Arizona Science Desk

Will Arizona get any of the over 77K doses of infant RSV vaccine?
On Thursday, the CDC announced the release of more than 77,000 additional doses of a vaccine to protect infants against RSV, which is the leading cause of infant hospitalization.
Nov. 17, 2023
Threat to health from climate change worsening, says global report
The eighth annual report of the Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change has been released ahead of the upcoming UN Climate Change conference in Dubai. The authors say all indicators are pointing in the wrong direction.
Nov. 16, 2023
Major studies suggest delayed cord clamping could save preemie lives
Increasingly, childbirth experts endorse waiting a minute or two before clamping umbilical cords. But other complications make that timing less clear in premature births. Now, strong evidence published in the Lancet suggests delayed clamping among preemies can greatly reduce deaths.
Nov. 16, 2023
UN group says human activities fuel 25% of dust storms
In preparation for its five-day meeting in Samarkand, Uzbekistan this week, the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) released three reports, several recommendations – and some dire news.
Nov. 15, 2023
White House funds Altar Valley watershed improvements
The Biden administration is allocating $51 million from its bipartisan infrastructure law to water and ecosystem projects in 11 states, including a $1.2 million investment in the Altar Valley watershed southwest of Tucson.
Nov. 15, 2023
How AZs roads could change for autonomous trucks
The Show spoke with Hasan Ozer, an engineer working on autonomous trucks, about what research has found on how the trucks will impact the roads they'll drive on.
Nov. 15, 2023
Report: Arizona ranks 46th in U.S. for lung cancer screening, treatment
The American Lung Association has released its State of Lung Cancer report for 2023.
Nov. 15, 2023
Blood tests that detect Alzheimers are on the horizon
What if you knew you had Alzheimer’s disease before you had any symptoms? Blood tests that can detect amyloid plaque and tau, the proteins involved in dementia, will soon be available.
Nov. 15, 2023
Saguaro National Park earns urban dark sky designation
Saguaro National Park is the latest to offer dark sky vistas for star gazing despite a sea of artificial light. It joins eight other Urban Night Sky Places around the world.
Nov. 14, 2023
Phoenix needs twice as many naloxone kits to keep up with demand, official says
Phoenix’s program offering free naloxone kits is so popular, the city’s public health director wants to double its supply. She said her office will ask the City Council to approve 6,000 more kits, estimated to cost $300,000.
Nov. 14, 2023
More heat deaths, pollution, wildfires: Heres how climate change could harm Arizona, report says
Climate change is very likely to bring more extreme heat and worsening drought conditions to the Southwest. That in turn could cause economic and public health consequences. Those are the findings of a new climate analysis from the federal government.
Nov. 14, 2023
You can die of a broken heart. How grief can impact your physical health
The Show spoke with Mary-Frances O'Connor, an associate professor of psychology at the University of Arizona and author of "The Grieving Brain," about how grief can negatively impact our physical health.
Nov. 14, 2023
AZs 1st pediatric flu death this season confirmed in Yuma County
Arizona has confirmed the first pediatric influenza death in the state this flu season. A child recently died from the virus in Yuma County.
Nov. 14, 2023
Pros – and cons – of getting medical care through an app, from a doctor
The Show spoke with Dr. Francoise Marvel, a cardiologist at Johns Hopkins Hospital, about the new opportunity that health care apps provide.
Nov. 14, 2023
Police review cases after Tempe crime scene tech report
The Show spoke with Sam Kmack of the Arizona Republic about a report from two years ago detailing insufficiencies in the Tempe Police Department.
Nov. 14, 2023
Asha, the Mexican gray wolf from Arizona, wanders into New Mexico again
Last year, an endangered Mexican gray wolf made headlines when she wandered into northern New Mexico. She was returned to Arizona, but reports say she is on the move again.
Nov. 14, 2023
What 1 species of lizard can tell us about climate-related extinctions
The Show spoke with University of Arizona professor John Wiens about lizard species in Arizona.
Nov. 13, 2023
Doctors making it harder for AZ kids to get vaccinated
A new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows Arizona has some of the lowest rates of kids getting vaccinated in the country. The Show spoke with Will Humble about low vaccination rates in Arizona.
Nov. 13, 2023
Study: Heat-related heart disease deaths could triple
Arizona’s hottest summer on record raised power bills and heat-related ER visits. Now, a new paper suggests worsening heat could raise deaths from cardiovascular disease to an alarming degree.
Nov. 13, 2023
Lingering effects of the pandemic on sleep may be giving rise to a new trend: Sleep tourism
The lingering effects of the pandemic and how it changed the way we think about sleep health may have given rise to a new trend: sleep tourism. It’s about getting a good rest and picking up better sleep habits on vacation.
Nov. 13, 2023

Pages