Research on rice as a crop and staple food. Covers fertilizer and emissions trade-offs, biochar and heavy metals, and heat resilience.
A Rice University study identifies over a dozen Gulf Coast bridges at risk of severe damage in a hurricane with stronger winds than Hurricane Ike. The research helps public safety officials plan emergency responses and identify potential fixes for existing bridges.
Researchers identified patterns in protein expression and found nearly 700 protein pairs implicated in networks of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients. The goal is to tailor therapy by targeting specific protein signaling pathways, which may lead to improved treatment outcomes.
A new study found that liberals and conservatives tend to donate more to charities aligned with their respective moral foundations. Republicans are more likely to donate when a charity supports traditional values and loyalty, while Democrats are more inclined to donate when the emphasis is on equality and protection from harm.
A new study from Rice University and others found that hiding one's true identity at work can lead to decreased job satisfaction and increased turnover. Expressing one's true identity in the workplace, on the other hand, can have a positive impact on interpersonal relationships and create a more inclusive environment.
Researchers have identified dozens of zeolite minerals that can improve the energy efficiency of carbon capture technology, reducing 'parasitic energy' costs by up to 30%. The new materials could significantly enhance the feasibility of capturing CO2 from power plant emissions and storing it underground.
A new study by Rice University's Baker Institute examines how the US has adapted its cyber policy in response to pivotal events such as the Arab Spring revolutions, Internet crackdowns, and social media use. The research highlights the increasing importance of digital international communications to US foreign policy.
Key figures like Egypt's Esraa Abdel Fattah and Tunisia's Lina Ben Mhenni used social media to organize protests and bridge with mainstream media. The study highlights the crucial role of women in the Arab Spring revolutions, transcending traditional gender roles and communication methods.
Researchers find a new method to reversibly change VO2's behavior by exposing it to hydrogen, altering its electronic and structural properties. The findings could lead to better understanding of the material's physics and potential applications in ultrasensitive sensors.
Researchers unveiled an inexact computer chip that allows for occasional errors, boosting performance by at least 15 times. The design improves power and resource efficiency by pruning sections of digital circuits and using confined voltage scaling.
A team of Rice engineering seniors designed a prototype device that uses suction cups attached to a vacuum pump to gently lift the abdomens of obese patients who are on their backs and under light sedation. The device, called R-Aides, could be invaluable to surgeons performing operations involving the upper or lower body.
Beyond Traditional Borders (BTB) has produced 58 low-cost health technologies, including LED-based phototherapy lights and a portable fluorescence microscope. The program challenges students to develop practical solutions to real-world health care problems in the developing world.
Researchers found that traditional 'quasiparticle' theory breaks down at 'quantum critical point', where electrons behave strangely. The study used heavy-fermion metals to show a breakdown in fundamental concepts of Landau-Fermi liquid theory.
Researchers have discovered a low-cost, efficient alternative to silicon-based solar cells using nanotube electrodes in dye-sensitized solar cells. The single-wall nanotube arrays show high electroactivity and potential for cheaper production than platinum, leading to improved efficiency and robustness.
Researchers at Rice University and Penn State University discovered a material that can absorb oil spilled in water due to the addition of boron to carbon nanotubes. The nanosponges have a high surface area, conduct electricity, and can be manipulated with magnets.
Climate change is expected to reduce agriculture productivity by up to 50% in Southeast Asia, posing a significant threat to food security. Climate-smart agriculture has become crucial for the region's adaptation strategy, focusing on innovations to adapt agriculture to wild swings in climate extremes.
A new study at Rice University reveals that plant defenses are enhanced when plants are touched, triggering an insect defense response. This response is mediated by the plant hormone jasmonate, which plays a critical role in initiating plant defenses against insect-eating insects and some fungal infections.
A new study by Rice University scientists found that nature conspires to keep most of Earth's copper buried dozens of miles below ground. The researchers examined arc magmas and discovered sulfides, which are minerals containing reduced forms of sulfur bonded to metals like copper.
The research team aims to create automated program-synthesis tools for various applications, including robotic tasks. The goal is to help human programmers write code faster and with fewer errors by leveraging intelligent software agents.
A Rice University study found that federal efforts were most effective at reducing pollutants, while state implementation plans played a smaller role. The study's findings suggest that nationally, ozone levels have improved substantially due to federal and EPA efforts.
