CU Technology and Discovery News

  • A person holds a clear, octagonal laboratory sample labeled “PENTAPANE MOCHI IGU” in front of their face, looking through the transparent material as it frames their eyes and facial features.
    CU Boulder window insulation technology wins R&D World recognition
    R&D World—The CU Boulder-developed technology, Mesoporous Optically Clear Heat Insulators (MOCHIs), has received a 2026 R&D 100 Special Recognition Award in Green Tech. Described as "frozen air," MOCHIs combine exceptional transparency with record-setting thermal insulation, transmitting more than 99.5% of visible light
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  • A person holds a large ball python coiled around their hands and forearms outdoors on a grassy lawn. The snake has gray, tan and dark brown patterned scales, with its head extending outward as it is gently supported.
    Pythons' extreme biology may hold clues for treating human disease
    NPR's Short Wave—CU Boulder researchers are uncovering how pythons' remarkable biology—from reversing heart growth to preserving muscle during months of fasting—could lead to new therapies for heart disease, age-related muscle loss and obesity. Their discoveries have also helped launch CU Boulder startup Arkana Therapeutics to translate these evolutionary adaptations into medicines.
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  • Illustration of a lunar transfer trajectory overlaid in augmented reality inside a modern university atrium. A yellow orbital path loops across the space with labels showing transfer parameters, including “Transfer 2,” delta-v and flight time, while students walk through the building in the background.
    WATCH: Google Maps for space—how a 20 Twenties winner built HoloAstro
    Aviation Week—David Dezell Turner, CU Boulder PhD candidate in astrodynamics and satellite navigation, shares how winning the 2024 20 Twenties award became the catalyst for founding HoloAstro—a revolutionary augmented reality tool that's transforming space mission design.
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  • Close-up image of the sun showing bright arcs and loops of superheated plasma extending from its surface during a coronal mass ejection. The glowing orange and yellow solar disk is surrounded by fiery prominences against the blackness of space.
    Larisza Krista awarded $600,000 NSF grant to translate coronal mass ejections research
    Larisza Krista, research scientist at CIRES at CU Boulder, was awarded a $600,000 National Science Foundation Translation to Practice—Explore (NSF TTP-E) grant to translate fundamental research on coronal mass ejections (CMEs).
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  • Researcher works inside a sealed laboratory glovebox, handling biological samples and equipment while wearing protective gloves and a headset. The enclosed workspace helps maintain a sterile, controlled environment for sensitive experiments.
    Growing stem cells in space to improve cancer and disease treatments
    NASA—Research led by Tobias Niederwieser, assistant research professor in CU Boulder's BioServe Space Technologies, is exploring how microgravity can enable the large-scale production of high-quality blood stem cells aboard the International Space Station. The work could improve treatments for blood cancers, immune disorders and other diseases by creating more reliable supplies of stem cells for patients on Earth.
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  • Person stands in front of an illuminated medical imaging display showing mammography scans, reviewing images in a darkened clinical or research setting.
    WATCH: CU study identifies protein animals emit in crowded conditions, affecting fertility
    9NEWS—Ding Xue, professor in CU Boulder's Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, said the study opens the path to see if the protein affects humans in crowded cities.
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  • Scientific image showing glowing blue algae formed into different shapes under acidic and basic conditions, including circles, grids and crescent-like structures on a black background.
    Light without electricity? Glowing algae could make it possible
    CU Boulder Today—University of Colorado Boulder researchers have developed a method to activate and sustain glowing bioluminescent algae using simple chemical solutions, opening the door to future technologies such as living sensors and autonomous systems that operate in dark environments.
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  • Abstract image with bright, rainbow-colored light streaks and lens flares crossing diagonally over a blue background.
    The solar cell that moonlights as an LED, and does both better
    CU Boulder Renewable and Sustainable Energy Institute (RASEI)—Imagine a display that harvests ambient light when it is not actively in use, offsetting some of its own energy consumption. The materials physics shows that this is possible.
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  • An experimental structure made of interlocking metal elements demonstrates how entangled materials can form stable, load-bearing shapes without traditional fasteners.
    Staple-like particles reveal new path to strong materials
    CU Boulder College of Engineering and Applied Science—Researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder are developing a new class of “entangled materials” inspired by the surprising strength of a tangled ball of office staples.
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  • A woman sleeps peacefully, illustrating the importance of quality rest for overall health and well-being.
    How important is good sleep after a head injury?
    CU Boulder College of Arts and Sciences—Research suggests that disrupted or fragmented sleep after a traumatic brain injury not only interferes with the healing process but also has long-term consequences for brain health. Rachel Rowe, an assistant professor of integrative physiology at the University of Colorado Boulder, has investigated this question in a recent study linking low-quality sleep following traumatic brain injury to cognitive impairment, persistent inflammation and delayed healing.
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