Rice University News & Media

While historical barriers that excluded Black America from the homeowner market for decades have crumbled, there are signs that emerging types of racial inequality are making homeownership an increasingly risky investment for African-American home seekers.

Dozens of geophysicists and volunteers are preparing to deploy 3,500 seismic sensors at Mount St. Helens next week as part of an unprecedented study to map the volcano’s plumbing. Using the seismic instruments and detonations, researchers will perform what amounts to a combined ultrasound and CAT scan on the famous volcano.

Thirty teachers from Houston-area middle schools attended Rice’s ConocoPhillips Applied Math Program summer training last week to learn creative ways to help students see the connections between science and math.

Nanophotonics experts at Rice University have created a unique sensor that amplifies the optical signature of molecules by about 100 billion times. Newly published tests found the device could accurately identify the composition and structure of individual molecules containing fewer than 20 atoms.