The Dec. 26, 2004, earthquake resulted in a human death toll of a quarter million people, but few animals perished. Drawing on his pioneering research about elephant behavior, Michael Garstang, an emeritus professor of environmental sciences at UVA, is on the hunt to find out why.

All UVA students are heavy drinkers, right? Wrong. The National Social Norms Institute at UVA addresses common misperceptions.

Though the launch of the world’s most powerful particle accelerator was marked by a ding instead of a bang, the Large Hadron Collider still holds the promise of unlocking secrets about the essence of matter and insights into the Big Bang.

Burn victims suffer a unique agony. The pain of their injury is compounded by the rigorous cleansing required to ward off infection, a common and often fatal complication.

Hillary Bart-Smith works on an autonomous undersea vehicle based on manta rays, Laura Galloway analyzes the maternal effect in plants and more.

Cognitive science professor Dennis Proffitt works on a new device to help patients with paralysis communicate.

A study by UVA researchers suggests that air pollution may be a cause for the decline in populations of pollinating insects, including bees.

UVA plastic surgeon Adam Katz finds new applications for a fat grafting procedure.

Research suggests that political affiliation may be the result of something deeper than conscious identification with an ideology.

A doctoral student in computer engineering finds security flaws in an RFID chip commonly used in subway passes.

A study by University psychologists suggests that fear of certain animals may be innate in humans.

When more than a billion people lack clean drinking water, the efforts of two UVA students might seem like a drop in the bucket.

Galloway’s work earned him the 2008 Tyler Environmental Prize, which is administered by the University of Southern California and is considered the equivalent of the Nobel Prize in the fields of environmental science, energy and environmental health.

Through isotopic hair analysis, environmental sciences professor Stephen Macko can tell what his students ate for breakfast and what Oetzi the iceman enjoyed during an ancient repast.

At UVA's Sleep Disorders Center, researchers chart the widely misunderstood territory where we spend a third of our lives.

Glenn Gaeser's research suggests that a high-carbohydrate diet is not linked to weight gain.

Though the pace of change might not suit everyone, UVA is moving toward a greener future on many fronts.