Arizona Science

Researchers are finding chimpanzees have more in common with humans that was previously thought. University of Arizona anthropologist Jacob Negrey discusses how chimpanzees transition to old age and how that translates to the human experience.

The Corn Earworm attacks both corn and cotton in Arizona, causing millions of dollars in damage each year. University of Arizona director of Entomology Bruce Tabashnik discusses why genetically engineered crops developed to defeat the Earworm have failed to keep the pest at bay.

Plants and animals were not always as colorful as we see them today. University of Arizona evolutionary biologist John Wiens discusses the evolution of color for plant and animal species that developed hundreds of millions of years ago.

The fight against COVID-19 became part of our lives four years ago. Researchers are still working to find out how to it started. University of Arizona immunobiologist Michael Worobey discusses the latest findings and considers the possibilities of new pandemics brewing around the globe.

The James Webb Space Telescope is giving astronomers a closer look at the creation and development of planets. University of Arizona planetary scientist Ilaria Pascucci discusses a new study on protoplanetary disks, described as a cradle where new planets are born.

Kitt Peak National Observatory has reopened to the public after closures due to the pandemic and a mountain wildfire. Visitors Center Operations Manager Peter McMahon talks about what people can see and do among the largest collection of scientific research telescopes in North America.

Scientists are learning more about dogs and their special communicative link with people.

Developments over the past decade have demonstrated the complexities of collecting and interpreting big data.

Scientists are catching up with the evolution of diet among animal species.

The Large Binocular Telescope has been observing planets, stars, and galaxies from atop Mount Graham since 2005. Telescope staff scientist Al Conrad discusses the most recent pictures it captured of Jupiter's volcanic moon Io.

Astronomers with the University of Arizona-backed Vera Rubin Observatory are on track to start their work early next year. Project outreach and education director Alan Strauss discusses how they will use the largest camera ever built to take a highly-detailed time-lapse look at our universe.

Scientists say 95 percent of the thickest ice in the Arctic Ocean has already melted. Now they are focusing on ice melt from inland glaciers in the Northern Hemisphere and how it's affecting sea level rise. University of Arizona planetary scientist Jack Holt is leading a team trying to predict how glaciers build and retreat in response to climate change.

Atomic particles move at one quintillionth of a second. University of Arizona physicist Mohammed Hassan is developing instruments that can detect light pulses in attoseconds, providing a new tool to measure quantum states of matter.

External brain stimulation is being used to treat issues ranging from schizophrenia to depression. University of Arizona psychology professor Ying Hui Chou talks about Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation and its treatment potential for Alzheimer's patients.

A retired University of Arizona educator is making science available for kids learning at home. Optical Science professor emeritus Richard Powell talks about the challenge of writing a physics textbook that can be used by families dedicated to homeschooling education.

Polluted ground and water in the Arctic have gone unnoticed for decades. University of Arizona environmental health scientist Frank von Hippel is working with Native American tribes in Alaska to locate and clean up pollution from military installations dating back to the Cold War.

Some former COVID-19 patients are still suffering symptoms years after first encountering the coronavirus. University of Arizona immunologist Janko Nikolich is contributing to an ongoing national study on Long COVID. He discusses why Long COVID continues to mystify researchers looking into the different COVID-19 variants.

Scientists are studying how sounds, smells, and other natural elements make a difference in how comfortable we feel in our homes and offices. University of Arizona Architecture professor Altaf Engineer focuses his research on health and well-being in the built environment. He's researching the ways designers can impact social and behavioral issues through the buildings they create.

As our climate changes, growing seasons and migration patterns are happening at different times than in the past. University of Arizona environmental researcher Theresa Crimmins describes how seasonal data collection is revealing changes in the common design of nature.

Parkinson's disease affects an estimated 1 million Americans. University of Arizona neurology professor Lalitha Madhavan describes how a simple extraction of skin cells can uncover biomarkers that could help doctors diagnose Parkinson's in their patients.

Scientists are trying to get more accurate measurements of conditions in the continent of Antarctica. University of Arizona Hydrology and Atmospheric Sciences professor Ali Behrangi describes how using a satellite in space can deliver data about snow and ice in one of the world's harshest environment.

Wildlife scientists are exploring which species are best adapting to the effects of climate change. University of Arizona evolutionary biologist Lauren Petrullo describes a long-term field project focusing on wild North American Red Squirrels and their everyday resilience habits.

Not much is known about the science of imagination because few studies have asked the question of what triggers creativity. University of Arizona psychology professor Jessica Andrews-Hanna talks about what develops in our brains when we turn our thoughts inward.

The growth of computing systems and artificial intelligence is creating barriers for institutions trying to navigate cyberinfrastructure. University of Arizona Data Science Institute director Nirav Merchant talks about his research helping people crunch massive amounts of data.

Motor vehicle crashes are preventable but accidents are still ranked as the top cause of death for Americans under the age of 40. University of Arizona civil engineering professor Alyssa Ryan studies transportation crash data. She's looking deeper into why certain populations experience higher traffic mortality rates than others.