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Texas Science

@texasscience.bsky.social
309 followers 129 following 151 posts

Official account for the College of Natural Sciences at The University of Texas at Austin.

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LaMontagne Center for Infectious Disease @lcidatut.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
SAVE THE DATE: Dr. Rachel Dutton, Professor and Executive Director of Innovation at UC San Diego, will be the keynote speaker for the 2027 John Ring LaMontagne Annual Keynote Lecture on March 22, 2027. lcid.utexas.edu/events/rache...
lcid.utexas.edu
Rachel Dutton at the 2027 LaMontagne Lecture
2027 LaMontagne Lecture with Dr. Rachel Dutton at the LaMontagne Center for Infectious Disease
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Texas Science @texasscience.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
Now you see it … now you don’t. Researchers stumbled onto a greener way to recycle objects made of pDCPD, used in everything from vehicle bumpers to construction equipment to chemical storage tanks. More at txsci.net/recycled #SustainableScience #PlasticRecycling @utaustinchemistry.bsky.social
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Texas Science @texasscience.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
Meet Iris Schmeder, undergrad frog researcher 🐸 The senior bio major researches frog biodiversity & ecology at UT Austin. She’s a Dean’s Scholar & former Stengl-Wyer Biodiversity Scholar & even interned for a @pbs.org science show. Learn about her in our Q&A ⬇️ #UndergraduateResearch #Herpetofauna
cns.utexas.edu
Meet Iris Schmeder, Undergraduate Frog Researcher
A chance encounter in a hallway and hands-on learning opportunities sparked her passion for research.
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Texas Science @texasscience.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
Last week in Oslo, Allan MacDonald received the Kavli Prize for Nanoscience. A physicist at The University of Texas at Austin, he was honored for helping establish the field of twistronics. Read more: cns.utexas.edu/news/accolad...
Three scientists in formal attire hold awards in front of a sign that reads The Kavli PrizeA scientist in formal attire speaks at a podium, while two other scientists in formal attire look onTen scientists in formal attire hold awards in front of a sign that reads The Kavli Prize
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Texas Science @texasscience.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
New studies find COVID pandemic impacts on children were not as severe as originally feared. Most children’s health, learning, social development and well-being recovered substantially over time. Full story: news.utexas.edu/2026/09/02/m...
news.utexas.edu
Most Children Rebounded After COVID-19 Disruptions, Study Finds - UT News
Long-term research finds most children recovered from the effects of the pandemic, with lasting challenges concentrated among those already facing hardships.
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Hannah Sima Rempel @hannah-rempel.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
Blennies & the Jetty 🐟 Small fishes that inhabit Texas jetties may have surprisingly important roles as links in local food webs between the nutrients and detritus they eat and larger iconic Texas game fishes! @texasscience.bsky.social @utmsi.bsky.social www.portasouthjetty.com/articles/the...
portasouthjetty.com
The Secret lives of Port A’s cryptic fishes - Port Aransas South Jetty
If you’ve ever strolled a long the Port Aransas jetty or paddled past the pier to catch some surf, you’ve likely been watched by hundreds of tiny, tufted eyes from some of our smallest residents! Thes...
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Texas Astronomy @texasastronomy.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
You've likely heard about the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope launch yesterday. Use of this incredible instrument is already highly coveted, and UT Austin won more resources to use the telescope than researchers at ANY other university in the country!🤘 mcdonaldobservatory.org/2026/08/ut-a...
mcdonaldobservatory.org
UT Austin Astronomers to Play Leading Role in NASA’s Newly Launched Roman Space Telescope – The McDonald Observatory
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Texas Science @texasscience.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
Allan MacDonald is receiving The Kavli Prize in Nanoscience tomorrow. Learn about his science, and of the other winners, in a live backstage event on YouTube hosted by physicist Brian Cox and journalist Vivienne Parry. Sep. 1 at 9:45am ET/6:45am PT (U.S.). www.youtube.com/live/qDM9ZE6...
youtube.com
Cox and Parry LIVE Backstage at The Kavli Prize Ceremony (Not the ceremony)
YouTube video by The Kavli Prize
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Texas Science @texasscience.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
Five Freshman Research Initiative students won the 2026 Biodesign Challenge’s Outstanding Science Award by using corn & beeswax to invent an innovative fabric sealant that could more safely make clothing water-resistant, stain-resistant & moisture-wicking. #HappyFRIday #BDC2026 #StudentResearch
cns.utexas.edu
Students Win Science Award for Bio-Inspired Fabric Sealant
College of Natural Sciences students developed an innovation that could mean safer ways of making clothing water-resistant.
