News

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

Research

Astronomers Confirm Maisie’s Galaxy is Among Earliest Ever Observed

Detected with the James Webb Space Telescope, Maisie’s galaxy was observed 390 million years after the Big Bang.

An orange-red blob in the center of a black background

Announcements

New “Essentials of AI” Course Launches This Fall

The Department of Computer Science and the Good Systems program present a one semester-credit-hour course titled “Essentials of AI for Life and Society.”

White letters spell AI with bands of color surrounding

Research

Female Butterflies See UV Light Thanks to a Gene Hiding in an Unusual Place

In some species, female and male butterflies apparently perceive colors differently.

A butterfly with black and white striped wings

Research

Tropical Trees Use Social Distancing to Maintain Biodiversity

Researchers discovered that adult trees in a Panamanian forest are three times as distant from trees of their species as would be predicted.

An aerial shot of a forest shows species of trees clustered together near a river

Research

Dopamine Controls Movement, Not Just Rewards

New study finds dopamine neurons are more diverse than previously thought, with implications for Parkinson's disease.

Microscope image of cells with blue and red regions

UT News

New Materials That Could Transform Our Lives Are in the Works at UT Austin

The Center for Dynamics and Control of Materials received new funding for materials research from the National Science Foundation.

A person in a white full body clean room suit peers into a microscope

Research

Some Frogs Use Toxins to Deter Predators, but Evolution Doesn’t Supply Free Lunch

Poison frogs are able to withstand a toxin which they use to deter predators, but not without a cost.

Anthony’s poison frog (Epipedobates anthonyi). CREDIT: David Cannatella

Research

Genes That Shape Bones Identified, Offering Clues About Our Past and Future

An application of AI to medical imaging datasets has revealed genetics of the skeletal form for the first time.

Image of human skeleton imposed over DNA double helix

Research

Relationships Between Temperature and Animals’ Sizes Has Been Clarified

The new research offers important insights about how animals, particularly birds, may adapt to the rapid rise in temperatures driven by global climate change

Imaging showing bird species and where they fall on the temperature gradient

Accolades

Starbird, Martines and Dillig Selected for Texas 10 Recognition

Three faculty members in the College of Natural Sciences were chosen for an honor given by The Alcalde.

Theresa Martines, Işıl Dillig and Michael Starbird