University of Arizona in the News

CNET Oct. 4, 2021
Rare asteroids near Earth may become targets for space mining

A team of students co-led by University of Arizona planetary science associate professor Vishnu Reddy studied asteroids 1986 DA and 2016 ED85 and discovered that their spectral signatures are quite similar to asteroid 16 Psyche, the largest metal-rich body in the solar system.
Scientific American Oct. 4, 2021
Biosphere 2: The once infamous live-in terrarium is transforming climate research

A profile of Biosphere 2, the University of Arizona-operated controlled environment facility in Oracle, examines how it is "living up to its potential as a site for novel and risky research."
Live Science Oct. 3, 2021
Are cats or dogs smarter?

An article examining tests used in a cross-species study of intelligence cites research conducted by Evan MacLean, director of the Arizona Canine Cognition Center at the University of Arizona
The New York Times Oct. 3, 2021
8 things to do in the Southwest this fall

A roundup of recommended tourist activities in the Southwestern U.S. includes stargazing at the University of Arizona’s Mount Lemmon SkyCenter and quotes director Alan L. Straus, saying the dry climate in Arizona "makes the atmosphere more transparent and easier to see out of. October and November are generally very dry when they put on a show."
Axios Oct. 2, 2021
Unanswered questions about COVID's origins

A timeline of the COVID-19 pandemic quotes University of Arizona evolutionary biologist Michael Worobey as saying there were "so many more opportunities for non-research-connected activity to bring these viruses" to Wuhan, such as via China's robust wildlife trade.
The Associated Press Oct. 2, 2021
US Southwest hits impressive rainfall during summer monsoon

Cities across the U.S. Southwest hit impressive rainfall totals this summer, bringing much-needed – but temporary – relief to a region that has been mired in drought. "It just kept going," said Mike Crimmins, a climatologist at the University of Arizona. "It was pretty epic, especially for the lower desert areas of Arizona from Tucson to Phoenix and out toward Yuma."
The Washington Post Oct. 2, 2021
Is it fair to call Biden’s $3.5 trillion plan another New Deal?

A breakdown of President Biden's $3.5 trillion infrastructure plan cites the expertise of Price Fishback, a professor at the University of Arizona who studies New Deal political economy. Fishback said compared to the 3.6% of GDP social-welfare spending accounted for under FDR or the  7.4% of the Nixon-era, Biden's plan is modest. "This is a pretty hefty slug of money," Fishback said of Build Back Better. "(But) it doesn’t look like a big budget buster."
Business Insider Oct. 2, 2021
The jet stream has started an unprecedented shift north, which could wreak havoc on weather in the US and Europe

A new study, led by University of Arizona postdoctoral fellow Matthew Osman predicts that by 2060, the Jet Stream  – a band of wind that separates cold Arctic air from warmer air to the south – is moving north, out of position, due to climate change, which could cause more droughts and heat waves in southern Europe and the eastern US. "The onset of the jet stream's northward migration may have already begun," Osman said.
The Wall Street Journal Oct. 2, 2021
The Colorado River is in crisis. The Walton family is pushing a solution.

The family of Walmart founder Sam Walton has donated money to foundations run by the University of Colorado and the University of Arizona, among other universities. "A University of Arizona spokeswoman said that while it has received funding from other groups for its Colorado River program in the last four years, the largest source was the Walton foundation."
BizTucson Oct. 1, 2021
Q&A with UArizona’s Dr. Robert C. Robbins

University of Arizona President Robert C. Robbins discusses Southern Arizona's emergence as a tech hub.