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Released: 30-Jan-2008 10:55 AM EST
Dance-marathon Physics of Roiling Fluids Explained
University of Chicago

Theoretical physicists at the University of Chicago are suggesting how thin spouts of magma in the Earth's mantle can persist long enough to form hotspot volcanism of the type that might have created the Hawaiian Islands.

Released: 28-Jan-2008 11:40 AM EST
$1.8 Million Keck Grant to Fund New Line of Research
University of Chicago

The University of Chicago has received a $1.8 million grant from the W.M. Keck Foundation to launch a new research program on the sudden and dramatic transformations that occur in processes where small-scale structural rearrangements result in rapid and far-reaching outcomes.

Released: 18-Jan-2008 11:40 AM EST
People Not Always Needed to Alleviate Loneliness
University of Chicago

New research at the University of Chicago finds evidence for a clever way that people manage to alleviate the pain of loneliness: They create people in their surroundings to keep them company.

Released: 11-Jan-2008 1:00 PM EST
Sex Keeps Love Alive Throughout Adult Life
University of Chicago

Sex, as well as romance, is an important part of couple's lives and health well into their retirement years.

Released: 8-Jan-2008 3:35 PM EST
Carlos Kenig Receives 2008 Bôcher Prize in Mathematics
University of Chicago

University of Chicago mathematician Carlos Kenig has been named a co-recipient of the 2008 Maxime Bôcher Memorial Prize from the American Mathematical Society for his work in the field of analysis. The AMS awarded the prize to Kenig at the Joint Mathematics Meetings in San Diego, Calif., on Jan. 7.

Released: 7-Jan-2008 1:20 PM EST
Machinists Build Precision Scientific Instruments
University of Chicago

Some instruments or components built in the University of Chicago machine shop now sit on the surface of the moon and Mars, while others fly through deep space on Voyager 1 and 2, far beyond the orbit of Pluto, and other spacecraft. They also occupy the inhospitable environment of Antarctica.

Released: 14-Dec-2007 12:00 AM EST
Increasing Rate of Return on Gift Challenge Doesn’t Boost Giving
University of Chicago

A little encouragement makes a big difference in people's motivation to give to a charity, but increasing the rate of return on a matching gift doesn't automatically boost giving, according to a study that also found that the political environment of a donor's state has a big impact on responses to donation requests.

   
Released: 3-Dec-2007 4:30 PM EST
Radiation Flashes May Help Crack Cosmic Mystery
University of Chicago

Faint, fleeting blue flashes of radiation emitted by particles that travel faster than the speed of light through the atmosphere may help scientists solve one of the oldest mysteries in astrophysics.

Released: 15-Nov-2007 10:50 AM EST
Dinosaur from Sahara Ate Like a ‘Mesozoic Cow’
University of Chicago

A 110 million-year-old dinosaur that had a mouth that worked like a vacuum cleaner, hundreds of tiny teeth and nearly translucent skull bones was unveiled Thursday, Nov. 15, at the National Geographic Society.

8-Nov-2007 11:50 AM EST
Mysterious Cosmic Rays Linked to Galactic Powerhouses
University of Chicago

The sprawling Auger Cosmic Ray Observatory in South America has produced its first major discovery while still under construction. The international Auger collaboration has traced the rain of high-energy cosmic rays that continually pelts the Earth to the cores of nearby galaxies.

Released: 7-Nov-2007 6:05 PM EST
Site Established for Couples Seeking Research Jobs in Chicago
University of Chicago

Job hunters and their partners interested in finding faculty, research, and executive and staff positions at Chicago area universities and research, medical and cultural institutions, can now look to one source for the information they need, the Greater Chicago Higher Education Recruitment Consortium.

Released: 7-Nov-2007 11:20 AM EST
Exceptions Prove Rule of Tropical Role in Biodiversity
University of Chicago

Even a group of shellfish that appear to violate the overarching pattern of global biodiversity actually follows the same biological rules as other marine organisms, confirming a general theory for the spread of life on Earth.

