Science & Tech

Weather Models, Poised for a Technological Boost, Face a Stormy Funding Outlook

byAJ Muonagolu

With new technology like artificial intelligence and larger pools of historical and current data, weather models and forecasting are continuing to improve. However, with recent budget cuts and gaps in funding from the Trump administration, experts worry whether forecasting could decline.

A Celestial Festival Celebrates West Texas’ Dark Skies With Awe, Education

bySheldon Munroe

The stars truly aligned as more than 300 stargazers from across the country looked upward at McDonald Observatory to conclude the 2026 Dark Skies Festival under the open skies of West Texas.

Overcast skies had observatory staff prepare for virtual demonstrations, but then the sky emerged, evoking excited whispers and “awws” as more than 3,000 stars became visible to the naked eye. Several globular clusters, the Milky Way and very bright Jupiter drew particular excitement.

“We are here to appreciate the stars as well as the wildlife and human health,” observatory staffer Ryan Cantrell said. 

UT System Plans to Boost Space Research as Federal Funding Skyrockets

byRachel N. Madison

NASA’s Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center and the University of Texas System are developing plans to expand their collaboration under a new Space Act Agreement signed in January. Archie Holmes, UT System executive vice chancellor for academic affairs, led the latest round of conversations this month as the partners map out the research collaboration, student […]

Even as Silicon Valley Booms, Venture Capitalists See Unique Opportunities in Texas

bySheldon Munroe

Technology venture capitalists from around the world who converged in Austin recently say the Texas tech ecosystem is still young and creating distinctive investment opportunities in a rapidly expanding digital economy. “What I found in Texas in the last few days, I felt these venture capitalists are so patient and they are looking for solutions […]

Pyramid or Diagram? Whole Milk or Low-Fat? Dietitians Assess the Impact of New Dietary Guidelines

byAJ Muonagolu

Weeks after the federal government announced new dietary guidelines, Texas schools and food assistance programs are studying how the changes might affect their services.School districts like Austin’s are waiting to see how the new guidelines will shape their programs – especially when it comes to costs and federal reimbursement rates for student meals.

UT Taking Front Row Seat in Innovation in Critical Mineral Resources

bySheldon Munroe

With America facing mounting pressure to reduce its dependence on foreign rare earth minerals, Texas and the University of Texas are seeking a role in rebuilding a domestic supply chain. The University of Texas at Austin has held two educational forums in the past five months, seeking a role in driving innovation and dialogue around […]

‘House of Cards’: Whisper Valley Residents Want Answers for their Broken Homes

byMax Mazoch

Developers marketed Whisper Valley as having an affordable cost of living thanks to the solar-panelled roofs and a geothermal system that connects to each home to provide energy-efficient heating and cooling. But as their homes age, Whisper Valley residents report failing geothermal HVAC systems and foundations that have left them with bills in the thousands of dollars.

Texans Rally in Defense of Science and Against Trump Administration Cuts

byMadeline De Figueiredo

Hundreds gathered in front of the Texas Capitol for a “Stand Up to Science” rally Friday, demanding the defense of scientific integrity, expanded funding and the protection of diversity in research. The rally, one of 32 in cities across the country, was organized in response to the Trump administration’s cuts to scientific funding, the removal […]

In Rural West Texas, Measles Outbreak Signals Concerns over Federal Changes

byMadeline De Figueiredo

Amid concerns that Trump administration policies have reduced access to public health data, the Texas Department of State Health Services has confirmed a measles outbreak in Gaines County, which borders New Mexico, with six cases reported so far.

‘We’re the First’: Spacecraft En Route to Conduct UT’s Search for Water on Europa

byAlex Lamb

Scientists working for the University of Texas at Austin’s Institute for Geophysics in the Jackson School of Geosciences have developed airborne radar equipment capable of seeing through Europa’s thick layers of ice to determine whether water is present. They call this equipment REASON, and it launched in October aboard NASA’s Europa Clipper spacecraft on a five-year journey toward the distant orbit of Jupiter.

Understanding the Incredibly Rare Total Solar Eclipse in Central Texas

byIsabella McGovern

With excitement over the eclipse reaching a fever pitch, Reporting Texas asked Anita Cochran, a senior research scientist at the University of Texas at Austin and assistant director of the McDonald Observatory in Fort Davis to share her insight into this once-in-a-lifetime event.

From Texas to the Peruvian Amazon, a UT Researcher Preserves a Dying Language

byMichael Nolan

Nestled deep in the Amazon basin, a makeshift house sits alongside a rustic nut storage facility. Two of the occupants of this house in Peru’s remote Madre de Dios District might be the last chance of survival for the endangered language Iñapari. 
Meanwhile, over 3,000 miles away, a doctoral student is huddled over his laptop at the University of Texas at Austin. Barrett Hamp, a UT doctoral student in linguistics, has dedicated his research since 2019 to recording the indigenous language in Peru to prevent it from disappearing.  “Once a language is gone, it’s gone.  There’s no reviving it,” Hamp said.