News

By unraveling the complex choreography of cellular machinery, Michigan State University researchers are helping identify the next generation of drug targets and cancer therapies.

The College of Natural Science recently sat down with Albert Cohen to talk about statistics, sports and the science of bracketology.

Large and connected forests are better for harboring biodiversity than fragmented landscapes, according to research supported by Michigan State University.

Researchers in the MSU-DOE Plant Research Laboratory Sharkey lab are studying changes in plant metabolism that occur when plants are grown in high light, high CO2 conditions.

From heat-related illnesses to the geographic expansion of infectious diseases, emerging research outlines how the compounding effects of climate change could weaken human gut microbiomes, with the most severe impacts expected across middle- and low-income countries.

Butterflies are disappearing in the United States. All kinds of them — and at a rate scientists call alarming.

A new collaboration among Michigan State University, Arizona State University and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory will seek to answer how planets are formed with the help of a powerful telescope and high-performance computers.  

Two Michigan State University faculty, Alexander Volberg and Konstantin Matetski, were honored with Frontiers of Science Awards from the International Congress for Basic Science (ICBS) for their groundbreaking research in mathematics.

Michigan State University researchers discovered key climate-related patterns in algal biomass levels through time for freshwater lakes.

The night sky offers us a variety of spectacles throughout the year, but for the remainder of the month, we have front-row seats to see — not one or two — but seven planets at once.

A new study of non-migratory birds provides clues about how climate change may affect the long-standing evolutionary strategies of feathered friends.

What if saving one animal species from extinction at a time isn’t the most effective approach? Michael Belitz, a Michigan State University postdoctoral researcher in the Zipkin Quantitative Ecology Lab, asked himself that question during his graduate work protecting a single butterfly species.

Spartans are natural innovators. They push the limits of discovery and create solutions that benefit all of us. In fact, Michigan State University is ranked in the top 50 of the National Academy of Inventors’ list of top U.S. universities granted utility patents and has been a top 100 university globally for 11 consecutive years.

Worldwide, regional governments and international groups are establishing new protected areas to slow further loss of threatened species. However, new research appearing in the journal PLOS Biology demonstrates that this strategy may not be enough on its own to reverse, or even stop, these regions’ declining biodiversity.

From helping catalyze interstellar reactions and fueling the birth of stars to its presence in neighborhood gas giants like Saturn and Jupiter, trihydrogen, or H3+, is best known as the “the molecule that made the universe.” 

Flu cases are soaring, and they’re not likely to let up anytime soon. The vaccine is your best defense against the illness this season.

Professor Selvan Demir is the recognized for her groundbreaking work that embodies the very best of early-career science.

Laura Chomiuk received the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers, or PECASE, the highest honor given to scientists by the U.S. government early in their careers.

Working at the cutting-edge of ultrafast spectroscopy — the application of short laser pulses to analyze the dynamics of molecules — the Michigan State University associate professor Elad Harel’s research aims to reveal how microscopic phenomena impact large complex systems.

Expanding knowledge of the carbon concentrating mechanism in the extremophilic algae C. merolae allows scientists to better understand and possibly improve photosynthesis.

Shawn Jobe, a pediatrician specializing in hematology and oncology, discusses the latest developments in treatments for sickle cell disease patients.

The MSU Distinguished Student Awards Office has nominated five students, including three from the College of Natural Science, for the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship. Michigan State has produced 55 Goldwater Scholars. 

Michigan State University professor is committed to solving one of Earth’s most pressing problems — access to clean water — through applied physics.

Johannes Pollanen didn’t set out to become an entrepreneur. Originally a physicist studying superfluids, Pollanen first turned his attention to quantum computing over a decade ago at Caltech. Building a marketable quantum computer wasn’t on his radar.

Our sun is essentially a searing hot sphere of gas. Its mix of primarily hydrogen and helium can reach temperatures between 10,000 and 3.6 million degrees Fahrenheit on its surface and its atmosphere’s outermost layer.

With the release of ChatGPT, MSU students and faculty alike were handed a new tool that could forever change our classrooms, our study habits and our approach to learning.

Gut health isn’t just a catchphrase – it’s a crucial part of digestion that, when out of balance, can cause chronic illnesses and make us feel sick.

Michigan State University researcher Dalton Hardisty contributed to a new Yale University-led study finding that Earth’s early atmosphere hosted a battle royale between iodine and oxygen.

A group of researchers that includes Michigan State University faculty called attention to potential risks to humans and global ecosystems from the development of mirror bacteria — synthetic organisms that at the molecular level are ‘mirror’ versions of those found in nature.

For more than 50 years, the Michigan State University Research Foundation has empowered groundbreaking research and entrepreneurship at MSU, creating an ecosystem of innovation and discovery that drives economic growth across Michigan and beyond.

An Italian Academy that once counted the trailblazing astronomer Galileo Galilei amongst its ranks has recognized a Michigan State University researcher whose ambitions extend beyond Earth's orbit.

Researchers at MSU and the Univ. of Wisconsin have uncovered a new and important insight about a rare immune disorder. WHIM syndrome – Warts, Hypogammaglobulinemia, Infections, and Myelokathexis – can lead to conditions such as persistent skin and genital warts and increased risk of HPV-related cancer. Researchers have previously determined that WHIM is caused by a mutation in a gene known as CXCR4.

Wendy and Doug Robbins have long been champions of theW.K. Kellogg Bird Sanctuary. Their financial support for its ongoing renovation is about more than just preserving a cherished Michigan landmark — it’s about ensuring future generations experience the wonder of nature.

With the help of FRIB, MSU researchers are developing new cancer-fighting radiotherapeutics.