Research






two stars creating radio pulse

First Radio Pulses Traced to Dead-Star Binary

An international team of astronomers, including a Northwestern University astrophysicist, has traced a series of mysterious radio pulses to an unprecedented home.

Starting a decade ago, astronomers have detected a pulse of radio emission every two hours, coming from the …


rows of plastic bottles

Plastic Recycling Gets a Breath of Fresh Air

Harnessing moisture from air, Northwestern University chemists have developed a simple new method for breaking down plastic waste.

The non-toxic, environmentally friendly, solvent-free process first uses an inexpensive catalyst to break apart the bonds in polyethylene terephthalate (PET), the most …


closeup of fly

What We Can Learn From How Flies Set the Thermostat

Tiny, cold-blooded animals like flies depend on their environment to regulate body temperature, making them ideal “canaries in the coal mine” for gauging the impact of climate change on the behavior and distribution of animal species. Yet, scientists know relatively …