Researchers at Rice University created starfruit-shaped gold nanorods that can enhance surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy, allowing for more sensitive detection of organic molecules. The particles return signals 25 times stronger than similar nanorods with smooth surfaces.
Rice University researchers have developed a transparent memory chip using silicon oxide, which can combine with transparent electrodes and integrated circuits. The technology has the potential to create flexible and transparent electronics, such as see-through cellphones.
New research from Rice University suggests that childhood hunger policies should focus on neighborhoods rather than individual families. Children living in poverty-stricken neighborhoods with high foreign-born populations are more likely to experience hunger.
A new study by Rice University scientists reveals that cooking temperature determines the effectiveness of 'biochar' as a soil additive. Biochar can improve hydrology and make more nutrients available to plants when produced at high temperatures.
The Indian Mahabubnagar District plans to supply 10% of its 500,000 students with the I-slate tablets over three years. The devices feature a new user interface designed to improve educational outcomes in rural India.
Research from Rice University found that bilingual immigrants experience improved physical and mental well-being compared to unilingual immigrants. The study, which analyzed over 4,649 U.S. immigrants, suggests that maintaining native-language fluency alongside English proficiency contributes to better health outcomes.
A new policy report from Rice University's Baker Institute warns that India's economic slowdown is due to its failure to implement necessary reforms. The report highlights the need for fiscal discipline, tax reform, governance initiatives, and other measures to boost growth.
A new study from Rice University and the University of Colorado found that economic growth in developing nations can lead to increased obesity among lower socio-economic status individuals. This is attributed to different cultural values and norms, with being large considered a status symbol in developing countries.
Researchers at Rice University found that minority principals and administrative personnel play a key role in implementing policies to engage immigrant parents. Cultural brokers with connections to parents' racial or ethnic origin group also have a positive impact on school policies and practices.
The Houston metropolitan area has become the most ethnically diverse large metropolitan area in the country, with a significant reduction in segregation over the past 20 years. The region's diversity is attributed to changes in immigration laws in 1965, which led to a substantial shift in the population's ethnic composition.
Current climate models fail to account for the relationship between atmosphere and soil, leading to underestimated temperature variability and increased food production risk. This could lead to serious effects on crop yields, particularly in Europe and the Americas.
A new strategy combining carbon nanoparticles with chemotherapy and radiation therapy shows significant potential in treating head-and-neck cancers. The treatment uses nanoparticles to encapsulate chemotherapeutic drugs, delivering them directly to cancer cells.
Research found alarmingly high concentrations of arsenic in commercial infant formulas and cereal bars containing organic brown rice syrup. The study highlights the need for regulatory limits on arsenic in food products, particularly those with rice-based ingredients.
Plants use their internal clocks to anticipate and prepare for insect attacks, increasing production of defense hormones like jasmonate. This allows them to resist damage from caterpillars and other pests.
Manan Mehta developed a method to create circularly permuted proteins, which are useful for studying molecular evolution and designing biosensors. The new technique uses transposase engineering to create diverse protein variants with great control.
Researchers at Rice University have created a way to print fine lines of gold nanoparticles on glass, allowing them to transmit signals over long distances using dark plasmons. This breakthrough enables efficient energy transfer on the micrometer scale, potentially improving optoelectronic devices.
A new study has identified 131 rice metabolites and clarified the genetic and environmental factors that influence their production. The findings have significant implications for breeding improved rice grain varieties with increased nutritional value.
Researchers at Rice University and Texas Children's Hospital have successfully derived vessel-forming stem cells from amniotic fluid, offering hope for repairing infant hearts. The breakthrough could lead to growing tissue patches using the infant's own cells, potentially replacing defective tissue with beating heart tissue.
A new study from Rice University and Clemson University found that hand counting of votes can result in error rates of up to 2 percent, emphasizing the importance of well-specified manual auditing procedures. The research also showed that division of labor among group counting members can help reduce errors.
A study by Rice University and the University of California at Irvine found that corporate boards tend to dismiss top executives later in a scandal rather than immediately. Companies often use other companies' similar misconduct to justify their own, rather than taking responsibility for their actions.
A Wayne State University researcher is working to promote HIV testing among African-Americans by expanding testing in county jails. Her team provides comprehensive HIV prevention services, including counseling and referrals for those who test positive.
