Earth isn’t ‘super’ because the sun had rings before planets
Before the solar system had planets, the sun had rings — bands of dust and gas similar to Saturn’s rings — that likely played a role in Earth’s formation, according to a new study.
Nanotube fibers stand strong -- but for how long?
A Rice University study calculates how cyclic strain and stress affects nanotubes and describes how fibers under cyclic loads can fail over time.
Jo Nelson wins NSF CAREER Award
Rice University mathematician Jo Nelson wins a National Science Foundation CAREER Award for young faculty.
A-list candidate for fault-free quantum computing delivers surprise
Superconducting uranium ditelluride is a promising material in the race to create fault-tolerant quantum computers, but physicists are rethinking how superconductivity arises in the material in light of puzzling new experimental evidence in this week’s issue of Nature.
Rice University on winter break Dec. 23-Jan. 3
Rice University will be on winter break from Dec. 23 through Jan. 3 and will reopen for regular operations Jan. 4. News media with an urgent request can reach the Rice News and Media Relations representative on call at 713-348-6774, but please keep in mind that we will have limited access to our faculty experts during the holiday break.
Air bubbles in Antarctic ice point to cause of oxygen decline
An unknown culprit has been removing oxygen from our atmosphere for at least 800,000 years, and an analysis of air bubbles preserved in Antarctic ice for up to 1.5 million years has revealed the likely suspect.
Deck the (Stude) hall with opera
Rice University Shepherd School of Music professors of composition Anthony Brandt and Karim Al-Zand held recordings for their respective chamber operas, “Kassandra” and “The Leader,” in Stude Hall this month.
Rice’s annual United Way campaign surpasses $250,000 goal in week 10
At a Dec. 17 celebration and reception for top donors to the 2021 Rice United Way Campaign, staff chair Susann Glenn declared the annual effort had once again met — and surpassed — its ambitious goal.
Rice general counsel Richard Zansitis steps down after over two decades of service
Outgoing Rice Vice President and General Counsel Richard Zansitis joined a gathering of friends and colleagues for a lively celebration honoring his nearly 21 years of service to the university.
New book edited by Rice economists explores how US can maintain its fiscal health
Robust economic growth has long been the driving force of prosperity in the U.S., but the future is uncertain. A new book edited by Rice University economists explores how the country can maintain healthy economic growth.
Rice responds to rise in COVID-19 cases with schedule, policy updates
Vice President for Administration Kevin Kirby, chair of Rice's Crisis Management Advisory Committee, sent a message to the university community Dec. 19 regarding schedule and policy changes in response to a recent increase in positive COVID-19 tests on campus.
Quirky kveik’s yeasty questions no match for freshmen chemistry students
How Carrie McNeil’s Introduction to Scientific Research Challenges course helped a Houston brewery solve a salty problem
People, papers and presentations for Dec. 20, 2021
A paper co-authored by Vikas Mittal, the J. Hugh Liedtke Professor of Management at Rice's Jones Graduate School of Business, was named a finalist for the American Marketing Association-EBSCO-Responsible Research for Business Management Award for Responsible Research in Marketing.
Winter freeze power resources charted in time-lapse video
What happened to electrical power in Texas during last February's freeze? A new time-lapse video of electricity generation created by experts at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy offers an hour-by-hour picture of power plant and customer outages across the state during the devastating storm.
US energy infrastructure mapped by Baker Institute
A new, interactive energy map for the United States has just been released by Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy, providing an open-source visualization of the country’s energy infrastructure and demography designed to highlight the intersection of energy, environment, policy and society.