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Intellect

BYU research: Mega wildfires can actually be a good thing

Sharman Gill
By Sharman Gill
November 04, 2025
BYU professor Sam St. Clair is the principal investigator on the first study to show positive impacts of megafires (fires greater than 100,000 acres) across different forest types. Megafires can help some forest communities thrive — especially in areas where chronic browsing by elk, deer, and livestock has hindered tree regeneration, a widespread issue that often leads to forest regeneration failure.
2 Min Read
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Intellect

Improving future crop varieties: New BYU research in Nature decodes oat genetics

Sharman Gill
By Sharman Gill
October 29, 2025
BYU plant and wildlife professors Rick Jellen and Jeff Maughan, together with an international consortium of researchers, have taken a major step toward unraveling the complexity of the oat genome. Their new research — published today in Nature and Nature Communications — ushers in a new era for oat genetics and breeding.
3 Min Read
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Intellect

BYU student shines in prestigious Chinese Bridge competition, attracting over 100 million viewers

Sharman Gill
By Sharman Gill
September 25, 2025
BYU sophomore Ashley Breinholt placed second in the global finals of the Chinese Bridge competition on Aug. 24 in China. Breinholt’s finish marks the highest placement ever achieved by a BYU student in the event’s 24-year history.
2 Min Read
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Intellect

New BYU microscopes offer atomic-level imaging, student-led research

By Ellie Larsen
September 09, 2025
At many universities, student researchers rarely get the chance to even see a transmission electron microscope, or TEM, up close—let alone use one. At BYU, undergraduate students are about to run the show.
2 Min Read
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Intellect

Impossible Burgers at a summer BBQ? Impossible! Why plant-based alternatives are still just beyond reach for most people

By Ellie Larsen
August 14, 2025
Plant-Based Alternatives (PBAs) — such as the Impossible Burger — are becoming more common, and those who try them say they are actually quite good. And while companies are pouring billions into making PBAs taste just like their meat counterparts, they still aren’t catching on. So what’s the hold-up?
2 Min Read
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Intellect

Wildflowers not wildfires: How BYU and Provo City are helping to restore Rock Canyon Trailhead

By Melissa Jenson
July 10, 2025
At Rock Canyon Trailhead in Provo, Utah, BYU researchers are fighting fires with flowers. By replacing a problematic weed called cheatgrass with wildflowers, students and faculty are working to protect and restore one of Provo’s most popular hiking spots.
1 Min Read
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Intellect

Rethinking sugar: BYU study shows food source is key to understanding diabetes risk

Sharman Gill
By Sharman Gill
May 27, 2025
A recent BYU study shows that not all dietary sugars carry the same risks. In the largest and most comprehensive meta-analysis of its kind, BYU researchers—in collaboration with researchers from Germany-based institutions—found that the type and source of sugar may matter far more than previously thought.
3 Min Read
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Intellect

BYU’s 2025 awards season honors student standouts

Tyler Stahle
By Tyler Stahle
May 15, 2025
Rise and shout! Across various disciplines, BYU students have been recognized for their world-class accomplishments.
5 Min Read
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Character

BYU student gives back through science and service

By Melissa Jenson
April 15, 2025
Israel Davila Aleman always dreamed of becoming a professional soccer player. As an immigrant from Peru, his passion for the game went beyond a hobby — he considered it a core part of his identity. However, when Davila enrolled at BYU, he discovered a new dream: the chance to make a difference in the lives of immigrants like himself and his family.
2 Min Read
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Intellect

BYU landscaping students dig their way to 10th national championship

By Abigail Haven
April 03, 2025
BYU’s landscaping team is the best in the field, literally. While most national championships are won on the court or the gridiron, this one was claimed with pruned shrubs, expertly placed pavers, and top-tier irrigation systems.
1 Min Read
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Intellect

Committed to community: BYU students unite with Food & Care Coalition to build hydroponics greenhouse

Sharman Gill
By Sharman Gill
February 25, 2025
Thanks to a group of BYU students and their professor, this year marks a new era for the Food & Care Coalition’s fresh produce supply. Professor Matt Arrington and students recently designed and built a hydroponics greenhouse to provide nutritious produce during the cold months.
3 Min Read
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Intellect

Top Videos of 2024: Humanitarian service, animation excellence and world-class performance

Sharman Gill
By Sharman Gill
January 07, 2025
From Cougarettes to award-winning student animation, rewatch the most viewed and most shared BYU videos of the 2024 year.
1 Min Read
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Intellect

Top 10 BYU stories of 2024: BYU's new school of medicine, impressive national rankings and LEGOs

Sharman Gill
By Sharman Gill
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.
5 Min Read
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Intellect

BYU and the U: Rivals on the field, teammates in the lab

Todd Hollingshead
By Todd Hollingshead
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.
3 Min Read
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Character

BYU students ‘go forth to serve’ in their own communities

By Melissa Jenson
October 17, 2024
The adage “Enter to learn, go forth to serve” is a slogan many BYU students are familiar with. The calling inspires students and graduates to use their education to make a meaningful impact in the world.
2 Min Read
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Intellect

Beyond diet: New BYU study links diesel exhaust to obesity and diabetes

By Melissa Jenson
October 09, 2024
A study co-authored by eight BYU students and three BYU faculty finds that exposure to the exhaust gas produced by diesel engines is tied to increased fat mass, enlarged fat cells, insulin resistance and inflammation. These changes can cause metabolic conditions such as obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.
2 Min Read
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Intellect

BYU professor changing the game for BYU and Team USA elite steeplechasers

By Melissa Jenson
August 20, 2024
Plenty of media stories have detailed the dedication and effort displayed by Kenneth Rooks and fellow BYU Olympians Courtney Wayment and James Corrigan. But most people don’t know that a key to Team USA’s steeplechase success is the personalized research of BYU exercise science professor Iain Hunter.
2 Min Read
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Intellect

Cracking the carb code: BYU researchers create new glycemic index database to improve dietary awareness

By Abigail Haven
July 31, 2024
BYU researchers create the first national glycemic index database, revealing how common foods impact health and contribute to chronic diseases.
3 Min Read
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