Arizona Science Desk

ARIZONA SCIENCE DESK

Some think homelessness is a choice. This advocate debunks that
The Show spoke with assistant director of programs at Central Arizona Shelter Services Richard Southee about his studies in trauma-informed care at Arizona State University. The conversation kicks off a new segment called Deep Dive.
Remote work may cut employee greenhouse emissions by half
The COVID pandemic caused a sea change in the amount and frequency of remote work – a shift that could reduce greenhouse gases. Analysis of data on energy consumption and travel behavior suggests fully remote workers produce less than half the emissions of office workers.
7 hours ago
Many concerned as work restarts on Taser drone
The Show spoke with Ese Olumhense, an investigative reporter at the Markup, about Scottsdale-based Axon's idea for stopping school shootings: Taser drones.
8 hours ago
UA-led study finds climate-driven extinction is speeding up
The work is based on surveys of dwindling lizard populations in southern Arizona’s sky-island mountain ranges. “We found like 70 years’ worth of extinction in just seven years,” said UA’s John Wiens.
More Arizona Science Desk news
Sep. 20, 2023
Experts: Medical AI needs more experts with technical, health fluency
Views on artificial-intelligence and machine-learning in medicine alternate between two extremes: They either tout AI as the cure for every ill, or vilify it as a vector for spreading systemic bias. Researchers find themselves managing expectations even as they strive to improve outcomes.
Sep. 20, 2023
How media got the Phoenix Lights wrong
The Show spoke with Tony Ortega, the former editor-in-chief of the Village Voice, about what he makes of the fact that there seems to be a lot of conversations and questions about what the Pentagon knows and what it’s telling us and lawmakers about UFOs.
Sep. 20, 2023
Podcast wants to change conversation around menopause
The Show spoke with KJZZ's own Kathy Ritchie about her new podcast, Period, The End (But Not Really), that's all about menopause and changing the way people with ovaries look at it.
Sep. 20, 2023
What to know about the new COVID-19 vaccine — and where to get them
The Show spoke with Dr. Nick Staab, assistant medical director with the Maricopa County Department of Public Health, about the long-awaited new COVID-19 vaccine.
Sep. 20, 2023
Phoenix finds 26 hot prospects at biotech convention
Since welcoming the Translational Genomics Research Institute downtown, Phoenix has seen significant growth in bioscience and healthcare related companies.
Sep. 19, 2023
Federal funds to help ID human remains in AZ
The Department of Justice is awarding almost $850,000 to the Arizona Department of Public Safety. The money comes from the Bureau of Justice Assistance's Missing and Unidentified Human Remains program, focused on improving reporting, transportation and forensics testing on unidentified remains.
Sep. 19, 2023
AZ-based company could be on cutting edge of zero-emission tech
Arizona-based Nikola Motors says it’s recently started producing hydrogen fuel-cell semitrucks and expects to begin delivering them this fall. The company said it’s had more than 200 orders for the trucks, which have a range of up to 500 miles.
Sep. 19, 2023
Fill Mead First picking up steam as Colorado River faces ongoing drought
The Show spoke with Luke Runyon, co-director of the Water Desk at the University of Colorado's Center for Environmental Journalism, about the Colorado River and water in the West.
Sep. 19, 2023
Can the people who need Narcan afford it?
The Show spoke with James Hodge, a professor of law at Arizona State University's Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law, and director of the Center for Public Health Law and Policy, about the new availability of Narcan and it's high price.
Sep. 18, 2023
Study shows rise of cancer rates among young people
A newly released study has revealed a growing prevalence of cancer among young people. According to the findings, the overall incidence rate of early onset cancers increased between 2010 and 2019.
Sep. 17, 2023
2023 monsoon could be the driest on record for the Valley
Despite the rain that fell in much of the Valley last week, forecasters say this could be the driest monsoon on record for this portion of the state.
Sep. 16, 2023
UA cancer team targets cancer’s iron ‘addiction’ for potential treatment
If typical body cells consume iron as part of a healthy diet, then cancer cells devour it like peak athletes pound down protein and pasta. A new paper shows how researchers can take advantage of this iron “addiction” to target cancer cells.
Sep. 15, 2023
USAID virus monitoring program gets canceled
The U.S. Agency for International Development has canceled DEEP VZN before it could begin work. The program had been allocated about 10% of its promised funding and had not yet received a green light to begin field work.
Sep. 15, 2023
Coconino County seeks public input to modernize dark sky ordinance
The county has had the ordinance in place since the 1980s, but officials say lighting technology has changed since then. Some recommendations in the original ordinance, like low sodium pressure bulbs, are considered archaic.
Sep. 15, 2023
The vast frontier of outer space is getting crowded — with junk
The problem of space junk is only growing. There are around 100 new lunar missions planned over the next decade. Chris Impey, a university distinguished professor of astronomy at the University of Arizona, spoke with The Show more about the problem.
Sep. 15, 2023
Flagstaff announces prescribed burns within city limits
The city of Flagstaff has announced plans to conduct prescribed burns within city limits this fall. The burns will take place on city-owned parcels and will likely occur in mid-September to mid-November, depending on weather.
Sep. 14, 2023
River health worsening, in line with climate change predictions
Rivers are a vital source of water throughout the West, and play an essential role in the food chain and the carbon cycle. But two recent papers show river health is failing, confirming some dire predictions of climate models.
Sep. 14, 2023