Natural Sciences

Rice lab’s catalyst could be key for hydrogen economy

A light-activated catalyst efficiently converts ammonia into clean-burning hydrogen using only inexpensive raw materials.

Rice turns asphaltene into graphene for composites

The flash Joule heating process developed at Rice turns asphaltenes, a byproduct of crude oil production, into graphene for use in composite materials.

Rice facility is ‘one-stop shop’ for customizing DNA to fight cancer

Rice bioengineers, synthetic biologists and cancer researchers celebrated the opening of Rice’s first CPRIT Core Facility, the Genetic Design and Engineering Center, or GDEC, Nov. 10 at the BRC.

Early planetary migration can explain missing planets

Computer simulations by Rice University scientists and their collaborators explain two puzzling observations of exoplanets orbiting distant stars.

Rice wins Moore Foundation grant for quantum vacuum research

Junichiro Kono’s lab will study how matter and quantum vacuums become entangled thanks to a new grant from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation.

Bacterial sensors send a jolt of electricity when triggered

Rice researchers develop programmable bacteria that sense contaminants and release an electronic signal in real time.

New catalyst can turn smelly hydrogen sulfide into a cash cow

Rice engineers and scientists and collaborators have discovered an efficient, one-step process for converting hydrogen sulfide gas into clean-burning hydrogen fuel.

Physicists use ‘electron correlations’ to control topological materials

Physicists from Rice and other institutions have discovered a way to switch topological states on and off.

Halas, Nordlander honored in Rome

Italian President Sergio Mattarella presented Rice’s Naomi Halas and Peter Nordlander the 2022 Eni Energy Transition Award in an Oct. 3 ceremony in Rome's Quirinal Palace.

Climate risks for Gulf of Mexico coral reefs spelled out in study

Promptly reducing greenhouse emissions would give Gulf of Mexico corals up to 20 extra years to adapt to critical threshold temperatures, according to Rice research.

See nature like (and with) a biologist in new online courses

Online learners can follow Rice biologist and author Scott Solomon into the wild through an engaging series of courses focused on ecology, evolution and biodiversity.

Rice lab grows macroscale, modular materials from bacteria

Rice bioscientists have created bacteria that self-assembles into a material like putty that could soak up pollutants.

Bird’s enzyme points toward novel therapies

Rice University chemists find a rare genetic pathway that helps mammalian cells become drug factories or sensors by synthesizing noncanonical amino acids. The clues came from an uncommon bird.

​​​​​​​Interwoven: Charge and magnetism intertwine in kagome material

Rice physicists have discovered a quantum material where electrons engage in a collective dance that appears to be governed by both their electronic and magnetic natures.

Rice part of multi-institution grant to study teacher education and development

A three-year National Science Foundation grant will fund a multi-institution study of how social networks affect teacher education development.