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Caroline Farrior @cfarrior.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
Some fantastic lessons in here from an incredibly thoughtful and creative teacher. Congratulations on your retirement, Ruth Buskirk! cns.utexas.edu/news/feature...
cns.utexas.edu
Six Lessons from a Legendary UT Science Teacher
On moving day, a veteran scientist and teacher looks back on lessons learned in the college.
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Texas Science @texasscience.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
When nutritional scientists at UT Austin examined toddler foods sold in 21 Texas grocery stores they found that more than 80% were ultraprocessed and almost half exceeded recommended sugar, sodium, fat or calories. #ChildNutrition @utaustin.bsky.social cns.utexas.edu/news/researc...
cns.utexas.edu
Those Toddler Foods on Grocery Shelves? More than 80% Are Ultraprocessed
University of Texas at Austin nutritional scientists found nearly half of foods for young children exceeded recommended sugar, sodium, fat or calories.
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Texas Science @texasscience.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
And here is a video of the robot in action
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Texas Science @texasscience.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
Microplastics on beaches are potentially dangerous to wildlife and people, yet hard to monitor. Scientists and engineers at The University of Texas at Austin are developing a robot to map microplastics on beaches. Learn more: www.texasscientist.cns.utexas.edu/articles/bea...
An aerial photo of a beach with lots of people sitting, laying or walking. The headline reads "What's hiding in the sand and surf?" A subhead reads "Microplastics are a growing threat around the world, but they're so tiny, they're hard to spot. A new beach-combing robot could help!"A diagram of a beach-roving robot. The caption reads "Using machine learning, a classifying device analyzes each spectrum and determines whether it is plastic and if so, what type. The data can be used to map the locations and types of microplastics along a section of beach."A photo of a young scientist wearing glasses. A quote reads "I think microplastics are our generation's asbestos or lead. We have good tests for lead and asbestos in the environment, but we don't have a way to assess the levels of microplastics. So as chemists, we need to develop new analytical techniques." Carlos R. Baiz, Associate Professor, Department of Chemistry
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Texas Science @texasscience.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
🎉 Congrats to the newly launched National Center for STEM Education (formerly UT each Institute)! We look forward to what’s next. Learn more: nationalstemed.org/news/press-r...
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Texas Science @texasscience.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
Christina Lildharrie, a neuroscience Ph.D. student at @utaustin.bsky.social, spent her summer as an Archer Graduate Fellow in Washington, D.C., learning how science and public policy can work together to create meaningful change. Read about her experience: cns.utexas.edu/news/feature...
cns.utexas.edu
5 Questions with Archer Graduate Fellow Christina Lildharrie
A Ph.D. student in neuroscience, she is exploring science, service and public policy in the nation’s capital.
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Texas Science @texasscience.bsky.social · 07/08/2026
It’s said breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but there’s been little evidence to back that up until now. New research at UT Austin found that teens who ate breakfast took in more nutrients & consumed less daily fat & sugar than those who skipped. cns.utexas.edu/news/researc...
cns.utexas.edu
Teens who Start the Day with Breakfast, Especially Foods with Protein, Eat Better Overall
Teens who ate breakfast took in more nutrients and consumed less daily fat and sugar than those who skipped it, a University of Texas at Austin study found.
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Reposted by Texas Science
The University of Texas at Austin Department of Chemistry @utaustinchemistry.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
Congratulations to Michael Krische, recipient of the Akira Suzuki Award! chemistry.utexas.edu/news/accolad...
