Instrument built by graduate student Ryan Cole

Researchers replicate climates of exoplanets to help find extraterrestrial life

Dec. 23, 2021

Professor Greg Rieker and Ryan Cole have developed an experiment that recreates the climates of planets beyond our solar system right in the lab. By reaching the same high-temperature and high-pressure conditions found on many exoplanets, the instrument can map their atmospheres, which could help humanity detect life outside our solar system.

Morteza Lahijanian

How Morteza Lahijanian creates safety, soundness in autonomous systems

Dec. 22, 2021

Lahijanian’s work is at the intersection of safety and soundness in robotics, focusing on developing autonomous systems that operate safely and effectively alongside humans to help improve the well-being of individuals and societies.

A nurse holding a test tube

Testing only the unvaccinated may do little to curb spread of omicron

Dec. 21, 2021

New 񱦵 research suggests that in highly vaccinated regions, including Colorado, most infections will soon be breakthrough cases, and money spent on testing the unvaccinated could be better spent on other public health measures.

Artist's depiction of James Webb in space with its mirror unfolded.

New space telescope to peer back at the universe’s first galaxies

Dec. 21, 2021

The decades-in-the-making James Webb Space Telescope will observe light from the dawn of the universe and may even detect the gases swirling in the atmospheres of alien planets.

Man holding newspaper

Climate change news coverage reached all-time high, language to describe it shifting

Dec. 21, 2021

Recent data reveal U.S. news coverage of climate change reached an all-time high in October and November. The language is also changing, with more intense words and phrases being used in the news to describe the phenomenon, such as “climate catastrophe” and “climate emergency.”

Jun Ye and Joe Neguse inspect equipment in the lab

Ultrafast lasers, ultracold atoms and more as Rep. Neguse tours JILA

Dec. 20, 2021

The Colorado congressman's recent visit to the 񱦵 campus came as investments in quantum research have grown across the country and the Centennial State.

Illustration of space

NASA awards $14 million to CU for two new CubeSat missions

Dec. 20, 2021

Two new CubeSats, to be built by the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP), will provide first-of-their-kind measurements of gravity waves in Earth’s upper atmosphere and explosions in the Sun’s corona.

Protest sign

In 2022, consider taking these 5 climate actions

Dec. 16, 2021

Climate change is a much bigger problem than individuals can solve alone, but CU experts say we each can make a difference. If you want to make some climate-focused changes to improve the present and future of the planet, consider these resolutions in the new year.

Hanukkah ornament on a Christmas tree

To tree, or not to tree? How Jewish-Christian families navigate the ‘December dilemma’

Dec. 15, 2021

Figuring out whether to celebrate holidays, and how, is tricky for lots of interfaith families—but thoughtful communication makes a difference. Assistant Professor Samira Mehta shares on The Conversation.

Artist’s rendering of an exoplanet system experiencing atmospheric escape

Scientists envision what Mars would look like as an exoplanet

Dec. 15, 2021

Which planets beyond our solar system are most likely to host life? By extrapolating the current scientific understanding of Mars, a multi-disciplinary team, including researchers from LASP, is helping identify alien planets that may be habitable.

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