University of Arizona in the News

Atlas Obscura Today
In Iceland, testing the drones that could be the future of Mars exploration

NASA has awarded $3.1 million to Christopher Hamilton in the University of Arizona's Lunar and Planetary Laboratory to develop a drone that could act as a "field assistant" to a rover and explore previously inaccessible regions on Mars.
NPR Monday
A pesky rumble: Pink bollworms vs. cotton farmers

A collaboration between University of Arizona, cotton growers, and government and industry partners eradicated the pink bollworm – one of the world's most damaging crop pests – from the United States and Mexico.
The Washington Post Monday
A Native American may be taking control of the Cabinet department that has shaped Native American lives

Cheryl Ellenwood (Nez Percé), a doctoral candidate at the School of Government and Public Policy at the University of Arizona, writes that having a Native American leader of the Department of Interior overseeing policy discussions will probably result in increased collaboration among the federal government and the sovereign Indigenous nations, which will for the first time have one of their own at the table to lead those efforts.
Arizona Daily Star Jan. 23, 2021
Calls pour in from around the globe to this Tucson poetry center, here's why

Sarah Kortemeier, library director at the University of Arizona Poetry Center, has spoken with callers from throughout the United States and several countries overseas. The Poetry Center has the most complete collection of modern poetry in the U.S., so it is often a go-to resource for scholars and students. The center does not check out its books or materials, though. It is designed to be a place where visitors can read and reflect. So the library doors will remain closed until they can safely be opened again. In the meantime, "The Librarian" can be reached by dialing the Poetry Center's main number, 520-626-3765, every Wednesday from 1 to 4 p.m.
Business Insider Jan. 23, 2021
The pace of coronavirus vaccinations now may determine whether or not we'll need a perpetual cycle of new shots to combat variants

Scientists worry that vaccinations aren't proceeding fast enough to prevent new, perhaps deadlier coronavirus strains from emerging. Michael Worobey, head of the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Arizona, recently said that the emergence of new coronavirus strains could be "a glimpse into the future where we are going to be in an arms race with this virus, just like we are with flu."
Gizmodo Jan. 22, 2021
Here's what Biden should prioritize at NASA

Space experts are interviewed about what they hope to see from President Joe Biden's NASA priorities. Dante Lauretta, principal investigator for the OSIRIS-REx mission and professor at the University of Arizona, hopes that the Biden Administration will maintain or increase funding for the NASA Science Mission Directorate. "This Directorate performs essential research to monitor and predict the effects of climate change, explore the Solar System, and survey the universe," he said. "Budgets over the past four years have been favorable, and this is one area of the U.S. federal government where science activities remain healthy. The amazing achievements of NASA science programs serve as shining examples of what we can do as a nation when we unite and focus on a common vision."
KOLD Jan. 21, 2021
Wastewater epidemiology used to stave off lettuce shortage

The University of Arizona is leading the charge in studying wastewater for potential diseases. Now, the work of epidemiologists could help save the nation from a leafy-green shortage. Paul Brierley, executive director at the University of Arizona's Yuma Center of Excellence for Desert Agriculture, is interviewed.
CNET Jan. 21, 2021
NASA spots frosty changes in grinning Mars 'Happy Face Crater'

NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter viewed the "Happy Face Crater" on Mars in both 2011 and 2020 and found some changes in its complexion. The spacecraft's HiRISE camera and its science team at the University of Arizona have witnessed all sorts of Martian wonders, from dust devil tracks to an avalanche in action.
The New York Times Jan. 19, 2021
New California variant may be driving virus surge there, study suggests

Researchers found that the variant originated in California and showed up in more than half of samples tested last week by researchers in Los Angeles. B.1.1.7 was in the United States in early November, according to a study posted online Tuesday by University of Arizona biologists Brendan Larsen and Michael Worobey. That would mean the variant had been circulating for two months before being detected. "I think we need to be careful before concluding that any particular lineage is spreading due to a transmission advantage rather than because it happened to ride a wave caused by human behaviors," Worobey said.
The Huffington Post Jan. 18, 2021
How solar panels could help save struggling farms

Building resilience in renewable energy and food production is a fundamental challenge in today's changing world, especially in regions susceptible to heat and drought. Agrivoltaics, the co-locating of agriculture and solar photovoltaic panels, offers a possible solution, with new University of Arizona-led research reporting positive impacts on food production, water savings and the efficiency of electricity production.