In the News
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February 10, 2026
Binge drinking after abstaining from alcohol during Dry January can lead to detrimental health impacts. “It triggers something that we call holiday heart syndrome. … It causes some electrical instability in the heart, resulting in abnormal heart rhythms, specifically coming from the top part of the heart,” said cardiologist Stacy Willner, clinical assistant professor of internal medicine.
WEMU Radio -
February 10, 2026
“A year ago, (data centers) was a topic that many people were not focused on, (now) we’ve seen organizing and heated debate and lots of resistance in communities across the state,” said Ben Green, assistant professor of information, who favors abolishing Michigan’s data center tax breaks, calling them “bad deals for states and for citizens.”
Bridge Michigan -
February 10, 2026
U.S. law enforcement and federal agents control crowds by using chemical irritants, kinetic impact projectiles, disorientation devices and electronic control weapons. “These weapons have been dubbed ‘less lethal’ compared with live ammunition. But ‘less lethal’ does not mean harmless. They can cause pain, fear and physiological stress and can result in serious injury or death,” co-wrote Michele Heisler, professor of internal medicine and public health. “In the absence of clearer limits and oversight, people exercising their right to protest face real risks of injury.”
The Conversation -
February 9, 2026
“I worry that many may conclude that heart disease is predominantly a male problem. … Heart disease kills more women than any other illness. We should not downplay its importance,” said cardiologist Kim Eagle, professor of internal medicine and of public health, about new research that shows that men tend to develop cardiovascular disease about seven years earlier than women do.
LiveScience -
February 9, 2026
“It’s a way of embodying the rehearsal for the organizing that you’re trying to accomplish. It can make it so that it’s not as frightening or traumatic as it might be when you’re in the midst of experiencing that oppression,” said M. Candace Christensen, associate professor of social work, about a new era of ‘resistance theater’ in response to the Trump administration’s attacks on the arts and crackdowns on communities.
The Guardian (U.K.) -
February 9, 2026
In 1917, the U.S. agreed to respect Denmark’s control of Greenland in exchange for a deal to buy the Danish West Indies in the Caribbean. “We recognized it, so we kind of can’t take that back,” said Julian Arato, professor of law, regarding President Trump’s remarks about seizing Greenland. “The law would be crucial in figuring out the aftermath. But it doesn’t mean the law would stop the disaster.”
The New York Times -
February 6, 2026
“They are systematically going after evidence-based sound science. It’s an agency gone rogue,” said Adam Finkel, adjunct clinical professor of environmental health sciences, on the EPA’s plans to defund research on toxic hazards to children, revise rules for evaluating chemical risks of toxic substances, weaken restrictions on methylene chloride, reduce routine vaccine recommendations and remove fluoride from drinking water.
The Guardian (U.K.) -
February 6, 2026
“The Black community is not monolithic, and there is diversity in attitudes, values, political ideology and beliefs around racial allegiance. Black celebrities should have the freedom to express their beliefs … Members of the Black community also have the freedom to respond, critique and hold them accountable to the community,” wrote Kevin Cokley, professor of psychology, on the backlash against Nicki Minaj, Snoop Dogg and Stephen A. Smith for perceived “racial betrayal.”
Psychology Today -
February 6, 2026
“We didn’t find that people who received the guaranteed income payment were any more or less likely to experience things like having trouble paying for their utilities or having them disconnected, experiencing food insecurity,” said Kristin Seefeldt, associate professor of social work and director of Poverty Solutions, whose study found a mixed impact on Ann Arbor’s guaranteed basic income pilot program for entrepreneurs with low-to-moderate income.
WDIV Detroit -
February 5, 2026
In a major step into the future of energy, Alec Thomas, professor of nuclear engineering and radiological sciences, and colleagues have captured the most detailed view yet of the shockwaves that help trigger nuclear fusion: “We wanted to demonstrate that the X-rays produced by extremely intense lasers have unique properties that allow us to capture a ‘movie’ of the extremely fast motion of plasma.”
The Cool Down
