News
Read the latest news from the College of Natural Sciences at The University of Texas at Austin
Spring Insects to Spot on Neighborhood Walks
With much of the world practicing social distancing, walks and other opportunities to get outdoors are the highlight of many people's days right now.
![A green sweat bee covered in yellow pollen sits on a purple flower](/sites/default/files/uploads/images/default/green_sweat_spider_wort_aspect.jpeg)
Model Predicts Which Coral Reefs Will Better Adapt to Global Warming
Climate change is causing coral reefs around the world to decline.
![Underwater photo of a large coral reef](/sites/default/files/uploads/images/default/coralreef_formatte_20200414-055657_1.jpeg)
Brett Baker Receives Simons Award
The faculty member who helped envision a changed the tree of life received the award.
![Brett Baker in a zippered shirt stands in a lab in front of cabinets](/sites/default/files/uploads/images/default/brett_baker.jpeg)
UT News
Long-Living Tropical Trees Play Outsized Role in Carbon Storage
A group of trees that grow fast, live long lives and reproduce slowly account for the bulk of the biomass.
![Irene del Carmen Torres Dominguez measures the diameter of a tree on Barro Colorado Island in Panama.](/sites/default/files/uploads/images/default/b2ap3_large_measuring-trees1400.jpeg)
Social Support Aids Recovery from Drug Addiction, Study Suggests
Having an option to receive social support rather than use drugs is better at reducing relapse than cutting out drugs completely, a new study suggests.
![An abstract line drawing of human figures connected to each other against a green background](/sites/default/files/uploads/images/default/people_connected-1400p_20200408-184930_1.jpeg)
Researchers Create Largest Ever Map of Plant Proteins and Their Assemblies
Their findings could have applications crop yields, disease and stress resistance in plants, and informing biofuel production.
![Two flowering seedlings against a black background with line graphs above and below in green](/sites/default/files/uploads/images/default/dopsis.jpeg)
UT News
Pandemic Model Shows Importance of Social Distancing in 22 Texas Cities
A new pandemic model of COVID-19 shows the positive role social distancing can play in preventing the spread of the illness in areas across Texas.
![A map of texas with counties shaded in different colors](/sites/default/files/uploads/images/default/ancelmeyers-paper_1400px-1200x800-c-default.jpeg)
7 Ideas from the School of Human Ecology for Responding to COVID-19
Stephen Russell talks about how we can use the pandemic to reach greater human connection.
![A person walks across the Gearing Hall courtyard alone near the UT Tower](/sites/default/files/uploads/images/default/035_20180711-gearing_courtyard_tower-0200_-2400x1350-f252b8c8-38cc-45ca-8153-f6ca865baa81.jpg)
Science Amid the Social Distance
A compilation from our previous episodes that we hope will help you find some solace right now: in rediscovering life, the people we're closest with...
![A cross-section of a nautilus shell](/sites/default/files/uploads/images/default/nautilus2400x1350.jpg)
UT News
A New Texas COVID-19 Pandemic Toolkit Shows the Importance of Social Distancing
Since 2012 a pandemic-planning tool developed by researchers at The University of Texas at Austin has helped public health officials plan for the consequences of...
![A graph shows various projections of the impact of social distancing on COVID-19 spread](/sites/default/files/uploads/images/default/covid-19_analysis_austin_hospitalizations-1200x800-c-default.jpeg)