If you know, you know. Or do you?

Overhead view of four students seated at a round table with laptops and colorful carpeting.

People who lack expertise often lack the expertise to know just how much expertise they lack, says U-M psychologist David Dunning. Even AI suffers the effect. While ChatGPT is designed to provide an answer, it is unable to figure out whether it’s the right answer, he says.

  1. Heart-powered pacemaker could one day eliminate battery-replacement surgery

    A new power scheme for cardiac pacemakers turns to an unlikely source: vibrations from heartbeats themselves.

  2. How social media helped save a language

    Fewer than 10 people born in Michigan are fluent in the native language of the area’s indigenous people. Yet more than 2,700 people “like” the language on Facebook.

  3. When continents collide: A new twist to a 50 million-year-old tale

    Fifty million years ago, India slammed into Eurasia, a collision that gave rise to the tallest landforms on the planet, the Himalaya Mountains and the Tibetan Plateau. India and Eurasia continue to converge today, though at an ever-slowing pace. University of Michigan geomorphologist and geophysicist Marin Clark wanted to know when this motion will end and why.

  4. Renaissance man

    U-M’s first black football player, George Jewett, spoke four languages, was valedictorian of his high school, earned a medical degree, and could wriggle through defenders or break a nose when he had to.

  5. Class warfare

    The strange, violent origins of the fraternity “rush.”

  6. Breaking and Entering by Eileen Pollack

    Hard times in Michigan

    Eileen Pollack’s new novel, “Breaking and Entering,” is a story of love, economic dislocation, and political extremism set in a rural Michigan that’s close to everyone’s home.

Creativity and connection across prison walls

One of the world’s largest and longest-running exhibitions of incarcerated artists is back with new programming designed to foster connection and deepen public understanding of incarceration in Michigan. The 29th annual Exhibition of Artists in Michigan Prisons, curated by U-M’s Prison Creative Arts Project, showcases 772 artworks by 538 artists incarcerated in 26 state prisons. The Duderstadt Center Gallery on U-M’s North Campus is presenting the artwork through April 1.

  • Most Wanted by Samantha Bachynski

    The exhibition features diverse styles and media, including paintings, portraits, tattoo imagery, landscapes, sculpture, fiber arts and found materials. Each fall, volunteers, including students, select the pieces and visit every prison in Michigan to interact directly with the artists. (See original image)

    Colorful night sky shows through tree branches. 2025 PCAP exhibition.

  • Tangerine Dreams by Matisse Bravo

    For over 35 years, PCAP has worked to bridge the gap between incarcerated individuals and the broader community through artistic collaboration, mutual learning and growth. The program has expanded to include undergraduate courses, weekly art workshops in Michigan prisons, an annual literary review and year-round events to foster dialogue and connection. (See original image)

    A plate of tangerines and tangerine slices on a green table with yellow wall. PCAP exhibition 2025.

  • Peacefulness by Susan Brown

    According to Emily Chase, PCAP’s exhibition and curatorial coordinator, themes of community and mentorship emerged strongly in this year’s collection. (See original image)

    Colorful landscape with stripes and a mountains. PCAP exhibition 2025.

  • Paths #2 by Kendall Leonard

    The exhibition allows incarcerated artists to have their voices heard beyond prison walls. “Their voices are so often silenced, and this is one of the few areas where they can feel heard,” says Mattie Levy, PCAP community engagement coordinator. (See original image)

    Colorful abstract painting from the 2025 PCAP exhibition.

  • Mountain Honey by Terry Stinebeck

    “We witnessed experienced artists mentoring newcomers and saw how the artistic efforts of one individual can motivate and inspire others,” says PCAP’s Emily Chase. (See original image)

    A serene landscape with a yellow sky and mountains. PCAP exhibition 2025.

  • House of Kards by Michael Browning

    Visitors to the Duderstadt exhibition can experience an audio tour that features select stories from some of the artists. (See original image)

    Abstract painting of a face card from a deck of cards. PCAP exhibition 2025.

  • Happiness Within by Groot

    This year, the exhibition introduced a new event, “Art and Music: A Collaborative Concert,” in which students performed original musical compositions inspired by select artworks. (See original image)

    Abstract image of youth with a surreal balloon. PCAP exhibition 2025.

  • Garden Escapades by Tim Brownell

    The concert that complemented the exhibition was a way to empower and unite with people impacted by the justice system through a shared love of creativity, says Ty Bloomfield, one of the event’s organizers. (See original image)

    A farm scene with crops growing in rows and red barn. PCAP exhibition 2025.

  • DMX by David Hudson-Bey

    The 2025 exhibition was presented with support from the Michigan Arts and Culture Council and the U-M Residential College. (See original image)

    Abstract of DMX painting with blues and greens. PCAP exhibition 2025.

  • Did I do that? by Daniel Teriberi

    For nearly three decades, the exhibition has provided a platform for incarcerated artists to share their work with the public, shedding light on personal narratives and the power of artistic expression. (See original image)

    Colorful abstract painting in 2025 PCAP exhibition.