News

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

Oden Institute

Born Together: A New Look at Binary Stars

A new study involving astronomer Stella Offner manages to pierce the universe’s dark, hazy cosmos for a glimpse at infant stars in relationship.

A pair of pinkish molecular clouds dotted with bursts of light in space represent star-forming activity.

Research

Extreme, Prolonged Drought Slashes Productivity of Grasslands, Shrublands

Research published in the journal Science on water-deprived plants involved Texas Field Station Network experts.

A rain-out shelter at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. It consists of clear plastic strips supported by metal arms and legs several feet above a plot of open grassland.

Accolades

Maggie Miller Receives 2025 Packard Fellowship for Science and Engineering

The award-winning mathematician is also an alumna of UT Austin’s College of Natural Sciences.

Maggie Miller Smiling

UT News

5 Questions for Dima Kozakov

Could AI be the key to curing cancer? Meet the leader of a new research team putting that question to the test.

A man smiles, in front of a chalk board with formulas written on it.

UT News

Space Research at UT: Microbes, Satellites and Deep Space Discoveries

UT Austin has long been a leader in space research, including since the launch of the Webb Space Telescope.

A space monitoring vessel, NASA’s Europa Clipper, hovers above a planet.

UT Marine Science Institute

New Study Pinpoints Texas as a Source of Nurdle Pollution to Mexico

A novel analysis combined chemistry and ocean modeling to reveal a likely source of nurdle pollution on coastlines.

A man on a sandy beach wearing glasses holds a sampling bottle and tweezers in a gloved hand, displaying a discovery of tiny pellets.

Accolades

Virus Slayer Awarded ‘Genius Grant’ by MacArthur Foundation

The award recognizes Jason McLellan’s work to investigate how viruses infect our cells and to develop new treatments for infectious disease.

Portrait of Jason McLellan in a suit, standing in front of three-dimensional displays of proteins

McDonald Observatory

A Cosmic Puzzle: Phosphine Found in One Brown Dwarf, Missing in Others

The explosive compound forms naturally in the atmospheres of Jupiter and Saturn, but on Earth it is also a byproduct of anaerobic life.

Illustration of the Wolf 1130ABC triple system, composed of the red dwarf star Wolf 1130A, its close and compact white dwarf companion Wolf 1130B, and the distant brown dwarf tertiary Wolf 1130C. The three components of this system are shown scaled to their relative sizes. Image credit: Adam Burgasser, UCSD.

Texas Global

Kelly Zamudio Awarded Fulbright Distinguished Scholar Award

As a Fulbright U.S. Scholar, the professor of integrative biology is leading cutting-edge exploration alongside collaborators in Brazil.

A scientist wearing a necklace smiles

McDonald Observatory

Local Properties Keep Stars Bright with Night Sky-Friendly Lighting

Village Fresh Greenhouse Grown, the Brewster County Courthouse and Terlingua Ranch Lodge are the latest to adopt lighting that benefits astronomers and skywatchers.

A photo of the dark night sky above greenhouses in West Texas.