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University of Colorado at Boulder


What Reddit's basketball fans can tell us about online discourse

A recent study on Reddit's basketball fans reveals that mixing fans of different teams can lead to a backfire effect, resulting in more negative comments and hate speech. The researchers found that when fans interact with opposing groups online, their language patterns deteriorate, becoming increasingly negative and confrontational.

SourceUniversity of Colorado at Boulder·JournalProceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction·DateNov 1, 2019

Ancient rhinos roamed the Yukon

A team of scientists has discovered ancient fossil teeth in the Yukon, which are believed to belong to a long-extinct cousin of modern rhinoceroses. The discovery provides a gap in the fossil record and sheds light on the migration patterns of animals during the Tertiary Period.

SourceUniversity of Colorado at Boulder·JournalAmerican Museum Novitates·DateOct 31, 2019

Study finds no link between youth contact sports and cognitive, mental health problems

A new study of nearly 11,000 youth followed for 14 years found that adolescents who play contact sports are not more likely to experience cognitive impairment, depression, or suicidal thoughts later in life. In fact, football players were less likely to suffer from depression in early adulthood compared to other groups.

SourceUniversity of Colorado at Boulder·JournalOrthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine·DateOct 21, 2019

How to tie microscopic knots

Physicists at the University of Colorado Boulder have discovered a way to tie microscopic knots within liquid crystals, a type of material used in electronics. The researchers found that by applying voltage, they can expand or shrink the knots and even form complex shapes.

Bioengineers explore cardiac tissue remodeling after aortic valve replacement procedures

Researchers create biomaterial-based models of heart tissues to understand the impact of aortic valve replacement procedures on cardiac tissue remodeling. The study reveals key proteins associated with myofibroblast deactivation and offers potential for developing innovative therapies for fibrotic diseases of the heart.

SourceUniversity of Colorado at Boulder·JournalScience Translational Medicine·DateSep 11, 2019

Persistent plume

Scientists studied a massive wildfire smoke plume that lasted for nearly nine months, providing an ideal opportunity to test climate models. The findings show that black carbon was key to the plume's rapid rise and persistence, challenging previous nuclear winter studies.

Study debunks 'depression genes' hypotheses

A new University of Colorado Boulder study found that the 18 most highly-studied candidate genes for depression are no more associated with it than randomly chosen genes. The research suggests that depression is influenced by many variants, each having a miniscule effect, and challenges previous 'candidate gene hypotheses',

SourceUniversity of Colorado at Boulder·JournalAmerican Journal of Psychiatry·DateApr 2, 2019