In a new book, Max Page, associate professor of architecture and history at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, explores how visions of New York's destruction were a part of the country's collective imagination long before the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks turned fiction to grim reality.
The University of Massachusetts Amherst's podcast series about the breakthrough discoveries of campus researchers focuses this month on the work of two microbiologists examining the role that the common bacteria chlamydia plays in a host of serious diseases such as asthma.
Two University of Massachusetts Amherst researchers are developing computer models to predict the strength of structural composite lumber (SCL), which could broaden the use of the sustainable material in large building projects.
Members of the Engineers Without Borders (EWB) student chapter at the University of Massachusetts Amherst recently returned from a three-week trip to Kenya, where they worked to improve drinking water for a rural farming village.
Three studies published by kinesiology researchers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst suggest that, unless you are a competitive athlete, consuming sports drinks or high-carbohydrate foods such as energy bars right after exercising may negate the health benefits that physical exercise creates.
Are you planning to add a new roof or new siding to your home before winter? Paul Fisette, an expert on green building, says that these home improvement jobs can be the perfect time to boost your home's energy efficiency and lower your heating bills, especially if you own an older home.
UMass Amherst's BASICS alcohol and other drug abuse prevention program is receiving national recognition and nearly $200,000 in federal funds as part of a U.S. Department of Education model program competition.
Maintaining golf courses requires the constant use of herbicides and insecticides. While some golfers may wonder if they are being poisoned in their pursuit of pleasure, new research from UMass Amherst shows that residues of two widely used insecticides picked up by golfers in a typical golf game do not pose a health risk.
Researchers at UMass Amherst are using software engineering techniques to develop safer ways to administer blood transfusions and chemotherapy with the goal of improving patient safety. The team is also analyzing the flow of patients in emergency rooms to reduce patient waiting times.
New research shows that some sweeteners, especially date sugar and dark brown sugars, contain antioxidants that have the potential to control diabetes-linked heart disease and high blood pressure. Some sweeteners used in the study also had the ability to inhibit the activity of a key enzyme related to Type 2 diabetes.
Climate change could have a major impact on the environment of Costa Rica, upsetting delicate mountain cloud forests, and causing a decrease in plant and animal species in a region famous for its biodiversity. Regional climate models predict that the area will become warmer and drier as climate change accelerates.
U.S. soldiers seeking treatment at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., and in Army medical facilities worldwide, will have a new tool to help them thanks to an online system being developed at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
Many preschoolers are classified as sedentary when it comes to physical activity. A UMass Amherst researcher is giving preschoolers 30 minutes of structured, outdoor exercise at school to determine if this will impact their weight and health, protecting them from heart disease, high blood pressure and Type 2 diabetes.
Farmers in Bangladesh battling outbreaks of leaf blight and insect pests are now getting expert help from Southeast Asia's first plant disease identification clinic, established by an American plant pathologist with funding from the U.S.D.A.
A Massachusetts conference will address a national problem - the large percentage of students who enter college interested in science and engineering disciplines who switch to other majors, while job opportunities in these fields has quadrupled. The keynote address will be given by Linda Slakey of the National Science Foundation.
Belize is an unforgettable mix of tropical waterfalls, limestone caves and ancient Mayan ruins, making it one of the most popular destinations for ecotourists. Faculty and students from UMass Amherst are working with the government of Belize to limit the environmental damage to these natural wonders caused by ecotourism.
Researchers have found several plants, including blue flag iris, that can reduce the amount of common pesticides used on gold courses in soils. Using these plants as a "living filter" on the edge of golf greens will help protect waterways from the impact of pesticides, herbicides and fungicides.
A new study of self-assessed job satisfaction, gender and ethnicity in the U.S. military finds that African-American and Latino men and women have higher job satisfaction than white men, says Jennifer Hickes Lundquist of the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
Researchers have given a mobile robotic arm the ability to manipulate objects by allowing it to "see" its environment through a digital camera. Giving mobile robots the ability to manipulate objects will extend their uses in many areas including medical care, household assistance and planetary exploration.
Researchers have shown that the process of star formation in areas of debris formed when two galaxies collide is essentially the same as star formation inside galaxies, meaning that the intergalactic medium can be a used as a simpler, more accessible laboratory for the study of stellar evolution.
Rising background levels of ozone in the atmosphere are a likely contributor to the global food crisis, since ozone has been shown to damage plants and reduce yields of important crop, including soybeans and wheat.
Researchers have received a $1 million grant from the U. S. Department of Defense to boost the safety and performance of fuel used in thousands of satellites, rockets, missiles and space vehicles. The research that will be applied quickly by NASA and the DoD.
Sports fishermen from the Drammen River in Norway have been saving the scales of Atlantic salmon as they return from the ocean to spawn. Analyzing growth rings on the scales, researchers are solving the mystery of why most of these fish never survive their ocean stay.
Children with autism and ADHD may soon get anxiety relief from a novel vest that delivers a "portable hug" known as deep pressure touch stimulation. The vest, which is also suitable for adults with mental illness, can help patients adapt to school and the workplace.
Rivers around the world are being tamed by massive hydroelectric dams. Aquatic biologist Guy Lanza is working to limit the environmental impact of these projects, which he says often deliver a legacy of health problems and poor water quality for people living near the dams and downstream.
Chemists have developed complex molecules for use in portable sensors that quickly and reliably detect the presence of plastic explosives, a pressing need for soldiers in Iraq. The molecules can also identify which type of explosive is present, allowing security personnel to quickly determine which material they are dealing with.