Released: 6-Nov-2007 6:20 PM EST
Similarities Found Between Granular Jets, Exotic Plasma
University of Chicago

Streams of granular particles bouncing off a target in a simple tabletop experiment produce liquid-like behavior also witnessed in a massive research apparatus that simulates the birth of the universe.

Released: 29-Oct-2007 2:45 PM EDT
Gene Screen Patent Leads to 'Deal of Distinction'
University of Chicago

UChicagoTech, the University of Chicago's Office of Technology and Intellectual Property, has received a 2007 Deal of Distinction Award from the Licensing Executives Society of U.S.A. and Canada.

Released: 29-Oct-2007 12:25 PM EDT
Dead Clams Tell Many Tales
University of Chicago

Inventories of living and dead organisms could serve as a relatively fast, simple and inexpensive preliminary means of assessing human impact on ecosystems. The University of Chicago's Susan Kidwell explains how measuring the degree of live-dead mismatch could be used as an ecological tool.

Released: 24-Oct-2007 2:30 PM EDT
Monkey and Humans Share Machiavellian Intelligence
University of Chicago

When it comes to their social behavior, people sometimes act like monkeys, or more specifically, like rhesus macaques, a type of monkey that shares with humans strong tendencies for nepotism and political maneuvering, according to research at the University of Chicago.

Released: 10-Oct-2007 5:25 PM EDT
Poor Italian Schoolboys Have Lessons for Today’s Teachers
University of Chicago

A veteran teacher, administrator and education researcher is reviving interest in one of the classic stories of 20th-century education"”the experiences of disadvantaged schoolboys inspired to overcome discouragement and adversity by their teacher, who also was a priest in their remote Italian village.

Released: 2-Oct-2007 11:10 AM EDT
Titan’s Icy Climate Mimics Earth’s Tropics
University of Chicago

If space travelers ever visit Saturn's largest moon, they will find a tropical world where temperatures plunge to minus 274 degrees Fahrenheit, methane rains from the sky and dunes of ice or tar cover the planet's most arid regions.

25-Sep-2007 2:10 PM EDT
Doctors Regulate Their Pain Responses to Better Treat Patients
University of Chicago

Physicians apparently learn to "shut off" the portion of their brain that helps them appreciate the pain their patients experience while treating them and instead activate a portion of the brain connected with controlling emotions. Because doctors sometimes have to inflict pain on their patients, they learn not be distracted by their suffering.

Released: 24-Sep-2007 1:25 PM EDT
University of Chicago Goes Past $2 Billion Campaign Goal
University of Chicago

A $25 million commitment from the Neubauer Family Foundation to establish an innovative program to attract some of the nation's most outstanding young faculty to the University of Chicago has pushed the University's $2 billion capital campaign over its goal. The gift which will support tenure-track appointments with 20 faculty members.

Released: 24-Sep-2007 11:20 AM EDT
First Science Nobel Awarded to American 100 Years Ago
University of Chicago

On Tuesday, Oct. 9, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences will announce the recipients of the 2007 Nobel Prize in physics. This year also marks the 100th anniversary of the first Nobel Prize awarded to an American scientist, University of Chicago physicist Albert A. Michelson (1852-1931),

Released: 17-Sep-2007 9:00 AM EDT
NIH Awards $8 Million to 4 Chicago Scientists
University of Chicago

The National Institutes of Health is awarding separate research awards to four young University of Chicago scientists totaling $8 million to conduct promising but unconventional research that could lead to new medical treatments and a better understanding of the factors that contribute to problem adolescent behavior.

Released: 29-Aug-2007 11:05 AM EDT
Mars Rovers Begin Atmospheric Observations
University of Chicago

Mars rover scientists have launched a new long-term study on the Martian atmosphere with the Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer, an instrument that was originally developed at the University of Chicago.

Released: 27-Aug-2007 12:50 PM EDT
Despite Grumbling, Most Americans Say They Are Happy at Work
University of Chicago

Although some people may spend part of the Labor Day weekend complaining about their bosses or about job burnout, most Americans are satisfied with their jobs, a new study shows. The study shows that 86 percent of the people interviewed between 1972 and 2006 said they were satisfied at the jobs. The survey found that job satisfaction increases with age.

