Why furry mammals make “wet dog vibes” comes down to tickling science

When hairy mammals feel something on their back, they will emit “wet dog vibes.” If you’ve ever been within the splash zone of a dog that just got out of the pool, you’ve likely been at the receiving end of its effect. We’ve all seen it, but the neural mechanisms that underpin the behavior have … Read more

Insider Insights: Meet statistics and data science major Parul Gupta

Parul Gupta stood on stage, beaming with joy as a representative of Major League Hacking placed a pin on him. Though the pin was small, it represented a big win: Gupta and her team had just won second place out of more than 80 teams at UT San Antonio’s RowdyHacks hackathon. It’s moments like these … Read more

Creating water from air revolutionizes science

Scientists have long been interested in converting hydrogen and oxygen into water using palladium as a catalyst. This reaction is essential for applications such as fuel cells that produce clean energy. By better understanding this process, researchers aim to improve the efficiency of these technologies and contribute to the energy transition. The unique properties of … Read more

Mouth to Market: How the Sensory Lab Engages Food Science Students

Photo by Spencer Hall Students working in the Sensory Lab, led by Amanda Rees, gain a holistic approach to the food science industry. They learn about food creation and techniques to get their product to market. Every project at Sensory Lab comes with surprises. Sometimes, β€œthe client asks us to do much more than usual; … Read more

Public confidence in the science of the COVID-19 vaccine affects vaccine uptake in the US

The study highlights the importance of strengthening trust in health communication from public sources such as the CDC and addressing the emotional impacts of loss. Study: Trust in the science behind COVID-19 vaccines as a driver of vaccine uptake in the United States, 2021–2023. Image credit: Shutterstock AI / Shutterstock.com In a recent study published … Read more

The Planetary Boundaries Framework gains traction in sustainability science

Past and possible future trajectories of the Earth system. Credit: Nature Reviews Earth and Environment (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s43017-024-00597-z The Planetary Boundaries (GP) Framework is a key tool to address the climate crisis and protect the future of humanity on Earth. For the first time, the complete story of Planetary Frontiers is being told from its … Read more

Computer Science Professor Receives Regents Recognition for Outstanding Teaching

Etienne Vouga, an associate professor in the Department of Computer Science at the University of Texas at Austin, has received a 2024 Regents’ Outstanding Teaching Award for demonstrating outstanding classroom performance and innovative teaching. Vouga is one of 12 recipients this year from across the University of Texas system. “Professor Vouga’s extraordinary dedication to his … Read more

Robot ‘chemist’ poised to transform science labs

Credit: University of Science and Technology of China Imagine a lab assistant with the computational and operational power of 10 Ph.D. students, capable of functioning in extreme environments such as Mars. This vision has become a reality at the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), where a team of scientists has developed a … Read more

How AI-generated images are threatening science

The rapid growth of generative artificial intelligence in recent years has sparked panic about misinformation, job losses and more. Now experts say science itself may be under threat. Due to recent developments in AI, almost any element of a scientific paper can now be artificially produced quickly and easily. And AI-generated images – from diagrams … Read more