Researchers developed nano-infused transformer oil that increases efficiency by up to 80 percent, reducing heat loss while maintaining electric insulation. The oil's viscosity is minimally affected by nanoparticle fillers.
Researchers found that longer carbon nanotubes emit more light at near-infrared wavelengths, while shorter tubes are dimmer due to imperfections. The study reveals insights into how growth methods and processing can improve nanotube fluorescence.
Researchers at Rice University have developed a nanotube-based terahertz polarizer that selectively allows 100% of a terahertz wave to pass or blocks 99.9%, making it effective for security, communication, and sensing applications. The device handles waves from 0.5 to 2.2 terahertz, surpassing commercial polarizers.
Air Force Research Laboratory experiment confirms Boris Yakobson's theory that chirality of nanotubes determines their growth speed and armchair nanotubes grow fastest. The study provides a basis for further research into growing specific types of nanotubes with desired properties.
Rice University researchers have successfully observed superfluorescence in a solid-state material, creating a coherent burst of light. The team used high-intensity laser pulses and strong magnetic fields to create the conditions for this phenomenon, which occurs when electron-hole pairs cooperate.
Researchers from Rice University and UCSD decipher part of mitoNEET's movements using laboratory experiments and computer modeling. They found that the protein can switch between conformations without unfolding, altering the shape of its critical pocket.
A Rice University research team made graphene suitable for organic chemistry applications by attaching various molecules to its sheets, enabling advanced chemical sensors and electronic circuits. The hydrogenation process transformed graphene into a semiconducting superlattice, allowing for tailored functionality.
Physicists at Rice University mimic the orbit of Jupiter's Trojan asteroids within an atom, confirming Niels Bohr's 1920 prediction on quantum mechanics and Newtonian physics. The research demonstrates control over atomic behavior using radio frequency waves.
A new study reveals graphene's ability to enhance conductivity while retaining wetting characteristics, making it a promising coating for various applications. The research found that gold, copper, and silicon get just as wet when clad by a single layer of graphene as they would without.
A new method called MutMap enables plant scientists and breeders to develop new crop varieties in a year rather than five to ten years.
Michael Deem, a computational theorist, is being honored with the engineering award for fundamental theoretical work on vaccine design, mathematical biology, and nanoporous materials structure. His research has led to breakthroughs in understanding immunology, evolution, and materials science.
A new study by Rice sociologists finds that racial discrimination is associated with higher levels of emotional upset and physical symptoms among black adults (18%), compared to white adults (4%). The research highlights the need to acknowledge and study the impact of discriminatory behavior on long-term health outcomes.
A Rice University-led team discovered a one-step chemical process to create graphene quantum dots from carbon fiber. The sub-5 nanometer carbon-based quantum dots are highly soluble and have controllable size, with potential for biomedical imaging, protein analysis, and cell tracking.
A new study supports a 2006 theory by Qimiao Si to explain the electrical properties of unconventional superconductors. The research provides a global phase diagram for heavy-fermion systems, helping relate the behavior of several materials.
A new study by Rice University illustrates a disconnect between government funding of biomedical research by young investigators and the Nobel Prize standard. The average age of biomedical researchers getting their first grant from the NIH in 2008 was 42, compared to the average age of Nobel winners at 41.
Researchers at Rice University have figured out the source of colorful armchair nanotubes: hydrogen-like objects called excitons. The team found that exciton resonance occurs around a unique electronic structure in these one-dimensional materials, making them visible to our eyes.
Jane Grande-Allen, Rice University's first faculty member to win the award, will receive a five-year research grant to study the unique biological properties of heart valves. Her goal is to develop novel therapies for valve disease and create living, healing heart-valve replacements.
Research from Rice University and UC Berkeley reveals graphene tears along energetically favorable lines, creating desirable edges. The study suggests a new way to control graphene's electrical properties by manipulating its edges.
A team of scientists has imaged and explained the formation of string structures in microscopic spheres suspended in a viscous fluid under shear forces. The study revealed that these strings were perpendicular to the shear force, contrary to expectations, and were influenced by lubrication forces.
Growstones, an aggregate made from waste glass, has been shown to increase air-filled pore space in substrates more effectively than perlite and parboiled rice hulls. The study found that Growstones can be used as a substitute for these materials in greenhouse crop production, with improved water-holding capacity and bulk density.