News: Faculty

2024

Can AI solve the Latke-Hamantash Debate?

March 15, 2024

Prof. Harold Pollock at 67th Latke Hamantash Debate

Trio of UChicago scientists, including Borja Sotomayor, senior instructional professor of computer science, will participate in the 77th annual event on March 24.


VR headsets can be hacked with an Inception-style attack

March 15, 2024

Heather Zheng

For an MIT Technology Review article, CS Prof. Heather Zheng discusses her recent research on the vulnerability of VR sets to "inception attacks."


Forests might serve as enormous neutrino detectors

March 15, 2024

foggy forest

In a Science News article, Astro Research Asst. Prof. Eric Oberla says, “It’s unclear if supplanting manufactured antennas with trees will solve more problems than it might create, and these detector-design challenges would need to be further addressed.”


How did life on Earth begin? Here are 3 popular theories.

March 15, 2024

Jack Szostak in a blue sweater, grey blazer, standing in a lab

For National Geographic, Chemistry Prof. Jack Szostak discusses the theory that the early bombardment of Earth by comets and meteorites may have increased the availability of amino acids on the planet.


Good news and bad news for astronomers’ biggest dream

March 8, 2024

The closed, silver dome of an astronomical observatory is visible against a backdrop of lower-elevation clouds and mountain peaks.

For a New York Times article, Prof. Wendy Freeman and Emeritus Prof. Michael S. Turner comment on the National Science Board's recommendation that the United States should commit $1.6 billion to build an “extremely large telescope.” 


This Week in AI: A battle for humanity or profits?

March 7, 2024

circuits in the shape of a brain

In an article for PYMNTS, Asst. Prof. Sarah Sebo says AI can help robots understand their surroundings better, recognize objects and people more accurately, communicate more naturally with humans, and improve their abilities over time through feedback.


Climate change causes faster jet streams, flights

March 1, 2024

Tiffany Shaw

Prof. Tiffany Shaw discusses faster jet streams for a WFLA (Tampa) video.


New pacemaker design powers the heart with light

March 1, 2024

Bozhi Tian

Prof. Bozhi Tian and Doctoral Candidate Pengju Li discuss newly designed pacemaker powered by light in a WGN video. 


FabRobotics: the fusion of 3D printing and mobile robots

March 1, 2024

3d printer with partially printed figure

The FabRobotics team from UChicago and MIT seamlessly incorporates mobile robots into the 3D printing process to improve automation and efficiency.


Professor Andrew A. Chien on the environmental impacts of technology

March 1, 2024

Andrew A. Chien

Andrew A. Chien’s research on sustainable cloud computing and his interdisciplinary course, Sustainable Computing, provides insight into an often overlooked problem.


Resurrecting niobium for quantum science

March 1, 2024

microscopic image of niobium Josephson junction

For years, niobium was considered an underperformer when it came to superconducting qubits. Now scientists supported by Q-NEXT have found a way to engineer a high-performing niobium-based qubit and so take advantage of niobium’s superior qualities.


PalmWatch, a new tool created by DSI’s 11th Hour team, sheds light on palm oil production across the globe

February 23, 2024

aerial view of palm trees

PalmWatch, a new tool jointly created by DSI and Inclusive Development International, tracks deforestation by palm oil mills and connects that information to major, multinational brands’ sourcing.


A voracious black hole at the dawn of time?

February 23, 2024

An artist’s concept of the quasar J0529-4351

In a New York Times article, Prof. Daniel Holz says that "[The researchers] may have the right value, but I don’t think other observers would be shocked if it turned out the true mass was somewhat less."
 


UChicago scientists invent ultra-thin, minimally-invasive pacemaker controlled by light

February 23, 2024

Pengju Li holds a prototype pacemaker made of a specially engineered membrane

Ultralight membrane can regulate heartbeats with the aid of an optic fiber.

University of Chicago materials researcher Pengju Li holds a prototype pacemaker made of a specially engineered membrane. At just one-fiftieth of a gram, it is significantly smaller and lighter than current pacemakers.


Inside the hunt for new physics at the world’s largest particle collider

February 20, 2024

Karri DiPetrillo

In an MIT Technology Review article, Asst. Prof. Karri DiPetrillo discusses the concept of supersymmetry, saying, “I think SUSY is wonderful—the only thing that’s not wonderful is that we haven’t found it." Article also mentions the potential for a muon collider at Fermilab.