The U.S. has a new most powerful laser — and it’s at U-M

The ZEUS laser facility has roughly doubled the peak power of any other laser in the U.S. with its first official experiment at 2 petawatts (2 quadrillion watts). “This milestone marks the beginning of experiments that move into unexplored territory for American high field science,” says Karl Krushelnick, director of U-M’s Gérard Mourou Center for Ultrafast Optical Science.
-
Researchers predict record Gulf of Mexico 'dead zone' due to Mississippi River flooding
Extreme flooding of the Mississippi River this spring is expected to result in the largest Gulf of Mexico “dead zone” on record, according to a University of Michigan aquatic ecologist and his colleagues.
-
Great big trouble for the Great Lakes
Already under stress by invasive species and pollution, the Great Lakes are now seeing the reappearance of a problem once believed solved: dead zones, where no life survives. Worse yet, climate projections indicate that the problem is likely to grow.
Related: Researchers predict record Gulf of Mexico “dead zone” due to Mississippi River flooding
-
America's heart
When alumnus Bill Sparrow decided to kayak the entire length of the Mississippi River, he and his wife Laura expected adventure. But they didn’t expect a whole new understanding of their country, its grandeur and its people.
-
How have you changed?
The U-M College of Engineering asked students how they have changed since their arrival on campus. The answers are surprising, poignant and inspiring, and they might just get you thinking about your own time in Ann Arbor.
-
Teeny-tiny antennas
U-M researchers have found a way to mass-produce antennas so small that they approach the fundamental minimum size limit for their bandwidth, or data rate, of operation. It could lead to new generations of wireless consumer electronics and mobile devices.
-
The universe may have been born spinning
Physicists and astronomers have long believed that the universe has mirror symmetry, like a basketball. But recent findings from the University of Michigan suggest that the shape of the Big Bang might be more complicated than previously thought, and that the early universe spun on an axis.
Columns
-
Sharing common threads
Alumnus and UM-Dearborn Chancellor Domenico Grasso, PhD '87, prepares to lead U-M as interim president. -
Editor's Blog
A crisis of curiosity
It may have killed the cat, but curiosity is essential in the realm of human knowledge creation. -
Climate Blue
Job one: Damage control
If we organize and assert ourselves, says Ricky Rood, we may be able to rescue the nation's research enterprise. -
Health Yourself
Do you have diabetes? The answer might surprise you
Vic Katch offers ways to determine whether you are at risk for diabetes, and how to avoid it.
Listen & Subscribe
-
MGo Blue podcasts
Explore the Michigan Athletics series "In the Trenches," "On the Block," and "Conqu'ring Heroes." -
Michigan Ross Podcasts
Check out the series "Business and Society," "Business Beyond Usual," "Working for the Weekend," and "Down to Business." -
Michigan Medicine Podcasts
Hear audio series, news, and stories about the future of health care.
Research to serve the world
The Office of the Vice President for Research at U-M collaborates with internal and external partners to catalyze, support, and safeguard research and scholarship across the University. Visit Michigan Research for a deep dive into the state of the research enterprise at U-M. Learn what inspires the Michigan scientists and scholars who are spurring new technologies, advancing health care, and driving the economy. Meanwhile, enjoy these recent research stories from Michigan News.