Genetically engineered rice plants that resist the uptake of toxic metals could boost production and ease the shortage of this staple crop in Asia, India and Bangladesh, where irrigation with contaminated groundwater has created soils with toxic levels of arsenic.
Researchers have detected perfluorinated compounds, used to make Teflon, Scotchgard and grease-resistant food packaging, in human milk samples from 45 nursing mothers in Massachusetts. This is the first study to document levels of these suspected carcinogens in breast milk.
A study measuring bacterial concentrations in cabin air on 12 commercial passenger aircraft has shown that flying may be safer than we think. Elevated levels of bacteria were detected at several intervals during the flight, but they were common residents of human skin, dust and outdoor air.
The third installment of TechCast at UMass, a podcast series on breakthrough discoveries, focuses on how genetic engineering is being used to produce new plant strains that produce more food and help fight pollution. One key crop that is affected is rice, a staple for much of the world.
Italian wall lizards underwent rapid evolution after being introduced to a new island in the South Adriatic Sea in 1971. Changes documented in a recent study include increased bite strength, heads that were longer and wider, and the development of new digestive tract structures. Social structure and behavior were also different.
Over 77 million baby boomers will retire in the next 30 years, and robots are ready to assist with elder care. Engineers have created a robotic assistant that can recognize medical emergencies and call 911, remind clients to take their medication, help with grocery shopping and cleaning and allow retirees to communicate with loved ones.
Honeybees and bumblebees are rapidly disappearing across the country, impacting crops such as cranberries, blueberries and apples. Researchers plan to approach the problem from a unique angle, comparing the bacteria, viruses and fungi found in healthy bee colonies to those in troubled hives.
A new method called catalytic fast pyrolysis turns plant biomass such as wood and grasses into "green gasoline" using one simple step. The process significantly reduces the cost and production time associated with making gasoline-range biofuels.
Researchers have found that birds faced with urban development are a lot like people when choosing a place to live. Some birds, such as pigeons, thrive in the noise and confusion of city life, others prefer to stay firmly rooted in the country and some are comfortable in both environments.
Rising temperatures due to climate change will reduce the availability of water in New England during the summer, when demand is highest, and increase sediment and pollution loads carried by rivers and streams. These changes are expected to impact agriculture, forestry, fisheries, water supply systems and hydroelectric power generation.
Chemical engineering students, working in the laboratory of Taxol researcher Susan Roberts, aim to boost production of Taxol, the world's best-selling chemotherapy drug approved by the FDA to treat breast, lung and ovarian cancers as well as an AIDS-related cancer called Kaposi's sarcoma.
Food scientists have found that certain antioxidants found in red wine and tea may help regulate the blood sugar of people with type 2 diabetes by inhibiting the action of alpha-glucosidase that controls the absorption of glucose from the small intestine, and protect the body from complications such as high blood pressure and heart disease.
A major tribute to the great jazz drummer Max Roach will take place at UMass Amherst on Tuesday, March 25, 2008. Luminaries from around the country will join students and faculty in celebration of the man often called a founder of modern jazz.
Scientists are tracking elephants using satellite collars in Botswana and Tanzania to document their movements and prevent human/elephant conflicts, which can be deadly. This research led to the founding of a nonprofit group "Elephants Without Borders" dedicated to building the World Elephant Conservation Center in Tanzania.
A recent study has shown that Wal-Mart, the largest food retailer in the U.S., causes supermarkets in surrounding areas to lower their prices. Wal-Mart supercenters can also can save consumers up to $298 per person per year by offering national brands and private label goods at significant savings.
Ivermectin, a medication widely used to kill intestinal worms and plant parasites, has been found to be 100 percent effective against head lice that resist standard treatments containing permethrin when used in a topical treatment. Since it is not well-absorbed through the skin, this could be a safe and effective treatment for children.
Researchers are developing interactive computerized tutors that sense a student's emotional and motivational state of mind at the same time it presents information designed to appeal to a person's intellectual curiosity.
Salmonella bacteria can be turned into tiny terminator robots that venture deep into cancerous tumors where conventional chemotherapy can't reach. Once in place, the bacteria manufacture drugs that destroy cancer cells. This could translate chemotherapy that is more specific, more effective and easier on patients.
Researchers have found that the first step in building new cell walls in plants is the assembly of a scaffold made of structural proteins. This finding could lead to engineered plants that are better materials for biofuels production. Since plant structural proteins can self-assemble, this knowledge may also be useful to the field of nanotechnology.
Lori Bindig, a doctoral student in communication, recently had her master's thesis published by Lexington Books. "Dawson's Creek: A Critical Understanding" offers a detailed analysis of the late 1990s TV show's representation of gender, race, class, sexuality and consumerism.
A protein in the saliva of deer ticks prevents the HIV-1 virus from attaching to the surface of T Cells, which may lead to new treatments. The protein also suppresses the activity of T Cells, which may be useful in treating autoimmune diseases like Lupus and Asthma and preventing the rejection of transplanted organs.
Engineering student, Brycen Spencer, has designed a safety helmet that could help save the lives of thousands of outdoor sports enthusiasts involved in accidents each year. The Wireless Impact Guardian signals for help even when the wearer is unconscious.
Researchers have found that surrounding fats with layers of dietary fiber prevents the fat from being digested, which could lead to low-calorie foods with all the appeal of the real thing.
Engineers have found that a strong electric field can stabilize the surface of metals and other conductive solids, inhibiting the formation of stress fractures. This innovation could improve the function and reliability of a wide variety of machines including aircraft and electronic devices.
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