Researchers have successfully developed a new CRISPR system, Cas12a2, that can selectively kill cancer cells without harming healthy tissue. The technology uses a guide RNA to target specific genetic mutations and has shown promise in reducing tumor volume by 50% after a single treatment.
Researchers have resurrected ancient nitrogenases, enabling a new window into the origins of life on Earth. The study provides insights into the evolution of early life and its relevance to understanding life elsewhere in the universe.
A recent critique of a high-profile Yellowstone aspen study highlights the challenges in measuring ecosystem response to wolf reintroduction. The original study reported a 152-fold increase in young aspen density, but a formal correction has shifted the figure down to 17.5-fold.
Researchers at Utah State University have discovered a new CRISPR system that can precisely target transfer RNA in invading pathogens, which could lead to the development of a single diagnostic test for COVID, influenza, and RSV. This discovery enables the detection and targeting of specific pathogens without damaging host cells.
A recent study by Alice Carter reveals that filamentous algae blooms in the Upper Clark Fork River have a minimal impact on the river's metabolism and function. Instead, smaller epilithic algae are quietly driving the ecosystem, producing healthy conditions for the food web.
A new peer-reviewed analysis challenges the 2025 study on Yellowstone's wolves, finding claims of a 'world-leading' trophic cascade are unsupported. The re-analysis highlights circular reasoning and modeling assumptions violations, suggesting a more modest response to predator recovery.
Researchers track expansion of disease-carrying mosquitoes and their hybrids in North America, particularly in Utah. Climate change and land use changes enable mosquitoes to thrive in new areas, spreading West Nile Virus and other mosquito-borne illnesses.
A large-scale survey of woodrat populations in North America reveals that costs of specialization and generalization dictate diet breadth. Woodrats' diets are not as broad as previously thought, but individuals select a consistent subset of plants to manage risks and costs.
A team of international researchers has developed a novel photobiocatalytic approach to create copper-based catalysts that can efficiently form carbon-nitrogen bonds. This breakthrough could lead to the production of life-saving pharmaceuticals in a more sustainable and energy-efficient manner.
Sara Freeman, a neurobiologist at Utah State University, has received the Council on Undergraduate Research Biology Mentor Early-Career Award for her exceptional mentorship of undergraduate researchers. She has mentored over 40 students and developed courses to encourage research involvement.
Utah State University evolutionary biologist Zachariah Gompert has received a $1.85 million NIH grant to explore chromosomal rearrangements that may drive rapid evolutionary changes. He will study these arrangements in stick insects, butterflies, and seed beetles using genomics research and computational data analysis.
Researchers create framework to describe fundamental physics principles in both realms, providing key component for reconciling theories. The holographic principle is a crucial model to predict effects of quantum gravity, enabling theoretical physicists to make accurate predictions.
Researchers have discovered that the Wasatch Fault's shallow dipping angle at depth may lead to stronger, more intense shaking at the surface, increasing the risk of injury and destruction. The scientists found that the fault rocks themselves are weaker due to past deformation, priming the fault for future failure.
Researchers used phased genome assemblies to show complex chromosomal rearrangements are key drivers of repeated adaptive evolution in a stick insect. The study found that millions of DNA bases were flipped backwards and moved within chromosomes, independently in populations on different mountains.
Utah State University ecologist Norah Saarman is developing an AI method to accurately identify Culex mosquito vectors of West Nile Virus using computer vision-based technology. This project aims to improve species identification, monitor populations, and track disease outbreaks with increased efficiency, accuracy, and cost-effectiveness.
Utah State University ecologists Joseph Wilson and Anthony Hunsaker published a checklist of the state's bee species, documenting 1,167 species and estimating up to 1,500 in total. The study highlights Utah's high bee diversity and provides valuable information for conservation efforts.
Coyotes exhibit genetic monogamy, forming long-lasting social attachments. USU neuroscientist Sara Freeman studies the behavioral, hormonal, and neural basis of coyote pair-bonding behavior.
USU geoscientists Jordan Jensen and Alexis Ault have developed a new forensic tool to investigate the timing of geochemical oxidation reactions in iron-oxide minerals. The tool uses martite and uranium-thorium-helium analyses to shed light on how and when large gaps in the rock record, known as unconformities, formed.
Researchers refine classic stratigraphic model of the Grand Canyon's Tonto Group, shedding light on sea-level rise, catastrophic storms and rapid trilobite diversification during the Cambrian period. The study offers a deeper understanding of global changes in climate and tectonics.
A new study by Utah State University researchers suggests tens of millions of bees may perish every day as motorists zoom down busy highways. The team used sticky traps attached to car bumpers and extrapolated the data based on Department of Transportation statistics.
Researchers at Utah State University and Polytechnic University of Madrid report a simpler pathway for nitrogen fixation in plants, involving just seven genes. This discovery could alleviate hunger in less-developed areas and reduce the carbon footprint of fertilizer production.
Srisharan Shreedharan leads a collaborative effort to gain knowledge of processes that could improve seismic hazard forecasting. The research aims to identify key indicators that can help predict earthquakes and reduce seismic hazards.
Researchers from USU and international partners will investigate how earthquake energy accumulates and releases on major strike-slip faults. The project aims to improve earthquake hazard models and provide educational opportunities in Earth sciences.
A new study by Utah State University explores the potential of collaborative modeling to improve reservoir operations and adapt to variable inflow and declining storage. The research involved 26 Colorado River Basin managers and experts who used Google Sheets during video calls to discuss consuming, banking, and trading water.
Researchers found predictable, repeatable evolutionary patterns in populations of stick insects, with fluctuations in color frequency influenced by bird predation and natural selection. The study provides evidence for the existence of 'up-and-down' dynamics in evolution based on standing genetic variation.
