Latest news with #UniversityofTexas'
New York Post
3 days ago
- Science
- New York Post
Texans shaken as thousands of fire ants seen forming rafts on river using their bodies
This army is in formation. Thousands of fire ants have been spotted floating on floodwaters through the Texas city and forming rafts using their bodies with residents now reporting the gross behavior. KXAN Austin took to X to post a video taken by Austinite David Todd of the little critters, seen nestled into a large cluster in the waters of Lake Travis. Advertisement X users weighed in on the scary sight. 'A floating ball of pure hate,' one observed. Advertisement 'I've done more than seen them. I've run into them at night wading out to the ramp on my dock when the lake is rapidly rising,' another wrote. 'Sucks.' 'Bring out the torch,' someone else suggested. Fire ants are forming rafts out of their own bodies in Texas floodwaters. KXAN The pesky bugs, which can cause painful stings, are rife in Texas. But when their underground nests flood, they sink their teeth into each other, interlock their limbs and create rafts to stay alive. Advertisement 'It's called a self-organizing or self-assembling process. And it's something only social insects do,' Ed LeBrun, a research scientist at the University of Texas' Brackenridge Field Lab, told the outlet. 'There are a lot of other structures that ants make in a similar way. For example, army ants will make bridges across rivers.'
Indian Express
05-07-2025
- Science
- Indian Express
Life on Mars? Thick clay layers on red planet might hold the answer
The possibility of life on Mars is something scientists and astronomers have been trying to figure out for decades. With rapid advancements in science in the last century, scientists have stumbled across various clues as to how and where life could be hidden on the red planet. While meteorites, liquid water and water ice at the planet's poles have hinted that the planet may once have been ideal for life, new research suggests that the thick, mineral-rich layers of clay were ideal for life to survive for a long time. These layers, which are said to have formed about 3.7 billion years ago, had warmer and wetter conditions than the rest of the planet. Researchers say they analysed 150 clay deposits using NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and analysed their shape and locations to see how they resembled ancient lakes and rivers on the planet. In a statement to Rhianna Moore, a researcher and postdoctoral fellow at the University of Texas' Jackson School of Geosciences, said, 'These areas have a lot of water but not a lot of topographic uplift, so they're very stable. If you have a stable terrain, you're not messing up your potentially habitable environments.' For those wondering, deposits like these on Earth can be found in certain landscapes and climatic conditions. Researchers say they noticed that most of the clay layers were formed in low areas near ancient lakes, but they weren't close to the valleys where water once flowed. In a new study published in the journal Nature Astronomy, scientists say these clay minerals were found in areas where chemical weathering was favoured over physical erosion.' Since tectonic activity is pretty much non-existent on Mars, CO2 released by volcanoes on Mars likely stayed in the planet's atmosphere for a long time, making it warmer and wetter. This may have also contributed to the formation of the clay layers. Speculation also has it that the clay absorbed water and captured chemical byproducts like cations, which prevented them from reacting with the rocks surrounding them. However, it is still unclear how the planet's topography and climate affected the formation of these clay layers.
USA Today
10-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Longhorns land commitment from Prosper, TX punter
AI-assisted summary Three-star punter Mikey Bukauskas has committed to the University of Texas' 2026 recruiting class. Bukauskas, the No. 2 ranked punting prospect nationally, chose Texas over Clemson. He joins deep snapper Trott O'Neal and kicker Jake Collett as specialist commits in the Longhorns' 2026 class and aims to compete for immediate playing time. Prosper, TX punter Mikey Bukauskas has announced his commitment to the Texas Longhorns 2026 recruiting class. The three-star announced his decision following on an official visit to the Forty Acres. Bukauskas also had a scholarship offer from the Clemson Tigers. The Longhorns staff hope Texas native will become the team's primary punter in the future. The 6-foot-3, 205-pounder ranks as the No. 2 punting prospect in the nation according to 247Sports. Per Kohl's Kicking, the 6-foot-3, punter ranks as the nation's No. 2 prospect at that position. Bukauskas becomes the first punter to commit to Texas since Michael Kern's 2024 commitment. Kern entered the NCAA transfer portal in April. Along with Bukauskas, Texas has commitments from deep snapper Trott O'Neal and kicker Jake Collett. Bukauskas hopes to come in and compete for immediate playing time in Austin. Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle 'That's the game plan. I would love to make an impact as early as possible,' Bukauskas said. 'I believe I have the talent and ability of being that guy as a freshman.'
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Under SB 37, Texas universities will focus on educating, not indoctrinating
American higher education is broken. It costs too much and adds too little value. Too many courses indoctrinate rather than educate. Faculty construct requirements to force students into classes they don't want to take — classes of little intellectual value that do nothing to prepare them for careers. Activist faculty who spend little time on serious research dominate faculty governance bodies. Nationally, we've seen students and faculty more concerned with acting as campus hall monitors, policing what is deemed socially acceptable from a one-sided political perspective. Activism often takes precedence over learning. Thankfully, legislators in Texas are taking this matter seriously. Lawmakers are poised to pass Senate Bill 37, which can restore the purpose of our state's public higher education institutions: Preparing students for success in their post-graduation lives while encouraging them to pursue truth, knowledge and excellence. Column: Universities should foster debate and critical thinking. SB 37 will stifle that | Opinion SB 37 takes governance decisions out of the hands of radical faculty and administrators, allowing for increased oversight by the people of Texas and their representatives. It encourages eliminating useless course requirements and majors that enroll few students. Does this amount to 'thought policing?' Hardly. It counters what's been taking place on campuses for years: Students and faculty alike have been policing what can and cannot be said under the guise of 'social justice' and diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. DEI groupthink discourages debate, pushes a single narrative. It shuts down criticism — the opposite of the free and open inquiry our universities are meant to encourage and foster. The claim that professors 'won't be able to teach' certain subjects involving the founding principles of our country is ludicrous. Nothing about SB 37 will affect courses in the many excellent programs at our universities, from finance to physics, from neuroscience to philosophy. It poses no obstacle to the study of great books. It addresses the many courses at our academic institutions that aim at indoctrination. For example, a keyword search I conducted of the University of Texas' 2024-25 course offerings shows that three of the most frequently mentioned terms in course descriptions are 'gender,' 'race' and 'identity.' Meanwhile, the Federalist Papers, the Declaration of Independence and Abraham Lincoln are mentioned fewer than than 10 times combined. This is taking place at our state's flagship university — showing how extensive the problem is and why SB 37 is needed. What to know: House moves to advance SB 37 on faculty senate, core curriculum review. SB 37 would empower an ombudsman to monitor compliance with the bill's provisions, ensuring that required courses focus on academic excellence and research with real-world impacts. It doesn't empower the ombudsman to eliminate courses that don't meet those criteria. If professors want to teach courses on Marxist theory, they can still do so. But that course won't be forced on students in order for them to graduate. Texas' state colleges and universities are among the best in the nation. Our educators teach and prepare world-class graduates. Our researchers produce groundbreaking innovations across disciplines and industries that have transformed our state and national economies. To maintain our state's distinction in a rapidly evolving global market, our higher education institutions must stay focused on academic excellence and research with real-world impacts. They need to prepare students to succeed. That means bringing greater accountability and efficiency to our institutions of higher education. Under SB 37, Texas students will receive a higher-quality and better-rounded education. Daniel A. Bonevac is a professor of philosophy at the University of Texas. This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas SB 37 will restore integrity to higher education | Opinion
