Georgia Tech News Center

For ants and robots operating in confined spaces like tunnels, having more workers does not necessarily mean getting more work done.

More Workers Working Might Not Get More Work Done, Ants (and Robots) Show

By John Toon August 21, 2018

For ants and robots operating in confined spaces like tunnels, having more workers does not necessarily mean getting more work done. A study published Aug. 17 in the journal Science shows that in fire ant colonies, a small number of workers does most of the digging. For digging nest tunnels, this less busy approach gets the job done without ant traffic jams – ensuring smooth excavation flow.

Learn how the approaches of ants can be applied to robotics.

Spotlight

Tech Releases Reports Documenting Conflicts of Interest, Ethics Concerns

Reports concern the results of special reviews conducted by the University System of Georgia and Tech's internal auditor.

Message to the Campus from Interim Vice President for Ethics, Compliance and Risk Management

Interim Vice President for Ethics, Compliance and Legal Affairs sends introductory message to campus
Georgia Tech Admissions Hits the Road

The Peach State Tour puts Georgia Tech admission staff within 50 miles of every high school students in the state.

More Workers Working Might Not Get More Work Done, Ants (and Robots) Show

A new study shows that ants have a lot to teach robots about working in confined spaces.

Campus and Community

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Tech Releases Reports Documenting Conflicts of Interest, Ethics Concerns

Reports concern the results of special reviews conducted by the University System of Georgia and Tech's internal auditor.

Construction Creates Congestion and Closed Sidewalks in the Northern Sector of Campus

Due to planned construction activities in the northwest sector of Georgia Tech’s campus, pedestrian and vehicular access may be impacted on several...
Georgia Tech Admissions Hits the Road

The Peach State Tour puts Georgia Tech admission staff within 50 miles of every high school students in the state.

The RATS Have Arrived

Another new class of Yellow Jackets begin their careers at Georgia Tech today. They hail from 1,508 high schools around the country and world and are...
Two Convicted on Charges Stemming from Phishing Scams

Georgia Tech Cybersecurity assists in case against international phishing attackers.
Speaking Words of Wisdom: Convocation Speaker Reflects

Sinet Adous, the student speaker for Convocation, will share insights that she gained during her first year — things she wished she had known from...
Board of Regents
Regents Recognition for Five Georgia Tech Faculty Members

The University System of Georgia (USG)'s Board of Regents has appointed four Georgia Tech faculty members as Regents Professors, and one as a...
Enjoying the Last Days of Summer

With just over a week remaining until the fall semester starts, it’s your last chance to enjoy summer activities before your workload picks up.
Coffee Leads to Collaboration

Meetings over coffee led two professors to collaborate on research.

Early Move-In Begins Saturday

Students will soon begin moving in for the fall semester, and as they do, campus traffic will likely become congested.
Movie Production Coming to Campus

Beginning Aug. 9, S&K Pictures of New Line Productions, a subsidiary of Warner Bros., will be on campus filming for an upcoming movie production.
NASA Taps Georgia Tech Alumnus for Historic Space Mission

Tech graduate Eric Boe will fly a test vehicle into orbit in 2019.

eduroam to Replace GTwifi on August 6

The Office of Information Technology is reminding GTwifi users to reset all network settings to eduroam on their devices by Monday, August 6.

García Chosen to Head Georgia Tech Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience

Andrés J. García is the new executive director of the Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience.

Teaching Leadership Skills to Engineers and Scientists

Dennis Hess helps prepare engineers and scientists with the skills required for leadership roles, and he recently published a book on the subject.
award picture
Georgia Tech Sororities Take Home Top Awards

Summer for fraternities and sororities across the country usually includes retreats, national convention gatherings, and the opportunity to award...
Andrew Young to Receive Ivan Allen Jr. Prize for Social Courage

Georgia Tech will hold a series of events on September 13 to honor Ambassador Young's lifelong dedication to civil and human rights.

Meet Donald “DJ” Jordan, Fourth-Generation Landscaper

Groundskeeper Donald "DJ" Jordan takes pride in maintaining the historical part of campus called The Hill.

Shaping Leaders through the Great Outdoors: Meet David Knobbe

As the assistant director of Outdoor Recreation at the Campus Recreation Complex (CRC), David Knobbe enjoys seeing Tech students grow and find their...
More than 325 children enrolled in a summer camp with the Clarkston Community Center were able to participate in the creation of the Recyclosaurus over the course of two weeks.
Recyclosaurus Comes to Clough Commons

Georgia Tech’s Office of Solid Waste Management and Recycling donated around 1,000 of the 10,000 bottles needed for the project.

