News Headlines /today/ en Symposium advances structural engineering toward zero carbon /today/2025/07/09/symposium-advances-structural-engineering-toward-zero-carbon <span>Symposium advances structural engineering toward zero carbon</span> <span><span>Megan Maneval</span></span> <span><time datetime="2025-07-09T07:19:50-06:00" title="Wednesday, July 9, 2025 - 07:19">Wed, 07/09/2025 - 07:19</time> </span> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle focal_image_wide"> <img loading="lazy" src="/today/sites/default/files/styles/focal_image_wide/public/2025-07/DSC_0841.jpg?h=9dd31e65&amp;itok=x8SmNE8b" width="1200" height="800" alt="panelists speak during an event on campus"> </div> </div> <div role="contentinfo" class="container ucb-article-categories" itemprop="about"> <span class="visually-hidden">Categories:</span> <div class="ucb-article-category-icon" aria-hidden="true"> <i class="fa-solid fa-folder-open"></i> </div> <a href="/today/taxonomy/term/6"> Science &amp; Technology </a> </div> <span>College of Engineering and Applied Science</span> <div class="ucb-article-content ucb-striped-content"> <div class="container"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--article-content paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div class="ucb-article-text" itemprop="articleBody"> <div><p>A recent event, which drew 166 participants to the CU Boulder campus, marked an industry-wide step toward cutting emissions tied to building materials like steel and concrete.</p></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div>A recent event, which drew 166 participants to the CU Boulder campus, marked an industry-wide step toward cutting emissions tied to building materials like steel and concrete.</div> <script> window.location.href = `/ceae/symposium-advances-structural-engineering-toward-zero-carbon`; </script> <h2> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--ucb-related-articles-block paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div>Related Articles</div> </div> </h2> <div>Traditional</div> <div>0</div> <div>On</div> <div>White</div> Wed, 09 Jul 2025 13:19:50 +0000 Megan Maneval 54928 at /today What's at risk with public media cuts? /today/2025/07/09/whats-risk-public-media-cuts <span>What's at risk with public media cuts?</span> <span><span>Megan Maneval</span></span> <span><time datetime="2025-07-09T07:14:05-06:00" title="Wednesday, July 9, 2025 - 07:14">Wed, 07/09/2025 - 07:14</time> </span> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle focal_image_wide"> <img loading="lazy" src="/today/sites/default/files/styles/focal_image_wide/public/2025-07/NPR%20mic.jpg?h=b18ab849&amp;itok=A2x4-y_P" width="1200" height="800" alt="NPR microphone"> </div> </div> <div role="contentinfo" class="container ucb-article-categories" itemprop="about"> <span class="visually-hidden">Categories:</span> <div class="ucb-article-category-icon" aria-hidden="true"> <i class="fa-solid fa-folder-open"></i> </div> <a href="/today/taxonomy/term/12"> Society, Law &amp; Politics </a> </div> <span>Colorado Arts and Sciences Magazine</span> <div class="ucb-article-content ucb-striped-content"> <div class="container"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--article-content paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div class="ucb-article-text" itemprop="articleBody"> <div><p>Through its more than 100-year history, public media in the United States has represented diverse audiences and broadcast in areas that commercial media hasn’t.</p></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div>Through its more than 100-year history, public media in the United States has represented diverse audiences and broadcast in areas that commercial media hasn’t.</div> <script> window.location.href = `/asmagazine/2025/07/08/whats-risk-public-media-cuts`; </script> <h2> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--ucb-related-articles-block paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div>Related Articles</div> </div> </h2> <div>Traditional</div> <div>0</div> <div>On</div> <div>White</div> Wed, 09 Jul 2025 13:14:05 +0000 Megan Maneval 54927 at /today That lightbulb represents more than just a good idea /today/2025/07/09/lightbulb-represents-more-just-good-idea <span>That lightbulb represents more than just a good idea</span> <span><span>Megan Maneval</span></span> <span><time datetime="2025-07-09T07:04:45-06:00" title="Wednesday, July 9, 2025 - 07:04">Wed, 07/09/2025 - 07:04</time> </span> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle