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Artist's conception of Scholz's star
Science & Technology
February 16, 2015 | 03:03 pm

A close call of 0.8 light years

A recently discovered dim star likely passed some 70,000 years ago through our solar system’s distant cloud of comets known as the Oort Cloud. No other star is known to have ever approached our solar system this closely.

topics: Department of Physics and Astronomy, research finding, School of Arts and Sciences,
Science & Technology
February 16, 2015 | 11:47 am

New self-stretching material developed at University of Rochester

Although most materials slightly expand when heated, there is a new class of rubber-like material that not only self-stretches upon cooling; it reverts back to its original shape when heated, all without physical manipulation.

topics: Department of Chemical Engineering, Hajim School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, research finding, URnano,
Rhesus Macaque
Science & Technology
February 12, 2015 | 11:52 am

Curious monkeys share our thirst for knowledge

Monkeys are notoriously curious, and new research has quantified just how eager they are to gain new information, even if there are not immediate benefits.

topics: Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, research finding, School of Arts and Sciences,
naked mole rats
Science & Technology
February 4, 2015 | 03:12 pm

An extra protein gives naked mole rats more power to stop cancer

Naked mole rats are small, hairless, subterranean rodents that have never been known to get cancer despite having a 30-year lifespan. A new protein discovered by biologist Vera Gorbunova may help explain why.

topics: cancer, Department of Biology, research finding, School of Arts and Sciences, tumor, Vera Gorbunova,
example of mobius strip
Science & Technology
January 29, 2015 | 02:33 pm

Generating Möbius strips of light

A collaboration between researchers from Canada, Europe, and Rochester has experimentally produced Möbius strips from the polarization of light, confirming a theoretical prediction that it is possible for light’s electromagnetic field to assume this peculiar shape.

topics: Institute of Optics, nanoparticles, research finding, Robert Boyd, School of Arts and Sciences, URnano,
multiple screenshots of man making faces into webcam
Science & Technology
January 29, 2015 | 10:13 am

New app would monitor mental health through “selfie” videos, social media

In a paper to be presented this week at the American Association for Artificial Intelligence conference in Austin, Texas, computer science professor Jiebo Luo and his colleagues describe a computer program that can analyze “selfie” videos recorded by a webcam as the person engages with social media.

topics: data science, Department of Computer Science, featured-post, Jiebo Luo, mental health, mobile app, research finding, School of Arts and Sciences,
artist rendering of rings around a star
Science & Technology
January 26, 2015 | 09:59 am

Gigantic ring system around J1407b much larger, heavier than Saturn’s

Rochester astronomers, along with colleagues at the Leiden Observatory in the Netherlands have discovered that the ring system that they see eclipse the very young Sun-like star J1407 is of enormous proportions, much larger and heavier than the ring system of Saturn.

topics: Department of Physics and Astronomy, research finding, School of Arts and Sciences,
Elika Bergelson
Science & Technology
January 23, 2015 | 01:52 pm

Professor named to Forbes’ ‘30 Under 30’ in science

Each year, Forbes Magazine lists the top 30 people under the age of 30 who have reached notable success in their chosen field. Elika Bergelson, a research assistant professor in the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, was selected for the 2015 list for her work on the development of language in infants.

topics: Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, language,
man writing equations on whiteboard
Science & Technology
January 15, 2015 | 12:05 pm

Daniel Weix to receive a Novartis Early Career Award

Novartis, a multi-national pharmaceutical company based in Switzerland, honors two scientists each year who are “within 10 years of having established an independent academic research career in the areas of organic or bioorganic chemistry in the broadest sense.” The Novartis Early Career Award comes with a $150,000 grant over three years to continue the recipient’s research.

topics: awards, Department of Chemistry, School of Arts and Sciences,