Brian Hynek holding a walking stick on the shore of a lagoon

Deep within an inhospitable desert, a window to first life on Earth

Dec. 6, 2023

In Argentina's Puna de Atacama, a parched plateau more than 12,000 feet above sea level, a series of lagoons are home to microbial communities that seem to resemble nothing else alive on Earth today. But time may be running out to study them.

Forest

Protecting trees to save people from climate disaster

Dec. 4, 2023

Professor Colleen Lyons shares her take on a loss and damage fund to support forest health around the world as a critical climate change mitigation strategy. She is presenting a related call to action at COP28.

Colorful microscopic image of a regularly repeating pattern

‘Doughnut’ beams help physicists see incredibly small objects

Dec. 4, 2023

A new laser-based technique can create images of structures too tiny to view with traditional microscopes, and without damaging them. The approach could help scientists inspect nanoelectronics, including the semiconductors in computer chips.

Vladimir Putin sits in a crowd at a sporting event

Who supports Putin? Men, older generations and traditionalists, study shows

Nov. 30, 2023

In a new study led by CU Boulder, researchers surveyed more than 8,400 people in six former Soviet Union nations about their support for the controversial Russian leader. In Ukraine, at least, Russia's long and bloody invasion seems to have backfired on the leader.

A wheat field

Interactive map shows where your food comes from

Nov. 21, 2023

With the holiday season upon us and the United Nations Climate Change Conference, or COP28, kicking off this month, researchers launched Food Twin to show where crops come from—and how climate change could impact this fragile network.

Hands typing on a laptop keyboard

Should AI read your college essay? It’s complicated

Nov. 8, 2023

Artificial intelligence tools should never replace human admissions officers, says CU Boulder scientist Sidney D’Mello. But new research suggests these platforms could help colleges and universities identify promising students amid mountains of applications.

The majestic Flatirons above Boulder framed in fall colors.

CU Boulder logs another record-breaking year in research funding

Nov. 2, 2023

CU Boulder researchers attracted a record $684.2 million in fiscal year 2022–23 for studies that, among other things, elevate quantum science in Colorado, solve mysteries about the sun and provide even better data on sea ice, ice sheets, glaciers and more.

hand holds a smartphone while the other hand scrolls through a facebook profile on a laptop

Social media is a lot like junk food. Here’s how to make healthy choices

Nov. 1, 2023

In the wake of a historic lawsuit filed against the social media giant Meta by more than 30 states, the ATLAS Institute’s Annie Margaret shares her take on how apps like Facebook and Instagram are affecting the mental health of young people. It’s not too late, she says, for people of all ages to build a healthier relationship with their smartphones.

Prison bars

Colorado prisons vulnerable to natural disasters but may be ill-prepared

Oct. 24, 2023

Seventy-five percent of incarceration facilities in the state are vulnerable to wildfires, extreme heat, floods or landslides, and many are ill-equipped to handle them, new research suggests.

lllustration of small spacecraft orbiting Earth

7 reasons to get excited about CU Boulder in space

Oct. 13, 2023

From rockets that reach the edge of Earth’s atmosphere to a historic journey to the moon’s South Pole, a landmark year for space exploration is coming for CU Boulder.

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