focal_image_wide"> <img loading="lazy" src="/today/sites/default/files/styles/focal_image_wide/public/2025-07/hand%20holding%20LED%20bulb.jpeg?h=00546c34&amp;itok=Bbq0QV4o" width="1200" height="800" alt="hand holding an LED lightbulb"> </div> </div> <div role="contentinfo" class="container ucb-article-categories" itemprop="about"> <span class="visually-hidden">Categories:</span> <div class="ucb-article-category-icon" aria-hidden="true"> <i class="fa-solid fa-folder-open"></i> </div> <a href="/today/taxonomy/term/6"> Science &amp; Technology </a> </div> <span>Colorado Arts and Sciences Magazine</span> <div class="ucb-article-content ucb-striped-content"> <div class="container"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--article-content paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div class="ucb-article-text" itemprop="articleBody"> <div><p>In research recently published in Science, CU Boulder scientists detail how light—rather than energy-intensive heat—can efficiently and sustainably catalyze chemical transformations.</p></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div>In research recently published in Science, CU Boulder scientists detail how light—rather than energy-intensive heat—can efficiently and sustainably catalyze chemical transformations.</div> <script> window.location.href = `/asmagazine/2025/07/08/lightbulb-represents-more-just-good-idea`; </script> <h2> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--ucb-related-articles-block paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div>Related Articles</div> </div> </h2> <div>Traditional</div> <div>0</div> <div>On</div> <div>White</div> Wed, 09 Jul 2025 13:04:45 +0000 Megan Maneval 54926 at /today Supporting survivors of sexual assault through community /today/2025/07/08/supporting-survivors-sexual-assault-through-community <span>Supporting survivors of sexual assault through community</span> <span><span>Megan Maneval</span></span> <span><time datetime="2025-07-08T14:21:44-06:00" title="Tuesday, July 8, 2025 - 14:21">Tue, 07/08/2025 - 14:21</time> </span> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle focal_image_wide"> <img loading="lazy" src="/today/sites/default/files/styles/focal_image_wide/public/2025-07/hannah-busing-Zyx1bK9mqmA-unsplash.jpg?h=b8aa45f6&amp;itok=cFB-3QHX" width="1200" height="800" alt="hands together in a circle"> </div> </div> <div role="contentinfo" class="container ucb-article-categories" itemprop="about"> <span class="visually-hidden">Categories:</span> <div class="ucb-article-category-icon" aria-hidden="true"> <i class="fa-solid fa-folder-open"></i> </div> <a href="/today/taxonomy/term/12"> Society, Law &amp; Politics </a> </div> <span>Colorado Arts and Sciences Magazine</span> <div class="ucb-article-content ucb-striped-content"> <div class="container"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--article-content paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div class="ucb-article-text" itemprop="articleBody"> <div><p>The research of Tara Kay Streng-Schroeter, who recently graduated from CU Boulder with a doctoral degree, offers a new way to support survivors of sexual violence.</p></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div>The research of Tara Kay Streng-Schroeter, who recently graduated from CU Boulder with a doctoral degree, offers a new way to support survivors of sexual violence.</div> <script> window.location.href = `/asmagazine/2025/07/02/supporting-survivors-sexual-assault-through-community`; </script> <h2> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--ucb-related-articles-block paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div>Related Articles</div> </div> </h2> <div>Traditional</div> <div>0</div> <div>On</div> <div>White</div> Tue, 08 Jul 2025 20:21:44 +0000 Megan Maneval 54918 at /today How slashing university research grants impacts Colorado's economy, national innovation /today/2025/07/08/how-slashing-university-research-grants-impacts-colorados-economy-national-innovation <span>How slashing university research grants impacts Colorado's economy, national innovation</span> <span><span>Megan Maneval</span></span> <span><time datetime="2025-07-08T12:31:50-06:00" title="Tuesday, July 8, 2025 - 12:31">Tue, 07/08/2025 - 12:31</time> </span> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle focal_image_wide"> <img loading="lazy" src="/today/sites/default/files/styles/focal_image_wide/public/2025-07/file-20250702-56-rswvm3.jpg?h=30c0321a&amp;itok=OCrGZhFb" width="1200" height="800" alt="researchers