Researchers discovered that hadrosaurs and other dinosaurs have a unique trabecular bone structure capable of supporting large weights, different from mammals and birds. This adaptation allowed them to carry massive loads without excessive skeletal weight.
A new Alaskan fossil discovery of a juvenile dromaeosaurid jaw bone has significant implications for the understanding of Cretaceous period dinosaurs. The study, published in PLOS ONE, supports the theory that some Arctic dinosaurs did not migrate with the seasons but were year-round residents.
A new study by Southern Methodist University found that children who assume they are responsible for their mother's sadness or depression are more likely to experience depression and anxiety. This phenomenon highlights the critical role parents play in intervening when children make such comments.
Researchers at Southern Methodist University have developed a more efficient algorithm to simulate the interaction of electromagnetic waves with devices, reducing simulation time from days to hours. This breakthrough has significant implications for various scientific fields, including biology, astronomy, and military applications.
A study by Southern Methodist University geophysicists has found evidence of a leak in a West Texas wastewater disposal well between 2007 and 2011. The leak could have contaminated the Rustler Aquifer, used for irrigation and livestock but not drinking water.
Scientists have found that cryptochromes from migratory birds have evolved a mechanism that enhances their ability to respond to light, allowing them to sense and respond to magnetic fields under nighttime conditions. This discovery sheds light on how vertebrate cryptochromes function in low-light environments.
A new study published in Science sheds light on how our ancestors fed themselves, dramatically changing the world to grow food. By 3,000 years ago, intensive farming was common, reshaping environments for human sustenance.
Scientists from SMU, UT Austin and Stanford University found that the majority of faults underlying the Fort Worth Basin are sensitive to forces that could cause them to slip. The new study provides fundamental information regarding earthquake hazard to the Dallas-Fort Worth region.
A new study from SMU finds that public university students in Texas graduate with high debt-to-income ratios, averaging 74% of their first-year wages. Historically underserved students, including black and Latinx students, are predicted to borrow more than their white peers.
Candace Walkington, associate professor at Southern Methodist University, received the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers for her groundbreaking research on personalizing mathematics instruction. Her work aims to connect abstract mathematical concepts to students' everyday experiences, improving understanding ...
SMU's 'Titans in a jar' project aims to recreate Titan's conditions in laboratory cylinders, helping assess the possibility of life on the moon. Researchers will study chemical structures and organic minerals to understand Titan's potential for past or present life.
SMU researchers develop a new approach to treat drug-resistant prostate cancer cells using a protein inhibitor and chemotherapy. The method shows promising results, increasing sensitivity of cancer cells to chemotherapeutics without harming healthy cells.
Southern Methodist University professors receive an $849,839 NSF grant to build a multi-dimensional drone communication framework, addressing three-dimensional connectivity issues. The project aims to optimize transmission to intended receivers in various swarm formations, with potential applications in commercial and military sectors.
A new study led by Southern Methodist University archaeologist Christopher I. Roos reveals that Native American communities actively managed North American prairies for centuries, using fire to manipulate bison herds and amplify the effects of climate on prairie fire patterns.
A pilot study found that a simple problem-solving task activated the region responsible for memory function in athletes with concussions, potentially improving symptoms of depression and anxiety. The research challenges current guidelines recommending total inactivity after a brain injury.
Highly empathic individuals process familiar music with greater involvement of the brain's reward system and areas responsible for processing social information. They also experience increased pleasure and activation of the social circuitry, indicating that music functions as a proxy for human interaction.
Researchers from Southern Methodist University used radar satellite imagery to detect significant ground movement across a 4,000-square-mile area in four Texas counties. The study found that the movement is associated with decades of oil activity and its effect on rocks below the surface.
A new study found that couples do poorly at picking up on each other's soft negative emotions like sadness or loneliness. Couples need to be more attuned to their partner's feelings and communicate more effectively to avoid negatively affecting the relationship.
Researchers at Southern Methodist University have discovered three drug-like compounds that successfully reverse chemotherapy failure in three of the most commonly aggressive cancers. The compounds were tested on micro-tumors and showed effectiveness against specific cancers, giving hope for developing new drugs to fight cancer.
A low-budget experiment exposed top female college students to charismatic, successful women in economics, resulting in a 12-percentage point increase in female enrollment in an intermediate microeconomics course. The intervention had no impact on male students, but particularly inspired high-achieving female students.
Guilty feelings and shame play a role in reducing bribery, according to SMU economist Danila Serra's research. She found that corruption declines when perpetrators consider social costs of their actions and victims can share information through online reporting systems.
A new study found that student diversity alone is not enough to make a college campus feel inclusive, with institutions prioritizing selectivity and prestige instead. Researchers analyzed 1,845 institutions and found that more selective universities with fewer Pell Grant recipients were more likely to experience student-led activism.
Recent North Texas earthquakes occurred on faults inactive for at least 300 million years, supporting the assertion they were induced by human activity. The study discriminates between natural and induced seismicity using classical structural geology analysis techniques.
A new study resolves a prehistoric climate puzzle by confirming the link between high carbon dioxide levels and global warming for a time interval about 22 million years ago. The research, led by Southern Methodist University, analyzed fossil leaves from Africa and found that carbon dioxide behaved in the same manner millions of years ...
Scientists at Southern Methodist University have discovered a new, more accurate way to predict how much energy a person uses while walking. The method, known as the Minimum Mechanics Model, relies on three variables: speed, load carried, and slope.
