News Releases

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.

Video of 'Jingle Bells' performed on a Stradivarius violin

A music student whose holidays have been brightened by a very special gift struck up a classy way to offer her thanks.

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.

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.

Rice Business makes top 10 in multiple categories of Princeton Review rankings

Rice University’s Jones Graduate School of Business ranks in the top 10 in five categories in The Princeton Review’s Best Business Schools 2022 rankings.

Rice strengthening its commitment to loan-free financial aid

Rice University has announced a significant change to its financial aid package that will make one of the nation’s most prestigious higher education institutions more affordable to a broader range of students.

Shepherd's got a new (old) set of strings

Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music is feeling the holiday spirit early this year thanks to a generous friend who’s lending it a coveted Stradivarius violin — and letting a different student play the instrument each year.

Rice astronomer available to discuss James Webb Space Telescope

Rice astronomer Patrick Hartigan is available to comment on the launch of the James Webb Space Telescope.

Health departments for Houston, Harris County should consolidate or closely coordinate, new report recommends

While most large Texas cities are served by one public health agency, the presence of two health departments in the Houston area — one run by Harris County and one by the city — creates confusion and inefficiencies that could be reduced if they collaborated in a new way.

Swirling bacteria mimic Van Gogh’s ‘The Starry Night’

Scientists discovered a way to transform millions of predatory bacteria into swirling flash mobs reminiscent of painter Vincent Van Gogh’s “The Starry Night” as the unexpected result of experiments on a genetic circuit the creatures use to discern friend from foe.

Flutist Marianne Gedigian to join Rice's Shepherd School of Music

Marianne Gedigian, a seasoned international concert flutist and widely respected music educator, will join Rice University's Shepherd School of Music as professor of flute after the next academic year, starting July 1, 2023.