How to qualify as a person
Forty-nine years before women were granted the right to vote in the U.S., Nannette Gardner would cast her ballot in Detroit, making women’s history. By fighting tirelessly for women’s rights, she bagan to shake the foundations of power, and her controversial vote provided the suffrage movement a notable victory.
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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.
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Building – and building on – Michigan Stadium
The story of the construction of the Big House, Michigan Stadium.
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Laser-based missile defense for helicopters being developed
It’s “like throwing sand in the eyes of the missile,” says U-M’s Mohammed Islam. He is developing sturdy and portable lasers that could blind heat-seeking weapons, including shoulder-launched missiles that have proved deadly in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Columns
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President's Message
A healthy, vibrant democracy begins with a choice
Let's choose to listen respectfully, and to think, act, and engage constructively, says President Ono. -
Editor's Blog
Mastering the plan
No need for that crystal ball. We've seen the future and it's called Camps Plan 2050. -
Climate Blue
Flooded with reality
Based on the reaction to recent disasters, Ricky Rood fears disinformation may be the greatest threat to our survival. -
Health Yourself
Feet, don’t fail me now
Our feet play a crucial role in sustaining overall health. So take a load off and listen up.
Listen & Subscribe
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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.
Looking good through the centuries
A new collection of vintage photos of Ann Arbor can be found online as part of the Bentley Historical Library’s contribution to the Ann Arbor Bicentennial. These black & white beauties come from the archive of Mel Ivory, co-founder of Ann Arbor’s Ivory Photo Engraving Company. Many of Ivory’s earliest photographs date to the 1920s and ’30s. The first batch of 2,700 images is now available to search and view, thanks to the Bentley and its partners at the U-M Library, who are hosting the photos on their digital collections platform. More to come in 2025. Click on any image to enlarge.