Scientists predict that the Arctic Ocean could be ice-free during the summer months within 100 years due to rapid warming. The report highlights the urgent need for reducing carbon dioxide emissions to mitigate this drastic change.
A study using tree-ring data reveals that severe droughts and low-flow conditions in one basin are unlikely to be offset by abundant streamflow in another. The research covers waterways from Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming, spanning nearly 800 years.
The University of Arizona team successfully mapped and sequenced the rice genome, unlocking the secrets of over 37,500 genes. This breakthrough will enable researchers to identify desirable traits such as drought tolerance and pest resistance, leading to improved rice varieties for global food security.
Mitochondria play a crucial role in delivering energy to nerve cells, but researchers have discovered that they are not essential for communication between neurons. In a surprising finding, mutant fruit flies with disrupted mitochondrial transport can still transmit signals and survive for five days.
Researchers found that parasitic fly larvae alter tiger moth caterpillar taste organs, favoring toxic plants containing protective chemicals. This change in behavior helps caterpillars escape parasites and survive.
Research reveals that an individual's genetic makeup determines how arsenic is metabolized, affecting disease risk. The study found a specific gene variant associated with altered urinary arsenic metabolites in children, but not adults.
The University of Arizona has received a $14 million grant to focus on two major types of contaminants: arsenic and halogenated organic solvents like TCE. The research projects will improve hazardous waste management in Arizona and the Southwest, and can serve as a model for arid and semi-arid regions worldwide.
The Genographic Project is a five-year global study of human migratory history, analyzing genetic samples from indigenous peoples and public participants. Researchers will use markers encoded into DNA to trace lineages, unveiling new aspects of family trees that persist through genes.
Researchers found that bacterial lineages can be traced despite widespread gene-swapping, which affects medicine and treatment. The study also identifies common genetic material transmission mechanisms.
A new device can detect traces of explosives in air, making it possible to screen 100% of passengers at airports and border crossings. The device is 1,000 times more sensitive than current technology, allowing for accurate detection with minimal environmental interference.
Researchers have discovered that a meteorite traveling at a slower velocity than previously thought formed Meteor Crater. The study reveals that atmospheric drag slowed down the fragments, causing them to crumble and slow more, resulting in little to no melting of the surrounding rocks.
Researchers are studying entomopathogenic nematodes, tiny worms that kill insects by releasing bacteria inside their hosts. The goal is to develop non-chemical and non-toxic pest control programs using these natural agents.
Researchers infer that Titan has acquired significant amounts of ammonia and water, which could be responsible for resurfacing parts of the moon. The Cassini-Huygens mission suggests that liquid ammonia-and-water layers may exist beneath Titan's surface.
A new strand of research applies the principle of self-organization to linguistics, suggesting that languages follow a pattern of tendencies rather than universal grammar. The study involves computer simulations where computers develop a common vocabulary and recognize sounds, eventually creating homophones in context.
The audio file captures the tone of Huygens' antenna as it changes frequency in response to signal strength fluctuations during descent. The tone shifts dramatically at 43 seconds, indicating the probe's touchdown on Titan's surface.
The University of Arizona will collaborate with IBM to build a massive storage environment for diverse types of life sciences data, including MRI images and genomic sequences. The project aims to scale to petabytes of data and enable researchers to manage, integrate, and access their digital assets.
Researchers found a young, faint companion to a star, measuring its mass for the first time. The object is 93 times as massive as Jupiter, contradicting theoretical predictions.
The SDSS team detected ripples in the galaxy distribution made by sound waves, providing evidence that galaxies grew via gravity. The findings support the standard cosmological model and provide insights into dark matter and dark energy's properties.
Astronomers have discovered a candidate planetary companion to a relatively bright young brown dwarf star located 225 light-years away in the southern constellation Hydra. The object, detected by NASA's Hubble Space Telescope, is estimated to be about five times the mass of Jupiter and orbits its host at a 99% confidence level.
Astronomers have discovered a massive debris disc surrounding the star Vega, indicating a chaotic process in planetary system evolution. The debris is thought to be the result of embryonic planets colliding and crashing into each other, creating ever-finer dust particles.
The Huygens probe will parachute onto Titan's surface on January 14, studying its thick atmosphere and clouds with six science experiments. DISR will take images of the surface for over two hours, creating panoramic views of the ground and horizon.
The Deep Impact mission aims to study the composition of Comet Tempel 1 by deploying a copper probe into its surface. The probe will capture images and spectra of the comet's interior, shedding light on the early solar system's formation.
Researchers developed a mathematical theory that describes the universal shape of stalactites, found in caves worldwide. The theory, based on fluid dynamics and geometry, reveals an ideal form underlying all stalactite shapes, with actual formations differing by less than 5%.
A team of Arizona scientists, led by Raina Maier, found microbial life in the Atacama Desert's core, which is one to two inches below the arid surface. The discovery contradicts a previous study that claimed the region was sterile, highlighting the importance of searching beyond the surface.
Geologists challenged the idea that the Tibetan plateau is losing elevation as it spreads out over India. Instead, new research suggests the plateau is being compressed between the Indian subcontinent and the North China block, causing Tibet to split like an orange squeezed by a vise.
Researchers found that wasps with broken-up facial patterns signal their quality and status. Those who don't signal honestly receive social sanctions, including harassment from dominant wasps. The study provides conclusive evidence that dishonest visual signals have a social cost in the wasp world.
