News: Research

A 40-year-old forgotten paper helped develop a faster, more efficient method of building futuristic 2D materials at a fraction of the cost.

A look back at the University of Chicago’s quantum breakthroughs for 2025.

Work revealing how water impacts carbon dioxide capture from air named Journal of the American Chemical Society “Editor’s Choice.”

New theory by UChicago researchers has implications for melting permafrost and climate change.

New York Times: An unusual object orbiting a rapidly spinning star might be a new phenomenon in the universe.

Method developed by UChicago researchers could help explain how transport properties emerge from quantum effects in materials like solar cells and superconductors.

Faraway planet defies our understanding of planet formation, say UChicago scientists.

The Galli Group has created a high-throughput computational strategy, creating a new, data-driven approach to finding ideal 2D materials and substrates for quantum technologies.

Combining artificial intelligence with a conventional climate model can predict heatwaves faster than the standard model alone.

Looking at an X-ray image of a galaxy cluster is like watching fireworks frozen in time. You see swirls and arcs, bubbles and filaments, structures that hint at past violence but don't explain what actually happened. Astronomers have puzzled over these features for decades, trying to determine which came from shock waves, which from cooling gas, and which from bubbles blown by black holes. A new technique answers these questions directly, creating images that classify the structures by their physics rather than their appearance.

In 2025, the Physical Sciences Division at the University of Chicago continued its enduring legacy of scientific discovery, translating innovation into bold impact in service of a better world. We’re thrilled to share a few of our proudest achievements.

Computational chemists are constantly seeking faster, more intuitive methods to analyze the complex electronic structures that govern how molecules behave. To meet this challenge, one of the primary research goals of the Laura Gagliardi Group has been to automate the analysis of molecular orbitals (MOs)—the quantum-level electron structures critical for understanding bonding and reactivity. The ability to automate this analysis accurately directly dictates how effectively chemists can design new materials and discover new drugs.

Meteorites, lunar samples help scientists unravel the 4.5-billion-year-old mystery of ‘Theia.’

Finding helps scientists understand how giant planets form and migrate.

New results strengthen the “Hubble tension,” hinting at the need for rethinking our model of the universe.