A recent study at the University of Michigan Biological Station found that carbon storage in forests is more nuanced than previously thought. The study, which spanned over two centuries, revealed that forest structure, tree and fungal communities, and soil biogeochemical processes have a greater influence on carbon sequestration than t...
The study found that fragmented landscapes had 13.6% fewer species at the patch scale and 12.1% fewer species at the landscape scale. Generalist species primarily live in fragmented areas. The researchers conclude that large, continuous landscapes are better for preserving biodiversity.
Researchers found Andromeda XXXV, the smallest and dimmest satellite galaxy to date, which challenges our understanding of galaxy formation and evolution. The discovery provides new insights into how galaxies survive different epochs of the universe.
Researchers from the University of Michigan found that line drying clothes could save households up to $2,100 in energy costs over their lifetime. The study also highlighted the importance of behavioral changes, such as running dryers during off-peak hours, and the varying emissions due to different regions' energy sources.
A University of Michigan study found that dicamba drift reduces pollinator abundance and visits to some weeds but not others. Weeds exposed to dicamba drift have fewer pollinators near them and reduced pollinator visits. Dicamba damages plants by mimicking the hormone auxin, impacting plant growth size, flower production, and timing.
The Hydrogen Engine Alliance of North America aims to educate the public about hydrogen's potential and build support for infrastructure development. It will foster innovation and collaboration across sectors to ensure that internal combustion engine vehicles contribute meaningfully to North America's hydrogen ecosystem.
Nearly 17 million children in the US are estimated to live with a parent who has a substance use disorder. Children may face high risks of substance use issues and mental health challenges due to parental addiction.
The University of Michigan is merging its transportation safety research with automated vehicle testing to improve roadway safety. The move marks the institution's 60th anniversary and includes Mcity, a public/private partnership test facility, to develop connected and automated vehicle technologies.
Researchers found that foliated rocks along a fault line exhibit anisotropic properties, causing uneven strength and contributing equally to earthquake generation. This discovery suggests that the properties of rocks may play a significant role in seismic activity.
University of Michigan researchers will scale up NASA's technology and manufacturing process to create durable silicon carbide circuits that can operate at record-high temperatures. The project aims to advance aerospace electronics and sensors for aircraft engines, and support renewable energy and defense applications.
An interactive digital-learning platform improved reading skills more quickly than conventional pen-and-paper lessons, with an average gain of 9 percentile points. The Roadmap Platform provides a map-like format with voice recording features, making it accessible to struggling students and bridging learning gaps.
A new model assesses mariculture's effects on marine species and forecasts its impacts by 2050 under different climate scenarios. Strategic planning can increase production of bivalve shellfish and finfish, but may harm certain iconic marine mammals.
The discovery of chromium sulfide bromide's magnetic properties enables the confinement of excitons to a single line, confining quantum information for longer periods. This could be a game changer for future electronics and information technology, enabling applications in quantum computing and sensing.
The University of Michigan Department of Astronomy will launch its first space mission in 2029 with a $10 million NASA grant. The STARI mission aims to demonstrate a new technique for studying exoplanets, which could help search for life beyond our solar system.
Thatchaphol Saranurak and Andrew Owens have been awarded Sloan Research Fellowships for their innovative work on graph networks and machine perception systems. Their research aims to create more efficient algorithms for computing dynamic systems, such as social networks and traffic patterns.
A new sponge-like implant helps guide a treatment that slows or stops a degenerative condition similar to multiple sclerosis. The implant attracted diseased immune cells, enabling researchers to study and target them with a nanoparticle-based treatment, which prevented mice from developing symptoms such as paralysis if administered early.
Researchers used a computational model to simulate the evolution of evolvability, finding that frequent environmental changes can increase mutations that allow populations to adapt. The study suggests that once evolvability is achieved, it can be maintained through future evolution.
Elizabeth Holm and Nicholas Kotov, U-M professors, have been elected to the National Academy of Engineering for their groundbreaking work in materials science and engineering. They developed computational models to optimize material properties and created novel composite materials with unique properties.
Researchers at the University of Michigan are developing AI-powered mobile clinics to improve access to healthcare in rural areas. The clinics will be equipped with an AI agent that guides medical generalists through unfamiliar diagnoses and procedures, reducing costs and improving patient outcomes.
Using fractal math, researchers found that artists' preservation of a tree's branch diameter scaling exponent enables viewers to easily recognize trees, even without other distinguishing features. This universal factor applies across styles and cultures, linking artistic beauty with mathematical complexity.
A team of researchers found that mammalian tails can form complex curves and enable body rotations in mid-air, challenging the conventional design of robotic tails. The study suggests that tail structure optimized for inertial maneuvering could be applied to robots, improving their performance and efficiency.
A University of Michigan study found that people value their time similarly to the regional hourly wage when choosing between public transit and ride-hailing services like Uber and Lyft. The researchers suggest making transit more convenient could lead to larger gains in sustainability.
Researchers developed an interactive tool to compare the efficiency of four sustainable propulsion systems: e-SAF, battery-electric, hydrogen fuel cell, and hydrogen combustion. The tool considers factors like renewable electricity required, sustainability, and cost. It aims to provide a strategy for thinking about sustainable aviation...
A new study by Alexandra Murphy reveals that 36% of Detroit residents struggle with safe and timely transportation, impacting quality of life and community well-being. The Transportation Security Index (TSI) measures this issue, highlighting the need for targeted policy responses to address individual challenges.
Researchers conducted a survey of cyanobacteria in Kenya's Lake Victoria to understand how harmful algal blooms might evolve in Lake Erie. The study found that areas with turbidity can mask the visibility of blooms, and toxins like microcystin can cause liver damage and interact with other toxins in the human body.
