Natural Sciences

This pyramid scheme could be helpful

Rice chemists uncover the mechanism behind controlled growth of gold tetrahedron nanoparticles using liquid cell transmission electron microscopy.

National Academies Gulf Scholars Program launches at Rice

A new National Academies Gulf Research Program will expand the opportunities Rice students have to study and impact the most pressing environmental, health, energy and infrastructure challenges in the Gulf of Mexico region.

Best yet to come for stellar jet researchers

New findings about stellar jets also provide a path forward for astronomers awaiting launch of the James Webb Space Telescope.

Manganese makes its mark in drug synthesis

Rice University chemists find manganese far superior to silver and cerium as a way to make building blocks for drug design and manufacture.

Corps of Engineers funds bid to ‘flash’ waste into useful materials

A $5.2 million U.S. Army Corps of Engineers grant will expand Rice efforts to recycle waste into valuable products through flash Joule heating.

Sylvia Dee wins fellowship to launch Gulf of Mexico study

Sylvia Dee, an assistant professor of Earth, environmental and planetary sciences, wins an early-career fellowship to pursue Gulf of Mexico research.

American Chemical Society honors Gustavo Scuseria

Rice University’s Gustavo Scuseria wins the American Chemical Society Award in Theoretical Chemistry.

NSF extends Physics of Living Systems network at Rice

The NSF awards nearly $3 million to the Center for Theoretical Biological Physics to continue its leadership role in the Physics of Living Systems graduate research network.

Sex and the symbiont: Can algae hookups help corals survive?

Scientists have discovered that symbiotic single-celled algae that live inside of and feed corals can reproduce not only by mitosis, but also sexually. Encouraging sex in these algae can accelerate their evolution to produce strains better able to help reefs cope with climate change.

Grant backs effort to build useful bacterial colonies

Rice scientists have won a grant to advance the development of custom-designed microbial colonies for a variety of applications.

Physicists probe light smashups to guide future research

For some peptides, killing bacteria an inside job

Rice scientists study the dynamics of the immune system’s antimicrobial peptides, which attack and eliminate harmful bacteria. They find peptides that invade bacteria and do their damage from the inside are underrated.

Docking peptides, slow to lock, open possible path to treat Alzheimer’s

Researchers have identified a possible “Achilles’ heel” in the frustration of amyloid beta peptides as they dock to the fibrils that form plaques in patients with Alzheimer’s disease.

Tweezer grant pleases Rice researchers

Rice researchers have won an NSF grant to acquire a sophisticated optical tweezer microscope to manipulate, measure and monitor micron-scale particles.

Nature’s archive reveals Atlantic tempests through time

Rice scientists uncover how natural archives can record Atlantic hurricane frequency over the past 1,000 years. SUMMARY: Rice University scientists uncover how natural archives can record Atlantic hurricane frequency over the past 1,000 years. More data is needed to help model how climate change will affect storms in the future.