Arizona Science Desk

ARIZONA SCIENCE DESK

AZ researchers work to solve mysteries of ‘brightest of all time’ gamma burst
On Oct. 9, an unusually narrow and staggering bright jet of energy swept through our solar system. A series of research papers this month focused on the event, a gamma ray burst called GRB 221009A and nicknamed the BOAT, or “brightest of all time.” It’s raising a lot of questions.
Horses interacted with U.S. Indigenous cultures far earlier than history teaches
The horse transformed the American Southwest and Great Plains, including the ways of life of many Indigenous cultures. But the western history of when these animals spread through those societies is sorely in need of a rewrite.
3 hours ago
Some unhoused seniors risk losing AHCCCS coverage
After nearly three years, AHCCCS, Arizona’s Medicaid program, will begin its redetermination process this Saturday. Now, AHCCCS is trying to connect with members who are at risk of losing coverage — and that could include some unhoused seniors.
5 hours ago
Face blindness could affect up to 3% of the population
If you’ve ever met someone at a party who clearly knew who you were but who you didn’t recognize for the life of you, you’ve got an idea of what life is like for people with face blindness — or prosopagnosia.
7 hours ago
Test strips can detect drugs laced with animal sedative
People concerned with the trend of cutting illicit drugs with the deadly sedative nicknamed “tranq” will soon have a reliable way to test for it.
Mar. 29, 2023
City of Chandler launches drone delivery pilot program
The Chandler City Council, along with both the Maricopa Association of Governments and Airspace Link have approved a limited pilot program to test drone delivery capabilities for medical supplies in west Chandler.
Mar. 29, 2023
Heavier drinking raises odds of using firearm to die by suicide
The chief means of suicide in the U.S. is firearms, and drinking increases the likelihood of gun-related suicides. But does the amount a person drinks affect those odds? A paper in the journal JAMA Network Open has the latest.
Mar. 29, 2023
Eating disorders affect all kinds of people. Heres why many still struggle to get treatment
Eating disorders are growing more prevalent in the U.S., but researchers still struggle to find funding, and patients still wrangle with treatment that’s stigmatized, narrowly focused and hard to access. Meanwhile, the picture of these serious and often fatal illnesses continues to evolve.
More Arizona science news
Mar. 28, 2023
How turning your phone screen to black and white will affect how you look at it
Looking at the screen time report on your phone can be jarring. But Alex Holte, an assistant professor of psychology at the University of Cincinnati Blue Ash College, found one way that could help cut down on screen time: switching your phone to black and white.
Mar. 28, 2023
Valley fever is in the Phoenix air. How did it end up in Washington state?
New research is helping to explain how the fungus that causes Valley fever ended up in south-central Washington state.
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Mar. 28, 2023
Stamp honors NASA OSIRIS-REx space mission
The U.S. Postal Service announced its latest stamp honoring the OSIRIS-REx space mission. In 2016, the mission began as a joint effort between NASA, the University of Arizona and Lockheed Martin to study and map the asteroid Bennu.
Mar. 24, 2023
LG to spend $5.5B building Queen Creek battery factories
A Korean battery maker with plans to spend a billion-plus dollars on a plant in Queen Creek says it will nearly quadruple the investment.
Mar. 24, 2023
IRS updates virtual assets question on tax forms
Tax season is upon us, and the IRS is updating its questions regarding digital assets like cryptocurrency.
Mar. 24, 2023
Kingman-area downwinders still struggle for compensation
An estimated 2,000 Arizonans currently living in Mohave County suffered the effects of radiation exposure from nuclear testing during the Cold War. Yet, the U.S. government doesn’t recognize them as victims. The Downwinders Parity Act introduced last month by Sen. Kyrsten Sinema is the latest in a long line of bipartisan attempts to compensate them.
Mar. 23, 2023
During Oak Flat hearing, U.S. says it may release new report
When President Joe Biden took office, his administration acted quickly to unpublish an environmental report that gave the green light to a proposed copper mine in the Oak Flat area of Tonto National Forest. But it may soon republish the report.
More news from the Fronteras Desk
Mar. 23, 2023
What to do when winds scatter baby birds to the ground
Nesting and hatching season is an exciting time for birds and bird watchers. But what’s the right thing to do when spring winds knock baby birds or nests to the ground? Liberty Wildlife has some answers.
Mar. 23, 2023
C. auris fungal infections reported in 3 counties
The state health department has reported several cases of an ailment that is causing severe illnesses in hospitals across the U.S. and resists many common drugs. And, no, it’s not MRSA.
More Arizona science news
Mar. 23, 2023
Mountain lion spotted in Tuzigoot National Monument
Cameras have captured a mountain lion wandering the Tavasci Marsh trails of Tuzigoot National Monument. One ranger offers his recommendations for those visiting the area.
Mar. 22, 2023
Mayo Clinic study: New treatment could mean better days for cancer patients
A recently published study found that a new type of treatment for multiple myeloma could mean better quality of life for patients. It is a cancer of the plasma cells, and roughly 47,000 people are diagnosed each year.
Mar. 22, 2023
The wet winter means more mosquitos in Phoenix
Maricopa County Environmental Services is warning of the increased potential this year for West Nile and and St. Louis encephalitis cases due to mosquitos from the wetter-than-normal winter.
Mar. 22, 2023
This new cremation method uses water instead of flame
It’s hard to say what happens to our souls after we die. But it’s a little more straightforward to know what happens to our bodies. Some people now have a new option that’s seen as more environmentally friendly.
More science news
Mar. 20, 2023