University of Arizona in the News

Dogs excel at reading human emotions, but humans often misread dog behavior. University of Arizona evolutionary anthropologist and comparative psychologist Evan MacLean said dogs lick faces not out of affection but they hope to get a taste of what someone recently ate, a behavior similar to that of young wolves, who lick their mothers' mouths so that their moms regurgitate food for them to eat. Which explains why dogs do gross things like eat people's vomit.

The first image of the black hole located at the center of our own Milky Way galaxy, called Sagittarius A*, was unveiled today by the international Event Horizon Telescope Collaboration. The discovery would not have been possible without the groundwork and heavy lifting provided by UArizona scientists and facilities. Feryal Özel, a professor of astronomy and physics at the University of Arizona and a founding member of the international Event Horizon Telescope Collaboration, joined a panel of EHT researchers in describing and answering questions about this new scientific discovery.

University of Arizona Distinguished Professor of Astronomy Chris Impey explains how astronomers on the Event Horizon Telescope team obtained an image of Sagittarius A and why it is such a big deal.

Dogs excel at reading human emotions, but humans often misread dog behavior. University of Arizona evolutionary anthropologist and comparative psychologist Evan MacLean said dogs lick faces not out of affection but they hope to get a taste of what someone recently ate, a behavior similar to that of young wolves, who lick their mothers' mouths so that their moms regurgitate food for them to eat.

The first image of the black hole located at the center of our own Milky Way galaxy, called Sagittarius A*, was unveiled today by the international Event Horizon Telescope Collaboration. The discovery would not have been possible without the groundwork and heavy lifting provided by UArizona scientists and facilities. Feryal Özel, a professor of astronomy and physics at the University of Arizona and a founding member of the international Event Horizon Telescope Collaboration, joined a panel of EHT researchers in describing and answering questions about this new scientific discovery.

Arizona ranks as the fifth deadliest state for pedestrians in the United States, with a reported pedestrian fatality rate of 2.91 for every 100,000 people as of 2019. In an attempt to make its streets safer for pedestrians, Phoenix began installing "High-Intensity Activated CrossWalks," – HAWKs – which include increased signage and traffic lights signaling drivers to slow down and stop for pedestrians.

The new reality of global warming particularly threatens the Southwest U.S. and the 40 million people who rely on the Colorado River. To better understand how climate change is and will continue to affect the region, ProPublica spoke to University of Arizona climatologist Gregg Garfin and two colleagues from other institutions.

The James Webb Space Telescope is in the home stretch of testing, with science observations expected to begin in July. Launched last December, the $10 billion Webb recently beamed back the latest test pictures of a neighboring satellite galaxy, and the results are stunning when compared with images taken by NASA’s previous infrared observatory, the Spitzer Space Telescope.

The James Webb Space Telescope is in the home stretch of testing, with science observations expected to begin in July. Launched in December, the $10 billion Webb recently beamed back the latest test pictures of a neighboring satellite galaxy, and the results are stunning when compared with images taken by NASA's previous infrared observatory, the Spitzer Space Telescope.

Parkinson's disease may be best known for its movement-related symptoms, particularly tremors and stiffness. But the disease also hinders vocal production, giving patients a soft monotonous voice. New research led by University of Arizona assistant professor of neuroscience and of speech Julie E. Miller, a member of the UArizona BIO5 Institute, suggests a specific gene commonly associated with Parkinson's may be behind those vocal changes – a finding that could help lead to earlier diagnoses and treatments for Parkinson's patients.