University of Texas

Scientists have leveraged machine learning to engineer an enzyme that degrades some forms of plastic in just 24 hours, with a stability and affordability that makes it well-suited to large-scale adoption.

Because diabetics often lack sensation in their feet, they may not shift foot pressure as needed, potentially leading to serious skin ulcers. A set of experimental insoles were created that problem in mind, as they shift the pressure for the wearer.

CRISPR gene-editing is a powerful tool, but unfortunately it can edit the wrong DNA sequences. Now, researchers have identified a previously unknown structure of the protein that drives these mistakes, and tweaked it to reduce off-target mutations.

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria are poised to become a major health problem, predicted to claim up to 10 million lives a year by 2050. Researchers have found a new way to fight back, by targeting a protein that bacteria use to generate drug resistance.

Researchers at the University of Texas at Austin have developed a strange new nanocrystal material that switches between gel and liquid states in response to temperature or other triggers. It could be used to make light filters or thermal camouflage.

Recent studies reported the discovery of lakes of liquid water below the polar ice caps on Mars, but others later refuted the find. Fueling the debate are two new independent studies, which have reached opposite conclusions.

When astronauts stay in outer space for extended periods, they frequently develop a vision problem known as spaceflight-associated neuro-ocular syndrome (SANS). Scientists are now trying to keep that from happening, via a vacuum-sealed sleeping bag.

Needle-like growths called dendrites form on the electrode to hamper the performance of many promising experimental batteries, but a team at the University of Texas at Austin are putting forward a solution for a particularly eco-friendly one.

Researchers have developed a new type of vaccine against urinary tract infections that has shown promise in tests in mice. The treatment uses a whole dead bacterial cell, wrapped in a protective cage, to trigger an immune response.

Recent studies have shown how the compound celastrol can tackle obesity in mice, but with harmful side effects. A new understanding of how the compound works on a cellular level could allow these effects to be avoided.

Access to clean water is a major unmet need in many parts of the world. Researchers at the University of Texas at Austin have developed a new hydrogel tablet that could help, with a prototype able to disinfect a liter of river water in one hour.

Obesity is associated with many health problems, but in some specific cases it seems to be protective in the short term against cardiovascular disease. Now scientists may have uncovered one possible mechanism behind this mysterious “obesity paradox."