Lessons from a native wildflower’s story of evolving with climate
BIOLOGY - A western wildflower known as the scarlet monkeyflower could demonstrate how key evolutionary traits can help native species adapt to a rapidly changing climate.
Research
A closer look at the intersection of sleep, stress and alcohol
PSYCHOLOGY - Examining the relationship between sleep quality and psychological response to stress and reward could reveal insights to help break the cycle of poor mental health and poor sleep health in young adults.
Human physiology professor seeks to answer a small question with a big benefit
HUMAN PHYSIOLOGY - If a person thinks about moving their index finger, and then actually moves it, what changes between those two states? How do people transition from thinking about a movement to then performing that movement?
UO graduate student wins Science Coalition video challenge
NEUROSCIENCE - Mea Songco-Casey, a graduate student at the University of Oregon, is the winner of the Fund it Forward Student Video Challenge, which includes a $1,000 prize from the Science Coalition.
Satellite imagery could improve fossil-hunting at remote sites
EARTH SCIENCES - Satellite imagery could help paleontologists spot promising fossil sites before trekking into remote places.
UO’s 'Dr. Coffee' leads effort to extract the essence of espresso
CHEMISTRY & BIOCHEMISTRY - Chris Hendon heads a three-institution project to set formal guidelines for brewing the drink.
Study: DNA repair declines with age, limiting fertility
BIOLOGY - Even worms have a ticking fertility clock. A new study from UO biologists suggests one possible reason why reproduction slows with age. Older worms are less efficient at repairing broken DNA strands while making egg cells—part of a process that’s essential for fertility.
Squishy critters are inspiring underwater vehicle design
BIOLOGY - Nanomia bijuga, a marine animal related to jellyfish, swims via jet propulsion. And it can control these jets individually, either syncing them up or pulsing them in sequence. These two different swimming styles let the animal prioritize speed or energy efficiency, depending on its current needs, a team of UO researchers found.
New wildfire camera in Eugene bolsters fire-spotting network
EARTH SCIENCES - UO’s Oregon Hazards Lab is expanding the state's network of fire detection cameras.
Researchers use monkey teeth to hone dates of hominin fossils
ANTHROPOLOGY - Teeth from an extinct monkey species are a clue to the ages of fossils of human ancestors throughout South Africa. A study from UO anthropologist Stephen Frost and a team of colleagues updates the proposed ages of key fossil sites in South Africa, sites that hold important clues to human evolution.