in a lab at CU Boulder"> </div> </div> <div role="contentinfo" class="container ucb-article-categories" itemprop="about"> <span class="visually-hidden">Categories:</span> <div class="ucb-article-category-icon" aria-hidden="true"> <i class="fa-solid fa-folder-open"></i> </div> <a href="/today/taxonomy/term/1153"> The Conversation </a> </div> <div class="ucb-article-content ucb-striped-content"> <div class="container"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--article-content paragraph--view-mode--default 3"> <div class="ucb-article-row-subrow row"> <div class="ucb-article-text col-lg d-flex align-items-center" itemprop="articleBody"> <div><p class="lead">Federal funding cuts in the billions have impacted dozens of universities in the U.S. Read from Massimo Ruzzene, CU Boulder's senior vice chancellor for research and innovation, on The Conversation.</p><div class="ucb-button-group ucb-link-button-black ucb-link-button-regular"><a class="ucb-link-button ucb-link-button-black ucb-link-button-default ucb-link-button-regular" href="https://theconversation.com/how-slashing-university-research-grants-impacts-colorados-economy-and-national-innovation-a-cu-boulder-administrator-explains-257869" rel="nofollow"><span class="ucb-link-button-contents">Read the Article</span></a><a class="ucb-link-button ucb-link-button-black ucb-link-button-default ucb-link-button-regular" href="/today/conversation" rel="nofollow"><span class="ucb-link-button-contents">The Conversation on CUBT</span></a></div></div> </div> <div class="ucb-article-content-media ucb-article-content-media-right col-lg"> <div> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--from-library paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div> <div class="ucb-article-secondary-text"> <div><p class="hero"><i class="fa-regular fa-comment">&nbsp;</i>&nbsp;<strong>The Conversation</strong></p><p class="small-text"><a href="https://theconversation.com/us" rel="nofollow">The Conversation</a> is an independent, nonprofit publisher of commentary and analysis, authored by academics and edited by journalists for the general public. On&nbsp;a mission “to promote truthful information and strengthen journalism by unlocking the rich diversity of academic research for audiences across America,” they&nbsp;publish short articles&nbsp;by academics on timely topics related to their research. CU Boulder provides funding as a member of The Conversation U.S.</p></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div>Federal funding cuts in the billions have impacted dozens of universities in the United States. Read from Massimo Ruzzene, CU Boulder's senior vice chancellor for research and innovation, on The Conversation.</div> <h2> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--ucb-related-articles-block paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div>Related Articles</div> </div> </h2> <div>Traditional</div> <div>0</div> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle large_image_style"> <img loading="lazy" src="/today/sites/default/files/styles/large_image_style/public/2025-07/file-20250702-56-rswvm3.jpg?itok=z8n-G9l_" width="1500" height="1000" alt="researchers in a lab at CU Boulder"> </div> </div> <div>On</div> <div>White</div> Tue, 08 Jul 2025 18:31:50 +0000 Megan Maneval 54921 at /today Aftermath of floods, hurricanes can be hardest on older rural Americans—here's how to help /today/2025/07/08/aftermath-floods-hurricanes-can-be-hardest-older-rural-americans-heres-how-help <span>Aftermath of floods, hurricanes can be hardest on older rural Americans—here's how to help</span> <span><span>Megan Maneval</span></span> <span><time datetime="2025-07-08T09:20:56-06:00" title="Tuesday, July 8, 2025 - 09:20">Tue, 07/08/2025 - 09:20</time> </span> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle focal_image_wide"> <img loading="lazy" src="/today/sites/default/files/styles/focal_image_wide/public/2025-07/file-20250602-56-owhq6a.jpg?h=d5e74559&amp;itok=rx-TdETi" width="1200" height="800" alt="Edith Schaecher, center, and her daughter and granddaughter look at a photo album recovered from her tornado-damaged home in Greenfield, Iowa, in May 2024"> </div> </div> <div role="contentinfo" class="container ucb-article-categories" itemprop="about"> <span class="visually-hidden">Categories:</span> <div class="ucb-article-category-icon" aria-hidden="true"> <i class="fa-solid fa-folder-open"></i> </div> <a href="/today/taxonomy/term/1153"> The Conversation </a> </div> <div class="ucb-article-content ucb-striped-content"> <div class="container"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--article-content paragraph--view-mode--default 3"> <div class="ucb-article-row-subrow row"> <div class="ucb-article-text col-lg d-flex align-items-center" itemprop="articleBody"> <div><p class="lead">Rural hospitals have been closing, putting emergency care further out of reach, but that’s only one of the heightened challenges aging rural communities face after a natural disaster. Read from CU expert <a href="https://ibsweb.colorado.edu/lori-hunter/" rel="nofollow">Lori Hunter</a> on The Conversation.