Chronic snoring could be a symptom of sleep apnea, which increases the risk of heart attack and stroke.

Two newly described fossil whales—a pregnant female and a male of the same species—reveal how primitive whales gave birth and provide new insights into how whales made the transition from land to sea.

A year and a half after the I-35 bridge collapse in Minneapolis, and with a new national emphasis on rebuilding infrastructure, U-M is leading a new project to engineer smart bridges that can thoroughly discuss their health with inspectors.

Environmental conditions are much more powerful than genetic influences in determining intelligence, says U-M social psychologist Richard Nisbett: “Believing that intelligence is under your control—and having parents who demand achievement—can do wonders.”

Related:

• Podcast: Intelligence: How to get it
• Education Is All in Your Mind (NY Times, Feb. 7, 2009).

Going outside, even in the cold, improves memory and attention.

Is obesity all in your head? New research by an international team co-led by U-M suggests that genes that predispose people to obesity act in the brain — not on metabolic functions such as fat storage — and that perhaps some people are simply hardwired to overeat.

Bad news for a promising new idea about cancer. The cancer stem-cell model must be reassessed because it is based largely on evidence from a laboratory test that is surprisingly flawed when applied to some cancers, U-M researchers have concluded.

The University of Michigan and General Motors have announced an important collaboration. A five-year, $5-million award establishes the GM/U-M Advanced Battery Coalition for Drivetrains (ABCD), headquartered at U-M. Three U-M engineering professors are involved. The project will develop new battery technologies for next-generation autos.

As fighting continues in Gaza, a U-M survey of nearby Lebanon illuminates some of the values underlying the use of violence in the Middle East. The findings are likely to surprise people on all sides of the political spectrum.