Natural Sciences News

BIOLOGY - By sequencing the genomes of two species of sea dragons, UO researchers have found genetic clues to the sea dragons' distinctive features: They’re missing a key group of genes found in other vertebrates. Those genes help direct the development of the face, teeth and appendages, as well as parts of the nervous system.
HUMAN PHYSIOLOGY - NASA recognized a University of Oregon alumnus for his impactful research on the health of astronauts in space with an award depicting NASA’s own safety mascot, the beloved cartoon dog Snoopy.
HUMAN PHYSIOLOGY - As a young girl, Abby always had an interest in science and a dream to one day work for NASA. Now, she is a postdoctoral scholar in the UO College of Arts and Sciences conducting research on Alzheimer's disease.
Two interdisciplinary teams have been awarded seed funding through the Incubating Interdisciplinary Initiatives awards, known as I3 awards, which provide up to $50,000 to University of Oregon research teams.
PSYCHOLOGY - The onslaught of gun violence in America seems never to end. This year alone, at least 247 mass shootings — in which at least four people are shot, including survivors and shooters — have occurred, most recently and most notoriously in Buffalo, New York, and Uvalde, Texas, according to the Gun Violence Archive.
EARTH SCIENCES - New research from UO earth scientists reveals how the dynamics of the lava lake, along with deformation of ground around it, encode the signature of migrating volcanic gases and changing magma temperature in the shallow plumbing system of the volcano.
Nick Allen and others at the Center for Digital Mental Health want to measure how our digital interactions and habits contribute to our well-being, so we can take the first steps toward ensuring that using our devices is a positive experience.
NEUROSCIENCE - UO graduate student Jonny Saunders wants to make technology more accessible to everyone.
PHILOSOPHY, DATA SCIENCE - Pigeons can quickly be trained to detect cancerous masses on x-ray scans. So can computer algorithms. But despite the potential efficiencies of outsourcing the task to birds or computers, it’s no excuse for getting rid of human radiologists, argues UO philosopher and data ethicist Ramón Alvarado.
PHYSICS - UO physics professor Tim Cohen has become the second researcher from a U.S. institution ever to join the staff at the European Organization for Nuclear Research theory group.
BIOLOGY - For his scientific contributions, Charles “Chuck” Kimmel recently was elected to the National Academy of Sciences, the most prestigious professional scientific organization in the U.S.
PHYSICS - Graham Kribs, a theoretical particle physicist at the UO, had a passion for the physical sciences, but he also had a passion for physical activity. It wasn’t until almost 15 years later, though, that Kribs was able to combine the two and make a one-of-a-kind class.
BIOLOGY - Jenna Traver's pursuit of a marine biology degree is getting a boost from a Goldwater Foundation scholarship.
EARTH SCIENCES - Some mountains can move in the blink of a geological eye. A new study finds evidence of surprisingly rapid upward movement of earth’s crust on the island of Taiwan.
PHYSICS - Two new advances from the lab of UO physicist Ben McMorran are refining the microscopes. Both come from taking advantage of a fundamental principle of quantum mechanics: that an electron can behave simultaneously like a wave and a particle.