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From the College of Natural Sciences
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The Horn: Junk Food, Good Science

The Horn: Junk Food, Good Science

Think you’ll always pick chocolate over a bag of chips? Don’t be so sure. Researchers have found that if they can get people to pay more attention to a particular type of junk food, they will begin to prefer it—even weeks or months after the experiment. The finding suggests a new way to manipulate our decisions and perhaps even encourage us to pick...
Possible Explanation for Human Diseases Caused by Defective Ribosomes

Possible Explanation for Human Diseases Caused by Defective Ribosomes

Ribosomes are essential for life, generating all of the proteins required for cells to grow. Mutations in some of the proteins that make ribosomes cause disorders characterized by bone marrow failure and anemia early in life, followed by elevated cancer risk in middle age. These disorders are generally called “ribosomopathies.”

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Neurobiologist Studies His Own Brain

Neurobiologist Studies His Own Brain

Dr. Russell Poldrack, professor of neurobiology and psychology, discusses his findings of a 14 month study he conducted on his own brain."We are particularly interested in how communication between different parts of my brain changes in relation to psychological factors such as stress or mood, and how it relates to biological factors that will...
Brain Scans Show We Take Risks Because We Can't Stop Ourselves

Brain Scans Show We Take Risks Because We Can't Stop Ourselves

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A new study correlating brain activity with how people make decisions suggests that when individuals engage in risky behavior, such as drunk driving or unsafe sex, it's probably not because their brains' desire systems are too active, but because their self-control systems are not active enough.

You Are Your Microbiome

You Are Your Microbiome

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Have you ever felt not completely like yourself? You’re not alone. In fact, you’re never really alone. No matter how hard you may try, you’re always in the company of 100 trillion microbial friends.

Grasshopper Mice Are Numb to the Pain of the Bark Scorpion Sting

Grasshopper Mice Are Numb to the Pain of the Bark Scorpion Sting

The painful, potentially deadly stings of bark scorpions are nothing more than a slight nuisance to grasshopper mice, which voraciously kill and consume their prey with ease. When stung, the mice briefly lick their paws and move in again for the kill.

3-D Printed Microscopic Cages Confine Bacteria in Tiny Zoos for the Study of Infections

3-D Printed Microscopic Cages Confine Bacteria in Tiny Zoos for the Study of Infections

By caging bacteria in microscopic houses, scientists at The University of Texas at Austin are studying how communities of bacteria, such as those found in the human gut and lungs, interact and develop infections.

Creating a Social Network for Genes

Creating a Social Network for Genes

Computer scientist Inderjit Dhillon and biochemist Edward Marcotte are combining forces to create the first "social network" for genes, with a focus on finding genes associated with human diseases.  

Chemical Reaction Could Streamline Manufacture of Pharmaceuticals and Other Compounds

Chemical Reaction Could Streamline Manufacture of Pharmaceuticals and Other Compounds

Researchers at The University of Texas at Austin have discovered a new chemical reaction that has the potential to lower the cost and streamline the manufacture of compounds ranging from agricultural chemicals to pharmaceutical drugs.

Chemists Work to Desalt the Ocean for Drinking Water, One Nanoliter at a Time

Chemists Work to Desalt the Ocean for Drinking Water, One Nanoliter at a Time

By creating a small electrical field that removes salts from seawater, chemists at The University of Texas at Austin and the University of Marburg in Germany have introduced a new method for the desalination of seawater that consumes less energy and is dramatically simpler than conventional techniques. The new method requires so little energy that it can run on a store-bought battery.