21-Aug-2007 1:20 PM EDT
Monkeys Use “Baby Talk” to Interact with Infants
University of Chicago

Female rhesus monkeys use special vocalizations while interacting with infants, the way human adults use motherese, or "baby talk," to engage babies' attention. The "baby talk" also helps promotes rapport among monkey females, new research at the University of Chicago shows.

Released: 17-Aug-2007 1:00 PM EDT
Despite Grumbling, Most Americans Say They Are Happy at Work
University of Chicago

Although some people may spend part of the Labor Day weekend complaining about their bosses or about job burnout, most Americans are satisfied with their jobs, a new University of Chicago study shows.

Released: 14-Aug-2007 12:10 PM EDT
Program to Support Women Grad Students in Sciences
University of Chicago

The Henry Luce Foundation has awarded a $230,400 grant to the University of Chicago to support four one-year Clare Boothe Luce Graduate Fellowships for women entering Ph.D. programs in Astronomy & Astrophysics, Computer Science, Mathematics and Physics as early as the 2008-09 academic year.

25-Jul-2007 5:35 PM EDT
Ancient Fossils Show Pattern of Early Animal Evolution
University of Chicago

The abundant diversity of characteristics within species likely helped fuel the proliferation and evolution of an odd-looking creature that emerged from an unprecedented explosion of life on Earth more than 500 million years ago.

18-Jul-2007 4:10 PM EDT
Nanothin Sheet of Material Displays Unexpected Strength
University of Chicago

Scientists at the University of Chicago and Argonne National Laboratory have discovered the surprising strength of a sheet of nanoparticles that measures just 50 atoms in thickness.

Released: 19-Jul-2007 1:20 PM EDT
Certificate Program in Leadership Arts to Begin
University of Chicago

The Graham School of General Studies at the University of Chicago announces the start of its 2007-2008 certificate in Leadership Arts program to provide students with the skills, confidence and knowledge base critical to help them lead and inspire others.

Released: 19-Jul-2007 1:10 PM EDT
Certificate in Diversity Management Program Launched
University of Chicago

The Graham School of General Studies at the University of Chicago announces the introduction of a certificate program in Diversity Management, to help organizations understand the forces at work in today's diverse workplace.

9-Jul-2007 2:10 PM EDT
Americans Trail Chinese in Seeing Another Person’s Point of View
University of Chicago

Westerners, such as Americans, are particularly challenged to understand someone else's point of view because they are part of a culture that encourages individualism. In contrast, Chinese, who live in a society that encourages a collectivist attitude among its members, are much more adept at determining another person's perspective.

Released: 9-Jul-2007 2:25 PM EDT
Advanced Computing: Not Just for Scientists Any More
University of Chicago

Researchers taking an avid interest in computational resources are no longer limited to the physical sciences. Scholars in the biological sciences, social sciences or the humanities today also seek to expand their computational resources.

14-Jun-2007 3:55 PM EDT
Archaeologists Rescue Ancient Civilization from Rising Nile
University of Chicago

Archaeologists have discovered a gold processing center along the middle Nile and a cemetery that show the first sub-Saharan kingdom controlled more territory than previously thought. The remains of the kingdom of Kush (1500-200 BC) are being covered, however, by the rising waters from a newly built dam.

Released: 18-Jun-2007 2:00 PM EDT
Persians Found New Uses for Old Language
University of Chicago

For the first time, a text has been found in Old Persian language that shows the written language in use for practical recording and not only for royal display. The text is inscribed on a damaged clay tablet from the Persepolis Fortification Archive, now at the Oriental Institute at the University of Chicago.

Released: 5-Jun-2007 4:25 PM EDT
Works of Mathematical Power, Beauty Yield Clay Prize
University of Chicago

Clay Research Prize recipient Alex Eskin has produced the numerical equivalent of a stirring poem or a melodic symphony.

Released: 29-May-2007 12:05 PM EDT
Grandkids Don't Wear Out Grandma After All
University of Chicago

Despite previous research findings that showed negative health impacts on grandmothers who care for their grandchildren, new research shows caring for grandchildren generally does not have dramatic and widespread negative impacts on grandparents' health.

