Illinois News Bureau – Even in the face of evidence to the contrary, the effects of misinformation persist and can’t be wholly erased, says a new paper co-written by U. of I. psychology professor Dolores Albarracin. “Misinformation can have a large impact,” Albarracin said. “If you’re going into something with a blank slate, your first impression is a huge one. And if that first impression is misinformation, it’s still hard to erase or correct. Sometimes you can be successful, but it will rarely be as successful as the initial misinformation.” The paper will be published in the journal Psychological Science. 

Nature Physics – Beckman researchers are examing whether cells are able to sense the subtle quantum properties of light. Kush Paul, a researcher in Beckman's Cellular and Molecular Foundations Group, Stephen Boppart, a professor of elecrical and computer engineering and a member of the Bioimaging Science and Technology Group, and others have established a direct correlation between an optical stimulus and the control of biological functions, by studying the response of a photoreceptor known as channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2) in living brain tissue.