</p><div class="ucb-button-group ucb-link-button-black ucb-link-button-regular"><a class="ucb-link-button ucb-link-button-black ucb-link-button-default ucb-link-button-regular" href="https://theconversation.com/the-aftermath-of-floods-hurricanes-and-other-disasters-can-be-hardest-on-older-rural-americans-heres-how-families-and-neighbors-can-help-247691" rel="nofollow"><span class="ucb-link-button-contents">Read the Article</span></a><a class="ucb-link-button ucb-link-button-black ucb-link-button-default ucb-link-button-regular" href="/today/conversation" rel="nofollow"><span class="ucb-link-button-contents">The Conversation on CUBT</span></a></div></div> </div> <div class="ucb-article-content-media ucb-article-content-media-right col-lg"> <div> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--from-library paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div> <div class="ucb-article-secondary-text"> <div><p class="hero"><i class="fa-regular fa-comment">&nbsp;</i>&nbsp;<strong>The Conversation</strong></p><p class="small-text"><a href="https://theconversation.com/us" rel="nofollow">The Conversation</a> is an independent, nonprofit publisher of commentary and analysis, authored by academics and edited by journalists for the general public. On&nbsp;a mission “to promote truthful information and strengthen journalism by unlocking the rich diversity of academic research for audiences across America,” they&nbsp;publish short articles&nbsp;by academics on timely topics related to their research. CU Boulder provides funding as a member of The Conversation U.S.</p></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div>Rural hospitals have been closing, putting emergency care further out of reach, but that's only one of the heightened challenges aging rural communities face after a natural disaster. Read from CU expert Lori Hunter on The Conversation.</div> <h2> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--ucb-related-articles-block paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div>Related Articles</div> </div> </h2> <div>Traditional</div> <div>0</div> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle large_image_style"> <img loading="lazy" src="/today/sites/default/files/styles/large_image_style/public/2025-07/file-20250602-56-owhq6a.jpg?itok=qu-TXELl" width="1500" height="1000" alt="Edith Schaecher, center, and her daughter and granddaughter look at a photo album recovered from her tornado-damaged home in Greenfield, Iowa, in May 2024"> </div> </div> <div>On</div> <div>White</div> Tue, 08 Jul 2025 15:20:56 +0000 Megan Maneval 54920 at /today Draper Scholar to explore 3D-printed lens design /today/2025/07/03/draper-scholar-explore-3d-printed-lens-design <span>Draper Scholar to explore 3D-printed lens design</span> <span><span>Megan Maneval</span></span> <span><time datetime="2025-07-03T08:58:41-06:00" title="Thursday, July 3, 2025 - 08:58">Thu, 07/03/2025 - 08:58</time> </span> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle focal_image_wide"> <img loading="lazy" src="/today/sites/default/files/styles/focal_image_wide/public/2025-07/samuel%20silberman_thumbnail.jpg?h=aa27e0df&amp;itok=A36IoxXi" width="1200" height="800" alt="Samuel Silberman"> </div> </div> <div role="contentinfo" class="container ucb-article-categories" itemprop="about"> <span class="visually-hidden">Categories:</span> <div class="ucb-article-category-icon" aria-hidden="true"> <i class="fa-solid fa-folder-open"></i> </div> <a href="/today/taxonomy/term/6"> Science &amp; Technology </a> </div> <span>College of Engineering and Applied Science</span> <div class="ucb-article-content ucb-striped-content"> <div class="container"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--article-content paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div class="ucb-article-text" itemprop="articleBody"> <div><p>Samuel Silberman, an incoming doctoral student in electrical engineering, has landed a prestigious fellowship to support research into radio frequency lens design using advanced 3D printing and additive manufacturing.