Science and Technology

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More Workers Working Might Not Get More Work Done, Ants (and Robots) Show

A new study shows that ants have a lot to teach robots about working in confined spaces.
Georgia Tech Creates Cybersecurity Master’s Degree Online for Less Than $10,000

New online master's in cybersecurity will cost less than $10,000.
Neuroscientists Team with Engineers to Explore how the Brain Controls Movement

Emory and Georgia Tech researchers recently received a $200,000 Technological Innovations in Neuroscience Award from the McKnight Foundation
World’s Fastest Creature May Also be One of the Smallest

Researchers are studying a tiny single-celled protozoan that achieves blazing-fast acceleration while contracting its worm-like body.
Integrated Sensor Could Monitor Brain Aneurysm Treatment

A proof-of-concept sensor could help with monitoring treatment of brain aneurysms.
Previously Overlooked “Coral Ticks” Weaken Degraded Reefs

A previously overlooked predator could be increasing the pressure on endangered coral reefs.
Material Formed from Crab Shells and Trees Could Replace Flexible Plastic Packaging

STAMI Researchers have created a material derived from crab shells and tree fibers that has the potential to replace the flexible plastic packaging...
As We Get Parched, Cognition Can Sputter, Dehydration Study Says

Summer heat fuzzing your concentration? Making you fumble? It may be dehydration.
IceCube
IceCube Neutrinos Point to Long-Sought Cosmic Ray Accelerator

An international team of scientists has found the first evidence of a source of high-energy cosmic neutrinos.
DoE crest
Georgia Tech receives $1.6 million for nuclear energy projects

Two new grants for materials testing from DoE total $1.6 million
Georgia Tech Solves 'Texture Fill' Problem with Machine Learning

A new technique allows users to spread textures across sketches of objects to create high resolution images.
Merging Antenna and Electronics Boosts Energy and Spectrum Efficiency

Co-design of antenna and electronics could lead to improved performance in millimeter wave transmitters.
MIT Technology Review Applauds Georgia Tech’s Dahlman in ‘35 Innovators Under 35’

DNA barcoding has landed James Dahlman in a list that has previously honored Mark Zuckerberg, Larry Page and Helen Greiner
More Clues That Earth-Like Exoplanets Are Indeed Earth-Like

A new study finds new clues that two Earth-like exoplanets are much like our planet.
Laser-Based System Could Expand Space-to-Ground Communication

Researchers collaborate with satellite communications company on laser-based system.
Georgia Tech Uses Nanotechnology to Create World’s Smallest Ad

Nanotechnology makes smallest advertisement on a sesame seed
New Cell Manufacturing Research Facility will Change Approaches to Disease Therapies

On June 6, Georgia Tech dedicated a Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) like ISO 8 and ISO 7 facility.
Sodium- and Potassium-based Batteries Hold Promise for Cheap Energy Storage

Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology have found new evidence suggesting that batteries based on sodium and potassium hold promise as a...
Lifting Communities with Smart Technology

Georgia Smart Communities Challenge helps small and large cities improve quality of life.
Silence to Sound

A new tool can help first-responders use Twitter activity to identify developing crises after a storm.

Business and Economic Development

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GPA, Georgia Tech, Center for Innovation sign MOU

New agreement strengthens Georgia Tech's relationship with Ports Authority.
Lifting Communities with Smart Technology

Georgia Smart Communities Challenge helps small and large cities improve quality of life.
Goldman Sachs Joins Engage

Georgia Tech and leading global companies started Engage, the largest-ever strategic grouping of major corporations in an independent venture firm.
More Startups Join Engage

Eight startups join Engage Ventures, an early-stage venture fund created by Georgia Tech and 10 leading global corporations.
FireHUD Receives NSF Small Business Grant

The 2016 InVenture Prize winners will use an NSF award to conduct additional research and development on a system to protect first responders.

Manufacturing Disaster Assistance Program to help Georgia companies prepare for natural disasters

Manufacturers in seven Georgia counties can participate in new program offered by the Georgia Manufacturing Extension Partnership.

