Featured Research
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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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How even school lunches can become a partisan issue
Even a seemingly uncontroversial topic like school lunch nutrition can become politicized when the person advocating for it is a polarizing figure, finds political scientist Cindy Kam. Read MoreFeb 17, 2020
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Researchers say this simple trick could stop the spread of misinformation on social media
Psychology professor Lisa Fazio conducted a study to see if asking people to explain why a headline is true or false affected their intention of sharing it on social media. Read MoreFeb 11, 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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‘Dialogic praxis’ enhances psychotherapeutic success for youth
For young patients, therapy works best when they are encouraged to become co-experts in the search for answers, according to findings from a study in Brazil co-authored by Dominique Béhague. Read MoreJan 16, 2020
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Engineers advance efforts to speed blood test results
Vanderbilt engineers are working on a process that ultimately may allow patients to get blood test results fast. Read MoreJan 13, 2020
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Vanderbilt-led team discovers new genetic disease and defines underlying mechanism
An international research team has discovered a new genetic syndrome caused by mutation of a single gene and named it CATIFA, an acronym for its core symptoms. Read MoreJan 13, 2020
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Post-9/11 wars may have killed twice as many Americans at home as in battle: Analysis
An analysis by Kip Viscusi finds that the post-9/11 wars may have resulted in more than twice as many indirect deaths back home as were lost in battle, due to the diversion of war costs from the U.S. economy and the subsequent impact on the nation’s health. Read MoreDec 17, 2019
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Vanderbilt archaeologists discover important medieval and Roman artifacts in ancient port city of Caesarea
Vanderbilt archaeologists have uncovered clues to everyday life in the medieval Near East, as well as the best-preserved remains found to date of Herod’s Temple of Rome and Augustus, at the site of what was once a bustling port city on the Mediterranean. Read MoreDec 16, 2019
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Hearsay plays a key role in how children perceive others, new study finds
A new Vanderbilt report finds that children are highly influenced by what they overhear adults say about others. Read MoreDec 13, 2019
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‘Tis the season to be stressed (and why you don’t have to be)
The holidays can be stressful - between wrapping presents, overeating, reflecting on the past year, and shopping for presents - there is a lot to deal with. But many of these common issues can be explained (and combated) with science. Read what our Vanderbilt researchers have to say about these common holiday stressors. Read MoreDec 12, 2019
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No, it doesn’t matter how nicely you wrap that gift. Except when it does.
A neatly wrapped gift will impress your acquaintances, but might leave your loved ones feeling let down when the gift doesn't live up to expectations, suggests new research by Vanderbilt postdoctoral scholar Erick Mas. Read MoreDec 5, 2019
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LAPOP receives $10 million USAID grant to support AmericasBarometer survey
Vanderbilt’s Latin American Public Opinion Project has received a $10 million, five-year USAID grant to support its influential AmericasBarometer survey and related activities. Read MoreDec 4, 2019
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Study finds ‘frozen’ fear response may underlie PTSD
To explore how fear becomes entrenched, VUMC researchers traveled down the precise neuronal pathways in the brains of mice that trigger fear responses, and which normally extinguish the behaviors once the danger has passed. Read MoreNov 27, 2019
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What leads to compulsive alcohol use? With new experiments into binge drinking, researchers are finally getting answers
New study from neuroscientists at Vanderbilt provides initial answers to long-standing scientific questions on what causes the transition from moderate to compulsive alcohol consumption – and what makes some drinkers particularly vulnerable to developing alcohol use disorders. Read MoreNov 22, 2019
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Vanderbilt investigators lead effort to create map of the human kidney
Researchers at Vanderbilt's Biomolecular Multimodal Imaging Center are working to create a high-resolution, three-dimensional “atlas” of the human kidney that will help future researchers understand what exactly goes wrong when kidneys fail. Read MoreNov 1, 2019
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Professor, Chemist, Mentor: Steve Townsend, assistant professor of chemistry
Steven Townsend, whose research into human milk could one day help all babies get their best start in life, is also a committed mentor devoted to helping young scholars get the best start on their careers. Read MoreOct 29, 2019
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High fiber, yogurt diet associated with lower lung cancer risk
A diet high in fiber and yogurt is associated with a reduced risk for lung cancer, according to a study by Vanderbilt University Medical Center researchers. Read MoreOct 28, 2019
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Alert system for failing nuclear plant pipes uses thin films and sound vibrations
A failing pipe can be tough to spot. It may cause a puddle, produce another sign of damage, or simply burst before detection. A flooded kitchen or laundry room is messy and inconvenient, but the stakes are much, much higher in nuclear power plants – which on average contain many miles of pipeline. As concern... Read MoreOct 24, 2019
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Food fight: How a community in Mexico used food to resist the Aztec empire
Inspired by an ancient people’s use of food to resist defeat, anthropologist Keitlyn Alcantara now uses food to resist cultural loss among Latin American middle schoolers in Nashville. Read MoreOct 1, 2019