</p></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div>Samuel Silberman, an incoming doctoral student in electrical engineering, has landed a prestigious fellowship to support research into radio frequency lens design using advanced 3D printing and additive manufacturing.</div> <script> window.location.href = `/ecee/draper-scholar-explore-3D-printed-lens-design`; </script> <h2> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--ucb-related-articles-block paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div>Related Articles</div> </div> </h2> <div>Traditional</div> <div>0</div> <div>On</div> <div>White</div> Thu, 03 Jul 2025 14:58:41 +0000 Megan Maneval 54911 at /today Robots could one day crawl on the moon. These undergrads are laying the groundwork /today/2025/07/02/robots-could-one-day-crawl-moon-these-undergrads-are-laying-groundwork <span>Robots could one day crawl on the moon. These undergrads are laying the groundwork</span> <span><span>Daniel William…</span></span> <span><time datetime="2025-07-02T13:49:51-06:00" title="Wednesday, July 2, 2025 - 13:49">Wed, 07/02/2025 - 13:49</time> </span> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle focal_image_wide"> <img loading="lazy" src="/today/sites/default/files/styles/focal_image_wide/public/2025-07/Armstrong2.png?h=d07cc20a&amp;itok=DSlbv85-" width="1200" height="800" alt="Robot on wheels in an office with a chair in the background"> </div> </div> <div role="contentinfo" class="container ucb-article-categories" itemprop="about"> <span class="visually-hidden">Categories:</span> <div class="ucb-article-category-icon" aria-hidden="true"> <i class="fa-solid fa-folder-open"></i> </div> <a href="/today/taxonomy/term/18"> Space </a> </div> <a href="/today/daniel-strain">Daniel Strain</a> <div class="ucb-article-content ucb-striped-content"> <div class="container"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--article-content paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div class="ucb-article-text" itemprop="articleBody"> <div><p>The future of moon exploration may be rolling around a non-descript office on the CU Boulder campus.</p><p>Here, a robot about as wide as a large pizza scoots forward on three wheels. It uses an arm with a claw at one end to pick up a plastic block from the floor, then set it back down.</p> <div class="align-right image_style-default"> <div class="field_media_oembed_video"><iframe src="/today/media/oembed?url=https%3A//www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DEvNKr-E6bB8&amp;max_width=516&amp;max_height=350&amp;hash=FQjc28e6MJ1GbGbSOw-5ioGZF3Os38cOQWnZXM2QCDU" width="516" height="290" class="media-oembed-content" loading="eager" title="Robots on the moon: Training human operators"></iframe> </div> </div> <p>To be sure, this windowless office, complete with gray carpeting, is nothing like the moon. And the robot, nicknamed “Armstrong,” wouldn’t last a minute on its frigid surface.</p><p>But the scene represents a new vision for space exploration—one in which fleets of robots working in tandem with people crawl across the lunar landscape, building scientific observatories or even human habitats.</p><p>Xavier O’Keefe operates the robot from a room down the hall. He wears virtual reality goggles that allow him to see through a camera mounted on top of Armstrong.</p><p>“It’s impressively immersive,” said O’Keefe, who earned his bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering sciences from CU Boulder this spring. “The first couple of times I used the VR, the robot was sitting in the corner, and it was really weird to see myself using it.”</p><p>He’s part of a team of current and former undergraduate students tackling a tricky question: How can humans on Earth get the training they need to operate robots on the hazardous terrain of the lunar surface? On the moon, gravity is only about one-sixth as strong as it is on our planet. The landscape is pockmarked with craters, some cast in permanent darkness.</p><p>In a <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0273117725005290?casa_token=teQ9hCcuw6IAAAAA:VthYF8-T6dQkE1Jcx3ap5ppJTSVR9qSHaWkPBcKVKVJFrdPIEnR40Jge_MzffEMLceT3bRo" rel="nofollow">new study</a>, O’Keefe and fellow CU Boulder alumni Katy McCutchan and Alexis Muniz report that “digital twins,” or hyper-realistic virtual reality environments, could provide a useful proxy for the moon—giving people a chance to get the hang of driving robots without risking damage to multi-million-dollar equipment.