Gifford Miller at Barnes Ice Cap

Last remnant of North American ice sheet on track to vanish

March 20, 2017

A new study on Baffin Island in the Canadian Arctic shows that the Barnes Ice Cap, the last remnant of the ice sheet that once blanketed much of North America, will disappear in a few hundred years.

Wooden letter cubes (stock image).

First initial of last name could foretell one's success or setback in life

March 17, 2017

There might be more than just hard work to people's successes in life. From an early age, those whose last name starts toward the beginning of the alphabet can have an advantage. The news is not so good for those with last names toward the end of the alphabet.

A skateboard is propped up near someone's legs, wearing jeans.

Teens prone to drug experimentation won’t necessarily become addicted

March 16, 2017

A new study of hundreds of twins suggests that teens with poor executive function are more likely to take risks, including experimenting with drugs and alcohol, but are not more prone to addiction.

an illustration of possible future transit vehicles, habitats, and power systems on Mars

Designing lighter, stronger vehicles for space exploration

March 15, 2017

NASA has named CU Â鶹ӰԺ as a partner in a first-of-its-kind $15 million research institute developing superstrong, lightweight materials for use in space exploration vehicles.

"smart" threads that change color based on certain stimuli

When unstable technology is a good thing

March 13, 2017

Life is messy, and mostly we use technology to keep it tidy. But is there a place for technology that embraces messiness and unpredictability? Yes, and it's in the ATLAS Institute.

Duke University, University of Virginina basketball players Jan. 2012

The odds of picking a perfect NCAA bracket, explained by a mathematician

March 10, 2017

The odds of filling out a perfect NCAA men’s basketball tournament are beyond impossible, according to applied mathematics professor Mark Ablowitz.

Aerospace summit

Groundbreaking space missions, student success focus of Aerospace Summit

March 10, 2017

Alumni, industry execs and other space buffs celebrated the state’s growing prominence in aerospace—from probing the Bennu asteroid to an array of industry partnerships—at the second annual CU Â鶹ӰԺ Aerospace Summit earlier this week.

Image of swimmers standing in water.

Lactate—long the athlete's bane—could be a key driver of cancer

March 9, 2017

Research suggests lactate, a metabolic byproduct that can interfere with sports performance, plays a role in cancer formation. And while people who regularly exercise tend to be able to clear lactate, others with a sedentary lifestyle, combined with excess sugar intake, may have a harder time.

a wind turbine

Engineers set to create membranes for next-generation battery technologies

March 8, 2017

A $3 million Department of Energy grant will help CU Â鶹ӰԺ researchers create better membranes for use in efficient cost-effective battery components for large-scale energy storage.

Boston marathon runners.

Break the two-hour marathon record? It could be done

March 3, 2017

Using mathematical calculations, a new study bears the recipe for how marathoners could break the world record among males, shaving about four and a half minutes off the fastest time.

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