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Texas Science @texasscience.bsky.social · 24/07/2026
6/6: Illustration credit: NASA, ESA, Leah Hustak (STScI).
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Texas Science @texasscience.bsky.social · 24/07/2026
5/6: The runaway black hole was kicked out of its home galaxy and is now racing through space at supersonic speed.
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Texas Science @texasscience.bsky.social · 24/07/2026
4/6: The mysterious object, shown here in an artist’s impression, first got the attention of astronomers when they noticed a strange streak of stars in a Hubble Space Telescope image that was then later captured by the James Webb Space Telescope.
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Texas Science @texasscience.bsky.social · 24/07/2026
3/6: Their findings could help physicists interpret expected observations from an upcoming space-based gravitational wave observatory called LISA.
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Texas Science @texasscience.bsky.social · 24/07/2026
2/6: The study was led by Tousif Islam, an incoming postdoctoral fellow at The University of Texas at Austin's Weinberg Institute, with Jay Wadekar of the Weinberg Institute and Tejaswi Venumadhav of UC Santa Barbara.
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Texas Science @texasscience.bsky.social · 24/07/2026
1/6: Physicists have revealed the origin of a possible runaway black hole: two supermassive black holes smashed together, spawning gravitational waves that gave the resulting black hole a powerful kick. Read the paper in @physrevlett.aps.org: journals.aps.org/prl/abstract...
A black hole surrounded by a bright swirl of gas streaks through space with a trail of stars
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Texas Science @texasscience.bsky.social · 24/07/2026
6/6: Illustration credit: NASA, ESA, Leah Hustak (STScI).
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Texas Science @texasscience.bsky.social · 24/07/2026
5/6: The runaway black hole was kicked out of its home galaxy and is now racing through space at supersonic speed.
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Texas Science @texasscience.bsky.social · 24/07/2026
4/6: The mysterious object, shown here in an artist’s impression, first got the attention of astronomers when they noticed a strange streak of stars in a Hubble Space Telescope image that was then later captured by the James Webb Space Telescope.
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Texas Science @texasscience.bsky.social · 24/07/2026
3/6: Their findings could help physicists interpret expected observations from an upcoming space-based gravitational wave observatory called LISA.
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Texas Science @texasscience.bsky.social · 24/07/2026
2/6: The study was led by Tousif Islam, an incoming postdoctoral fellow at The University of Texas at Austin's Weinberg Institute, with Jay Wadekar of the Weinberg Institute and Tejaswi Venumadhav of UC Santa Barbara.
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Texas Science @texasscience.bsky.social · 20/07/2026
On this day in 1969, humans took their 1st steps on the Moon. It took years of work by a multitude of people, including Texas Science alum Frances “Poppy” Northcutt. Learn more about her & other UT alumni who played a part at txsci.net/CNSApollo #MoonDay #MoonLanding @poppynorthcutt.bsky.social
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Texas Science @texasscience.bsky.social · 17/07/2026
Using a disco ball in space and lasers, scientists have confirmed one of Einstein’s weirdest predictions: rotating objects (like Earth) drag spacetime around them. They measured “frame dragging” with the highest precision ever. Learn more: www.nature.com/articles/s41...
nature.com
LARES-2 satellite measures frame-dragging effect around the Earth - Nature
Using LARES-2, LAGEOS and GRACE satellites, researchers measured Earth’s frame-dragging with unprecedented precision, strongly confirming general relativity, constraining alternative gravity theories,...
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Reposted by Texas Science
Texas Astronomy @texasastronomy.bsky.social · 06/07/2026
Using the Hobby-Eberly Telescope at McDonald Observatory, astronomers have taken a closer look at a nearby exoplanet and discovered it may be more Earth-like than previously thought. mcdonaldobservatory.org/2026/06/near...
