News Releases

Bottling the world's coldest plasma

Rice University physicists have discovered a way to trap the world's coldest plasma in a magnetic bottle, a technological achievement that could advance research into clean energy, space weather and astrophysics.

Quantum quirk yields giant magnetic effect, where none should exist

In a twist befitting the strange nature of quantum mechanics, physicists have discovered the Hall effect — a characteristic change in the way electricity is conducted in the presence of a magnetic field — in a nonmagnetic quantum material to which no magnetic field was applied.

Rice team forges path toward geothermal future

Rice scientists have joined a federal project to accelerate breakthroughs in geothermal systems for unlimited, inexpensive energy.

Cerium sidelines silver to make drug precursor

Rice scientists have developed a simplified method to make fluoroketones, a drug precursor that typically requires an expensive silver catalyst.

Bioinformatics tool accurately tracks synthetic DNA

A Rice computer science lab challenges -- and beats -- deep learning in a test to see if a new bioinformatics approach effectively tracks the lab of origin of a synthetic genetic sequence.

Chip simplifies COVID-19 testing, delivers results on a phone

Programmed magnetic nanobeads paired with an off-the-shelf cellphone and plug-in diagnostic tool can diagnose COVID-19 in 55 minutes or less.

Theory could accelerate push for spintronic devices

A theory by Rice scientists could boost spintronics, a key to creating faster and more powerful electronic devices, including quantum computers.

Why hasn’t President Biden delivered his first joint session address? Rice expert available to discuss delay

HOUSTON – (Feb. 25, 2021) – New presidents normally address a joint session of Congress the month after their inauguration, but President Joe Biden's speech is still on hold.

Farmers in developing countries can protect both profits and endangered species

HOUSTON – (Feb. 23, 2021) – Low-income livestock farmers in developing countries are often faced with a difficult dilemma: protect their animals from endangered predators, or spare the threatened species at the expense of their livestock and livelihood.

Rice's Yingyan Lin receives NSF CAREER Award

Rice engineer Yingyan Lin has won a National Science CAREER Award to help close the gap between fast “deep learning” algorithm advances and slow accelerator development.

Campaign promises more likely to be kept by governments run by women, research shows

Campaign promises more likely to be kept by governments run by women, research shows

DARPA backs Rice sensor to detect COVID-19 virus in air

Researchers receive funding for up to $1 million to develop a real-time electronic sensor able to detect minute amounts of the airborne virus that causes COVID-19 infection.

Study could explain tuberculosis bacteria paradox

Tuberculosis bacteria have evolved to remember stressful encounters and react quickly to future stress, according to a study by computational bioengineers at Rice University and infectious disease experts at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School.

Advanced recycling strategies needed to clean up plastic pollution problem, says Baker Institute expert

Sustainability across the entire value chain — rather than advances in technology alone — is required to solve the United States’ plastic waste problems, according to a new brief from Rice's Baker Institute for Public Policy.

Rice Business Plan Competition to announce 2021 teams

The Rice Business Plan Competition — the world's largest and richest student startup competition — will announce the teams invited to participate in this year's edition on Friday.