In the News
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March 19, 2026
Daniel Crane, professor of law, says Donald Trump has bucked a half-century of precedent by involving himself in Justice Department and Federal Trade Commission antitrust reviews of mergers: “Despite a bipartisan post-Watergate consensus that the agencies should be insulated from political interference, Trump has made it very clear that he views antitrust decisions as his to make.”
The Washington Post -
March 18, 2026
The president’s recent social media post touting the Iran war as a financial boon for big oil plays into voters’ cynicism, said Mark Mizruchi, professor of sociology, organizational studies, and management and organizations. “The interesting thing about Trump’s statement is that he inadvertently stated a belief that a lot of people have … It probably didn’t occur to him that people — including in the industry — weren’t happy about that.”
Politico -
March 18, 2026
For years, longevity researchers have tested interventions to extend the lives of lab mice, including the discovery that a gene mutation that causes dwarfism in mice can markedly extend the lifespan of a mammal. “Once it became clear you could slow aging by relatively simple means, it was no longer considered silly to try to do that,” said Richard Miller, professor of pathology. “It’s slowly becoming more popular, and it’s an approach that deserves to be popular.”
The Washington Post -
March 18, 2026
“Basically, any person of color right now is vulnerable to ICE raids, and so having relationships with other communities around you is one of the most important things to be able to defend yourself, and to have infrastructure,” said Nancy Khalil, assistant professor of American culture. “The mosque or any area really now is open for ICE to potentially enter … If you can designate your private spaces, clearly that helps protect your community, and I think more mosques are taking steps to do that.”
WBUR Boston -
March 17, 2026
The four-leaf clover has become a symbol of good luck, but the term “clover” can be a misnomer to describe it because it refers to plants in the genus trifolium (three leaves), said Aly Baumgartner, collections manager for vascular plants at the U-M Herbarium: “This is why common names can be confusing and make things a little bit more complicated but also lead to these fun stories of trying to pick apart, going through historically, ‘What did they mean when they said this word?’”
MLive -
March 17, 2026
Data centers lead to higher electricity prices for nearby consumers, impose significant costs on the local environment and fail to create stable, high-paying jobs for local communities, writes Ben Green, assistant professor of information: “Given these harms and false promises, there should be little surprise that data centers are unpopular. The rapid pace of data center development means that the backlash is only going to grow.”
Tech Policy Press -
March 17, 2026
“The problem I have with burning plastics is that we already burn a lot of energy and generate a lot of emissions to make that plastic,” said Anne McNeil, professor of chemistry and of macromolecular science and engineering, about companies that burn plastics to use as fuel instead of coal — which doesn’t count as recycling under Michigan law.
National Public Radio -
March 17, 2026
“While many studies have examined the effects of concussion immediately after injury or decades later, our study examined the effects in athletes five years after college graduation, a time when early interventions may be more helpful to lessen any long-term effects,” said Steven Broglio, professor of kinesiology and director of the U-M Concussion Center, who found that former college athletes can show signs of concussion-related brain decline as early as five years after graduation.
U.S. News & World Report -
March 16, 2026
Nail biting or chewing on objects is more than just a physical need — gnawing activates dopamine, a chemical in the brain linked to pleasure and motivation. “There is a defined neural circuit that connects sensory input from the teeth to dopamine neurons in the midbrain,” said Bo Duan, associate professor of molecular, cellular, and developmental biology. Joshua Emrick, assistant professor of dentistry, believes the discovery could improve understanding of dental problems: “I think the most lasting impact of this is that it helps us understand why animals have repetitive oral behaviors and how that relates to human pathology.”
Earth.com -
March 16, 2026
Repealing a Michigan law that required motorcycle riders to wear helmets resulted in a 26% average increase in hospital costs per crash patient, says Patrick Johnson, general surgery resident: “When people argue that helmet choice is solely a personal freedom issue, they overlook who ultimately pays for the treatment. A significant portion of these costs fall on public payers, taxpayers and trauma systems — meaning we all share the financial burden.”
U.S. News & World Report