Researchers at Utah State University have made significant contributions to sustaining human exploration on Mars by successfully growing plants in Martian conditions. The team's foundational research has been honored with a NASA Achievement Award.
Researchers created a Hydrological Generative Adversarial Network (Hydro-GAN) model to integrate satellite data from MODIS and Landsat 8, improving water boundary resolution. The tool enhances predictions of lake shrinking and expansion behaviors.
Alexis Ault, a USU geoscientist, has been selected as a 2023 Kavli Fellow by the National Academy of Sciences. She presented her research on shallow fault damage along the southern San Andreas Fault in California at the Japanese-American-German Frontiers of Science Symposium.
Research published in Science explores the variability in plant-herbivore interactions, revealing that plants in tropical populations tend to receive similar amount of herbivory, while temperate populations show more variation. Plant size, latitude, and phylogeny are key factors explaining this variability.
A team of researchers at Utah State University has successfully created an in vitro model of Bruch's membrane, a layer in the retina that deteriorates with age. The model uses hagfish slime proteins to replicate the natural aging process and disease progression, providing a valuable tool for studying age-related macular degeneration.
A recent study by USU ecologist Jessica Murray found that tree canopies store significant amounts of carbon, with the ability to store up to 4% of total soil carbon. Climate and tree size play a crucial role in canopy soil abundance, and its decline could lead to a significant decrease in carbon storage resources.
New analysis reveals the Arctic island's ice melted for moss, shrubs, and insects around 416,000 years ago, leading to at least five feet of sea-level rise. The findings indicate Greenland's ice sheet is more sensitive to climate change than previously thought.
Researchers have developed methods to produce polyphenolic compounds with improved solubility through microbial fermentation, enabling potential life-saving drugs. The process, called glycosylation, attaches sugar molecules to the compounds, making them more effective in preventing diseases such as cancer and heart disease.
A team of scientists investigated how genetic variation is maintained in a species and its impact on adaptation. They found that a complex evolutionary process contributes to the persistence of both old and new forms of a chromosomal inversion in stick insects, potentially fostering long-term survival.
Researchers found distinct differences in geochemistry and microbial community composition between flat-slab and back-arc hot springs. These findings suggest that tectonics play a crucial role in shaping the microbial makeup of these environments.
Researchers investigate Denali Fault's mantle-to-crust connections to understand seismic cycle and linkages between fluid flow, seismicity, and fault strength. Bubbling springs along the fault indicate intact connections to the mantle, suggesting a 'roadblock' may prevent future earthquakes.
A recent study found that graduate engineering identity and advisor-peer relationships play a crucial role in predicting degree completion intention. The research, conducted across 98 universities, reveals that strengthening these connections can lead to increased retention rates and improved support for neurodivergent students.
The Atmospheric Waves Experiment, led by USU's Space Dynamics Laboratory and College of Science, will provide unprecedented images of Earth's gravity waves from space. The mission aims to improve satellite communications forecasting and enable contingency planning for space weather events.
Researchers examine ultralow frictional healing and slow slip events along the Hikurangi tectonic plate boundary, shedding light on seismic hazards and tsunamis. The study aims to improve early warning systems and monitor events using data from monitoring sites in the trench.
Researchers from Utah State University have developed a new LiDAR system that improves the response time of commercial vehicles and detects movement without flaws. The technology can differentiate between stagnant and moving objects, see in the dark, and recognize potential collisions in real-time.
Researchers at Utah State University have discovered a newly found CRISPR immune system, Cas12a2, which deactivates foreign genes to protect cells. This unique system elicits abortive infection in target cells, causing them to become senescent.
Researchers at Utah State University found that the formation of K'gari Sand Island and the Great Barrier Reef were linked to major climate feedback changes during the Middle Pleistocene Transition. The team's study suggests that sea-level rise may have initiated the landforms' beginnings around 800,000 years ago.
Researchers used a generalization approach based on human perception to classify North American bumble bees into five distinct mimicry rings and one mixed group. The study suggests that humans can effectively identify visual similarities in color patterns, similar to vertebrate predators.
Researchers measured plant-soil feedbacks for six perennial prairie grass species using a short-term greenhouse study. The findings did not match outcomes observed in a long-term field experiment at Minnesota's Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve, highlighting the limitations of short-term experiments.
A recent study published in PNAS found that genetic effects in interacting species jointly determine ecological outcomes. The research, led by Utah State University geneticist Zach Gompert, reveals that individual variation matters and has consistent effects on caterpillar growth across multiple butterfly populations and species.
Steve Petruzza has been awarded a $600,000 NSF grant to develop tools and techniques for next-generation adaptive data layouts. This will address the increasing gap between computing power and data movement, enabling efficient access to large datasets.
Scientists from US and Iran are collaborating on restoring Lake Urmia, which has lost 95% of its volume over two decades. The team's findings show that setting a target water level may not solve the lake's problems, highlighting the need for ecosystem-based restoration efforts.
A patented technology combines two subsystems of an AC-DC converter into one, creating a more compact battery charger while maintaining full functionality. This innovation supports the goal of developing sustainable and economically sound electrified transportation.
USU researchers developed a three-dimensional cell culture surface using silkworm silk to grow skeletal muscle cells, outperforming traditional methods. Cells grown on silkworm silk showed increased mechanical flexibility and proper muscle fiber alignment, mimicking human skeletal muscle more closely.
Researchers at Utah State University used a new tool to study the effects of stress on Pseudomonas chlororaphis O6, a health-promoting bacterium found in dryland wheat roots. The study found that stress can cause compositional changes in the bacteria's outer membrane vesicles, which may be leveraged for crop benefit.