A family’s quest for a hero’s ‘war chest’
![A couple dressed in Michigan gear sits at a table strewn with World War II artifacts discovered in a relative's war chest. There are photos, documents, packets of telegrams, medals, and more.](https://michigantoday.umich.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/89/mc-image-cache/2024/06/KrepsWarChest.jpg)
From undisclosed honors to covert operations, the valiant military exploits of Colonel Kenneth Kreps were veiled in secrecy until a fateful discovery by his descendants. Witness the unveiling of a World War II hero’s saga as his family unpacks a long-lost treasure trove of historic memorabilia.
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U-M creates the state’s first human embryonic stem cell line
U-M researchers have created the state’s first human embryonic stem cell line, achieving a long-sought goal that provides the foundation for future efforts to develop innovative disease treatments.
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Kids these days: How involved is this generation?
Is today’s generation of students socially engaged?
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Sperm may be harmed by exposure to BPA, study suggests
BPA is a common chemical (more than 6 billion pounds of it are produced annually) that’s stirred controversy in the media over its safety. Now, in one of the first human studies of its kind, researchers have found that urinary concentrations of BPA may be related to decreased sperm quality and sperm concentration. The findings are preliminary but point to the need for more study.
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A karate belt for wasps
In a remarkable study of animal behavior, U-M researchers have found that a given wasp’s facial markings serve as a sort of karate belt, giving a clue to its fighting ability. Even more interesting, wasps “punish” other wasps that are actually stronger or weaker than their markings suggest. “White belt” wasps who pretend to be black belts are asking to get picked on.
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Brain connections break down as we age
It’s unavoidable: breakdowns in brain connections slow down our physical response times as we age, a new U-M study suggests.
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A black hole slingshot
Hypervelocity stars, discovered about five years ago, are the fastest stars ever observed. They are escaping the galaxy at beyond what was thought to be its stellar speed limit. A U-M study has identified the source of their astounding speed: the black hole at the center of the Milky Way, which acts as a gravitational slingshot, blasting stars right out of the galaxy at 1.8 million miles per hour.
Columns
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President's Message
Eureka! A look at the knowledge ecosystem
With $1.86 billion in research funding, U-M is leading the way in everything from energy solutions to artificial intelligence. -
Editor's Blog
A crisis by any other name…
You know what they say about opportunity. It knocks but once before the door slams shut. -
Health Yourself
So much for farm to table … We’ve got lab to table now
Who's ready to eat chicken that scientists 'hatched' in a lab and not from an egg? -
Climate Blue
How to keep your head above uncharted waters
Ricky Rood says goodbye to Floodtown as he guides us through the changing climate.
Commemorating an exceptional presidency
Fifty years ago, at a time of great division and turbulence in the U.S., Gerald R. Ford was sworn in as the 38th president of the United States. President Ford’s legacy is very much alive at the Ford School of Public Policy. This slideshow is inspired by the school’s recent tribute, “A life of public service,” in the Spring 2024 issue of State & Hill magazine. As noted by the editors, the values that distinguished Ford remain highly relevant to policy students today: his lifelong commitment to principled public service, his integrity, and his ability to connect across differences to forge consensus.