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Cell phone numbers have become such a common piece of information that people submit them on forms, leave them on social media, or give them away in stores in exchange for discounts without stopping to consider that they are putting one of the most valuable and vulnerable elements of online identity at stake. At the Alma Mater newspaper, we spoke with UdeA experts about the central role this information plays in today's digital ecosystem, the risks involved in openly sharing it, and recommendations for protecting it. 

After two months, 85 hours of recording, and 77 hours of post-production, UdeA professionals reached a milestone for the city and the country: the dubbing into Colombian Sign Language (LSC) of the Spanish film My Name Is Gennet. The project involved 10 translators and 20 deaf and hearing interpreters, who brought more than 20 characters to life. The launch took place during the opening of Medellín's first Ciclo de Cine Inclusivo (Inclusive Film Cycle). 

An interinstitutional project led by UdeA has reached a significant milestone in innovation for the country's energy transition. This project involves developing a prototype to produce biojet fuel, a sustainable alternative meant to replace petroleum-based fuel in airplanes. It is derived from palm oil, which produces one liter of biofuel daily. As a pioneer in Colombia, the project is currently being tested on real microturbines, which paves the way for more sustainable aviation. 

In every corner of Colombia, flavors and recipes tell stories. With this in mind, the Instituto Colombiano de Bienestar Familiar and the School of Nutrition and Dietetics at Universidad de Antioquia introduced the "Guía de alimentación para la población colombiana basada en biodiversidad y alimentación real" (Dietary Guide for the Colombian Population Based on Biodiversity and Real Food). It is a tool developed with communities that focuses on traditional knowledge, health, and ecosystem protection. More than just a set of recommendations, it is an invitation to preserve the cultural memory of the territories. 

How do planets form? The answer could lie in an unexpected place: a disk of gas and dust in the Lobster Nebula—NGC 6357. A study led by the international consortium XUE, in which Universidad de Antioquia participates, detected a protoplanetary disk rich in carbon dioxide in that nebula. Thanks to thermochemical models —simulations that combine temperature and chemical composition— developed at the University, it was possible to recreate the disk’s behavior and advance our understanding of the conditions that give rise to planetary bodies. 

September is Heritage Month, an opportunity to recognize the importance of what belongs to us as a society. Universidad de Antioquia’s Open Museum, with one of Colombia's most important outdoor art collections, is a fundamental part of that legacy. Its preservation requires a commitment that goes beyond the local level. Thanks to partnerships like the one between the UdeA and the Polytechnic University of Valencia, knowledge networks are strengthened, which makes it possible to care for and preserve these priceless works. 

This year, Medellín celebrates 350 years since its founding as a town. Unlike other colonial cities, it wasn't established by a conquistador but grew as a transit point that gradually populated along the Aburrá Valley. This way of being born also seems to influence how its history is told: Medellín doesn't have a single story but many. New voices are emerging in this era of podcasts, reels, digital maps, and community stories. What urban story is being shared in this social media-driven era? And who owns that voice? At the Alma Mater newspaper, we consulted UdeA researchers to analyze how stories about the city are shaped today. 

"What identifies and differentiates us as human beings? How can we grow together amid these differences?" These questions have haunted professor and researcher María Eumelia Galeano Marín, who received an honorary doctorate in social sciences from the UdeA on September 29. This is a recognition for a lifetime dedicated to knowledge, teaching, and developing critical thinking. It also acknowledges her work, through which she demonstrated that social research goes beyond gathering facts and accumulating figures. It involves delving into life stories, contexts, and often-forgotten voices. 

A study on recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis, a health condition that affects 10% of women worldwide, earned Ángel González Marín the 2025 Research Award for professors in Health Sciences on the UdeA Classic Day. The bacteriologist’s contribution to public health is the first step toward developing a natural treatment that improves the quality of life for the millions of people who suffer from this disease. 

TSPO could soon help predict Alzheimer's diagnosis decades before individuals begin to show symptoms, while also enhancing patients' quality of life by enabling more timely medical treatment. This biomarker is the latest discovery from a joint study by scientists from Florida International University and UdeA’s Antioquia Neurosciences Group. 

Delegates from the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) and the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) visited UdeA, the only public institution in the country endorsed by CONMEBOL as a coach training center. More than 2,200 coaches have graduated since 2019. The visit was part of an agreement that will enable coaches trained in Colombia to work in Europe with recognized competencies.