University of Arizona in the News

The Washington Post March 24, 2021
'Nice to be touched': Boutique stretching thrives amid COVID

Pandemic-weary Americans starved for human interaction and physical touch are taking advantage of a growing wellness option once reserved for Hollywood actors, rock stars and elite athletes: boutique stretching. Kory Floyd, a professor of communication and psychology at the University of Arizona, said activities that provide social interaction and some relief for "skin hunger" can help people manage stress better. A lack of casual touch – holding hands, hugging, putting one's arm around somebody, shaking hands – can have a significant negative impact, Floyd said.
NBC's "Today" March 24, 2021
College admissions officers on how the pandemic has changed the process

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the college admissions process in many ways, including the elimination of standardized test requirements and students' ability to visit schools. College admissions officers are interviewed about how their respective processes for recruiting and accepting students have changed. Kasey Urquidez, vice president for enrollment management and dean of undergraduate admissions at the University of Arizona, is interviewed.
The Associated Press March 23, 2021
Arizona university scientists propose lunar Earth repository

University of Arizona researcher Jekan Thanga's ambitious, Noah's Ark-inspired project aims to preserve humankind – and animal-kind, plant-kind and fungi-kind – in the event of a global crisis.
National Geographic March 23, 2021
Why a new jaguar sighting near the Arizona-Mexico border gives experts hope

An exclusive finding suggests the jaguar's range may be expanding – and a new study verifies the U.S. has plentiful habitat to reclaim if the cats can reach it. This rare sighting came as a joy to Ganesh Marin, a doctoral student at University of Arizona and a National Geographic explorer who studies local wildlife abundance and movement using a grid of about a hundred camera traps at this ranch. "It was like finding a needle in a haystack," he said.
CNN March 21, 2021
Largest asteroid to pass by Earth this year will be moving unusually fast

The largest asteroid that has been predicted to make a close approach of Earth this year will zip by from a safe distance on Sunday, according to NASA. "We're trying to do geology with a telescope," said Vishnu Reddy, associate professor at the University of Arizona's Lunar and Planetary Laboratory. "We're going to use the (telescope) to get the infrared spectrum to see its chemical makeup. Once we know that, we can make comparisons with meteorites on Earth to find out what minerals 2001 FO32 contains."
Variety March 19, 2021
'The Heist,' documentary about bizarre theft of de Kooning painting, in the works from XTR

"The Heist," the true story of the theft of Willem de Kooning's "Woman-Ochre" from the University of Arizona Museum of Art, is in the works from "The Love Bugs" director Allison Otto. Nonfiction studio XTR will back the new documentary in partnership with Roots Productions' Jill Howerton and Josh Kunau, the producers of "The Devil We Know," Museum + Crane's Caryn Capotosto, the producer of "Won't You Be My Neighbor." Mark Monroe, writer of the Academy Award winning films "Icarus" and "The Cove," penned the screenplay.
High Country News March 19, 2021
Geographer Diana Liverman explains how to tackle the climate crisis fairly

Diana Liverman, a Regents Professor of Geography and Development at the University of Arizona, is interviewed about how her childhood sparked her interest in climate justice, what she wishes the media would get right about the climate crisis, and how to make sure climate adaptations are fair.
The Wall Street Journal March 19, 2021
Why your workspace at home is probably gross

"The home office has a lot more bacteria than work offices do," said Charles Gerba, a professor of environmental microbiology at the University of Arizona. At home, he notes, you may have family members sharing spaces, and consuming more food and drinks while they work. "Even in my own home, our computer area is littered with sticky notes, mail, Coke cans and snacks," he said.
CNN March 18, 2021
The COVID-19 pandemic almost didn't happen, a new genetic dating study shows

Researchers working to show when and how the virus first emerged in China calculate that it probably did not infect the first human being until October 2019 at the very earliest. And their models showed something else: It almost didn't make it as a pandemic virus. "It was a perfect storm – we know now that it had to catch a lucky break or two to actually firmly become established," said Michael Worobey, head of the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Arizona who worked on the study.
The Players Tribune March 18, 2021
This is for them

University of Arizona women's basketball player Aari McDonald writes a tribute essay to last year's seniors whose season was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic. "When I thought about our seniors, something didn't feel right about me leaving school early. I really took that to heart. I wanted to come back and achieve more. I wanted to take this program somewhere it’s never been. That's what I came here to do," McDonald writes.