Matter swirls around a central black hole as it emits a bright jet

Weighing the mysterious black holes lurking at the hearts of galaxies

June 20, 2023

At the center of nearly all large galaxies in the cosmos sits a supermassive black hole. In new research, a CU Boulder astrophysicist explores what might happen if you put these giants one-by-one on a massive scale.

Breast tumor seen under a microscope

When it comes to treating resistant breast cancer, 2 drugs may be better than 1

June 15, 2023

New research shows that cancer cells can adapt in as little as one to two hours to new drugs called CDK2 inhibitors. The good news: Adding a second, widely available drug disables this workaround, squelching tumor growth.

CU Boulder’s Mountain Research Station researchers pose for a group photo

‘Classroom in the sky’ inspires generations of researchers, students

June 9, 2023

Just north of Nederland, about 26 miles from Boulder, is CU Boulder’s Mountain Research Station. It is the university’s highest research facility and is home to some of the world’s longest-running alpine research on everything from how trees respond to increasing wildfires to charismatic little pikas and more.

rendering of small satellite in orbit around Earth

New keen-sighted satellite will view distant stars, assist Webb telescope

June 8, 2023

The new mini-satellite, called MANTIS, will be designed and built by the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics. It borrows its name from the mantis shrimp, an undersea creature with famously powerful eyesight.

The HIV virus, a retrovirus, under the microscope

Remnants of ancient virus may fuel ALS in people

June 6, 2023

An ancient, virus-like protein best known for its essential role in placental development may, when over-expressed, fuel ALS—aka Lou Gehrig's disease—and other neurodegenerative diseases, according to new research. The discovery opens the door to a new class of potential treatments.

Man wearing a lab coat and gloves makes adjustments inside a large metal chamber

Space tractor beams may not be the stuff of sci-fi for long

June 1, 2023

One day, small spacecraft could fly around Earth, using devices called electron beams to remove hulking, derelict spacecraft from orbit without ever having to touch. It may sound like science fiction, but aerospace engineers from CU Boulder say they could be ready to test the idea in space in just five to 10 years.

asteroid covered in shadows with sun in the background

Avoiding Armageddon: Researchers narrow down list of potentially hazardous asteroids

May 31, 2023

The asteroid 7482 (1994 PC1) measures about two-thirds of a mile across. It will also remain in Earth's vicinity for much of the next 1,000 years. CU Boulder aerospace engineer Oscar Fuentes-Muñoz says its important to study objects like this one to make sure they don't pose a risk to life on our planet.

Researcher holds artificial pancreas in her hand

Building a better ‘bionic pancreas’

May 31, 2023

Could technology like smart watches and mobile apps change how patients manage Type 1 diabetes? A $1.2 million grant is helping faculty explore ways to give patients a better quality of life.

Jody Jahn, center, in black

Research addresses burning questions on firefighter culture

May 31, 2023

For eight summers, Jody Jahn earned money for college working as a wildland firefighter on U.S. Forest Service crews. Now, instead of rappelling out of helicopters to fight fires, she's an associate professor of communication who studies the culture of wildland firefighting crews.

Man moves a piece on a wooden board, while several other people watch sitting at school desks

Collective property rights spark spirit of cooperation that extends beyond managing land

May 25, 2023

Since the 1990s, Indigenous groups and other communities around the world have increasingly fought for, and secured, collective property rights to the land they live on. New research suggests that these arrangements can have impacts not just on ecosystems like forests but on the psychology of people.

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