Tags: News

Though they might not be seen, they can be named – voting is open through Dec. 31. Asteroids orbiting the sun in a similar path to Earth's, quasi-moons escort our planet on its journey a few centuries at a time. The science podcast Radiolab and the International Astronomical Union (IAU) — the organization that assigns official names to quasi-moons and their surface features — announced a contest earlier this year to name the…

The University of Georgia Graduate School is pleased to present the 2024 recipients of the Alumni of Distinction Award. This award recognizes graduates who have achieved meritorious success in their professions, distinguished themselves as mentors and role models in their fields, and made substantive impact at the regional, national, and international levels. These graduate alumni exemplify the University of Georgia mission, “to teach, to serve…

By: Alan Flurry Two theories of planet formation have long-dominated astronomy - the first theory, “core accretion,” posits that planets grow slowly from particles of dust ultimately forming pebbles, then boulders, which coalesce to form planets over tens of millions of years. The second theory – “gravitational instability,” in which planets form quickly from direct collapse of gas and dust, requiring hundreds to thousands of years instead –…

Four departmental awards were given to seven selected graduate students this year for exemplary research and teaching. At the end of each spring semester, the department of Physics and Astronomy hosts a catered reception to celebrate and honor our graduate students. The food and fellowship are followed by a ceremony to present the four departmental graduate awards to their recipients. Each award comes with a certificate, a monetary prize, and an…

Each Spring, the department of Physics and Astronomy hosts a pizza party and award ceremony to honor and celebrate with our undergraduate majors. It's a special event to honor our students with their friends and families. This year's undergraduate awards ceremony was held on April 25, 2024. SPARK Research Award:  Elaine Gammon L.L. Hendren Memorial Scholarship:  Joshua Rothstein Wheatley Award: Giovanni Spinaci Astrophysics Award:…

The designation is the highest undergraduate award of its type for the fields of mathematics, engineering and natural sciences University of Georgia juniors Elaine “Lainey” Gammon and Sara Logsdon are among 438 undergraduates across the nation to be recognized as Barry Goldwater Scholars in 2024, earning the highest undergraduate award of its type for the fields of mathematics, engineering and natural sciences. Gammon is from Reno, Nevada, and…

With new cases, hospitalizations and mortality rates holding steady in many parts of the world, University of Georgia researchers have developed a faster detection technique for COVID-19.  In a new study published in Advanced Materials Interface, the UGA research team describes the rapid diagnostic test for SARS-CoV-2 detection and quantification directly from human nasopharyngeal swabs using surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy…

Students from Dr. Phillip Stancil's PHYS 1312 class! Sophomores Sam Penkava (left) and Clay Reece (right) as Oppenheimer and Einstein Astrophysics/Spanish and Physics/Astrophysics majors

A person with COVID-19 might transmit SARS-CoV-2 to domestic cats and dogs (and perhaps other pets) in the same way that an infected animal could possibly transmit it to another individual. In addition, lions, tigers, pumas, snow leopards and non-human primates from zoos or wildlife refuges in the U.S. and other countries have been confirmed infected with SARS-CoV-2, while infections have also been reported in white-tailed deer, both wild and…

Scientists know enough about exoplanets to speculate about how simple plants might arise on them. But don't count on them being green. https://www.wired.com/story/what-will-plants-be-like-on-alien-worlds/