University of Arizona in the News

Space.com Today
Astronomers propose 'SatHub' to address growing threat of satellite megaconstellations

Some astronomers suggest setting up a "SatHub" to address the growing threat that satellite megaconstellations pose to the night sky – but funding and support are necessary to make it happen. One way of mitigating the megaconstellation issue might be for those involved in satellite constellations to anticipate impacts long before satellites launch, said Richard Green of the University of Arizona's Steward Observatory, director of the Large Binocular Telescope Observatory and chair of the SATCON2 policy working group.
The Washington Post Tuesday
Western drought drives water levels at Great Salt Lake and Lake Powell to historic lows

The water levels of two major water bodies – including a major reservoir – have reached historic lows in recent days amid extreme drought conditions in the western United States. The historic lows in Lake Mead and Lake Powell suggest "water users throughout the Colorado River Basin, particularly the Lower Basin, must prepare for lower Colorado River water deliveries over an extended period of time," said Sharon B. Megdal, director of the University of Arizona’s Water Resources Research Center.
Los Angeles Times Tuesday
Podcast: Drought threatens iconic plants. Lawns, watch out

University of Arizona anthropologist Maribel Alvarez and University of Arizona research social scientist David Yetman join "The Times" host Gustavo Arellano and Nevada state Assemblymember Howard Watts III to talk bout their efforts to understand the plants and animals affected by this historic drought.
Forbes Tuesday
Walmart to pay 100% of tuition and books for associates continuing their education

Walmart will begin offering free college tuition and books to its 1.5 million U.S. employees, the latest effort by the country's largest private employer to attract and retain workers in a tight labor market. "We're thrilled to partner with Guild Education and Walmart in our mission to deliver Arizona's world-class higher education programs to working adult learners in a flexible, engaging and highly effective way," said University of Arizona President Robert C. Robbins. "We're honored to be a part of the industry-leading Live Better U program at the nation's largest private employer."
USA Today Tuesday
Delaney Schnell and Jessica Parratto win silver medal in women’s synchronized 10-meter platform at Olympics

American diving duo Delaney Schnell and Jessica Parratto took silver in the women's synchronized 10-meter platform, becoming the first U.S. women to medal in the event since its Olympic debut in 2000. Schnell, who competes for the University of Arizona, is appearing in her first Olympics.
American Kennel Club Monday
Puppies are born ready to communicate with people, new study shows

Dogs may have earned the title "man's best friend" because of how good they are at interacting with people. Those social skills may be present shortly after birth rather than learned, a new study by University of Arizona researchers suggests.
The Atlantic Monday
Your vaccinated immune system is ready for breakthroughs

Rather than setting up fragile and penetrable shields, experts say that COVID-19 vaccines reinforce the defenses we already have, so that we can encounter the virus safely and potentially build further upon that protection. When the virus attempts to force its way in, it will hit "backup layer after backup layer" of defense, said Deepta Bhattacharya, an immunologist at the University of Arizona.
The Washington Post July 23, 2021
Cities are turning to supercharged bus routes to more quickly and cheaply expand transit services

The Federal Transit Administration last year awarded $375 million to help build bus rapid transit, or BRT, lines. There are indications that BRT lines can promote some of the density long associated with rail routes. A new analysis of job and residential growth by researchers at the University of Arizona examined areas around BRT stations in 11 cities between 2013 and 2019. In each case, they found areas close to the stations accounted for a significant share of regional growth.
The Washington Post July 23, 2021
Climate change is forcing us indoors – and childhood will never be the same.

In the past decade, annual heat-related deaths in Arizona have doubled, while Phoenix's heat wave season has grown days longer. As University of Arizona geoscience professor Joellen Russell told the New Yorker, parents can't leave kids outside for the entire day anymore. "I did that," she said, recalling a time last year when she sent her 10-year-old out biking, "and my baby came home with heatstroke."
Popular Science July 22, 2021
How to use science to talk to kids about gender

Kids develop a sense of their own gender identity around age 18 months to 3 years, says Russ Toomey, chair of the Family Studies and Human Development Program at the University of Arizona. And that sense of gender identity stays mostly constant throughout childhood for both cisgender and transgender children, as shown by a 2019 PNAS study that included nearly 900 kids.