The University of Utah has joined a semiconductor network with Micron Technology to develop the next generation of US semiconductor industry's workforce. The partnership aims to increase students' opportunities for experiential learning across the semiconductor ecosystem, with a focus on underrepresented groups.
A new study found that the 2022 snow season had the highest snowpack dust concentrations of any year since observations began in 2009, accelerating snowmelt by 17 days. The dry lakebed of the Great Salt Lake contributed the highest dust emissions per surface area, threatening Utah's water supply.
Researchers at the University of Utah Health have made a groundbreaking discovery about the role of microglia in controlling anxiety-related behaviors. The study found that specific microglia populations activate anxiety behaviors while others dampen them, and these cells communicate with neurons to invoke behaviors.
A new study by University of Utah researchers finds that US forests may lose carbon through fire, stress, and insect damage, compromising their role as a climate solution. The study suggests urgent need to update carbon offset protocols with best available science on climate risks.
A study by University of Utah researchers found that birds eat fewer invertebrates in coffee plantations than in forests, threatening their survival. The disturbance of ecosystems significantly impacts dietary options, leading to reduced survival and population declines.
The study of Doublet Pool reveals that the interval between episodes of thumping reflects the amount of energy heating the pool, while also indicating heat loss through the surface. The researchers found that wind speed over the pools was correlated with silence intervals, suggesting that blowing wind removes heat energy from the water.
A new review reveals that environments beyond greenspaces and bluespaces, such as caves, deserts, and glaciers, have potential health benefits. Short-term exposure to solid-state water landscapes showed little evidence of benefits, while longer-term exposure led to improved emotional states, medical treatments for allergies, and physic...
A University of Utah study shows that certain wearable gadgets with bioimpedance technology can interfere with implantable cardiac electronic devices, potentially leading to incorrect functioning or electric shocks. The research highlights a need for further clinical studies to assess the risks and ensure patient health.
A new study documents the human scale of Utah's coercive eugenics and its lasting legacy among 54 suspected survivors still living today. The state's sterilization law, passed in 1925, targeted people confined to institutions, often without their consent.
A University of Utah-led study explores using space dust as a shield to reduce solar radiation and slow global warming. Launching lunar dust from the moon instead of Earth's way station at L1 could be an effective and cheap solution.
A study published in Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics found that phytoplankton productivity in the Southern Ocean contributes to dense clouds that reflect sunlight. The high density of water droplets in these clouds helps regulate global temperatures and precipitation patterns.
The researchers aim to create a set of tools to help other chemists select and produce the right crystal structures for new drugs, potentially saving time and cost. By understanding how molecules crystallize, they hope to speed up the development process and lower costs.
A new field campaign will provide crucial details on cloud and precipitation properties in the Southern Ocean. Scientists aim to improve climate models' accuracy with data from this region.
Establishing ecological corridors among western US national parks can enlarge mammal populations and allow species to shift geographic ranges in response to climate change. This could increase the long-term persistence time of mammal species by a factor of 4.3, compared to fragmented individual parks.
Researchers analyzed fossil bed in Nevada's Berlin-Ichthyosaur State Park to determine cause of mass extinction. They found evidence that ichthyosaurs died due to migration, not mass stranding or environmental toxins.
A study reveals that porcini mushrooms have evolved in different ways across the globe, with local ecological factors playing a stronger role in maintaining genetic distinctiveness than genetic flow. The findings challenge traditional notions of species development and suggest multiple evolutionary strategies for this organism.
A study by University of Utah professor Thure Cerling and colleagues used carbon isotope science to analyze four seizures of ivory in Angola, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Uganda. The results show that the ivory dates back to the 1980s, similar in age to ivory in Burundi's national stockpile, strengthening suspicions of ivory stockpile theft.
A decades-long study found that cash changed the Ju/’hoansi economy, allowing individuals to keep their earnings and fill their own needs. The study also revealed a decline in the traditional system of gifting and sharing, which had previously distributed possessions throughout communities.
A 12,000-year analysis of El Niño's impact on animal communities reveals a tipping point where five or more major events per century lead to dramatic changes in eastern Pacific ecosystems. This finding suggests that strong El Niño events will play an increasingly important role in shaping future ecosystems.
Forests face risks from climate change in three dimensions: carbon storage, biodiversity, and forest loss from disturbances. The study found higher risks in southern boreal forests and drier regions of the Amazon and African tropics.
Climate change is intensifying Western US wildfire activity, resulting in taller smoke plumes and more aerosols injected into the atmosphere. The study models 4.6 million smoke plumes and finds that maximum plume height increased by an average of 320 ft per year in four regions, with some areas experiencing a 750 ft per year increase.
A new theory suggests that lack of perceived safety in marginalized communities can have a direct impact on physical and mental health. This concept challenges decades-old thinking that minority stress is the primary cause of health disparities in the LGBTQ community.
Researchers recreated ancient ammonite movement using robotic models, exploring trade-offs between stability and maneuverability. The study found that different shell shapes offered varying advantages and consequences, with no single perfect design.
Researchers at the University of Utah designed composite materials using moiré patterns, resulting in abrupt transitions between electrical conductor and insulator properties. The study's findings have broad potential technological applications and demonstrate a new geometry-driven localization transition.
A new study in Frontiers in Earth Science questions the link between climate change and ecosystem diversity during the origin of dinosaurs in Argentina. The researchers found that variations in species abundance cannot be explained by climatic changes, instead attributing it to preservation and sampling biases.
