Research

Related News

Honey bees’ sense of smell changes from larval to adult life stages, study finds

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Honey bee larvae lack the sophisticated olfactory capabilities of adult honey bees, a new study finds. Scientists point to this temporary loss-of-function as a side effect of the nurse bees’ heroic level of brood care, calling it a consequence of social evolution.The new findings...

From cactus thorns to dinosaur teeth: Study analyzes biological puncture tool performance

 CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Nature has invented countless types of pointy appendages, and scientists have long sought to explain what makes these structures so effective at puncturing other things. A new study models the key physical characteristics of puncturing tools to reflect their diversity in...

Assistant Professor in plant biology helps shed light on extreme drought tolerance

In a publication from last fall in New Phytologist, Plant Biology Assistant Professor Rose Marks shared new research involving the resurrection plant Myrothamnus flabellifolia...

Former undergraduate researchers help uncover how plants respond to multiple environmental stressors

A newly published study in the Journal of Chemical Ecology offers new insight into how plants respond when faced with multiple environmental challenges at once. This work was led by former undergraduate researchers in the lab of...

Team tracks vegetation recovery from sudden permafrost collapse

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Some Arctic regions regain their “greenness” within a decade of a sudden permafrost collapse, while others can take a century or more to recover, researchers report in a new study. The difference is directly related to each site’s gross primary productivity, a measure of its...

Two PEEC students amongst finalists for Research Live!

Two PEEC graduate students have been named among the Top 9 Finalists for the 2026 Research Live! Finalist Showcase. Hosted by the Graduate College, this event invites students to present their research to a general audience in three minutes or less.The Research Live! event will take place on...

Tuning in to fluorescence to farm smarter: monitoring plant light use saves indoor farm energy costs

Plant owners with a so-called green thumb often seem to have a more finely tuned sense of what their plants need than the rest of us. A new “smart lighting” system for indoor vertical farms grants this ability on a facility-wide scale, responsively meeting plants’ needs while reducing energy...

Genes from corn's wild ancestor change soil microbial community, improve sustainability

Corn bred with genes from wild relatives can reshape soil microbial communities and reduce nitrogen loss — with no yield reduction — according to new research from the University of Illinois Urbana-...

EEB scientists reveal how fish skin helps protect against fast attacks

Scientists at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign have helped uncover how fish skin protects fish from sharp, fast attacks in the wild, and the research highlights how curiosity, creativity, and mentorship can come together to drive discovery. The study was co-authored by...