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Intellect

BYU seeks to develop students of faith, intellect, and character. In addition to teaching classes, most BYU professors also conduct research in their academic field. Students – even at the undergraduate level – participate in research and publish their work alongside a faculty mentor. Here are the stories of what they discover together.

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Air traffic control for drones: BYU engineers introduce low-cost UAV detection technology

February 10, 2025
With the exponential rise in drone activity, safely managing low-flying airspace has become a major issue. Using a network of small, low-cost radars, engineering professor Cammy Peterson and her colleagues have built an air traffic control system for drones that can effectively and accurately track anything in an identified low-altitude airspace.
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Risk it or kick it? BYU research analyzes NFL coaches’ risk tolerance on fourth down

February 06, 2025
BYU study reveals how NFL coaches, including Super Bowl contenders Andy Reid and Nick Sirianni, weigh risk on fourth down.
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Forum: “The Pursuit of happiness”

January 28, 2025
Jeffrey Rosen, president and CEO of the National Constitution Center, spoke to BYU students and employees at the Marriott Center in this week’s forum address. He emphasized the importance of self-improvement through the pursuit of virtue.
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BYU engineers are accelerating the ‘helpful robot’ revolution

January 23, 2025
BYU robotics experts are building a humanoid robot that can impressively lift large and unwieldy objects such as ladders, kayaks, car tires, chairs, and heavy boxes. And it does so safely because its whole structure is flexible.
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Do parents really have a favorite child? Here’s what new research from BYU says

January 16, 2025
Parents tend to favor younger siblings, daughters, and the more agreeable—often without realizing it.
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Origami-inspired space tech: BYU mechanical engineers create deployable systems for NASA and U.S. Air Force

January 13, 2025
BYU’s Compliant Mechanisms Research lab, inspired by the ancient art of origami, is building a foldable, compact design that could help launch satellite systems to space in a rocket. After five years of research, a team led by professors Larry Howell and Spencer Magleby has succeeded in creating foldable antenna systems than can deploy off space rockets and permanently open to enhance satellite systems.
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Top Videos of 2024: Humanitarian service, animation excellence and world-class performance

January 07, 2025
From Cougarettes to award-winning student animation, rewatch the most viewed and most shared BYU videos of the 2024 year.
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Top 10 BYU stories of 2024: BYU's new school of medicine, impressive national rankings and LEGOs

January 02, 2025
A lot of news happens on BYU's campus in the course of a year. Some of that news will change the shape of BYU forever, such as the announcement of the new school of medicine, while some of that news connects research with current trends (AI anyone?). And some of that news simply brings joy, such as the library's record-smashing LEGO exhibit and an expanded Creamery on Ninth.
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Save your tears for another day — BYU researchers can use them to detect disease

December 05, 2024
It’s been said that angry tears are salty and happy tears are sweet. Whether or not that’s actually the case, it is true that not all tears are the same. Tears from chopping an onion are different from those shed from pain – like stepping on a Lego in the middle of the night — as are those special basal tears that keep eyes moist all day. Each type of tear carries unique proteins that reveal insights into health.
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BYU study shows that even one act of kindness per week improves wellbeing for individuals, communities

November 25, 2024
Have you felt uplifted through a simple smile, help with a task or a positive interchange with someone — even a stranger? Kindness works both ways. A new study conducted by BYU researcher Julianne Holt-Lunstad finds that offering a single act of kindness each week reduced loneliness, social isolation and social anxiety, and promoted neighborhood relationships.
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From Tony Hawk Pro Skater to Minecraft, these humanities professors want students to study (and play) video games

November 21, 2024
Humanities professors Michael Call and Brian Croxall have introduced a new video gaming initiative to BYU’s campus. With the support of the College of Humanities, students gather each Monday at 4:00 p.m. in the Humanities Learning Commons for a short faculty lecture about the video game of the week. The game is then available to play throughout the week. Beginning with Stardew Valley and Minecraft, the highlighted games and analyses are continuing through the semester.
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Forum: Making strong families a national priority

November 19, 2024
In her forum address at the Marriott Center, Kearney spoke on the importance of marriage and family, emphasizing the positive economic and personal impact it has.
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Sounding off: BYU researchers study the roar of SpaceX's Starship

November 18, 2024
BYU team measures the thunderous noise of the world’s most powerful rocket, exploring its impact on communities and the environment.
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BYU professor earns Legion of Merit for diplomacy; urges students to be peacemakers

November 11, 2024
BYU history professor and recently retired Army Col. Mark Choate says diplomatic missions are a lot like church missions: they carry a higher, broader purpose, run on small teams and accomplish a similar overarching goal of bringing peace to God’s children. Choate recently earned the prestigious Legion of Merit for his military service.
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BYU origami-inspired chair design featured on Mark Rober’s Top 10 list

November 07, 2024
A futuristic BYU-designed, origami-inspired Flex Chair, cut out of a single piece of flat material and folded into shape, has made YouTuber Mark Rober’s Top 10 list. In a Nov. 2 video post, Rober spotlights the chair at #7 on his list of Crunch Lab builds in the past year, and credits BYU compliant mechanisms researchers for the innovative design.
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BYU and the U: Rivals on the field, teammates in the lab

November 07, 2024
Over the past 10 years, BYU professors coauthored a staggering 1,388 publications with colleagues at the University of Utah. While athletic competitions between the two schools produce a lot of headlines, academic collaborations produce a lot of research.
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BYU engineers, Toyota partner to create ‘new standard in automotive manufacturing’

October 28, 2024
A new welding technique developed by BYU and Toyota for the Sienna’s sliding doors uses 40 times less energy, emits fewer emissions, and produces welds that are 10 times stronger. This new process, called refill friction stir spot welding, could prove critical as Toyota and other car manufacturers rely more and more on lighter aluminum parts.
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Pedal to the medal: BYU animated short film races to Student Academy Award

October 23, 2024
BYU animation students ranked third in the world with recent Student Academy Award.
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