A University of Utah-led study found a surge in anti-Asian hate language on Twitter between January and March 2020, with clusters of hateful tweets spreading across the US. The researchers identified 15 geographic regions where anti-Asian hate was statistically higher than expected.
A University of Utah and New Zealand study reveals that CO2 deep underground allows magma to avoid being trapped, reaching the surface and pooling into persistent lava lakes. This finding expands our understanding of magma sources and transport to the surface, particularly in rift volcanoes.
Researchers have found a way to perform hydrogen atom transfer reactions with fewer chemicals and less cost, making it more efficient for industrial and academic settings. The new method uses electrochemistry to create cobalt hydride catalysts, reducing the need for expensive oxidants and reductants.
A new study finds that climate change is projected to increase the risks of tree death in US forests by 4-14 times by 2099, depending on carbon emissions scenarios. Human actions to tackle climate change can significantly reduce these risks.
Researchers found tree growth not source-limited but rather by cell growth, suggesting forests may not absorb as much carbon as thought. The study's findings challenge current forest growth models and highlight the need for climate change mitigation strategies.
An anti-idling campaign at two elementary schools reduced idling time by 38% and improved air quality, according to a study published in the Atmosphere journal. The campaign, which involved teachers and parents, also found localized pollution hotspots around schools caused by car emissions.
Researchers developed an interdisciplinary resilience framework to understand the connection between social and water systems in communities like the Choyeros. The framework explores how social systems impact water supply resilience and vice versa, providing a tool to generate conversations and coordinate responses.
Urban mammals adjust their daily activities to evade human encounters, altering predator-prey dynamics and increasing human overlap. This multi-species study reveals the timing of mammalian behavior changes in response to urbanization.
Researchers found that favorable local climate change led to chronic warfare in ancient Peru, as neighboring regions experienced droughts and migrants put pressure on the agricultural economy. The study suggests that climate change can harm all populations, either directly or indirectly, through destabilization and refugee crises.
Research in mice suggests that neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) can cause further damage to the brain after a stroke by trapping other cells and reducing blood flow. Blocking NETs with a compound called nNIF may protect the brain from this harm, leading to better outcomes for patients.
Researchers discovered a new venom compound in deep-water cone snails, similar to the hormone somatostatin, with possible pharmaceutical applications for treating chronic pain and other human maladies. The study highlights the rich biochemical diversity of animal venoms and the need to explore new compounds.
A pioneering study of LGBT+ experiences in physics finds that women, trans people, and those from marginalized groups face high rates of harassment and exclusionary behaviors. The study highlights the need for support and equity across institutions to retain LGBT+ physicists.
New research from University of Utah biomedical engineer Jessica Kramer reveals that human mucus and saliva may prevent the spread of coronaviruses when dry on a surface. Mucins in mucus form a barrier around live virus, preventing infection by binding to sugars on viruses instead of cells.
Researchers have discovered a surprisingly soft mineral, davemaoite, that plays a crucial role in the Earth's recycling of rocks. The study suggests that davemaoite is around 1,000 times softer than other minerals in the mantle, and its mechanical properties can help explain how earthquakes and volcanoes occur.
A new clinical trial demonstrates that a mindfulness-based therapy, Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement (MORE), decreases opioid use and misuse while reducing chronic pain symptoms. MORE significantly improves chronic pain symptoms, decreases opioid craving, and reduces symptoms of depression.
A University of Utah-led study examines cooperation networks in the Utah State Legislature, finding that politicians tend to work with colleagues from their own political and gender groups. The researchers discovered a high rate of reciprocation, with members of the same gender increasing the likelihood of future cooperation.
University of Utah researchers measured 14 rock towers in Utah to predict their seismic stability. They used mathematics that describe built structures' resonance to create a dataset, allowing for predictions without climbing the towers.
A recent study published in the Journal of Wildlife Management found that vulture declines are linked to increased disease risks due to their absence. With no natural clean-up crew, diseases spread rapidly among scavenger communities, including feral dogs, which fill the ecological gap left by vultures.
A new study reveals that climate had a significant influence on diet in the Central Andes between 400 and 7,000 years ago. The researchers found that population size had little impact on dietary variation, except during the Late Horizon (~480-418 yBP), when diets became more similar due to the Inca Empire's centralized power.
Astronomers have found an intermediate-mass black hole in the Andromeda galaxy, one of only a few confirmed objects of its kind. The discovery sheds light on the formation of galaxies and provides insights into the population of black holes at the centers of low-mass galaxies.
Researchers discovered that California mice consume monarch butterflies, which could disrupt ecosystems due to declining western monarch populations. The study highlights the interconnectedness of species and the importance of conservation efforts to protect native animals.
New research suggests that ultra-low velocity zones in the deep mantle may be regions made of different rocks than the rest of the mantle, with compositions potentially linked to the early Earth. The study's findings imply the presence of layered structures within these zones, shedding light on their origin and evolution.
Researchers have discovered that the Matterhorn sways at a frequency of 0.42 Hertz, oscillating roughly in a north-south direction, with similar frequencies in an east-west direction. The mountain's summit experiences amplified vibrations up to 14 times stronger than the reference station at its base.
In a new study, desert shrubs in the Southwest have increased their water use efficiency at unprecedented rates to survive a decades-long megadrought. The study found that despite this heroic increase, shrubs may not be adapting quickly enough to long-term drying trends in the West.
Scientists at the University of Utah studied the defense mechanism of Armillaria ostoyae, a parasitic fungus that infects and kills over 600 types of woody plants. They found that the fungus's outer layer has a strong protective role, containing calcium to protect itself from chemicals and insects.