In the News
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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 -
March 16, 2026
“Unfortunately, there are bad-faith players out there who might take advantage of people’s situations,” said Sarah Mohiuddin, a clinician who runs the Multidisciplinary Autism Program, about unconventional providers who could charge families thousands of dollars for leucovorin — which the FDA now says lacks “sufficient data” as a potential treatment for autism.
CNN -
March 13, 2026
“Exposure to air pollution is not only a physical and emotional burden, it’s also an economic one, increasing health care spending for the individuals affected, their families and taxpayers through higher Medicare spending, especially for people already with high health care needs,” said Sara Adar, professor of epidemiology, whose research found that higher residential air pollution levels are associated with faster declines in physical function and reduced chances of recovery.
Toledo Blade -
March 13, 2026
“Even though the U.S. is not directly impacted, in the sense that we are not getting oil and gas from the Strait of Hormuz, oil and gas are globally traded commodities. Prices rise. … The costs and the risks are distributed throughout, including here for the U.S. consumer,” said Jatin Dua, associate professor of anthropology and director of the Oceans Lab, on the shipping disruptions at the Strait of Hormuz since the outbreak of the Iran war.
CBS News -
March 13, 2026
“As the Islamic Republic blinds young women with birdshot and imprisons them for removing a headscarf, the Western left remains largely silent. Cultural relativism has been used as a tool to justify their hand-off approach. But women in Iran, Indonesia and Saudi Arabia do not share a single cuisine, language or national history. What they share is a single religion. And that, apparently, is enough for Western observers to treat their oppression as untouchable,” wrote Mitra Aliabouzar, research assistant professor of radiology.
The Detroit News -
March 12, 2026
New research shows that teens are getting less sleep than ever before, and screen time isn’t necessarily to blame — it could be earlier school start times, too many extracurricular demands and less parental monitoring. “This is definitely a highly prevalent problem. It’s an epidemic in our country,” said Anita Shelgikar, clinical professor of neurology, who favors incorporating sleep health education into school curricula and a delayed school start time.
National Public Radio
