University of Arizona in the News

Astrobiology Web May 8, 2023
OSIRIS-REx sample return recovery team practices for arrival

In anticipation of the University of Arizona-led OSIRIS-REx asteroid sample delivery this fall, the team last month held its first round of practice at retrieving the spacecraft's sample capsule from a simulated landing site at the Lockheed Martin campus near Denver. The real-life retrieval will take place Sep. 24 on the Department of Defense’s Utah Test and Training Range outside Salt Lake City.
The New York Times May 8, 2023
Webb Telescope finds a star cloaked in 3 rings of ruined worlds

A team led by University of Arizona astronomers used NASA's James Webb Space Telescope to observe Fomalhaut, a young star about 25 light-years from Earth, with the first asteroid belt ever seen outside of our solar system in infrared light. An image shows nested concentric rings of dust, some of which had never been seen before, most likely are carved by the gravitational forces produced by unseen planets.
Axios May 7, 2023
How the brain changes when we grieve

Grief is an intense emotional experience. Some researchers believe a better understanding of the biological effects of loss on the brain could be used to help ease the pain and yearning experienced in grieving. The bonds we form with one another take biological forms in the brain and its reward systems are activated by these relationships, motivating us to maintain those relationships and reunite with loved ones regularly. "The trouble is that with the death of the loved one, that solution doesn't work anymore," said Mary-Frances O'Connor, a professor of clinical psychology and psychiatry at the University of Arizona, and the author of "The Grieving Brain: The Surprising Science of How We Learn from Love and Loss."
Popular Science May 3, 2023
Urban water crises often boil down to classism

Many factors contribute to the development of today's water crises, including changing land cover and use, urban infrastructure maintenance, and climate change, according to Adriana Zuniga-Teran, neighborhood design and environmental sciences expert and assistant professor of geography, development, and environment at the University of Arizona.
Scientific American May 3, 2023
Surviving in the ephemeral pools of life

Ecologist Sharon Collinge, director of the Arizona Institute for Resilient Environments and Societies at the University of Arizona, discusses the "extreme lifestyle" of creatures that inhabit vernal pools – a type of ephemeral wetland habitat that is there one month, gone the next.
The Conversation May 3, 2023
AI is helping astronomers make new discoveries and learn about the universe faster than ever before

University of Arizona Distinguished Professor of Astronomy Chris Impey writes in support of the use of artificial intelligence to help astronomers unlock the secrets of the universe.
CNN May 2, 2023
Webb telescope detects mysterious water vapor in a nearby star system

A team of astronomers led by Sarah Moran with the University of Arizona Lunar and Planetary Laboratory detected water vapor coming from an exoplanet, or its star, using NASA's James Webb Space Telescope. About 30% larger than Earth and three times as massive, GJ 486 b orbits a red dwarf star once every two Earth days. It is likely tidally locked, with a permanent day side and a permanent night side.
Arizona Daily Star May 2, 2023
UArizona ties school mark as 11 athletic programs record perfect APR scores for 2021-22

The University of Arizona Department of Athletics achieved a record-breaking year in the classroom last school year, with 11 programs earning perfect 1,000 single-year Academic Progress Rate scores: men's basketball, golf, tennis, track and field, and cross country, as well as women's cross country, softball, swimming and diving, tennis, beach volleyball, and volleyball.
The Huffington Post May 2, 2023
Why you wake up earlier as you get older

Experts say that as we age, our bodies change both internally and externally, which results in changes to our sleep patterns. So, for a younger person, dinner time may help the brain understand bedtime is in a few hours. For someone older, this connection may not happen. "The wiring of the brain is likely not sensing ... and responding to the inputs as well as it should because it's an aging brain," said Dr. Sairam Parthasarathy, the director of the Center for Sleep and Circadian Sciences at University of Arizona Health Sciences. These inputs include sunset, sunlight, meals, social cues and physical activity that help mark where we are in a day. "These are all what we call 'time givers,' or they give time to the brain," he said.
PBS May 1, 2023
New book 'Merchants of the Right' explores culture surrounding guns in America

Seemingly daily, the U.S. receives yet another stark reminder of the pervasiveness of guns in society, with hundreds of millions of firearms in circulation nationwide. In her new book, "Merchants of the Right," University of Arizona associate professor of sociology Jennifer Carlson explores some of the forces behind that saturation and the political culture that goes with it.