A new interposer design uses optical connections to transfer data between chips, enabling high-performance computing and addressing the 'memory wall' limit on AI growth. The technology allows for faster communication, reconfigurable pathways, and real-time network control.
A brain-computer interface has enabled a person with tetraplegia to control a virtual quadcopter by thinking about moving their unresponsive fingers. This technology provides unprecedented control, allowing the user to maneuver through a virtual obstacle course and potentially enabling remote work and social interactions.
A new carbon cloth electrode technology has been developed to remove boron from seawater, making it safer for drinking. This innovation could save up to $6.9 billion annually by reducing the need for expensive chemicals and energy in desalination plants.
Researchers have developed a new approach to analyzing cosmic maps, known as field-level inference, which preserves the fidelity of the data and can improve the determination of cosmological parameters by a factor of 3.5 to 5.2 compared to standard methods.
Research led by the University of Michigan reveals that extreme rainfall disproportionately increases E. coli concentrations in recreational waters of communities of color in Texas, particularly those with higher percentages of Black residents in the north and east, and predominantly Latino communities in the south and west.
Researchers at the University of Michigan will develop shock absorbers, noise-mitigating curtains, and hardware-in-loop platforms to improve testing and durability. The projects aim to make offshore renewable energy more reliable and better neighbor to marine life.
A study from the University of Michigan suggests that organic solar cells made with small molecules can withstand radiation without degrading, outperforming traditional silicon-based systems. The cause of degradation in others may be preventable by filling electron traps with other atoms.
A University of Michigan study found that community programs to reduce kids' screen time are less successful in neighborhoods with limited green space. Children from communities with more green space had better outcomes in these programs.
The study reveals that twisting the filament at micro and nanoscale produces light waves with elliptical polarization, offering a new avenue for robotic vision systems. Brightness is up to 100 times brighter than other approaches, but includes a broad spectrum of wavelengths and twists.
A new study from the University of Michigan found connections between sleep cycles and circadian rhythm disruptions in relation to moods. The research used Fitbit data from hundreds of medical interns to establish links between aligned and misaligned sleep patterns and real-world measures of mental health.
Adolescent drug use has continued to drop in 2024, with record levels of abstention reported across all three grades. Abstention rates reached 67% in 12th grade, 80% in 10th grade, and 90% in eighth grade.
The University of Michigan's QuPID project seeks to develop robust quantum systems for applications like environmental monitoring, GPS navigation and semiconductor chip quality control. The team aims to create design kits for global adaptation and simplify instrumentation needed to manipulate light properties.
The Mcity Test Facility's first open-source digital twin enables researchers to test autonomous algorithms in a virtual environment. The digital twin introduces real-world data and simulated safety-critical events, accelerating the development of connected and automated vehicle software.
A University of Michigan study analyzed COVID-19-era suicide deaths to understand the pandemic's influence. The researchers found that mental health may have been overlooked during the crisis, and the reasons behind suicides are complex.
Two University of Michigan faculty members, Robert Bartlett and Zhen Xu, have been elected to the National Academy of Inventors for their innovative research and groundbreaking technologies. Bartlett developed extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, a technology providing cardiac and respiratory support, while Xu invented histotripsy, a t...
Researchers develop new organic LED material that maintains sharp color and contrast while replacing heavy metals with a hybrid material. The material achieves stable, fast phosphorescent light emission, necessary for modern displays operating at 120 frames per second.
Physicists at the University of Michigan have developed an algorithm that enables materials to learn and adapt, mimicking brain-like behaviors. This breakthrough has implications for the development of advanced materials with self-tuning properties.
Researchers developed a heat-tolerant memory device that can store and rewrite information at temperatures over 1100°F, comparable to the surface of Venus and the melting temperature of lead. The device uses oxygen ions instead of electrons, allowing for precise control of voltage states and potential in-memory computing applications.
Researchers found that burned rice hulls can provide a nearly doubling of energy density in typical lithium-ion or sodium-ion batteries. The process is more sustainable than producing graphite from biomass, which requires heating to high temperatures and produces significant CO2 emissions.
A University of Michigan study suggests that ethnic studies courses develop critical reflection, a core component of critical consciousness, enabling students to recognize and challenge systemic inequities. Students also valued the content and teaching methods in ethnic studies classes, which emphasized cooperative learning and direct ...
A University of Michigan study found that warmer temperatures decline the immune performance of wild capuchin monkeys, with younger monkeys most vulnerable. The researchers used a 'clean catch' method to collect urine samples from the monkeys, which revealed a significant decline in immune performance during periods of high temperatures.
A team of international scientists, including University of Michigan researchers, have discovered how ribosomes recruit to mRNA while it's being transcribed by an enzyme called RNA polymerase. This understanding holds great potential for developing new antibiotics targeting specific pathways in bacterial protein synthesis.
A University of Michigan study found that glyphosate-resistant morning glory plants are also resistant to chewing insects. The researchers discovered a positive correlation between glyphosate resistance and insect resistance, suggesting that the herbicide disrupts the co-evolution of plants and their insect herbivores.
Researchers developed a software tool called Perseus that identifies critical tasks in AI training and slows down processors not on the path, eliminating unnecessary power use. This approach saves enough energy to power 1.1 million US homes in 2026 and reduces AI's carbon footprint.
A new study by University of Michigan researchers introduces a framework to compare and analyze competitive interactions across various fields, from sports to social hierarchies. The 'depth of competition' model reveals that human games and sports are surprisingly shallow, while animal competitions exhibit much deeper stratification.