Astronomers have found the closest, second-brightest hypervelocity star, speeding at 1 million mph. The star probes the supermassive black hole at the galaxy's center and the halo of mysterious dark matter, providing insights into the galaxy's structure.
Researchers discovered that finches in the Galapagos Islands use treated cotton to kill parasitic fly maggots, protecting baby birds and potentially helping endangered species. The biologists tested this self-fumigation method on Darwin's finches, showing that it is effective against the nest fly Philornis downsi.
A University of Utah-led study reveals that a curvy jet stream pattern, bringing mild temperatures to the US West and harsh cold to the East, became more pronounced 4,000 years ago. This pattern may worsen as Earth's climate warms, contributing to extreme winter weather events.
The newly discovered Anzu wyliei was an omnivore that roamed the Dakotas with T. rex 66 million years ago and stood over 10 feet tall. The dinosaur's fossil discovery sheds light on a previously limited category of oviraptorosaur theropod dinosaurs.
Researchers at the University of Utah created the smallest plasma transistors that can operate in extreme environments, including nuclear reactors. These devices have the potential to enable innovative applications such as medical X-ray imaging and real-time air quality monitoring, and could be used to control robots in nuclear reactors.
Chemists at the University of Utah discovered a method to predict chemical reactions using bond vibrations, which can lead to more efficient catalysts for medicines, industrial products, and new materials. The researchers used infrared spectroscopy to analyze bond vibrations and built a mathematical model to predict reaction outcomes.
Researchers used crowdsourcing to collect hurricane rainwater samples during Hurricane Sandy, revealing the storm's chemical signature and improving understanding of extra-tropical hurricanes. The study provides new insights into how these storms interact with weather systems, aiding in hurricane forecasting.
University of Utah engineers create microscopic structures that use light in metals to carry information, controlling electrical conductivity with an inexpensive inkjet printer. The technique could lead to rapid fabrication of superfast components and faster wireless technology.
Scientists suggest ancestors of Native Americans lived in shrub-tundra refugia on Bering land bridge for 10,000 years. The environment provided resources such as wood for construction and fires, allowing people to persist during the last glacial maximum.
Researchers at the University of Utah identified three key genes controlling feather color in domestic rock pigeons, which also influence human skin pigmentation. The study found that variations in these genes result in diverse feather colors, with specific combinations explaining a significant amount of color variation across pigeon b...
Researchers at University of Utah developed Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement, reducing opioid misuse and pain-related impairment in chronic pain patients. The new treatment combines mindfulness training, reappraisal, and savoring to address underlying processes involved in chronic pain and opioid misuse.
Researchers created a computer simulation to accurately predict blood vessel growth in the laboratory. By studying real blood vessels from rats, they found that denser extracellular matrix impairs vessel formation. This breakthrough aims to develop new treatments for diseases related to blood flow and cancer metastasis.
Researchers discovered that a record-breaking landslide at a Utah copper mine triggered 16 small earthquakes due to two massive rock avalanches. The slide was the largest nonvolcanic landslide in modern North American history, covering New York's Central Park with about 20 meters of debris.
Researchers discovered a new aquifer in the Greenland Ice Sheet that holds liquid water all year long, covering 27,000 square miles. This find is crucial for understanding the contribution of snowmelt and ice melt to rising sea levels.
University of Utah researchers found roly-poly pikas can survive extreme heat by consuming 60% moss in their diet, setting a new record for fiber intake. The study also revealed these low-elevation pikas build smaller food caches to survive winter, highlighting an unexpected adaptation to climate change.
A study by University of Utah researchers found that monitor lizards have a mostly one-way, looping air flow in their lungs, challenging previous notions about the function of this breathing pattern. The discovery raises questions about the evolutionary origins of this unique pattern, which may be as old as 270 million years.
Researchers discovered ultrafast recycling of synaptic vesicles in nerve cells, allowing for rapid signal transmission and potentially protecting against neurodegenerative diseases. This process enables the brain and muscles to function continuously without interruption.
Researchers found that female mice who competed socially for mates produce more urinary pheromones, making their sons more attractive to females. However, this increased attractiveness comes at a cost, as the sons have shorter lifespans due to the energy-intensive production of pheromones.
A newly discovered species of tyrannosaur, Lythronax argestes, has been unearthed in southern Utah and possesses unique features that challenge previous timelines. The study indicates that tyrannosaurs likely evolved in isolation on the continent of Laramidia.
Researchers at the University of Utah created a new organic molecule shaped like rotelle – wagon-wheel pasta – that depolarizes light, increasing LED efficiency. This breakthrough allows for more efficient OLED displays, promising longer battery life in smartphones and TVs.
Researchers at the University of Utah have created a polymer that emits light in multiple colors, including blue and red, and can be tuned to cover the entire visible spectrum. This breakthrough holds promise for more efficient and less expensive white organic LEDs, which could replace traditional light bulbs.
University of Utah engineers developed a wireless sensor network that can detect falls without wearing devices. The system uses radio-frequency sensors to track a person's location and distinguish between falls and benign activities.
A study by University of Utah bioengineers found that visual cues can dominate sound perception, leading to the McGurk effect. The team used brain signal recordings to demonstrate how vision overrides hearing in certain conditions.
A University of Utah study found that higher-intensity activity, even in short bouts, can lower the risk of obesity and promote weight loss. The research used data from over 4,500 adults and showed that daily minutes spent in high-intensity activity can offset up to half a pound of weight.
Researchers found that suitable habitats were settled first by early migrants, leading to a diverse patchwork of language groups. This process may account for global ethnolinguistic patterns.
