University of Arizona in the News

Slate Nov. 22, 2020
So you're flying this Thanksgiving? Here's which parts are the riskiest.

Last week, the Centers for Disease Control advised Americans against traveling for Thanksgiving, though it stopped short of issuing a mandate to that effect, and the warning may have come late enough that many won’t change their plans. "The airport is where all the bad behavior happens," said Saskia Popescu, an epidemiology professor at the University of Arizona, based on her own experiences flying during the pandemic. "When we have been talking about traveling, we've been so focused on the airplane – understandably, it's a small enclosed space – but we can't just focus on one piece of the travel process. It has to be the entire thing."
NPR's "Science Friday" Nov. 20, 2020
Puerto Rico’s famous Arecibo Observatory decommissioned

Continuing coverage: After two support cables broke at Arecibo Observatory, the facility is in danger of a catastrophic collapse, prompting the National Science Foundation to decommission the telescope. Michael Nolan, a former director of the observatory who is now a research professor in the Lunar and Planetary Laboratory at the University of Arizona, is interviewed.
The New York Times Nov. 20, 2020
Signs of recent volcanic eruption on Mars hint at habitats for life

Not thought to be volcanically active, a new paper suggests Mars may have experienced an eruption just 53,000 years ago. "If this deposit is of volcanic origin then the Cerberus Fossae region may not be extinct and Mars may still be volcanically active today," scientists at the University of Arizona and Smithsonian Institution, write in their paper – which was posted online ahead of peer review and has been submitted to the journal Icarus.
The New York Times Nov. 20, 2020
What 635 epidemiologists are doing for Thanksgiving

According to an informal survey of 635 epidemiologists by The New York Times, the large majority of public health experts are not celebrating with people outside their household. "I live alone with my 5-year-old," said Alicia Allen, an assistant professor at the University of Arizona. "We're going to skip the normal Thanksgiving plans, which for us means a road trip, and go on a hike and picnic locally instead, just the two of us."
MSNBC Nov. 17, 2020
Dr. Lipi Roy and Dr. Murtaza Akhter answer MSNBC viewer questions on the COVID-19 vaccine

Dr. Murtaza Akhter, a clinical assistant professor at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix, answers viewer questions about the coronavirus vaccine.
The New York Times Nov. 17, 2020
Immunity to the coronavirus may last years, new data hint

How long might immunity to the coronavirus last? Years, maybe even decades, according to a new study – the most hopeful answer yet to a question that has shadowed plans for widespread vaccination. These studies "are all by and large painting the same picture, which is that once you get past those first few critical weeks, the rest of the response looks pretty conventional," said Deepta Bhattacharya, an immunologist at the University of Arizona who was not involved in the studies.
Roll Call Nov. 17, 2020
COVID-19 tracking apps may get a boost from Biden’s task force

Experts say national coordination of contact-tracing smartphone applications developed with Apple and Google may be necessary to curb the coronavirus. Assessing the effectiveness of COVID-19 tracking apps by looking at downloads may be misleading, said Joanna Masel, a professor of evolutionary biology and ecology at the University of Arizona, and a consultant to the state's Covid Watch app.
NPR Nov. 15, 2020
Illusionist Scott Silven can turn a video call into a magical 'Journey'

Renowned illusionist, mentalist and performance artist Scott Silven invites you on a journey, from your home to his. Arizona Arts Live is hosting this virtual performance Dec. 1-6.
NBC News Nov. 15, 2020
College students and Thanksgiving: Is it safe for them to go home?

University of Arizona President Robert C. Robbins discusses the university's mitigation efforts in regard to holiday travel. 
The New York Times Nov. 13, 2020
China's new testing policy for travelers is problematic, experts say

Airline passengers must present negative antibody test results before boarding. Scientists consider it a largely useless way to curb disease transmission. In theory, that could be a sound strategy, said Deepta Bhattacharya, an immunologist at the University of Arizona: "We're fans of being able to check with two independent kinds of tests." But the approach quickly falls apart, he added, if officials select the wrong test as a safety net, as appears to be the case with China.