A team of researchers from the University of Arizona used fMRI to investigate how brains recognize faces and retrieve associated names. They found that specific areas, including the medial prefrontal cortex, showed activation during 'feeling-of-knowing' states, suggesting additional processes aid in recalling accurate memories.
Researchers at the University of Arizona have discovered new insights into ancient mating and migration patterns in humans using genetic data. The study found that men's genes traveled farther than women's, contradicting previous assumptions about patrilocality, a common marriage practice.
Researchers found that newborn babies' right ears are more responsive to speech-type stimuli, while their left ears are more responsive to tonal sounds. This suggests that the auditory system develops differently on each side of the brain from birth.
Researchers estimate that a neutron star is about 1.8 times as massive as the sun with a radius of about 7 miles, sparking interest in its equation of state and superfluid properties. The findings rule out free quarks and provide insights into the density-pressure relationship within the star.
A team of geologists reports that the Moho boundary is absent beneath California's San Joaquin Valley, due to a mantle drip. The study provides insight into mountain-building processes and explains how the Sierra Nevada formed.
Researchers found that meteorites, especially iron meteorites, can provide more phosphorus than naturally occurs on Earth. Phosphorus is essential for biomolecules and energy production in living organisms. The discovery suggests that meteorites may have played a critical role in the evolution of life on Earth.
The University of Arizona has been awarded a grant to establish the Center for Mathematics Education of Latinos/as (CEMELA), aiming to advance mathematics education by integrating cultural, social, and linguistic contexts. The center will develop leaders in mathematics education, focusing on working-class Latinos.
Researchers found that when plants supply ants with nectar, it boosts the ants' desire for meat, making them better bodyguards. The most convenient protein packets for ants on plants are often insects that are there to munch on the plant.
Researchers at the University of Arizona found that Lehmann lovegrass, an invasive species introduced in the 1930s, remains unchanged despite controlled burns. The study suggests that fire is not effective in reducing the spread of non-native species, forcing land managers to explore alternative methods for controlling the invasive grass.
Researchers found that buffelgrass, an invasive non-native species, grabs water before foothill palo verde trees can, ultimately killing them. The grass reduces the available water to trees, exacerbating drought conditions and causing self-pruning, a natural defense mechanism for the trees.
A meteorite from Oman has been precisely dated to 3.9 billion years ago, revealing its lunar origins and providing new insights into the moon's history. The discovery sheds light on the moon's evolution, including a key impact event that formed the Imbrium basin.
Researchers discover new method for growing tiny tubes, similar to those found in caves and at hydrothermal vents. The discovery uses a controlled laboratory setup to replicate the formation process, allowing scientists to study it on human time scales.
Scientists are investigating the effects of stereotype threat on cognitive function, particularly in women and minority groups. The study aims to understand the physiological processes underlying these impairments and develop strategies to help affected groups cope with social stigma.
Researchers at University of Arizona develop smart software to detect floods, volcanic eruptions and changes in ice fields on Earth. The software will also be used to study similar events throughout the solar system.
Researchers analyzed Cassini's Visual and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer data, revealing water ice, minerals, and unidentifiable materials on Phoebe's surface. This suggests a possible connection between Phoebe and comets, supporting the idea that it may be similar to Kuiper Belt Objects.
A team of astronomers using a novel camera will hunt for planets orbiting other stars, aiming to directly image faint gas-giants. The SDI camera has already made stunning images of Saturn's moon Titan and discovered an object near Jupiter in solar systems beyond our own.
A University of Arizona researcher estimates that Colorado River water divertions result in a $2.4 billion annual loss to society, primarily due to the absence of natural flood control and wastewater treatment. The study suggests including an environmental impact fee in water prices to support ecosystem restoration in the delta.
Researchers found that under drought conditions, tropical forests and desert ecosystems have similar maximum rain-use efficiency, a measure of total plant growth per unit of precipitation. This discovery indicates an upper limit to ecosystem productivity, which may impact climate change scenarios.
A study using earstones reveals that both totoaba and gulf corvina rely on brackish water in the Colorado River estuary for their early life, which is now threatened by freshwater diversion. The research provides evidence of human impact on these species' decline.
In Volvox carteri, colonies become sexual when exposed to high temperatures, releasing pheromones to guarantee mating partners. This response is linked to the activation of the sex-inducer gene, which promotes the production of a pheromone in reaction to increased oxidants produced by free radicals.
Researchers observe breeding patterns of two closely related fruitfly populations and find genetic changes that suggest they are on the verge of diverging into separate species. The study identifies polymorphism causing male sterility, which is present in every population but at higher frequencies in one geographic region.
Wetland restoration projects must consider the inevitable creation of mosquito habitats, which can increase exposure to diseases like West Nile virus. Elizabeth Willott suggests explicitly addressing mosquito control in proposals to strengthen project outcomes.
Researchers create tholins in lab experiments to understand Titan's chemistry and potential for life. They analyze spectroscopic properties and react with molten water to form oxygenated compounds.
Researchers found that biotech corn carrying a gene for insect protection can pollinate non-Bt corn plants up to 100 feet away, posing a risk of contaminating refuge areas. The discovery suggests measures are needed to reduce pollen spread from Bt corn to corn fields requiring refuge zones.