Artist’s conception of the view from the surface of the habitable-zone super-Earth exoplanet, showing the planet's red parent star
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Texas Science @texasscience.bsky.social · 02/07/2026
🩻 Science vs. Screwworms 🪰 Did you know that a University of Texas discovery — which led to a Nobel Prize — was the key to eradicating past outbreaks of the New World screwworm & is still proving useful today? #TexasScience #Screwworm #NobelPrize #BasicResearch #BasicScience txsci.net/screwworms
txsci.net
Science vs. Screwworms: How UT Research Inspired Our Best Weapon
Key to earlier eradications of the threat was a University of Texas discovery that’s still proving useful today.
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The University of Texas at Austin Department of Chemistry @utaustinchemistry.bsky.social · 11/06/2026
Congratulations to Kurtis Carsch, one of 12 researchers nationwide selected for the 2026 class of Beckman Young Investigators! @kcarsch.bsky.social cns.utexas.edu/news/accolad...
cns.utexas.edu
Kurtis Carsch Named a Beckman Young Investigator
The Beckman Foundation selected University of Texas at Austin chemist Kurtis Carsch among 12 award-winning researchers honored this year.
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Texas Science @texasscience.bsky.social · 10/06/2026
🎉 Congratulations to Allan MacDonald on winning a 2026 Kavli Prize in Nanoscience!
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Texas Science @texasscience.bsky.social · 09/06/2026
Meet Chip Breier, a marine scientist developing cutting-edge robotics & other tools to explore some of the most extreme environments on Earth. 🌊🔬 Read our Q&A: www.texasscientist.cns.utexas.edu/articles/joh... @utmsi.bsky.social @whoi.edu
A man stands with arms folded next to a short wall, looking out at the ocean. Photo credit: Tico MendozaA man stands on the deck of a research vessel, working on a robotic submersible that looks like a large yellow box about the size of a small car. Photo credit: Chip BreierA man leans against a railing on the deck of a research vessel. Behind him, a crane is lowering a robotic submersible that looks like a large yellow box about the size of a small car into the water. Photo credit: Chip Breier.
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Texas Science @texasscience.bsky.social · 01/06/2026
3. Recent changes in Caribbean/western Atlantic coral reefs, as elkhorn (orange), staghorn (yellow) and massive boulder corals decline. Illustration redrawn by Rashpal Dhilon (Rush Studio), based on a 2016 review paper in Conservation Biology by Kuffner and Toth.
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Texas Science @texasscience.bsky.social · 01/06/2026
2. Could “super recruiter” corals—like these that sprung up in the western Pacific just several years after a typhoon destroyed the reef—help save Caribbean coral reefs? Photo of Acropora corals in Palau in 2018. Credit: Mark Priest.
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Texas Science @texasscience.bsky.social · 01/06/2026
1. Misha Matz. Photo credit: Eileen Chong.
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Texas Science @texasscience.bsky.social · 01/06/2026
Happy World Reef Day! 🪸🐠 Misha Matz, a coral biologist at The University of Texas at Austin is proposing a radical plan to save Caribbean coral reefs from collapse. Read more: cns.utexas.edu/news/feature... Photo captions & credits below in comments @heatshok.bsky.social @texas-ib.bsky.social
A man in a large greenhouse stands next to a tank of water with corals.A large mound of vibrant corals underwaterAn illustration showing the types of corals and their density in the Caribbean at three different times: Late Pleistocene to about 1978, 1980s and 2010s.
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Mike Boylan-Kolchin @mbkplus.bsky.social · 26/05/2026
Hot off the virtual presses: Jenna Samuel @texasastronomy.bsky.social) has led a huge new effort to understand galaxy formation in the early Universe. These simulations can serve as key comparisons with JWST observations to see where our best models do and do not work 🧪 arxiv.org/abs/2605.24104
on the left is a 3D cube with a filamentary distribution of gas on the left, a more sparse distribution of stars on the right, and dark matter on the top. On the right is a zoom-in to a small region showing gas and stars at various resolutions.
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Texas Science @texasscience.bsky.social · 27/05/2026
By mapping protein networks in an ancient ancestor of all complex life, a U. of Texas at Austin-led team found new genes connected to three rare disorders. It might yield hundreds more. New study in Cell Genomics cns.utexas.edu/news/researc... @edwardmarcotte.bsky.social @jbwallingford.bsky.social
Cartoon of a microbe showing all its internal structures. 