</p><p>The study is funded by NASA and the Colorado company Lunar Outpost. It is part of a <a href="https://theconversation.com/us-moon-landing-marks-new-active-phase-of-lunar-science-with-commercial-launches-of-landers-that-will-study-solar-wind-and-peer-into-the-universes-dark-ages-219892" rel="nofollow">larger research effort</a> led by Jack Burns, astrophysics professor emeritus in the <a href="/aps" rel="nofollow">Department of Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences</a> (APS) and the <a href="/casa/" rel="nofollow">Center for Astrophysics and Space Astronomy</a> (CASA).</p><div class="feature-layout-callout feature-layout-callout-large"><div class="ucb-callout-content"> <div class="imageMediaStyle large_image_style"> <img loading="lazy" src="/today/sites/default/files/styles/large_image_style/public/2025-07/physicalArmstrong%20copy.png?itok=FKdEEW3O" width="1500" height="1500" alt="Robot with a long arm in an office"> </div> <div class="imageMediaStyle large_image_style"> <img loading="lazy" src="/today/sites/default/files/styles/large_image_style/public/2025-07/virtualArmstrong.png?itok=lK-iMOjg" width="1500" height="1500" alt="A computer generated image of a robot in a computer generated office"> </div> <span class="media-image-caption"> <p class="small-text">The Armstrong robot, top, and its digital twin, bottom. (Credit: Network for Exploration and Space Science)</p> </span> </div></div><p>“There was a lot of room to make mistakes with Armstrong since it wasn’t a million-dollar piece of hardware going to space,” said McCutchan, who earned her master’s degree in aerospace engineering sciences from CU Boulder in 2025. “It was a good sandbox to mess around in.”</p><h2>Digital twin</h2><p>For Burns, a co-author of the study, Armstrong and its VR digital twin represent a big leap forward, despite the robot’s humble appearance. Burns is part of a team that has received a grant from NASA to design a <a href="/today/2023/04/25/observatory-far-side-moon-could-spy-universes-dark-ages" rel="nofollow">futuristic scientific observatory on the moon</a> called FarView—which would be made up of a web of 100,000 antennas stretching over roughly 77 square miles of the lunar surface. Daniel Szafir of the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill was also a co-author of the new study.</p><p>“Unlike the Apollo program where human astronauts did all the heavy lifting on the moon, NASA’s 21st century Artemis Program will combine astronauts and robotic rovers working in tandem,” Burns said. “Our efforts at CU Boulder are intended to make lunar robots more efficient and recoverable from errors, so precious astronaut time on the lunar surface will be better utilized.”</p><p>The space group’s first hurdle: Creating a digital twin for Armstrong to roam around in. To do that, the researchers began by creating a digital replica of their office in a video game engine called Unity—right down to the beige walls and drab carpet.</p><p>“We had to get the digital twin as close to real thing as possible,” said O’Keefe, who’s now a master’s student in the <a href="/aerospace" rel="nofollow">Ann and H.J. Smead Department of Aerospace Engineering Sciences</a> at CU Boulder. “For example, we timed how fast the robot moved over one yard. Then we did the same test in the virtual environment and got the robot’s speed to be the same.”</p><p>Next, the team ran an experiment. In 2023 and 2024, they recruited 24 human participants to operate Armstrong while sitting in a room down the hall. Donning VR goggles, the subjects took the robot through a simple task: They picked up and adjusted a plastic block that represented one of the antennas in FarView.</p><p>Half of the participants, however, got a head start. They first practiced the same task in the digital version of the office.</p><p>Humans who got the chance to operate Armstrong’s digital twin before driving the real thing completed the task roughly 28% faster than participants who only got the chance to operate the physical robot. They also reported that they felt less stress during the task.</p><p>“That’s what is really exciting about this—you’re able to simulate everything in the environment, from the shadows to the texture of the dirt, and then train operators on conditions that are as close to real as possible,” O’Keefe said. “That way, once you get to the moon, you have a higher chance of success.”