2022
Why quantum tech will change our future: The Day Tomorrow Began with Prof. Awschalom
December 12, 2022
In this Big Brains podcast episode with Prof. David Awschalom, Dept. of Physics, explore how foundational discoveries at UChicago have shaped quantum research.
Guest post: Why the Southern Hemisphere is stormier than the Northern
December 12, 2022
Climate scientist Tiffany Shaw explains why the southern hemisphere is stormier than its northern neighbor. Also, the southern hemisphere is getting even stormier over time, whereas the north is not. This is consistent with what climate models simulate for a warming world.
The Southern Hemisphere is stormier than the Northern, and we finally know why
December 6, 2022
A new study led by climate scientist Tiffany Shaw explains the Southern Hemisphere is stormier than the Northern, by about 24%, and asymmetry has increased since the 1980’s. Ocean circulation and the large mountain ranges in the Northern Hemisphere are the culprits.
Drawing on research: Chemist Bozhi Tian’s art and science recast reality
December 1, 2022
Dept. of Chemistry Prof. Bozhi Tian’s artwork melds "scenes of nature with hints of technology, much as his research merges biological and synthetic systems." Read more about his artwork and research in UChicago Magazine.
University of Chicago highlighted in French state visit to U.S.
December 1, 2022
The University of Chicago and the French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS) signed an agreement on Nov. 30 to establish the International Research Center for Fundamental Scientific Discovery (IRC Discovery).
Dr. Bryan Dickinson wins the 2022 ACS Chemical Biology Young Investigator Award
December 1, 2022
Assoc. Prof. Bryan Dickinson, Dept. of Chemistry, was awarded the ACS Chemical Biology Young Investigator Award. He was cited for his novel means to perturb, probe, or control numerous important biological regulatory programs spanning from the lipid signaling to epitranscriptome and RNA targeting.
UChicago receives $10 million for new Pritzker Plant Biology Center
November 30, 2022
A $10m gift to UChicago from the Margot and Tom Pritzker Foundation will establish the Pritzker Plant Biology Center on the University’s Hyde Park campus. It will be led by Prof. Chuan He, Dept. of Chemistry, and will bolster efforts in investigating pathways promoting plant growth and crop yields to combat global problems like food supply, drought, and climate change.
PSD in the News - November 2022
November 29, 2022
This month PSD reserachers were featured in the news for their efforts to create an 'artificial photosynthesis' system, advance nanoparticle research to fight cancer, and describe cloudy atmospheres on explanets with the James Webb Space telescope.
Trending now: How Netflix chills our free will
November 29, 2022
A group of researchers from the Amyoli Internet Research Lab (AIR Lab) led by Asst. Prof. Marshini Chetty of computer science conducted a study to investigate how certain Netflix features quietly undermine our agency and keep us watching curated content longer.
The James Webb telescope shows how starlight transforms a distant, Jupiter-like planet
November 23, 2022
The James Webb Space Telescope has identified a rich mix of gases swirling in the skies of a hot, Jupiter-like world orbiting a star that's around 700-light years from Earth.
Many planets could have atmospheres rich in helium, study finds
November 22, 2022
A new study explains how faraway planets with helium atmospheres may be very common and why.
James Webb Space telescope reveals a faraway planet’s band of clouds
November 21, 2022
New observations of WASP-39b with the James Webb Space Telescope have provided a clearer picture of the exoplanet, showing the presence of sodium, potassium, water, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and sulfur dioxide in the planet's atmosphere.
UChicago CS research finds new angle on database query processing with geometry
November 21, 2022
A new paper from the research group of UChicago CS assistant professor Sanjay Krishnan caps three years of research on how computational geometry can make approximate query processing more efficient.
Chemists create an ‘artificial photosynthesis’ system that is 10 times more efficient than existing systems
November 10, 2022
A new study from six UChicago chemists shows an innovative new system for artificial photosynthesis that is more productive than previous artificial systems by an order of magnitude and could produce ethanol, methane, or other fuels.
A slime mold turns your smartwatch into a living Tamagotchi
November 10, 2022
What if your ‘90’s Tamagotchi pet wasn’t digital? What if your devices were really alive, at least a little bit, and you had to care for them in order for them to work? These are the questions grad student Jasmine Lu and Assoc. Prof. Pedro Lopes of UChicago Computer Science set out to answer with their Slime Mold Smart Watch.