Disclosing Weaknesses Can Undermine Some Workplace Relationships

Sharing personal information with friends and family has long been held by researchers as a way to build rapport and healthy relationships. But...
Apprenticeship Program Helps Students Gain Skills

The Georgia Consortium of Advanced Technical Training (GA CATT) program Georgia high school students an opportunity to get an associate's degree...
Master’s Class Act: AT&T and Accenture

AT&T and Accenture, have each announced a $1 million contribution to support Georgia Tech’s new online master’s degree in analytics

Companies selected for new Tech Square-based venture firm

Engage Ventures is an early-stage venture firm created by Georgia Tech and 10 leading global companies.
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It's Gonna Be a Bright, Sunshiny Day

Atlanta startup Quest Renewables helps power Atlanta’s new football stadium with technology developed at Georgia Tech.
Delta Officially Opens New Advanced Manufacturing Facility at Georgia Tech

New advanced manufacturing facility to allow collaboration between Delta and Georgia Tech.
Steve Cross
Cross Discusses State of American Science

Georgia Tech’s executive vice president for research meets with national media to discuss federal funding and scientific research.
Boeing, Georgia Tech Unveil New Research Center

The Boeing Manufacturing Development Center works to implement automation in industrial applications.
Startups Have a New Way to ‘Engage’ With Companies, Georgia Tech

Engage Ventures is accepting applications for the three-month program, which is supported by the country’s largest companies.

Georgia Tech launches $1 million retail technology initiative at ATDC

Gift will fully fund the retail technology startup initiative through 2022.
Innovation Soars at The Hangar in Tech Square

Delta’s global innovation center in Georgia Tech’s Technology Square works to improve operations and the customer experience.

A Bipartisan Approach to Cyber

Rep. Tom Graves, Rep. Kyrsten Sinema hold panel discussion at Georgia Tech to talk about cybersecurity policy and technical challenges.
Siemens Opens Innovation Center in Tech Square

The German conglomerate is the 16th company to open an innovation center at Georgia Tech.

Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech, UVA Win at ACC InVenture Prize

Students from Georgia Tech won the People’s Choice Award. The University of Virginia team took home the top prize.

Earth and Environment

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Previously Overlooked “Coral Ticks” Weaken Degraded Reefs

A previously overlooked predator could be increasing the pressure on endangered coral reefs.
Material Formed from Crab Shells and Trees Could Replace Flexible Plastic Packaging

STAMI Researchers have created a material derived from crab shells and tree fibers that has the potential to replace the flexible plastic packaging...
Lifting Communities with Smart Technology

Georgia Smart Communities Challenge helps small and large cities improve quality of life.
Making the Oxygen We Breathe, a Photosynthesis Mechanism Exposed

Life on Earth as we know it never would have existed without oxygen photosynthesis, and researchers have cracked a new part of its code.
Silence to Sound

A new tool can help first-responders use Twitter activity to identify developing crises after a storm.
Researchers Chosen to Examine Antarctic Glacier at Risk of Collapsing

Researchers will send Icefin under the ice of a remote glacier in West Antarctica.
Severe Storms Research Center Works to Improve Tornado Warning Time

The Severe Storms Research Center is helping improve the ability to forecast tornados and other severe storms.
Southface Gives Fulcrum Award to Kendeda Building Project

The Kendeda Building is already receiving accolades before construction is completed.
Using Data Mining to Make Sense of Climate Change

New methodology depends more on actual data rather than a researcher’s interpretation.
One in Five Materials Chemistry Papers May be Wrong, Study Suggests

A new study assesses scientific papers in materials chemistry.
Cold Suns, Warm Exoplanets and Methane Blankets

Early Earth probably would have frozen solid, if not for greenhouse gasses, and a new model shows how they could have feasibly arisen.
Georgia Dome Demolition Wakes Up Atlanta 

The Georgia Dome is imploded, 25 years after a Tech grad made it a reality.
A Popular Tool to Trace Earth’s Oxygen History Can Give False Positives

A system to determine the presence of ancient oxygen by testing rock layers may need to be taken with a grain of salt.
Living Building Launches on Campus

Thursday marked the beginning of the construction phase of The Kendeda Building for Innovative Sustainable Design.
Astrobiology Rising at Georgia Tech

The growing visibility of researchers interested in astrobiology is helping Georgia Tech emerge as a powerhouse in the field.
As 'Flesh-Eating' Leishmania Come Closer, a Vaccine Against Them Does, Too

A potentially deadly parasite that can ulcerate skin, nose, mouth and organs could someday meet its match in an experimental vaccine that has now...
New Research May Improve Communications During Natural Disasters

New research from Georgia Tech Research demonstrates the ability to gather and share data during natural disasters during internet outages.
Was the Primordial Soup a Hearty Pre-Protein Stew?