</p> <div class="align-center image_style-wide_image_style"> <div class="imageMediaStyle wide_image_style"> <img loading="lazy" src="/today/sites/default/files/styles/wide_image_style/public/2025-07/LunarOutpost.png?h=093c3478&amp;itok=9gsdHK2F" width="1500" height="563" alt="Laptop screen displaying an image of a rover on the moon"> </div> <span class="media-image-caption"> <p class="small-text">CU Boulder researchers are working with the company Lunar Outpost to develop a digital twin of a rover on the surface of the moon. (Credit: Nico Goda/CU Boulder)</p> </span> </div> <h2>Real-world experience</h2><p>McCutchan, who also joined the project as an undergrad, added that the study gave her and her fellow students a grounding in how research works in the real world.</p><p>For example, when the researchers began the experiment, they discovered that the human subjects kept making the same mistake. When they went to pick up the fake antennas with Armstrong, they often flipped the blocks over by accident. The group hadn’t anticipated that.</p><p>“Whenever you get people involved, they do things in ways you wouldn’t expect them to,” said McCutchan, who recently started work as a mechanical solutions test engineer at BAE Systems, an aerospace company.</p><p>Today, Burns’ team is moving onto a new goal: They’re recreating the much more complex environment of the lunar surface. The researchers are working with the Colorado-based company Lunar Outpost to build a digital twin of a rover on the moon in the same game engine. The hardest part, O’Keefe said, is getting the lunar dust just right.</p><p>“The rover will kick up dust with its wheels as it drives, and that could possibly block sensors or cameras,” O’Keefe said. “But it’s really hard to know exactly how dust moves on the moon because you can’t just go outside and measure it.”</p><p>For now, he is happy being a part of the future of lunar exploration, albeit from the safety of campus.</p><p>“It’s awesome to be part of this, even if it is a small part of getting people on the moon.”</p></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div>In the not-so-distant future, humans could train to operate robots on the moon using hyper-realistic virtual reality simulations, or "digital twins."</div> <h2> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--ucb-related-articles-block paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div>Related Articles</div> </div> </h2> <div>Traditional</div> <div>0</div> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle large_image_style"> <img loading="lazy" src="/today/sites/default/files/styles/large_image_style/public/2025-07/Armstrong2.png?itok=h9Z_erOf" width="1500" height="693" alt="Robot on wheels in an office with a chair in the background"> </div> </div> <div>On</div> <div>White</div> Wed, 02 Jul 2025 19:49:51 +0000 Daniel William Strain 54901 at /today Jewish couples are adapting weddings to celebrate gender equality /today/2025/07/01/jewish-couples-are-adapting-weddings-celebrate-gender-equality <span>Jewish couples are adapting weddings to celebrate gender equality</span> <span><span>Megan Maneval</span></span> <span><time datetime="2025-07-01T12:45:50-06:00" title="Tuesday, July 1, 2025 - 12:45">Tue, 07/01/2025 - 12:45</time> </span> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle focal_image_wide"> <img loading="lazy" src="/today/sites/default/files/styles/focal_image_wide/public/2025-07/file-20250625-56-sft4i9.jpg?h=6871f984&amp;itok=886e3tu6" width="1200" height="800" alt="two gold wedding rings on a Jewish marriage certificate"> </div> </div> <div role="contentinfo" class="container ucb-article-categories" itemprop="about"> <span class="visually-hidden">Categories:</span> <div class="ucb-article-category-icon" aria-hidden="true"> <i class="fa-solid fa-folder-open"></i> </div> <a href="/today/taxonomy/term/1153"> The Conversation </a> </div> <div class="ucb-article-content ucb-striped-content"> <div class="container"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--article-content paragraph--view-mode--default 3"> <div class="ucb-article-row-subrow row"> <div class="ucb-article-text col-lg d-flex align-items-center" itemprop="articleBody"> <div><p class="lead">From the marriage contract to breaking the glass under the chuppah, there are creative ways to reflect gender equality while honoring tradition. Read from CU expert <a href="/jewishstudies/samira-k-mehta" rel="nofollow">Samira Mehta</a> on The Conversation.