Life, Earth and Space
Possible first hints of low-frequency gravitational waves permeating the cosmos
Jan. 13, 2021—The discovery of a cosmic signal common across many stars could be the first sign of gravitational waves.
Online collaborative platforms lead to advances in archaeological survey of the Andes
Jan. 11, 2021—Advances in big data technology and digital analytics are transforming the field of archaeology. One such study led by Vanderbilt anthropology professor Steven Wernke has brought a fresh perspective to the forced resettlement of more than a million Indigenous Andeans by Spanish colonizers in the 1570s.
Digital Sky Survey maps the entire sky, providing new data to Vanderbilt astronomers
Jan. 4, 2021—Through a partnership with the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, Vanderbilt astronomers use big data to see the cosmos as a stop-motion movie instead of a snapshot.
Immune and circulatory systems are functionally integrated in all insects, Vanderbilt biologists demonstrate
Dec. 16, 2020—A new study shows that insect immune and circulatory systems cooperate to fight infection, similar to those in mammals.
Analysis of ancient teeth reveal clues about how sociopolitical systems grow
Dec. 15, 2020—Isotope analysis of ancient Peruvian teeth gives anthropologists a clearer image of how cooperating societies function.
December events at Vanderbilt Dyer Observatory
Dec. 9, 2020—Learn how federal policy shapes space exploration, observe a once-in-a-lifetime planetary conjunction and more this month with Vanderbilt Dyer Observatory.
NASA-funded project uses images from space to study underwater volcanoes
Nov. 18, 2020—Interdisciplinary Earth scientists explore how little-understood underwater volcanoes affect the atmosphere.
Vanderbilt Dyer Observatory offers free virtual tour of the night sky on Saturday, Nov. 14
Nov. 11, 2020—Take a guided tour of the autumn skies during a star party led by Billy Teets, acting director and outreach astronomer for Vanderbilt Dyer Observatory. Stargaze on Saturday, Nov. 14, and learn how to buy a home telescope from a Vanderbilt astronomer on Thursday, Nov. 19.
Honey bees lose sleep after ingesting pesticides, leading to greater stress and lower hive survival rates
Nov. 5, 2020—Vanderbilt research shows the unintended consequence of pesticides is the death of a bee’s circadian rhythm, not the bee herself.
Vanderbilt biologists test evolutionary theories with novel empirical study of ‘cheater’ mitochondria
Sep. 25, 2020—Studying “cheater” and “cooperative” mitochondria under environmental pressure delivers solid evolutionary conclusions in a longstanding theoretical field.
Two exoplanet discoveries offer new understanding of Earth’s formation and future
Sep. 16, 2020—During a summer of exoplanet discoveries, astronomer Keivan Stassun helps identify new worlds and expand understanding of our own.
Vanderbilt astrophysicist part of international team that discovered a gargantuan ‘alien’ black hole that challenges previous knowledge of the universe
Sep. 2, 2020—The intermediate-mass black hole first observed in May 2019 presents an entirely new category of black hole.