2024
NASA’s Webb telescope peers into the boundary between day and night on a distant world
July 24, 2024
Researchers using NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope have observed new details about the boundary of a tidally locked planet—where half of the planet is always exposed to its star while the other is always shrouded in darkness. University of Chicago's Maria Steinrueck, Jacob Bean, and Diana Powell were co-authors of the paper presenting these results.
Enhancing multitasking efficiency: the role of muscle stimulation in reducing mental workload
July 24, 2024
PhD student Romain Nith, research collaborator Yun Ho, and Associate Professor Pedro Lopes propose increasing the efficiency of multitasking by incorporating electrical muscle stimulation called “SplitBody.”
The feds’ cutting-edge tech arm plants a quantum-computing flag in Illinois
July 24, 2024
Under Governor Pritzker, state quantum-computing investments began at the University of Chicago, the University of Illinois, and Argonne and Fermi National Laboratories. Together, they have since secured $275 million in federal grants for quantum computing. Now, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) plans to create a new quantum-testing facility in the Chicago area.
Will burying biomass underground curb climate change?
July 24, 2024
Some climate experts say carbon removal start-ups will limit global warming, but significant questions remain. David Keith, head of the Climate Systems Engineering initiative at the University of Chicago, comments on the rise of carbon removal strategies.
Argonne’s giant X-ray microscope gets an $815M upgrade
July 24, 2024
The Advanced Photon Source at Argonne National Laboratory, already one of the world’s brightest lights, just became 500 times brighter. University of Chicago researcher Joanne Stubbs explains the wide range of new possibilities this upgrade will offer to Argonne scientists.
A multitalented atom-transfer reagent
July 24, 2024
Researchers combined the characteristic parts of two well-known reagents into a versatile new compound for transplanting carbon atoms into organic molecules. Chemistry professor Guanbin Dong comments on the scientific interest behind the research.
Artists are taking things into their own hands to protect their work from generative AI
July 24, 2024
UChicago researchers have created Glaze and Nightshade, programs aimed at protecting artists' work from AI scraping. Artists and researchers are embracing these tools as a first step toward fighting against unregulated AI practices.
Monumental proof settles geometric Langlands Conjecture
July 24, 2024
In work that has been 30 years in the making, mathematicians have proven a major part of a profound mathematical vision called the Langlands program. Justin Campbell and Kevin Lin from the University of Chicago are part of this team of researchers.
Scientists call for ‘major initiative’ to study whether geoengineering should be used on glaciers
July 15, 2024
Propelled by UChicago’s Climate Systems Engineering initiative, a group of scientists has published a landmark report. It represents the first public effort by glaciologists to assess potential technological interventions that could help address catastrophic sea-level rise scenarios.
Three UChicago undergraduate students earn 2024 Goldwater Scholarships
July 15, 2024
University of Chicago rising fourth-year students Sarah Kress, Eva McCord, and Joshua Pixley have been awarded 2024 Barry Goldwater Scholarships. Kress and Pixley are chemistry majors.
From wildfires to bird calls: Sage redefines environmental monitoring
July 15, 2024
After a devastating wildfire in Hawaii, researchers are deploying Sage nodes, AI-enabled sensors developed at Argonne National Laboratory, for environmental monitoring and disaster preparedness.
Eight books to add to your summer 2024 reading list
July 15, 2024
The 2024 winners of UChicago’s annual Quantrell and PhD Teaching awards share their summer reading recommendations.
Universities don’t want AI research to leave them behind
July 15, 2024
With the rapid development of AI technologies in the private sector, universities are expanding their research to participate in the conversation. Professor Hoffman, chair of the Computer Science Department, comments on UChicago's computing infrastructure.
AI’s energy demands are out of control. Welcome to the internet’s hyper-consumption era.
July 15, 2024
Generative artificial intelligence tools, now part of the everyday user experience online, are causing stress on local power grids and mass water evaporation. Assistant Professor of Computer Science Junchen Jiang comments on the relationship between AI’s carbon footprint and its energy consumption.
The uncertainties of climate change
July 15, 2024
How can we incentivize the private and public sectors to develop and deploy solutions to climate change, while accounting for uncertainties? This episode of The Pie covers a panel discussion among professors David Keith of GeoSci at UChicago, Franklin Allen of Imperial College in London, and José Scheinkman of Columbia. Nobel laureate Lars Peter Hansen moderates the conversation.