Researchers at SMU develop an assessment system to measure mathematical reasoning skills in grades K-2, helping teachers identify struggling students and provide targeted support. The Measures of Mathematical Reasoning Skills system has the potential to drive effort to intervene early and improve US students' math achievement.
A new technology using photoswitch molecules allows for the creation of 3D light structures viewable from 360 degrees, with potential applications in biomedical imaging, education, engineering, and entertainment. This discovery could also improve medical diagnosis by providing real 3D images from MRI scans.
A new method assesses patterns of ground force application, suggesting Bolt's mechanics may vary between left and right legs. The analysis provides a new tool for understanding the basis of maximal running speeds.
Researchers have solved a key mystery about plant chemistry, discovering how a specific protein signals the plant's circadian rhythm. This finding may enable farmers to grow crops in areas previously unsuitable and allow scientists to make targeted mutations to improve plant adaptation.
A new study from Southern Methodist University found that a self-persuasion app on an iPad motivated low-income parents to vaccinate their teens against human papillomavirus, a cancer-causing virus. The app used audio prompts and guided parents in thinking through the importance of vaccination.
Astronomers have discovered a rare pulsating delta Scuti star 7,000 light years away in the Pegasus constellation. The star's unique pattern of expansion and contraction every 2.5 hours is the result of its heating and cooling hydrogen fuel at its core.
Researchers developed a concise new explanation for human running mechanics, offering direct insight into determinants of performance and injuries. The two-mass model provides accurate predictions of ground-force application regardless of speed or foot-strike type.
Researchers at Southern Methodist University have discovered a new catalyst that can efficiently break the tough molecular bond between carbon and hydrogen. This breakthrough could lead to a cleaner, easier, and cheaper way to derive products from petroleum, with copper-based catalysts showing great promise in oxidizing C-H bonds.
A study at Southern Methodist University found that parents and nonparents alike rate spanking as more common, acceptable, and effective than corporal punishment. Researchers suggest changing semantics of discipline to reduce violence and prevent harm to children.
A lab at Southern Methodist University is searching for a biological mechanism to intervene in the growth of virus-induced cancers. The researchers discovered that certain viruses, including human T-cell leukemia virus and high-risk human papillomaviruses, share a common mechanism to evade the immune system.
New uranium series analysis suggests Nan Madol, a Pacific island's ancient coral reef capital, was the earliest evidence of a chiefdom in the Pacific. The discovery enables archaeologists to study how societies transform into more complex and hierarchical systems.
A new study found that patients with anxiety, phobias, and fears show greater improvement from therapy scheduled in the morning when cortisol levels are high. Morning sessions help psychotherapy patients overcome panic and anxiety better due to increased cortisol, facilitating fear extinction.
A new study aims to develop objective indicators for diagnosing concussions using transcranial Doppler ultrasound to measure blood vessel function in the brain. The researchers hope to create a non-invasive, inexpensive method to accurately diagnose concussions and prevent second-impact syndrome.
Archaeologists have discovered a rare Etruscan inscription naming female goddess Uni, possibly the patron deity of the Poggio Colla cult. The 500-pound stele contains one of the longest Etruscan texts ever found, shedding light on ancient fertility rituals and writing systems.
A new study uses a video game to teach abstract math concepts by making relevant arm movements. Researchers found that this approach can improve knowledge and retention of complex geometry theorems, promoting embodied cognition and learning through motion.
Two giant sinkholes near Wink, Texas, are experiencing subsidence and expansion, suggesting an increased risk of collapse. Groundwater levels and dissolving minerals underlie the area's unstable ground, which is linked to changing groundwater levels and successive roof failures in underlying cavities.
Researchers highlight the importance of fire-adaptive communities in managing wildfires, which have successfully coexisted with flames for centuries. These communities use social institutions to balance individual benefits with preservation of the common good, offering valuable lessons for designing local fire management strategies.
Researchers analyzed CT scans of Pawpawsaurus's skull and found its sense of smell was sharper than some dinosaur predators but less keen than Ankylosaurus. The dinosaur lacked a club tail, but its enlarged nasal cavity may have helped it detect prey or avoid predators.
Researchers from SMU's Lyle School of Engineering are developing a computer-generated image of an object hidden from sight to create a hologram. The goal is to enable soldiers to 'see' around corners and behind walls, improving their situational awareness.
A giant star exploded 30 million years ago in a galaxy near Earth, releasing energy equivalent to 100 million suns. The analysis revealed the star's mass, radius, and chemical composition before its spectacular demise.
A 6th century BCE sandstone slab unearthed from an Etruscan temple in Italy holds a rare and lengthy inscription, likely revealing details about Etruscan worship of a god or goddess. The discovery is significant as most Etruscan discoveries are grave and funeral objects, making this find extraordinary.
A new study published in Nature reports that Earth's moon slowly moved from its original axis around 3 billion years ago. The discovery was made possible by analyzing NASA data indicating lunar polar hydrogen, which is presumed to be ancient ice hidden in craters surrounding the moon's poles.
A new study at Southern Methodist University found that leading standardized equations for walking energy expenditure are inaccurate and biased. A new method, developed by SMU scientists, is four times more accurate for adults and kids combined, and two to three times more accurate for adults only.
New research reveals that Native American populations in the Southwest US collapsed rapidly in the 17th century due to sustained daily interaction with European colonizers, resulting in epidemic diseases, violence, and famine. The population decline had indirect effects on forest fires and climate, with findings published in PNAS.
A new species of toothed pterosaur, Cimoliopterus dunni, discovered in Texas and linked to its closest relative in England. The discovery suggests prehistoric creatures moved between North America and England earlier than previously thought.