</p><div class="ucb-button-group ucb-link-button-black ucb-link-button-regular"><a class="ucb-link-button ucb-link-button-black ucb-link-button-default ucb-link-button-regular" href="https://theconversation.com/from-the-marriage-contract-to-breaking-the-glass-under-the-chuppah-many-jewish-couples-adapt-their-weddings-to-celebrate-gender-equality-229084" rel="nofollow"><span class="ucb-link-button-contents">Read the Article</span></a><a class="ucb-link-button ucb-link-button-black ucb-link-button-default ucb-link-button-regular" href="/today/conversation" rel="nofollow"><span class="ucb-link-button-contents">The Conversation on CUBT</span></a></div></div> </div> <div class="ucb-article-content-media ucb-article-content-media-right col-lg"> <div> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--from-library paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div> <div class="ucb-article-secondary-text"> <div><p class="hero"><i class="fa-regular fa-comment">&nbsp;</i>&nbsp;<strong>The Conversation</strong></p><p class="small-text"><a href="https://theconversation.com/us" rel="nofollow">The Conversation</a> is an independent, nonprofit publisher of commentary and analysis, authored by academics and edited by journalists for the general public. On&nbsp;a mission “to promote truthful information and strengthen journalism by unlocking the rich diversity of academic research for audiences across America,” they&nbsp;publish short articles&nbsp;by academics on timely topics related to their research. CU Boulder provides funding as a member of The Conversation U.S.</p></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div>From the marriage contract to breaking the glass under the chuppah, there are creative ways to reflect gender equality while honoring tradition. Read from CU expert Samira Mehta on The Conversation.</div> <h2> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--ucb-related-articles-block paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div>Related Articles</div> </div> </h2> <div>Traditional</div> <div>0</div> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle large_image_style"> <img loading="lazy" src="/today/sites/default/files/styles/large_image_style/public/2025-07/file-20250625-56-sft4i9.jpg?itok=L0QKrPaR" width="1500" height="1000" alt="two gold wedding rings on a Jewish marriage certificate"> </div> </div> <div>On</div> <div>White</div> Tue, 01 Jul 2025 18:45:50 +0000 Megan Maneval 54899 at /today Podcast episode gives mid-year economic check-in /today/2025/07/01/podcast-episode-gives-mid-year-economic-check <span>Podcast episode gives mid-year economic check-in</span> <span><span>Megan Maneval</span></span> <span><time datetime="2025-07-01T09:50:00-06:00" title="Tuesday, July 1, 2025 - 09:50">Tue, 07/01/2025 - 09:50</time> </span> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle focal_image_wide"> <img loading="lazy" src="/today/sites/default/files/styles/focal_image_wide/public/Leeds%20nr.jpg?h=a8d96fd8&amp;itok=WDoOPUyH" width="1200" height="800" alt> </div> </div> <div role="contentinfo" class="container ucb-article-categories" itemprop="about"> <span class="visually-hidden">Categories:</span> <div class="ucb-article-category-icon" aria-hidden="true"> <i class="fa-solid fa-folder-open"></i> </div> <a href="/today/taxonomy/term/4"> Business &amp; Entrepreneurship </a> <a href="/today/taxonomy/term/1233"> Podcasts </a> </div> <div class="ucb-article-content ucb-striped-content"> <div class="container"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--article-content paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div class="ucb-article-text" itemprop="articleBody"> <div><p>Brian Lewandowski and Richard Wobbekind of Leeds' Business Research Division discuss 2025's economic twists and turns and what may be on the horizon.</p></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div>Brian Lewandowski and Richard Wobbekind of Leeds' Business Research Division discuss 2025's economic twists and turns and what may be on the horizon.</div> <script> window.location.href = `/business/news/leeds-business-insights-podcast`; </script> <h2> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--ucb-related-articles-block paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div>Related Articles</div> </div> </h2> <div>Traditional</div> <div>0</div> <div>On</div> <div>White</div> Tue, 01 Jul 2025 15:50:00 +0000 Megan Maneval 54897 at /today