Feature Archive
The Big (Tiny) Problem
January 17, 2023 —
Microplastics in our waters may threaten ecosystems and accelerate the melting of Arctic sea ice. But are we ignoring the greater danger at the heart of this climate conundrum?
Outsmarting a Brain Tumour
October 7, 2022 —
This UM researcher’s latest discovery could prevent an aggressive form of brain cancer in children. She’s also finding new drug therapies—through the emerging science of cellular fingerprinting—that will dramatically shift survival rates in the coming years.
Secret Garden
July 25, 2022 —
Tallgrass prairies not only mitigate global warming, they’re home to biodiversity that took millennia to develop. Now they’re among the most endangered ecosystems in the world. Alumni trying to preserve the last grasslands show us what we stand to lose.
Displaced
May 17, 2022 —
Mass migration due to war, and—in the coming decades, scientists predict—climate change, means scores of refugees searching for home and higher education. Meet three UM students finding their way.
Remember Me
October 26, 2021 —
Can we reverse the effects of Alzheimer’s disease? This UM biomedical engineer and advocate—and daughter of a mother who forgot—is determined to find a way.
My Firstborn
October 26, 2021 —
Facebook developer Vincent Cheung tells us about bringing Portal into the world and why we shouldn’t be afraid robots will take over. “AI is really, really dumb.”
Gone Viral
October 26, 2021 —
COVID-19 pulled us together in chaos, stumped infectious disease experts and catapulted their field to newfound fame. Why did this particular coronavirus get so out of hand? And what do we do now?
Agents of Change
October 26, 2021 —
Introducing our 2021 Distinguished Alumni Award recipients—those who don’t just talk about challenging the status quo, they make things happen.
When Human and Animal Collide
April 16, 2021 —
Our encounters are becoming more complex thanks to climate change’s fury and our sprawl into the wilds. And now, considering the risk of infectious disease spilling over, it’s time to explore the human and animal relationship anew.
The Mummy Whisperer
April 16, 2021 —
It’s not a career choice for the faint-hearted. Meet the eccentric alumna who unearths important stories from the ancient past in the name of cultural preservation and out of respect for those who came before.