Arizona Science: Recent Episodes
Arizona Public Media
Arizona Science explores the latest scientific research and technological innovations taking place in Southern Arizona and at the University of Arizona. Catch Arizona Science each Friday during Science Friday on NPR 89.1.
Scientists are finding ways to improve pictures to better align with the way our eyes see them.
Some of the most traumatic highlights in Earth's history can be found in ancient tree rings.
Dark energy can't be seen but space scientists say it can be measured through the outward movement of supernovae and galaxies.
Researchers are revolutionizing medical imaging by creating extremely small devices that can see inside the human body.
Scientists are studying the biological connections within and between species that benefit both. University of Arizona evolutionary biologist Judith Bronstein identifies examples of mutualism, ranging from bacterial organisms to plant pollinators.
Astronomers are focusing on the smallest and most distant galaxies in the universe. University of Arizona researcher David Sand describes how he locates dwarf galaxies through digital sky surveys and gathers information about them using ground-based telescopes in the Southern Hemisphere.
Now that people are driving electric cars and buses, researchers are working on the feasibility of all-electric airplanes.
Visitors imagine Biosphere 2 as a place for large scale research on plant life and ocean biology.
Arizona's ties to copper go back to the territorial era, but the mineral also plays a big part in human health.
Exchanging messages with aliens is the source material for science fiction stories, but scientists have been trying to communicate with outer space intelligence for decades.
Scientists are say the ability to recognize emotion is essential for advanced human-computer communication.
Diverse languages and cultures interact every day in Southern Arizona. University of Arizona Speech and Cognitive Science professor Genesis Arizmendi discusses how being bilingual shapes how we communicate and connect within our communities.
Scientists have long known Mars has annual seasons just like Earth. University of Arizona planetary scientist Shane Byrne describes how 20 years of observations by the U-of-A built HiRISE orbiting camera have given researchers new insight into what happens on the surface during the 687 Earth-day Martian year.
Advances in 3-D modelling are leading to new ways of visualizing the surface of the Moon, Mars and other objects in the solar system.
Medical researchers are shifting their attention to bird flu this season. University of Arizona professor Mohaned Al-Obaidi discusses how the H5N1 strain has created a challenge for scientists fighting the spread of the emerging virus.
Scientists studying eating disorders are focusing on a part of the brain that governs food consumption and emotions. University of Arizona neuroscientist Haijiang Cai discusses how understanding the two functions could help people coping with anorexia.
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.
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.
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.
Astronauts left the last seismometers on the moon's surface during the Apollo program 50 years ago.
Scientists studying the world's oceans are finding proof that the Earth is responding to efforts by populations fighting climate change.
The pace of local extinctions is on the rise in the sky islands of the Sonoran Desert. University of Arizona evolutionary biologist John Wiens is tracking lizard populations in mountainous regions of southern Arizona and western Mexico and found some species are struggling with the changing climate.
REPEAT. Researchers studying prostate cancer have found introducing the disease in mice does not always produce accurate results.
Tree ring researchers are exploring the lives of sea creatures that document climate change just like trees do. The University of Arizona's Bryan Black reveals studies of underwater life like corals and rockfish which match a climate history also revealed in tree rings on land.
Elderly dogs can suffer from cognitive dysfunction, similar to dementia in humans. Evan MacLean with the Arizona Canine Cognition Center in Tucson explains how games and puzzles that provide mental stimulation for dogs helps researchers understand how human brains respond at an advanced age.
The saguaro cactus has been a source of study for southern Arizonans for decades. Saguaro National Park wildlife biologist Don Swann is among the scientists asking why saguaros are biologically fit to survive the ongoing drought, and looking deeper into its role in the desert ecosystem.
Artificial intelligence is being put to work solving the challenge of feeding the planet. University of Arizona professor Murat Kucira talks about how advanced computing can help deal with issues like farming efficiency and the impact of climate change due to global warming.
Studies found that traditional farmers did not suffer from lung diseases usually caused by dust in the fields where they worked.
Economists often describe how consumer confidence drives spending decisions, but scientific researchers are asking if it's the other way around.
The best way to observe the universe is with a telescope above the Earth's atmosphere, and the least expensive way to get there is using a stratospheric balloon. University of Arizona astronomy professor Chris Walker explains how he and his team are mapping the Milky Way with a balloon-mounted telescope above Antarctica.
Researchers are looking at chemistry in sea water that affects coral reefs. University of Arizona Geosciences professor Diane Thompson talks about how events recorded in corals can help investigate climate change.
Researchers studying prostate cancer have found introducing the disease in mice does not always produce accurate results.
Researchers are investigating ways to use waste from fossil fuels to create a new class of advanced plastics. University of Arizona chemistry professor Jeff Pyun talks about how scientists are changing the way companies are thinking about plastic production. He will be the final speaker for the College of Science free lecture series next Wednesday.