Proteins are tough to make outside a living cell, so how did their components evolve on pre-life Earth? Perhaps easier than thought.
Eclipse Reflections from the Experts

Faculty members provide their thoughts on witnessing the solar eclipse.

total eclipse
Researchers Use Eclipse Data to Create Musical Composition

Composition uses sounds to symbolize the movements of the sun and moon and the gradual darkness they will produce during Monday's eclipse.

Society and Culture

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Kosal: Space Force Unlikely to Improve U.S. Position in Space

The proposed Space Force is not the best way to assure U.S. dominance of space, professor argues.
texting while driving
Do Not Get Distracted by Georgia’s New Cell Phone Law, Georgia Tech Professor Urges

Robert Rosenberger, a professor in the School of Public Policy, said the law could induce some drivers to believe hands-free technology is safer than...
Georgia Tech Uses Nanotechnology to Create World’s Smallest Ad

Nanotechnology makes smallest advertisement on a sesame seed
Sam Nunn School of International Affairs Experts React to Singapore Summit

The summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is a good start, but short on substance and fraught with peril,...
Han Solo
Why We Love Han Solo

Science fiction expert Lisa Yaszek explains the allure and backstory of Han Solo.
Letting the Cat Out of the Bag: Why Researchers Disclose Results Ahead of Publication

A study from a research team from the Georgia Tech found that the vast majority of scientists disclose key details about their work informally to...
Dr. Isbell Goes to Washington – Again – to Discuss Artificial Intelligence

The White House is hosting a meeting of technology leaders to discuss advancing AI in the U.S.
Iran Nuclear Deal Withdrawal “Terribly Misguided,” says Sam Nunn School of International Affairs Scholar

Rachel Whitlock, an assistant professor who specializes in lobal nuclear politics and international security , says the decision to pull out gives...
Ivan Allen Science Fiction Scholar Lisa Yaszek Featured on AMC Series

• The six-part series features Yaszek’s expertise on aspects of science fiction from time travel to robots.
A Georgia Tech Expert in Afrofuturism Reflects on the 'Black Panther' Phenomenon

"Black Panther's" Princess Shuri can be found at Georgia Tech.
Easy as 1, 2, 3! Really?

Easy as 1, 2, 3! Such claims have touted the ease of use of a new gadget, although a closer look would reveal that it would take dozens of steps to...
MLK Lecture Keynote Speaker Joy-Ann Reid Shares Insights on the Past, Present, and Future of Nonviolent Political Protest

During the MLK Lecture, “Actualizing the Dream: The Future of Nonviolent Political Protest,” Joy-Ann Reid, national correspondent for MSNBC,...
Disclosing Weaknesses Can Undermine Some Workplace Relationships

Sharing personal information with friends and family has long been held by researchers as a way to build rapport and healthy relationships. But...
Georgia Tech's Racing Roots, Part 2: The Need for Speed

As cars became an American obsession and racing grew popular, Tech students, alumni, and faculty made their mark on the sport.
Robot Uses Deep Learning and Big Data to Write and Play Its Own Music

A marimba-playing robot with four arms and eight sticks is writing and playing its own compositions in the School of Music.
Social Media Study Identifies Mental Health Culture at Top-Ranked Campuses

Using social media, researchers create a mental health index for country's top-ranked colleges.
New Georgia Tech Research May Help Combat Abusive Online Comments

Researchers at Georgia Tech have found a more cost-effective way for internet communities to moderate abusive content.
A Bipartisan Approach to Cyber

Rep. Tom Graves, Rep. Kyrsten Sinema hold panel discussion at Georgia Tech to talk about cybersecurity policy and technical challenges.
Nationwide Wave of Change Coming to Role of College and University Presidents

The role and expectations of the college president are undergoing substantial change, according to a new report.

When It Comes to Size, Sound Matters in Ads

Ads with lower pitches in voices or music lead consumers to infer larger product size, according to new research by Georgia Institute of Technology...