Researchers found that mice consuming a diet of 25 percent extra sugar died at twice the normal rate and males had reduced territory and reproduction rates. The study suggests that added sugars can have dramatic adverse impacts on mammalian health, even at levels considered safe by regulatory agencies.
Entomologist Jack Longino identified 33 new species of predatory ants in Central America and the Caribbean. The ants were found in small patches of forest and have monster-like faces with sharp teeth and jaws. Their primitive eyes detect light, but not form images.
A new horned dinosaur species, Nasutoceratops titusi, has been discovered in Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument in Utah. The species features an unusually enlarged nose region and exceptionally long, curving horns, with possible functions including visual signals of dominance and mate attraction.
Researchers developed a new method using radioactive carbon-14 from nuclear bomb tests to determine the age of ivory, helping to combat illegal poaching. The method has immediate applications in enforcing international trade bans and reducing demand for ivory.
A new study by the University of Utah found that hands-free devices can overload drivers' attention and impair their ability to drive safely. The study used advanced metrics to assess driver mental workload and reaction time, revealing a five-fold increase in infotainment systems in new vehicles by 2018
A new study reveals that human ancestors began consuming tropical grasses and sedges around 3.5 million years ago, marking a significant shift in their diet. This change is believed to have set the stage for the development of modern diets featuring grains, grasses, and meat from grazing animals.
A survey of 161 military personnel found that those with multiple head injuries face a significantly higher risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors. The study's lead author says that knowing this association can provide valuable information for professionals treating wounded combat servicemen and women to help manage the risk of suicide.
Researchers used a microwave oven to produce a nanocrystal semiconductor for more efficient photovoltaic solar cells and LED lights, biological sensors, and systems to convert waste heat to electricity. The method produces the material quickly and uses less toxic metals than other semiconductors.
Utah biologist Çagan Şekercioğlu has won the prestigious Whitley Gold Award for conservation twice, including this year, for his work safeguarding bird-rich wetlands in northeast Turkey. He was awarded by Princess Anne at a ceremony in London.
Researchers found at least 759 seismic events before the mine collapse and 569 aftershocks, with some evidence of up to 1,022 seismic events and 1,167 aftershocks, indicating a larger collapse area extending to the west end of the mine
A study by University of Utah researchers found that community gardeners have a significantly lower body mass index (BMI) and lower odds of being overweight or obese compared to their non-gardening neighbors. The study, which used unique administrative data, also found health benefits for spouses of married gardeners.
A study by University of Utah researchers found that superstorm Sandy caused significant seismic activity along the East Coast as well as in the Atlantic Ocean. The storm's 'standing waves' created energy at the seafloor, detectable by seismometers across the US.
A study by University of Utah researchers found that cities with strong urban cores have the most positive effect on social interaction. Decentralization has a negative impact on socializing, 10 times more than fragmentation and 20 times longer commute times.
Researchers developed a high-speed camera system to photograph snowflakes in 3D as they fall, capturing their true complexity and size. The Multi-Angle Snowflake Camera collects vast amounts of data to improve weather forecasting models and simulate precipitation.
A new study from the University of Utah reveals that individuals with higher mindfulness traits experience greater emotional stability, better self-control, and lower physiological activation before bedtime. This finding suggests that mindfulness may contribute to improved emotional and physical well-being by enhancing self-regulation ...
A study by the University of Utah reveals that female partners of vets with PTSD suffer from significant increases in blood pressure, anger, and emotional distress. The study suggests these partners may be at similar or greater risk for cardiovascular disease due to relationship conflict and PTSD.
A new study reveals that mountains can play a crucial role in triggering lake-effect snowstorms over large bodies of water. The research found that three key mountain-related factors were necessary to produce the October 2010 storm that hit metropolitan Salt Lake City and the Wasatch Range.
Engineers at the University of Utah have shown that it is feasible to create organic topological insulators, which can conduct electricity on their edges but act as an insulator inside. This discovery could enable faster-than-light information transfer in quantum computers and spintronics devices.
Researchers found a Florida-sized zone of partly molten rock beneath the Pacific Ocean, which could trigger massive eruptions. The collision between two or more continent-sized piles may lead to supervolcano-like eruptions and large igneous provinces.
Researchers decode genetic blueprint of rock pigeon, unlocking secrets about Middle East origins, feral pigeons' kinship with racing birds, and how mutations give pigeons fancy feather hairdos. The study also reveals a single mutation in the EphB2 gene causes head crests to grow upward instead of downward.
A University of Utah study found that people who multitask the most, including those talking on cell phones while driving, are actually least capable of doing so. This is because they often lack the ability to focus attention on a singular task and tend to be impulsive and sensation-seeking.
A new study by the University of Utah found that military personnel who experienced physical or sexual assault are at higher risk of suicidal thoughts and actions. In contrast, undergraduate students who experienced unwanted sexual experiences as children or adults face increased risk of suicidal thoughts and ideation.
A University of Utah study suggests human hands evolved not only for manual dexterity but also for making fists and fighting. The research found that human fists provide a performance advantage in punching, with increased force delivery and protection for delicate hand bones during combat. This evolution may have been driven by selecti...
A study found that spending four days in nature, disconnected from electronic devices, improves creative problem-solving skills by 50%. The researchers used the Remote Associates Test to measure creativity and found significant benefits among participants.
A computer-based design program, SketchUp, helps develop spatial and visual acuity in youth on the autism spectrum. It also improves relationships between grandparents and their grandkids, creating a more supportive environment. The technology provides common ground for grandparents to engage with others, sharing experiences and joys.