University of Arizona in the News

NASA and UArizona scientists were able to significantly reduce uncertainties about asteroid Bennu's orbit and determine the likelihood of the asteroid impacting Earth between now and the year 2300. "The orbital data from this mission helped us better appreciate Bennu's impact risk over the next couple of centuries and our overall understanding of potentially hazardous asteroids – an incredible result," said Dante Lauretta, OSIRIS-REx principal investigator and a professor in the Lunar and Planetary Laboratory at the University of Arizona.

NASA and UArizona scientists were able to significantly reduce uncertainties about asteroid Bennu's orbit and determine the likelihood of the asteroid impacting Earth between now and the year 2300. "The orbital data from this mission helped us better appreciate Bennu's impact risk over the next couple of centuries and our overall understanding of potentially hazardous asteroids – an incredible result," said Dante Lauretta, OSIRIS-REx principal investigator and a professor in the Lunar and Planetary Laboratory at the University of Arizona.

NASA and UArizona scientists were able to significantly reduce uncertainties about asteroid Bennu's orbit and determine the likelihood of the asteroid impacting Earth between now and the year 2300. "The orbital data from this mission helped us better appreciate Bennu's impact risk over the next couple of centuries and our overall understanding of potentially hazardous asteroids – an incredible result," said Dante Lauretta, OSIRIS-REx principal investigator and a professor in the Lunar and Planetary Laboratory at the University of Arizona.

Dr. Christina Bergin, a clinical associate professor in the Department of Internal Medicine in the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix, is urging the governor to require masks in schools after her child was exposed to COVID-19.

Dr. Jeff Burgess, a University of Arizona professor of public health and associate dean for research, worked to conduct a first-of-its-kind study of firefighter breastfeeding, which showed firefighters are absorbing chemicals from the fire.

In the United States, more than 164 million people are fully inoculated against COVID-19 as of August 2. According to CDC data, there have been 7,101 hospitalizations and 1,507 deaths due to breakthrough infections. "The preponderance of evidence suggests that the vaccines are highly effective against hospitalization and death for all variants," said Kate Ellingson, an epidemiologist at the University of Arizona.

A family of colorless and tasteless man-made chemicals – largely unregulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency – has become a growing concern for drinking water safety in thousands of American communities, as scientists increasingly see links to liver damage, high cholesterol, weakened immune systems and cancer.

An interactive online report on the history of wildfires in the U.S. includes snowfall data from University of Arizona researchers Xubin Zeng, Jorge Arevalo and Josh Welty.

On Monday, the United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released its first analysis of climate science in nearly a decade, declaring its findings a "code red for humanity." But for those whose job it is to raise awareness about climate change, there was another crucial point in the IPCC report: There is still time to do something about climate change.

The U.S. is now averaging more than 100,000 new coronavirus cases daily. The former head of the FDA warns that numbers could become higher as the new school year kicks off. Dr. Shad Marvasti, a family medicine physician and associate professor at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix, is interviewed.