University of Arizona in the News

Back in May, a group of scientists – many at the top of the virology field – shifted the debate about the origins of COVID-19. They published a letter in the journal Science, saying the so-called lab leak theory needs to be taken more seriously by the scientific community. Now one of the scientists who signed that letter says new data have come to light. And that information, summarized in an online review, has changed his thinking.

Derek Bambauer, a professor at the University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law and an expert in internet law and intellectual property, discusses the implications surrounding several antitrust cases involving large tech companies.

June's record-breaking heatwave was the final ingredient needed for explosive wildfire growth. Fire experts say things could still get much worse. "Because of the way we've managed the forests, we've set up the conditions for fires to be more severe," said Donald Falk, a professor in the University of Arizona School of Natural Resources and the Environment. "That’s on us. We've prevented fire from doing its job."

Dr. Shad Marvasti, director of public health, prevention and health promotion at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix, discusses recent coronavirus developments.

New archaeological discoveries and analysis are presenting more details about the Roman gladiatorial games and the people involved. Alison Futrell, head of the Department of History at the University of Arizona, is interviewed.

Some 40 years ago, Rick Brusca, a marine parasitologist at the University of Arizona, discovered some spotted rose snappers whose tongues had been apparently annihilated by C. exigua. And yet, the parasitized fish seemed happy and healthy enough, their digestive tracts full of fresh food. Brusca and a colleague examined the backs of the crustaceans and found evidence that the injured fish was using its unwelcome tenant as if it was a tongue.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, landfills are among the nation's largest sources of methane, a greenhouse gas far more potent than carbon dioxide and a major contributor to global warming. Riley Duren, a research scientist at the University of Arizona, is chief executive officer of Carbon Mapper, a new nonprofit consortium. Carbon Mapper announced in April it was launching "a constellation" of methane-sensing satellites with partners that include NASA, the state of California and various universities and organizations.

Ladd Keith, an assistant professor of planning and sustainable built environments at the University of Arizona, acknowledged the role of social nudging in relation to water use, while also noting that "in one way, water shaming may be an excuse to put the blame on individuals instead of actually taking larger policy actions at the state or even city level."

An unknown methane-producing process is likely at work in the hidden ocean beneath the icy shell of Saturn's moon Enceladus, suggests a new study published in Nature Astronomy by scientists at the University of Arizona and Paris Sciences & Lettres University.

Abdi Abdirahman, 44, will compete against the world's best marathoners at the Tokyo Olympics. Abdirahman is one of the most decorated long-distance runners in the history of the University of Arizona.