21-May-2007 4:00 PM EDT
Girls’ Math Anxiety Undermines Performance in Other Subjects
University of Chicago

A popular stereotype that boys are better at mathematics than girls undermines girls' math performance because it causes worrying that erodes the mental resources needed for problem solving. Researchers show for the first time that this threat to performance caused by stereotyping can also hinder success in other, unrelated academic areas.

Released: 22-May-2007 11:40 AM EDT
Medical, High-energy Physicists Aim to Improve PET
University of Chicago

Physicists are developing new electronics for identifying subatomic particles in high-energy accelerators that may also enable radiologists to detect cancer at an earlier, more curable stage.

26-Apr-2007 8:00 PM EDT
Brain Likely More Adept at Using Nose than Previously Realized
University of Chicago

Brains are able to adjust automatically to the demands of distinguishing between small differences in smell, new research at the University of Chicago shows. The research, which was conducted on rats, suggests that the human brain may be more adept at distinguishing smells than previously thought.

20-Apr-2007 4:40 PM EDT
Prehistoric Mystery Organism Verified as Giant Fungus
University of Chicago

Scientists at the University of Chicago and the National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C., have produced new evidence to finally resolve the mysterious identity of what they regard as one of the weirdest organisms that ever lived.

13-Apr-2007 1:55 PM EDT
Jobs Helping Others Rank Tops in Happiness, Satisfaction
University of Chicago

People looking for jobs that bring satisfaction and happiness should concentrate on professions that focus primarily on serving other people, according to a new report . The most satisfying jobs are mostly professions, especially those involving caring for, teaching, and protecting others and creative pursuits, according to a new survey.

6-Apr-2007 4:00 PM EDT
Terrorism Worries Increase Support to Regulate Firearms
University of Chicago

Concern over terrorism has further increased Americans' support for firearm regulation according to a report from the National Opinion Research Center (NORC) at the University of Chicago. When asked if gun control laws should be stricter in the wake of the 9.11 attacks, 76.5 percent of Americans surveyed said yes.

Released: 27-Mar-2007 12:15 PM EDT
Physicists Shine a Light, Produce Startling Liquid Jet
University of Chicago

It is possible to manipulate small quantities of liquid using only the force of light, report University of Chicago and French scientists in the March 30 issue of Physical Review Letters.

19-Mar-2007 1:10 PM EDT
Scientists Compute Death Throes of White Dwarf Star
University of Chicago

University of Chicago scientists will demonstrate how to incinerate a white dwarf star in unprecedented detail at the "Paths to Exploding Stars" conference on Thursday, March 22, in Santa Barbara, Calif.

Released: 28-Feb-2007 3:25 PM EST
U. of Chicago Names Vice President for Communications
University of Chicago

President Robert J. Zimmer has named Julie A. Peterson Vice President for Communications at the University of Chicago. Peterson is currently Interim Vice President for Communications at the University of Michigan and one of the nation's leading academic communications professionals.

Released: 28-Feb-2007 11:35 AM EST
Study Group to Consider Future of Yerkes Observatory
University of Chicago

The University of Chicago's Department of Astronomy & Astrophysics has formed the Yerkes Study Group to explore the best use of Yerkes Observatory as a site for a regional center for science education.

Released: 27-Feb-2007 2:55 PM EST
U. of Chicago to Honor Math Alumnus J. Ernest Wilkins
University of Chicago

J. Ernest Wilkins Jr., who received a Ph.D. in mathematics from the University of Chicago as a 19-year-old in 1942, will be honored by the University at a special event on Friday, March 2.

Released: 26-Feb-2007 2:20 PM EST
South Pole Telescope Achieves First Light
University of Chicago

Scientists aimed the South Pole Telescope at Jupiter on the evening of Feb. 16 and successfully collected the instrument's first test observations. Soon, far more distant quarry will fall under the SPT's sights.

20-Feb-2007 6:15 PM EST
Why Even Close Associates Sometimes Have Trouble Communicating
University of Chicago

Some of people's biggest problems with communication come in sharing new information with people they know well. People often use short, ambiguous messages in talking with co-workers and spouses, and accordingly unintentionally create misunderstandings, research at the University of Chicago shows.



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