News

Sunrise shot of the Tucson area from the roof of the Thomas W. Keating Bioresearch Building (BIO5 Institute)

Celebrated for its vast natural beauty, wild rivers, iconic landscapes, and old-growth forests, the western United States is also central to some of our nation’s most critical environmental issues, including drought, wildfire, urban sprawl, and natural and cultural resource management. Learn how our research provides solutions to environmental challenges for the Desert Southwest, and beyond.

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Out of Antarctica, churnings of climate change

The interplay of carbon dioxide, winds and Southern Ocean waters could be reaching an environmental tipping point

A Forest of Fungi: Detangling the Plant Mycobiome

In the race against global climate change, researchers at the University of Arizona are working to preserve, catalog, and map the potential of thousands of species of imperiled fungi found in the world’s boreal forests.

Freedom at Too High a Price: Groundwater Depletion in Rural Arizona

Wells are going dry in rural Arizona, leaving residents struggling. A recent investigation by The Arizona Republic and a documentary by NBC News tell the stories of residents of groundwater-dependent regions within La Paz and Cochise counties whose households have been affected by falling water tables.

Family Farms Try to Raise a New Cash Cow: Solar Power

A ‘solar sharing’ pilot project in Colorado is testing whether farmers can profit from growing vegetables and harvesting green energy on the same plot.

Mapping Out Solutions for Urban Heat Islands

Innovative heat-mapping strategies provide insight into best design practices for urban climate resilience.

You can now buy reusable toilet paper

The struggle to live an eco-friendly life with zero waste is real, and while many of us try to do our part, others take their zero-waste living habits to the next level.

DNA from ancient packrat nests helps unpack Earth's past

New work shows how using next-generation DNA sequencing on ancient packrat middens could provide ecological snapshots of Earth's past.

Researchers study impacts of large fire on A Mountain

The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, University of Arizona and Tumamoc Hill Desert Laboratory are conducting a research study on the desert’s recovery after the fire and specifically looking at saguaro cacti.

Public course in climate change to be offered at UA

The University of Arizona's Humanities Seminars Program is offering a climate change course open to the public to show impacts to Southern Arizona and the world.

UA’s Landmark Commitment to Carbon Neutrality

With a new renewable energy strategy, the University of Arizona aims for more than just sustainability. It has its sights set on radical leadership in the field.

Rethinking Milk: Science Takes On the Dairy Dilemma

Walter Willett, MD, DrPH and David Ludwig, MD, PhD say the science behind dietary recommendations is thin. And they say eating too much dairy may cause harm to both our bodies and the planet.

The “Plant Whisperer” Offers Guidance on Learning the Language of Your Plants

Looking for expert advice on optimizing the environmental conditions in your greenhouse for better plant growth and crop production? The University of Arizona’s Controlled Environment Agriculture Center and the UA College of Agriculture and Life Sciences’ Biosystems Engineering department are hosting a joint seminar featuring Peter van Weel, PhD.