In the News
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March 20, 2026
“The fact that they remain in the country and work to protect and maintain the sites and the museums, when some of them had opportunities to escape with their families, is an act of bravery, but it’s also an act of love and care for their heritage,” said Geoff Emberling, research scientist at the Kelsey Museum of Archaeology, about residents who stayed behind to repair and restore archaeological sites and museums that were looted, destroyed or damaged during Sudan’s ongoing three-year civil war.
Hyperallergic -
March 20, 2026
New research on mice hints at the amount of gravity needed to maintain astronauts’ muscles, and suggests that the level on Mars won’t cut it. “You have to start somewhere, and this is an exciting development,” said Lori Ploutz-Snyder, dean of the School of Kinesiology, who noted that understanding the gravity threshold for humans would help determine the best artificial gravity levels for long spaceflights.
Smithsonian Magazine -
March 20, 2026
“We have to be able to tell our story in plain English to the average American so they understand why universities are so important to their lives,” said U-M President Domenico Grasso. “The research that’s done at universities, and public universities in particular, should be in the public interest. … That research has impacted the human condition, solving specific problems and molding the way we see our place on this planet as a species and our stewardship of the earth.”
The Atlantic -
March 19, 2026
“Ballet and opera are often framed in public discourse as either ‘relics’ of the past or elite art forms struggling to remain relevant. In reality, both forms are deeply alive, evolving and sustained by vibrant communities of artists, scholars, educators, and audiences,” said Kara Roseborough, lecturer of dance. Amy West, clinical assistant professor of dance, said at U-M “we see something very different every day: students and faculty pushing boundaries, blending disciplines and bringing joy, dedication and creativity to these art forms.”
Detroit Free Press -
March 19, 2026
“It’s an underrecognized problem, and it’s also something that we can (change) in our clinical management very quickly,” said nephrologist Jennifer Schaub, assistant professor of internal medicine, about drug-induced acute kidney injury in hospital patients. “There are new things to treat people with, which is good, but the kidneys are sometimes an innocent bystander with all of these therapies that are being developed.”
Scientific American -
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
