Science and Technology

Why Nice Guys Usually Get the Girls

Mari N. Jensen — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0700

For the insects called water striders, the pushiest guys don't always get the girls, according to a research team led by a UA scientist. The finding contradicts previous laboratory experiments that suggested that the most aggressive males are the most successful at reproducing.

Unsettled Youth: Spitzer Observes a Chaotic Planetary System

lstiles — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 10:05:07 -0700

A Spitzer Space Telescope team led by UA astronomer Kate Su captured an infrared image of a giant halo of fine dust around a young star. The dust is created by planets jostling smaller comet-like bodies.

SEDS Students Host SpaceVision 2009 Conference at UA

Lori Stiles — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0700

UA students have organized what looks to be one of the year's premier space conferences and are holding it at the Lunar and Planetary Lab.

UA Camera Spots Phoenix Mars Lander Amid Frost

cruzj — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 16:13:52 -0700

Despite very low light, HiRISE has taken images of the Phoenix Mars Lander blanketed by carbon dioxide ice.

Spencer Titley Honored for Half-Century of Teaching and Research at UA

Mari N. Jensen — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0700

Spencer R. Titley is the UA economic geologist internationally renowned for his work on the origin of porphyry copper deposits.

Frost-Covered Phoenix Spacecraft Found in HiRISE Images

Lori Stiles — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0700

Despite very low light, HiRISE has taken images of the Phoenix Mars Lander blanketed by carbon-dioxide ice.

University of Arizona device could make solar power cheaper

lstiles — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 09:15:56 -0700

UA Steward Observatory Mirror Lab director Roger Angel has produced a prototype solar device that, if developed for mass production, could generate electricity for $1 a watt.

Dr. Fernando Martinez Appointed Director of the BIO5 Institute

Johnny Cruz — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0700

Martinez is one of the most highly regarded researchers worldwide in childhood lung diseases.

Simulations Show How Earth-Like Planets Can Form

cruzj — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 11:58:06 -0700

Recent research led by UA planetary scientists looked at the dynamics behind the formation of Earth-like planets.

UA Entomologist Wins Grant to Develop Malaria-Resistant Mosquito

Lori Stiles — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0700

Michael Riehle is among scientists from around the world selected for their unconventional projects to fight infectious diseases.

Biosphere 2 Fellow's Halloween Talk is on 'Monsters of the Deep'

Lori Stiles — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0700

Scary-looking giant water bugs are models of fatherhood and important in our world.

Professor Working to Advance Computing as a Science

La Monica Everett-Haynes — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0700

Chiefly concerned with understanding how processes work, computation has garnered a reputation for not being a true science. But Richard T. Snodgrass, a UA computer science professor, has received a National Science Foundation grant to work to change that.

Project Sage Special Report: Sustainability Through Engineering

Johnny Cruz — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0700

Work at the UA's Engineering Research Center for Environmentally Benign Semiconductor Manufacturing is leading to to advancements in reducing water and energy consumption.

SPACE PHOTOS THIS WEEK: Blue Blob, San Juan Fire, More

cruzj — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 14:58:09 -0700

A photograph taken by the UA's HiRISE camera aboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter reveal sand dunes around an impact crater.

Sustaining the Mining Supply Chain

Johnny Cruz — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0700

The new Lowell Institute for Mineral Resources is charged with making the process of extracting copper more sustainable and energy efficient.

Robot Armada Might Scale New Worlds

cruzj — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 15:03:16 -0700

Wolfgang Fink and his colleagues are developing robotic technology that may one day result in robots being able to explore the lakes and mountains of Saturn's moon, Titan. Fink recently joined the UA from Caltech.

On a Rooftop, Students of Invention

Johnny Cruz — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0700

The assignment for the first class of the Practice School of Sustainability is to design a cogeneration system that combines a solar photovoltaic array with water cooling.

Research May Help Plants, Humans Survive Stress, Disease

Jeff Harrison — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0700

New technology to analyze gene expression at the level of different cell types offers new insights in the ways that plants and animals react to the environment and how they change when they are diseased.

El Niño Hurt Before But Could Help Later

leverett — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 13:52:23 -0700

UA climatologists contributed to a report explaining how El Niño stiffled the monsoon rains this year, and how it may lead to higher than normal precipitation in Arizona during the coming winter.

SkyCenter Hosts Special Leonid Meteor Program Nov. 17

Lori Stiles — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0700

If you've never experienced a Leonid meteor shower from the 9,157-foot summit of Mount Lemmon, here's your chance.

Water-demanding Farms Looked at as Resources Vanish

jeffh — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 14:10:55 -0700

Gary Paul Nabhan, an agronomist with the UA Southwest Center, and water law expert Robert Glennon from the Rogers College of Law offer insights on the fate of agriculture in the state as the population continues to grow.

A 200,000-Year-Old Cut of Meat

lstiles — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 12:27:54 -0700

New archaeological evidence shows that people living at a Paleolithic cave site in Israel between 400,000 and 250,000 years ago were successful big-game hunters who shared meat differently in earlier and later times.

Using Trees To Curb Climate Change Not So Simple

leverett — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 12:44:35 -0700

Scientists are suggesting that growing existing and planting new forests can help reduce the effects of climate change. Adding to the discussion, UA scientist David Breshears points to drought as another key issue to consider.

UA Entomologist Discusses Insect-resistant Plants in PBS Film

Jeff Harrison — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0700

Bruce Tabashnik, professor and head of entomology at the UA, is part of a documentary's exploration of the role plants have played throughout human history.

Prehistoric Clovis Culture Roamed Southwards

cruzj — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 14:42:58 -0700

A research team led by the UA's Vance Holliday discovered a site in Mexico containing evidence for the Clovis culture.