Researchers have devised a new machine learning method to improve large-scale climate model projections and demonstrated that the new tool makes the models more accurate at both the global and regional level.
Blog
VR Nature Scenes Reduce Sensitivity to Pain – Especially for Those Who Feel Present During the Experience
Immersing in virtual reality (VR) nature scenes helped relieve symptoms that are often seen in people living with long-term pain, with those who felt more present experiencing the strongest effects.
Coolness Hits Different; Now Scientists Know Why
Researchers discover a complete skin-to-brain neural circuit for temperature sensing, a finding that could help spur medical innovations such as new treatments for temperature-associated pain.
400-million-year-old fish exposes big mistake in how we understood evolution
A fish thought to be evolution’s time capsule just surprised scientists. A detailed dissection of the coelacanth — a 400-million-year-old species often called a “living fossil” — revealed that key muscles believed to be part of early vertebrate evolution were actually misidentified ligaments. This means foundational assumptions about how vertebrates,...
Clockwork from scratch: How scientists made timekeeping cells
Scientists at UC Merced have engineered artificial cells that can keep perfect time—mimicking the 24-hour biological clocks found in living organisms. By reconstructing circadian machinery inside tiny vesicles, the researchers showed that even simplified synthetic systems can glow with a daily rhythm—if they have enough of the right proteins.
Digital twins are reinventing clean energy — but there’s a catch
Researchers are exploring AI-powered digital twins as a game-changing tool to accelerate the clean energy transition. These digital models simulate and optimize real-world energy systems like wind, solar, geothermal, hydro, and biomass. But while they hold immense promise for improving efficiency and sustainability, the technology is still riddled with challenges—from...
Did humans learn to walk in trees?
In the quest to understand how and why early humans started walking on two legs, scientists are now looking to chimpanzees living in dry, open savannah-like environments for clues. A new study reveals that these chimpanzees, despite the open terrain, still frequently climb trees to gather fruit and other foods...
Michigan’s Air Mobility Research Corridor to Advance Electric Air Travel and Beyond-line-of-sight Drones
A flight corridor for testing drones and electric aircraft will link the University of Michigan’s one-of-a-kind autonomy research and proving ground facilities in Ann Arbor to Michigan Central’s real-world, urban testbed and innovation district in Detroit.
How NASA Is Testing AI to Make Earth-observing Satellites Smarter
A technology called Dynamic Targeting could enable spacecraft to decide, autonomously and within seconds, where to best make science observations from orbit.
New Study Reveals Coral Reef Food Webs Are More Siloed and Vulnerable than Previously Understood
A study led by Associate Professor Kelton McMahon at University of Rhode Island’s Graduate School of Oceanography has found that food webs on tropical reefs are more fragile than we once thought.