Life, Earth And Space
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Geochemical analysis from the last ice age may hold clues for future climate change and preparedness strategies
Paleoclimatologist Jessica Oster uses geological clues from stalagmites to explore implications for future climate change. Read MoreJul 14, 2020
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To find giant black holes, start with Jupiter
On a quest to find the Universe’s largest black holes, Vanderbilt researcher identifies the center of the solar system within 100 meters. Read MoreJun 30, 2020
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International collaboration draws new conclusions about ‘convergent evolution’ of saber-tooth cats
International collaboration shows that marsupial saber-tooth cats were more closely related to possums than fearsome predators. Read MoreJun 26, 2020
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Vanderbilt astronomers among NASA’s TESS Mission team to discover a rare newly formed planet
Stars mapped out by Vanderbilt astronomers for exploration by NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite mission and recently decommissioned Spitzer Space Telescope have led to the discovery of AU Mic b, a newly formed Neptune-like exoplanet located a relatively short 31.9 light-years away. Read MoreJun 24, 2020
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Unexpected mammal provides insight into the lives of ancient hominins
Paleontologist and associate professor of biological sciences Larisa DeSantis finds answers about early hominin diets are with an unrelated group of mammals—tapirs. Read MoreJun 11, 2020
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New discovery shows infection of the lungs can be caused by hybrid fungi
A team of scientists at Vanderbilt has discovered the first known instance of a hybrid fungal species causing aspergillosis, an ensemble of different types of lung infections that often impacts immune-compromised people. Read MoreJun 4, 2020
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Vanderbilt lab develops app for analyzing crowd-sourced songbird recordings
With a new app from a team at Vanderbilt, birdsong researchers can better leverage crowdsourced fieldwork and audio recordings from amateur birders and citizen songbird scientists. Read MoreApr 20, 2020
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Biology researchers capture shape-shifting delivery structures in body’s cellular “FedEx system”
A new cellular biology study reports the first visualization of a unique shape-shifting structure in the human body which plays an important role in the timely delivery of fats and proteins. Read MoreMar 9, 2020
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Fasting at night or in the morning? Listen to your biological clock, says new research
According to a new study published by biological science researchers at Vanderbilt, the answer to eating (or fasting) windows lies in the circadian rhythms of the body’s biological clock. Read MoreFeb 27, 2020
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Bordenstein honored by Genetics Society of America
The Genetics Society of America has recognized Seth Bordenstein, an evolutionary geneticist and microbiologist at Vanderbilt, for an initiative that brings real-world scientific research into middle school, high school and college biology classes. Read MoreFeb 27, 2020
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Bangladesh collaboration offers lessons for facing rapid environmental changes
With a population of roughly 150 million people, the delta country of Bangladesh holds about half the population of the entire United States in an area the size of Louisiana, and exists under a near-constant risk of sea level rise and other dynamic climate changes. Read MoreFeb 24, 2020
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Where are the quokkas? New study explains what happened to the “happiest animal in the world”
The quokka, a small marsupial native to Australia, is an example of a species vulnerable to extinction in the country’s harsh surroundings. In a new study, researchers at Vanderbilt University demonstrate evidence for the dramatic decline of quokkas over the past century. Read MoreFeb 21, 2020
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Students have front-row seat for international climate change negotiations
As part of its continuing commitment to understanding and combating climate change issues through education and action, Vanderbilt University is now an accredited, official observer of the United Nations Framework on Climate Change. Read MoreFeb 10, 2020
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New thalattosaur species discovered in Southeast Alaska
Researchers at the University of Alaska Fairbanks and Vanderbilt University have identified a new species of thalattosaur, a marine reptile that lived more than 200 million years ago. Read MoreFeb 4, 2020
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How ants get angry: Precise “lock and key” process regulates aggression, acceptance
In a new study, scientists at Vanderbilt report definitive evidence of a mechanism within ants that is responsible for unlocking aggression. The research—the first to pinpoint this mechanism and its precise role in ant biology—reports a social characteristic which could help account for their evolutionary success. Read MoreFeb 3, 2020
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How many stars eventually collide as black holes? The universe has a budget for that.
A promising new study developed by one Vanderbilt astrophysicist may give us a method for finding the number of available stars in the history of the universe that collide as binary black holes. Read MoreJan 31, 2020
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Experiments into amorphous carbon monolayer lend new evidence to physics debate, lay groundwork for future devices
A new study into two-dimensional amorphous carbon is providing answers to long-standing questions regarding the atomic makeup of bulk amorphous materials, opening the door to exciting device applications in the future. Read MoreJan 8, 2020
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Seeing the unseen: Vanderbilt science hub helps set a standard for innovative microbiome research, education
The Vanderbilt Microbiome Initiative is receiving attention for its role as a standard bearer for other microbiome programs, thanks to a new article on the importance and emergence of microbiome centers – academic hubs of microbiome-related research. Read MoreDec 19, 2019
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Ph.D. bridge programs show success in fostering diversity and inclusion, according to new study
A team of STEM researchers, including Vanderbilt astrophysicist Kelly Holley-Bockelmann, have published a new collaborative study on Ph.D. bridge programs as a mechanism to empower students, foster diversity and spur a more holistic approach to graduate education. Read MoreDec 6, 2019
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Discovery in ferroelectric material reveals unique property, promising application potential
A discovery from a team of physicists and other researchers is breaking new ground in the study of ferroelectricity, a characteristic of certain dielectric materials that are used in high-technology applications. Read MoreNov 18, 2019