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Research News

Record number of UF faculty earn National Science Foundation awards

The National Science Foundation has recognized a record nine University of Florida faculty members from a wide variety of academic disciplines with 2022 Early Career Development Awards.

Xiao-Xiao Zhang

Xiao-Xiao Zhang Receives Department of Energy Early Career Award

The physicist is one of 83 scientists from across the nation selected to receive significant funding for innovative research.

Searching for New Planets? These Astronomers Know Where to Look

New planet-hunting technologies inspire researchers to re-think their tactics in the search for planets beyond our solar system.

How wisdom, resilience and mastery work together to boost well-being in old age

A new study shows that while wise people tend to be more satisfied with their lives, wisdom also enable a person to better handle late-life adversity and losses.

Plants in Lunar Soil

A first: Scientists grow plants in soil from the moon

UF scientists, including Stephen M. Elardo of the Department of Geological Sciences, have grown plants in lunar soil, a major milestone in lunar and space exploration.

Here’s why you got attached to your favorite fictional character

A new, first-of-its-kind study at the University of Florida has revealed people create emotional attachments with fictional characters by making similar judgments about their personalities as they do with real-life people.

In Thailand, Dengue is No Longer Mostly a Childhood Disease

UF researchers find that an aging population is behind the shift from dengue being mostly a pediatric disease to one that now predominantly affects young adults.

Record-Setting Star Offers Clues About the Origins of Heavy Elements Found on Earth

Astronomers have identified widest range of elements in a single object beyond our solar system.

What Happens When We Pass Human Diseases to Animals?

UF medical geographer Sadie Ryan makes the case that we need to better study human-to-wildlife viral transmission factors to better understand "spillback" events.

UF Ecologist Robert D. Holt Elected to the National Academy of Sciences

Holt's election to one of the nation's most prestigious academies is a testament to his scientific impact.

Aging and fake news: It’s not the story you think it is

A new study has found that older adults are no more likely to fall for fake news than younger adults, with age-related susceptibility to deceptive news evident only among those categorized as the “oldest old.”

Sharing the experiences of African American elders

CLAS faculty are using AI to make Joel Buchanan Archive of African American Oral History more accessible.

Sharing the experiences of African American elders

CLAS faculty are using AI to make Joel Buchanan Archive of African American Oral History more accessible.

Pushy plants? Student discovery ‘adds new dimension to plant biology’

Mathematics and botany senior Camille Sicangco found that a local plant, the tall elephant's foot, exerts force on its own, not just in response to external forces such as climate and soil.

Native Voices: Oral Histories Help Preserve Indigenous Heritage

Looking back on Samuel Proctor's essential work interviewing indigenous people across the southeastern United States.

Native Voices: Oral Histories Help Preserve Indigenous Heritage

Looking back on Samuel Proctor's essential work interviewing indigenous people across the southeastern United States.

Researchers evaluate how to improve dignity for seriously ill patients

Susan Bluck of the Department of Psychology is studying how telling one's life story can help those confronting serious illness.

The New Big Dig: UF Researchers Help Government Engineers Cooperate with Nature

Peter N. Adams of the Department of Geological Sciences is part of a team using natural features to benefit ecosystems.

UF scientists study translucent sea creatures to understand early brains

A $1.5 million grant will allow biology researchers at the Whitney Lab to better understand the brains and nervous systems of animals and humans by studying gelatinous ocean comb jellies.

UF computational chemists developed algorithms that find similarities among different molecular shapes.

Using AI, UF Chemists Chart Molecules’ Most Important Shapes

New algorithms reveal which molecular states matter most for disease progression and drug design.