NSF Funded Research News

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 22-Oct-2026 05:16 ET (22-Oct-2026 09:16 GMT/UTC)

8-Jul-2026

 

A black hole theory comes to life in the lab

Advanced Science Research Center, GC/CUNY
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Researchers at the Advanced Science Research Center at the CUNY Graduate Center have demonstrated a new approach to wave amplification through interaction with rotating bodies. Rather than mechanically rotating matter, however, the team engineered a radio-frequency device with properties modulated in space and time to mimic spinning.

Journal

Nature

Funder

U.S. Department of Defense, Simons Foundation

8-Jul-2026

 

New AI-assisted climate study reveals what urban heat really feels like

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, News Bureau
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Urban heat islands may not be as extreme in temperature and variability as some surface-temperature-based maps suggest.

Journal

Nature Communications

Funder

NASA Headquarters, U.S. Department of Energy

8-Jul-2026

 

Caddisfly silk gene evolves quickly without losing adhesive power

University of Utah
Peer-Reviewed Publication

University of Utah bioengineer Russell Stewart as long studied caddisfly silk, which contain adhesives that work underwater , in search of a compound for use in the human body in medical applications. Now the genetics of caddisflies’ evolutionary superpower is coming into focus, providing science with new clues for developing bioadhesives.

Journal

Molecular Biology and Evolution

Funder

Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, Alexander von Humboldt Foundation

8-Jul-2026

Hotter, drier weather could double water bills in some cities, Stanford study finds

Stanford University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Hotter, drier conditions could leave millions of Americans struggling to afford tap water. The cost of drought resilience measures, such as desalination plants, will likely fall on ratepayers, with the greatest impact on low-income and minority communities, according to the research.

Journal

Nature Sustainability

Funder

TomKat Center for Sustainable Energy

7-Jul-2026

 

How sea stars build materials that can see

University of Pennsylvania School of Engineering and Applied Science
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Penn Engineering researchers discovered that sea star skeletons do more than provide strength—they also guide light. The finding reveals how nature combines structural support and sensing in a single material, offering new inspiration for lightweight, multifunctional materials and bioinspired engineering.

Journal

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

Funder

Human Frontier Science Program

7-Jul-2026

 

Simplifying black hole mergers — the universe’s most violent phenomena

Penn State
Peer-Reviewed Publication

New research, led by Penn State physicists, shows that when two orbiting black holes merge, the size of the resulting larger black hole can be predicted using simple thermodynamics by maximizing entropy.

Journal

Physical Review Letters

7-Jul-2026

 

Opening the future of science

University of Texas at Austin

The U.S. NSF LCCF Overview and Characteristic Science Applications virtual panel featured remarks from NSF and TACC leaders, followed by a moderated panel of researchers using TACC's Frontera and Vista supercomputers to tackle some of science's most complex challenges.

Journal

Structure

7-Jul-2026

McDonald receives NSF CAREER Award

George Mason University
Grant and Award Announcement

Nora McDonald, Assistant Professor, Information Sciences and Technology, College of Engineering and Computing (CEC), received a National Science Foundation CAREER award for her project, “CAREER: Resilience in the Age of AI: Helping Adolescents Manage Generative AI and Personalization.” 

7-Jul-2026

Zeng studying secure ISAC in NextG through resource grid obfuscation

George Mason University
Grant and Award Announcement

Kai Zeng, Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering, College of Engineering and Computing (CEC), is studying integrated sensing and communication. 

7-Jul-2026

Researchers study new method to detect, treat endometriosis

University of Mississippi

Endometriosis is a painful, common condition affecting women worldwide, but treatment and diagnosis options are scarce. A new University of Mississippi-led study may have found an answer to both problems.

Journal

Communications Chemistry