U-M researcher and colleagues predict large 2009 Gulf of Mexico 'dead zone'; Chesapeake Bay's oxygen-starved zone likely to shrink

University of Michigan aquatic ecologist Donald Scavia and his colleagues say this year's Gulf of Mexico "dead zone" could be one of the largest on record, continuing a decades-long trend that threatens the health of a half-billion-dollar fishery.

 

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U-M plans largest ever investment in financial aid

Faced with the toughest economic times since the Great Depression, the University of Michigan Board of Regents today voted 6 to 2 to approve a general fund budget that calls for $118 million in centrally awarded financial aid, including an 11.7 percent increase in financial aid for undergraduates.

First direct evidence of lightning on Mars detected

For the first time, direct evidence of lightning has been detected on Mars, say University of Michigan researchers who found signs of electrical discharges during dust storms on the Red Planet.

 

Archeological evidence of human activity found beneath Lake Huron

More than 100 feet deep in Lake Huron, on a wide stoney ridge that 9,000 years ago was a land bridge, University of Michigan researchers have found the first archeological evidence of human activity preserved beneath the Great Lakes.

 

U-M experts available to discuss rise in youth sports injuries

Summer ushers in a steep rise in youth sports injuries as teams practice longer and play more. Many of these injuries may have life-long adverse health effects, but parents and coaches can help youngsters prevent most injuries with a few simple precautions.

Older black men feel productive, achieve prestige at church

Older African American women may attend religious services more often than African American men, but men spend more hours per week in other activities at church, a new University of Michigan study found.

 

Declining road fatalities: Less driving not the only cause

Fewer Americans are dying on our nation's roads, not only because they are driving less, but also because the type of driving has changed, says a researcher at the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute.

 

Small molecules mimic natural gene regulators

In the quest for new approaches to treating and preventing disease, one appealing route involves turning genes on or off at will, directly intervening in ailments such as cancer and diabetes, which result when genes fail to turn on and off as they should.

Why dishing does you good: U-M study

Why does dishing with a girlfriend do wonders for a woman's mood?

A University of Michigan study has identified a likely reason: feeling emotionally close to a friend increases levels of the hormone progesterone, helping to boost well-being and reduce anxiety and stress.

 

U-M performances celebrate a century of dancing at U-M

Until now, it's been a hidden gem of local history.

A few years ago, it was widely accepted that the history of dance instruction at the University of Michigan began a few decades before the department was formally established in 1974.

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U-M experts available to discuss auto industry issues

With bankruptcy looming for General Motors, experts at the University of Michigan are available to lend insights. They include:

 

New GM and U-M institute focused on fuel efficiency, reinvention of the automobile

General Motors and the University of Michigan today announced the formation of the GM/U-M Institute of Automotive Research and Education, with a strategic focus on reinventing the automobile and developing the next generation of high-efficiency vehicles powered by diverse energy sources.

 

Michigan national leader in life sciences despite recession

As Michigan lost a quarter of its manufacturing jobs, Michigan's University Research Corridor partners helped the state become a national life sciences leader, boosting the number of jobs 10.7 percent as average wages jumped 29 percent, according to a new analysis released Thursday.

Under the weather: Early-life rainfall has lasting effect on Indonesian women

Indonesian women born into rural communities in rainy years grow taller, stay in school longer and live in households with greater wealth than women born in years with lower rainfall, a new University of Michigan study suggests.

New interactive teaching tool to be available for large lectures

LectureTools, a new interactive educational technology system developed at the University of Michigan, goes beyond "clickers" to connect instructors and students in large lecture classes.

Graduates urged to meet an uncertain future with optimism and commitment

Google co-founder Larry Page, a U-M alumnus whose groundbreaking search engine has become synonymous with the Internet, encouraged the graduating class of 2009 to confront these uncertain times because "the best people want to work on the big challenges."

 

Student procession and ceremony (Windows Media)
Larry Page's remarks
President Mary Sue Coleman's remarks  
Student speaker George Dong's remarks  

Still irritating after all these years: Study of adult children and parents

The majority of parents and adult children experience some tension and aggravation with one another, a new study says.

But parents generally are more bothered by the tensions—and the older the child, the greater the bother.

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How best to exploit the power of popular computer programs

Do you know someone who lines up text with the space bar or tab key to make a table in Word, adjusts the font of PowerPoint slides one at a time, or compares information in a long spreadsheet by repeatedly scrolling up and down?

U-M advances state's economic development

As the nation and state struggle with a difficult business climate, the University of Michigan is intensifying its efforts to help transform the Michigan economy.