Caption: Inferred subcellular organization in LECA, the last eukaryotic common ancestor, based on its estimated gene content. 

Credit: Cell illustration adapted from multiple graphics shared as open source by SwissBioPics.
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Reposted by Texas Science
utcompsci.bsky.social @utcompsci.bsky.social · 19/05/2026
Congratulations to UT Computer Science Ph.D. student Yeonju Ro on being named a 2026 MLCommons ML and Systems Rising Star! Co-advised by Aditya Akella and @atlaswang.bsky.social, Yeonju is also a contributor to UT’s @ldosexpedition.bsky.social and Infra AI Center.
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Texas Science @texasscience.bsky.social · 19/05/2026
Meet James Álvarez, a new college administrator and alum who is working to bolster programs across the college that support STEM education not just at UT, but across the country and at every level. #STEMEducation #STEMSuccess cns.utexas.edu/news/feature...
cns.utexas.edu
A Formula for Promoting Student STEM Success
James Álvarez, a new administrator in the College of Natural Sciences, spoke to us about his work in STEM education.
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Texas Science @texasscience.bsky.social · 12/05/2026
Seeking a summer outlet for a kid interested in science & tech? Many UT camps & academies for school-age & high-school students are still enrolling for summer science experiences in nutrition, robotics, biology & more. #TexasScience #STEMEducation #STEMOutreach cns.utexas.edu/news/feature...
cns.utexas.edu
Find Science and STEM Camps and Summer Offerings from UT Austin
The University of Texas at Austin offers 2026 summer science camps, experiences for high schoolers and other youth programs covering a range of STEM topics.
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amyl2ePhD @amyl2e.bsky.social · 09/05/2026
Kudos to our trainees/faculty @texasscience.bsky.social @dellmedschool.bsky.social bringing music to hospital patients and staff every Monday night rehearsal and for this concert. Congrats to our graduates--music heals ❤️‍🩹#musicmedicine #HookEm #WhatStartsHere
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Mike Boylan-Kolchin @mbkplus.bsky.social · 08/05/2026
Congratulations, @texasscience.bsky.social graduates!
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Texas Science @texasscience.bsky.social · 04/05/2026
The National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded Graduate Research Fellowships & honorable mentions to 43 Texas Science undergrads, grad students & recent alumni this spring. Kudos to all of these exceptional students! #TexasScience #GraduateEducation #STEMEducation cns.utexas.edu/news/accolad...
cns.utexas.edu
NSF Awards Graduate Research Fellowships to 27 from Natural Sciences
Dozens of UT students have received prestigious fellowships from the National Science Foundation.
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Texas Science @texasscience.bsky.social · 30/04/2026
Congrats to UT mathematician Nataša Pavlović, who is 1 of 3 UT Austin professors being inducted into the prestigious American Academy of Arts and Sciences this year! news.utexas.edu/2026/04/22/3...
Portrait of Nataša Pavlović with short dark hair, wearing glasses and a dark shirt.
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Texas Science @texasscience.bsky.social · 29/04/2026
Kudos to Scott Aaronson, professor of computer science at UT Austin & renowned quantum computing expert, who was elected this week to the National Academy of Sciences! @utcompsci.bsky.social @utaustin.bsky.social cns.utexas.edu/news/accolad...
cns.utexas.edu
UT Austin Computer Scientist Elected to National Academy of Sciences
Scott Aaronson, a renowned quantum computing expert, joins the country’s most prestigious scientific organization.
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Texas Science @texasscience.bsky.social · 29/04/2026
Meet the Dean’s Honored Graduates of 2026!⁠ #CNSGrad26 #UTGrad26 #UT26 #TexasScience #UTAustin #STEMExcellence cns.utexas.edu/news/accolad...
cns.utexas.edu
College of Natural Sciences Celebrates the 2026 Dean’s Honored Graduates
Meet the 32 graduating seniors being recognized for their excellence in research, academics, leadership and service to the community.
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