailed study of a young planet slightly smaller than Neptune with the Habitable-zone...

An artist's rendition of a large planet orbiting a star

UT News

New Tool to Guide Decisions on Social Distancing Uses Hospital Data and Emphasizes Protecting the Vulnerable

Epidemiologists develop framework to help policymakers determine which data to track and when to take action to protect their communities.

Image shows a person's feet in tennis shoes standing near a red circle sticker that reads stay safe and keep your distance