The Latest Research, Innovation & Impact News

Agreeing to send a spacecraft to an asteroid to bring back a sample was no easy decision, Dante Lauretta, the leader of NASA's UArizona-led OSIRIS-REx mission, told graduates. They, too, will face daunting opportunities in their careers, he said – and they should say yes.

UArizona astrophysicists Feryal Özel and Dimitrios Psaltis identified Sagittarius A* as an ideal target black hole more than 20 years ago. They call it a "Goldilocks black hole," with an environment "just right" for capturing an image.

After years of anticipation, the international Event Horizon Telescope Collaboration presented the first image of the black hole located at the center of our own Milky Way galaxy, called Sagittarius A*. Scientists had previously suggested the presence of a black hole at this location, but there was no direct visual evidence until now. 

Snapping an image of a black hole is just the beginning, says researcher Chi-Kwan "CK" Chan. To really understand the image, it must be compared with black hole simulations. UArizona worked with partners to create the world's largest simulation library.

During a visit to campus, NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy discussed some of the space agency's most ambitious and impactful space missions with the UArizona early-career scientists who pursue them.

For the first time since the start of the pandemic, Commencement will bring all graduates together in person at Arizona Stadium. Dante Lauretta, principal investigator of NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission, will deliver the keynote address.

Parkinson's disease is perhaps best known for its movement-related symptoms, but it can also hinder vocal production. New research suggests that a specific gene commonly associated with Parkinson's may be behind those vocal issues – a finding that could help lead to earlier diagnosis and treatment for Parkinson's patients.

Engineering students competed for more than $46,000 in prizes at the first in-person Engineering Design Day since 2019, with projects ranging from a battery-powered flashbang alternative to mealworm protein bars.

Led by University of Arizona alumnus Arthur "Barney" Maccabe, the Institute for the Future of Data and Computing will explore the societal questions driving how and why data is used.  By integrating data, networking and computing, he says researchers can target today's most complex and pressing challenges, such as precision health care, cyberspace security and climate resilience.

A new decadal survey from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine recommends NASA fully support NEO Surveyor, a space-based survey designed to discover and measure asteroids and comets that could pose an impact hazard to Earth. Amy Mainzer, a professor of planetary sciences, leads the effort.