‘Hell-heron’ dinosaur discovered in the central Sahara

A UChicago-led team unearthed ‘Spinosaurus mirabilis,’ a fish-eating giant and the first new species of its kind in a century, where nothing like it was thought to exist

A student-led quest to map the hidden history of Chicago's neighborhoods

Obama Presidency Oral History archive opens to public

Research

In pre-colonial Africa, political decentralization was by design

Scientists pair AI and human knowledge to tackle notoriously difficult physics question

What decades of data reveal about climate disaster deaths

Science As Art

Submit your images from UChicago research to 2026 Science as Art contest

Winners of the 2025 UChicago Science as Art competition announced

Winners of the 2024 UChicago Science as Art competition announced

Winners of the 2023 UChicago Science as Art competition announced

AROUND UCHICAGO

Announcement

Neubauer Collegium announces 10 new projects for 2026-27

UChicago faculty-led projects embrace experimental approaches to language, housing, healthcare and more

Eight UChicago scholars awarded prestigious Sloan Fellowships in 2026
Early-career scientists recognized for pioneering work in chemistry, computer science, economics, physics

UChicago student named 2026 Gates Cambridge Scholar
Fourth-year Prithi Srinivasan to study biology at University of Cambridge

Inside the Law School’s AI Lab

David Auburn named UChicago’s 2026 Class Day speaker
Alum and Tony Award winner will kick off Convocation weekend with address to College students on June 5

UChicago Explainer Series

View All Explainers

Exoplanets, explained

We now know there are thousands of planets out there in our galaxy alone. Learn what we know about them, and what mysteries remain.

RECENT

Dark energy, explained
Coined by University of Chicago astrophysicist Michael Turner in 1998, dark energy—the force causing the universe to expand faster over time—remains one of the great mysteries of physics.

Improv, explained
Modern improv comedy began at the University of Chicago in the 1950s.

MOST VIEWED

The origin of life on Earth, explained

Ecological succession, explained

The Gut Microbiome, explained

Inside the Lab

Explore Labs Across UChicago

Inside the Lab

Sebo Lab: Programming robots to better interact with humans

Go inside the laboratory of Sarah Sebo, whose Human-Robot Interaction lab at the University of Chicago is programming robots with social skills, in order to build trust and rapport with humans. The goal is to develop robots that can improve performance, including better learning outcomes for children.

Sheffield Lab: Understanding the neuroscience of memories
Watch UChicago neurobiologist Mark Sheffield and his team investigate the mechanisms of memory by studying neuron activity and connections. Their research could enhance the treatment of memory-related conditions such as Alzheimer’s and PTSD.

Light Lab: Understanding the gut microbiome to treat disease
Step inside Asst. Prof. Sam Light’s lab to learn how scientists are mapping the incredible network of microbes living inside your gut—and how they can affect health or disease.

Awad Lab: Predicting and preventing strokes and brain bleeds
In the newest episode of Inside the Lab, visit Prof. Issam Awad and learn about his team's mission: to prevent strokes before they happen.

PODCASTS

Big Brains homepage

Episode 175

Remarkable new treatments for spinal cord injuries, with Mohamad Bydon
2-year-old’s recovery from severed spinal cord shows how surgery can help patients regain movement, even after paralysis

Episode 174

Can you improve your working memory and attention? with Edward Awh
Neuroscientist explains why some people remember more—and one simple way to sharpen your focus

Episode 173

Why knowing your true self is so difficult, with Eric Oliver
New book explores our path to self-discovery—and what it means to be ‘you’

Episode 172

The breakthrough quantum sensor that sees inside your cells, with Peter Maurer
Discovery of a first-of-its-kind biological qubit could help detect and track diseases

Episode 171

What makes music go viral—From AI to Taylor Swift, with Paula Harper
Music scholar examines the forces driving the rise of pop stars and songs in the age of TikTok and Spotify

More from the University of Chicago Podcast Network

Capitalisn't

Is capitalism the engine of destruction or the engine of prosperity?

Listen

Not Another Politics Podcast

Understand the political science behind the headlines

Listen

Entitled

Why rights matter—and what’s the matter with rights

Listen

Master's education at UChicago

Programs transforming careers

UChicago master’s programs meet demand in evolving job market

Degree programs help students build skills, become future leaders and make impact

Bridging theoretical and applied: UChicago master’s in financial math, finance and management

Career-focused programs teach cutting-edge skills while supporting students at UChicago and beyond

‘Theoretical rigor with practical application’: UChicago master’s in data science and computer science
Programs provide real-world skills and hands-on experience in a supportive environment

‘Immersive and transformative’: UChicago’s master’s in arts and humanities
Interdisciplinary programs offer students a rigorous and impactful experience

Events

Feb

23

Martha Feldman: Book Discussion at The Seminary Co-op

Martha Feldman: Book Discussion at The Seminary Co-op

Seminary Co-op Bookstore

Feb

23

Protest Theater Workshop with Andrei Kureichik

Protest Theater Workshop with Andrei Kureichik

Ryerson Phyiscal Laboratory 177

Feb

24

Jake Rose: 2026 Phoenix Poets New Voices in Poetry

Jake Rose: 2026 Phoenix Poets New Voices in Poetry

Logan Center for the Arts, Room 801