In the News
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May 1, 2026
It’s important to keep track of what medications and supplements you’re currently taking, said Hanna Phan, clinical professor of pharmacy: “Keeping a list of your medications with you to share with your pharmacist or other health care provider can make the biggest difference in avoiding side effects and drug-drug interactions. That list should include vitamins and supplements, including herbal products.”
U.S. News & World Report -
May 1, 2026
“You’re being strategic about the culture. You’re not just being strategic about office occupancy rates,” said Jeffrey Sanchez-Burks, professor of management and organizations, who believes bringing employees back into the office full-time doesn’t necessarily boost cultural cohesion and increase collaboration like management hopes it does.
The Detroit News -
May 1, 2026
“I understand that people are concerned about school safety and school security. But this is trying to use a simple technical fix for really a much more complicated social problem,” said Molly Kleinman, managing director of the Ford School’s Science, Technology, and Public Policy program, who questions the accuracy of facial recognition technology used by some Michigan schools to identify and verify visitors.
Michigan Public -
April 30, 2026
Dolomite, used in construction, manufacturing and industrial applications, has been notoriously impossible to replicate in a lab — until now. “The apparent contradiction between the massive deposits of dolomite in nature and its inability to grow from supersaturated solutions near ambient conditions is a long-standing mystery known as the ‘dolomite problem,’” said Wenhao Sun, assistant professor of materials science and engineering, whose research team finally figured out how to do it after two centuries of failed lab experiments.
Popular Mechanics -
April 30, 2026
Todd Blanche, acting U.S. attorney general, could continue running the DOJ for much of the year even without Senate confirmation, but federal law allows the president to keep an interim AG in place for 210 days. “The president cannot legally rely indefinitely on an acting attorney general,” said Nina Mendelson, professor of law. “Blanche may well face legal challenges. (There have been) many lawsuits involving long-serving officials claiming to be ‘actings’ at other agencies.”
Politico -
April 30, 2026
Editor’s note: The following item is being re-run to direct readers to the proper story:
“People are reshaping reality based on what they want to be true or not. They’re not looking for good information, they’re looking for confirmatory information, and will often go very deep down a rabbit hole of side-by-side pictures, microshots of the president’s face, et cetera,” said Cliff Lampe, professor of information, after rumors and speculation swirled online after the shooting at the White House Correspondents dinner.
The New York Times -
April 29, 2026
AI chatbots trained to embed personalized ads in replies to queries could influence people’s choices about products — and most users wouldn’t recognize that they were being manipulated, according to Kang Shin, professor emeritus of computer science and engineering, and CSE doctoral student Brian Jay Tang. “Profiling users, and using psychology to target them, has been part of social media algorithms and web advertising for more than a decade,” they wrote. “But in our view, chatbots are likely to deepen these trends.”
The Conversation -
April 29, 2026
“There is no question that higher education must continue to earn public trust, and that begins with clarity, transparency and a commitment to outcomes that truly matter,” said Ravi Pendse, vice president for information technology and chief information officer. “Building trust means advancing affordability and career readiness in ways that have real impact … and for U-M, this work is guided by our responsibility as one of the world’s greatest universities to serve the public good.”
Inside Higher Ed -
April 29, 2026
Over the last 50 years, industrial tree plantations have sprung up in Chile, growing mainly pines and eucalyptus. “There’s a substantial export market for the wood from these plantations,” said Alexandra Paige Fischer, associate professor of sustainability and environment. “The problem is that now the plantations are drying out and becoming very flammable. So, in some ways, Chile is creating its own hazard by cultivating these flammable tree species.”
CNN -
April 28, 2026
“Our observations show that the conditions that led to the formation of our solar system are much different from how planetary systems evolved in different parts of our galaxy,” said Luis Salazar Manzano, doctoral student in astronomy, whose research team found that wherever interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS originated, it was in a much colder environment with lower levels of radiation. “This is proof that whatever the conditions were that led to the creation of our solar system are not ubiquitous throughout space,” said Teresa Paneque Carreño, assistant professor of astronomy.
BBC Sky at Night Magazine