The University of Arizona-backed James Webb Space Telescope has opened new insight about planets outside our solar system. UA planetary scientist Sara Moran reveals the latest knowledge about exoplanets and the bizarre materials that make up their atmospheres. Dr. Moran is one of the featured presenters in the 2024 College of Science lecture series.
Each ring on a tree stump can mark a complete cycle of the seasons, dating back thousands of years. University of Arizona researcher Charlotte Pearson talks about how trees have recorded events through time, from floods to solar storms. She will give a talk on the subject next Wednesday at the College of Science free lecture series.
Scientists began developing theories about black holes more than a hundred years ago. University of Arizona professor Sam Gralla explains why the existence of black holes continues to raise questions about the basic concepts of physics. He will be the leadoff speaker for this year's College of Science lecture series next week.
Animals are filling a growing need in the field of therapy and service work. University of Arizona veterinary medicine researcher Maggie O'Haire notes it isn't always dogs who are best suited to help people with physical disabilities and mental stress.
Treatments for COVID-19 are effective, but it's better if you can avoid getting the coronavirus in the first place. University of Arizona epidemiologist Kacey Ernst discusses the challenge of keeping people aware of vaccinations against COVID and other infectious diseases.
University of Arizona forestry expert Don Falk talks about how woodlands might adapt to changes in climate.
REPEAT. Cochlear implants can open a world of possibilities by restoring a sense of sound and speech. Retired University of Arizona honors professor Ted Glattke is taking the latest research in auditory science to small towns in Mexico, helping children overcome hearing issues.
REPEAT. Studies into Alzheimer's disease have found men's and women's brains age differently, except when men develop prostate cancer. University of Arizona neurology professor Roberta Brinton discusses research on who is more likely to develop Alzheimer's and describes how menopausal hormone therapy might provide a key for treatment.
The key to better cybersecurity might be found in a beehive. University of Arizona Ecology and Evolutionary Biologist Anna Dornhaus talks about the strategies bees and ants use to direct collective behavior, and applying those methods to computer software to create better cybersecurity.
Archeologists don't always focus on stone statues and drawings on walls. University of Arizona anthropologist Ed Jolie explains why items like clothing, baskets, nets or string made from organic material can also tell us a lot about ancient civilizations.
Some experts think putting more effort into making artificial intelligence more intelligent is better than worrying about it making mistakes. University of Arizona computer scientist Mihai Surdeanu talks about how keeping A. I. systems in check is creating new opportunities for people inside and outside the technology sector.
REPEAT. Recycling wastewater has proven successful in places as diverse as the International Space Station and Disneyland.
The University of Arizona built Giant Magellan Telescope is expected to start scanning the heavens within the next decade. U of A astronomer Buell Januzzi reveals how the telescope's size and scale will put it above other Earth-bound telescopes in its ability to find hidden details between the stars.
A team of University of Arizona faculty and undergraduate students are working together finding facts about exploding stars. UA Astronomy professor Brenda Frye describes what makes supernovae special and what they can tell us about our own Sun.
A devastating earthquake that struck what's now the northwestern corner of the United States 1,100 years ago is still part of native American legend in the region. University of Arizona tree ring researcher Bryan Black is leading a team discovering more about the event, and reveals how linked fault lines beneath the Earth's crust might pose a further threat to the region in the present day.
REPEAT: Researchers have found non-white Hispanics live longer and have better health outcomes than people from other ethnic and cultural groups.
Researchers continue to explore ways Arizona and the Southwest can draw water from unique sources. University of Arizona environmental engineering professor Kerri Hickenbottom discusses how what was formerly called treated wastewater plays a role in providing water for both irrigation and human consumption.
REPEAT: The U-S Surgeon General says loneliness and social isolation can have a devastating impact on mental and physical health
Cochlear implants can open a world of possibilities by restoring a sense of sound and speech. Retired University of Arizona honors professor Ted Glattke is taking the latest research in auditory science to small towns in Mexico, helping children overcome hearing issues.
Studies into Alzheimer's disease have found men's and women's brains age differently, except when men develop prostate cancer. University of Arizona neurology professor Roberta Brinton discusses research on who is more likely to develop Alzheimer's and describes how menopausal hormone therapy might provide a key for treatment.
REPEAT: The University of Arizona-backed OSIRIS-REx spacecraft will return its long-awaited sample of rocks and dust from the asteroid Bennu this week.
Planetary scientists are re-targeting the Osiris-REx spacecraft for a close encounter with the asteroid Apophis in 2029. New principal investigator Dani DellaGiustina talks about plans to use the robot explorer's instruments for another spectacular mission.
With climate change already impacting much of the weather around the world, what difference will it make in the Southwest monsoon? University of Arizona environmental sciences professor Mike Crimmins talks about the weather patterns that determine monsoon activity in our region and in other spots around the world.