HEALTH AND MEDICINE

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New Health Economics Lab and $3.3 Million in Funding Coming to Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts

The center will research cost and payment models in medical imaging.
Neuroscientists Team with Engineers to Explore how the Brain Controls Movement

Emory and Georgia Tech researchers recently received a $200,000 Technological Innovations in Neuroscience Award from the McKnight Foundation
Integrated Sensor Could Monitor Brain Aneurysm Treatment

A proof-of-concept sensor could help with monitoring treatment of brain aneurysms.
Material Formed from Crab Shells and Trees Could Replace Flexible Plastic Packaging

STAMI Researchers have created a material derived from crab shells and tree fibers that has the potential to replace the flexible plastic packaging...
As We Get Parched, Cognition Can Sputter, Dehydration Study Says

Summer heat fuzzing your concentration? Making you fumble? It may be dehydration.
Technique May Improve Lung Delivery of Bacteria-Killing Phage
Technique May Improve Lung Delivery of Bacteria-Killing Phage

A new technique could provide an alternative to antibiotics for lung infections.
MIT Technology Review Applauds Georgia Tech’s Dahlman in ‘35 Innovators Under 35’

DNA barcoding has landed James Dahlman in a list that has previously honored Mark Zuckerberg, Larry Page and Helen Greiner
Lifting Communities with Smart Technology

Georgia Smart Communities Challenge helps small and large cities improve quality of life.
Aircraft Microbiome Much Like That of Homes and Offices, Study Finds

Researchers have conducted what may be the first study of the aircraft microbiome.
I Saw That. Brain Mechanisms Create Confidence About Things Seen

How your brain makes you aware that you actually are seeing what you see just got less mysterious.
Bacterial Conversations in Cystic Fibrosis

Georgia tech researchers obtain benchmark data for the impact of spatial arrangement in bacterial signaling in a cystic fibrosis model.
In Child-Crippling Mucolipidosis IV, Drug Shows Hope in Lab Cultures

Tests show initial hopes in the fight against Mucolipidosis IV, a rare but extremely crippling disease that strikes in infancy.
Study Shows How Bacteria Behave Differently in Humans Compared to the Lab

Study shows how bacteria behave differently in humans versus the lab.
Robot Teaches Itself How to Dress People

A robot at the Georgia Institute of Technology is successfully sliding hospital gowns on people's arms
Uncovering a Hidden Protein “Tail” that Puts the Brakes on Cell Signaling

Researchers have found a "braking" mechanism in G protein signaling.
BME Team Takes Home Top Capstone Honors

Kit Cath and other winners find success by reducing waste, cost, and improving efficiency for sponsors
Remote-Control Shoots Laser at Nano-Gold to Turn on Cancer-Killing Immune Cells

A near-infrared light, similar to that of a TV remote, combines with gold nano-particles to flip a gene switch in T-cells to hyper-activate them...
Helping Teachers Strengthen STEM Lessons

The new STEM Teacher Leadership Program promotes computer science, computation, coding and software engineering skills
window of airplane
Researchers Determine Routes of Respiratory Infectious Disease Transmission on Aircraft

Researchers have studied how passengers move about on aircraft to evaluate potential transmission of respiratory infections.
Deep Learning Can Now Help Prevent Heart Failure

CSE Associate Professor Jimeng Sun and PhD Student Edward Choi create an algorithm for health care models to detect patients at-risk of heart failure...

Campus Newsstand

Research Horizons Magazine
Georgia Tech Alumni Magazine
The Whistle, Georgia Tech's Faculty/Staff Newspaper
The Daily Digest
Georgia Tech Athletics
Technique
WREK Georgia Tech Radio

Expert Voices

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James Wray (Photo Fitrah Hamid)

More Hints of Life on Ancient Mars
James Wray
School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences
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Liberal Arts Degrees are "Enough" in a Tech-based World
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Georgia Tech Research Institute

TECH IN THE NEWS

Feature Stories

First Day of Classes Fall 2018
The fall semester is officially underway, and life has come back to campus.
A man at his computer looking through a window at the northern Indian mountains overlaid with cyber security graphics
Not Your Grandfather's Graduate Degree
Georgia Tech's OMS programs are transforming online graduate education and changing lives - from computer science to analytics to...
This Month in Photos: July 2018
Research, studying, and landscaping.
international plan graduates
A Plan of Global Proportions
More Georgia Tech students are spending more time abroad as they pursue the International Plan, a degree designation earned by a record 42...

Featured Videos

What is the fastest animal on the planet? Cheetah? Falcon? Sailfish? Georgia Tech assistant professor Saad Bhamla would like to add the Spirostomum ambiguum to the list. Spirostomum is a tiny single-celled protozoan that achieves blazing-fast acceleration while contracting its worm-like body.

Dr. Carson Meredith from Georgia Tech's School of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering has developed a sustainable, flexible packaging wrap that is comprised of cellulose nanocrystals from wood pulp and chitin nanofibers which can be found in the discarded shells of crabs and shrimp.

Georgia Tech played a key role in developing the world's smallest ad printed on a sesame seed for a "big announcement" from Arby's.