https://phys.org/ en-us Latest news from University of Michigan For the first time, a stem cell model has produced a structure resembling an early human embryo with a yolk-sac-like structure, from a single starting stem cell population and without direct genetic manipulation. The models were made at University of Michigan Engineering. Researchers at the Chinese Academy of Sciences provided monkey embryo data to help confirm that the Michigan team was indeed seeing a yolk-sac-like structure in their models. The work is published in the journal Nature Cell Biology. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-stem-cell-embryo-yolk-sac.html Cell & Microbiology Mon, 20 Apr 2026 17:20:04 EDT news695919026 A new theoretical study finds shorter laser pulses achieve higher quantum efficiency for photoemission from a solid surface without increasing power or intensity. Using light to knock electrons loose from a surface—known as photoemission—may soon be achievable more easily in smaller labs with smaller lasers. Shortening the length of a laser pulse can increase the emitted electrons by several orders of magnitude without increasing the laser intensity or power, according to a University of Michigan Engineering study. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-ultrashort-laser-pulses-power-electron.html Optics & Photonics Mon, 20 Apr 2026 17:00:03 EDT news695905801 In a new report published in the journal Environmental Justice, Paul Mohai of the University of Michigan examined how new tools are leading to innovative policies to protect vulnerable communities from disproportionate environmental burdens. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-tools-communities-environmental-justice.html Environment Mon, 20 Apr 2026 15:00:04 EDT news695906281 Younger children and teens often have built-in opportunities to stay active through gym class, sports, and extracurricular activities. But after high school, those structured options often disappear. And many young adults struggle to stay active during this transition, a national poll suggests. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-high-school-collapses-young-adults.html Mon, 20 Apr 2026 00:10:01 EDT news695625492 A new University of Michigan study, published in Injury Prevention, tested a method called the Family Safety Net in Alaska, which shifts suicide prevention away from individual screening and toward household action. This change, researchers say, could help reach people who are often missed by standard tools. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-family-firearm-strategy-screen-curb.html Fri, 17 Apr 2026 09:40:04 EDT news695636822 A randomized trial in a large economics course found that AI-mediated feedback improved students' revisions when teaching assistants stayed in control. Artificial intelligence can help instructors write better feedback on student essays and improve learning outcomes when AI is used as a behind-the-scenes assistant rather than a replacement for human graders, a new University of Michigan Engineering study suggests. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-ai-instructors-feedback-trial.html Education Fri, 17 Apr 2026 08:40:01 EDT news695628062 Pregnancy-related deaths in the United States increased sharply during the COVID-19 pandemic, with the greatest impact seen among Black women, a new study suggests. While rates have since returned to pre-pandemic levels for most groups, they remain significantly higher for Black mothers, according to the Michigan Medicine research in Obstetrics & Gynecology. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-pregnancy-deaths-rose-pandemic-elevated.html Tue, 14 Apr 2026 17:20:07 EDT news695400362 Preeclampsia is a life-threatening pregnancy complication that affects roughly 1 in 10 pregnancies worldwide and, in the United States alone, around 5%–8% of pregnancies. The condition can lead to severe, long-term health consequences for mothers and their babies. Despite its prevalence, though, the underlying cause has remained largely unknown. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-root-preeclampsia.html Tue, 14 Apr 2026 09:40:01 EDT news695376782 Urban emissions of methane—a potent greenhouse gas—are rising faster than bottom-up accounting estimates anticipated, according to a study led by University of Michigan Engineering. The discrepancy was found with satellite measurements of methane over 92 major cities around the world. For 72 of the cities, there were sufficient data to track changes in methane emissions between 2019 and 2023. Overall, global urban methane emissions in 2023 were 6% higher than 2019 levels and 10% higher than 2020 levels, although they tended to decrease in European cities. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-satellites-reveal-city-methane-emissions.html Earth Sciences Mon, 13 Apr 2026 18:50:01 EDT news695320261 Artificial intelligence can write text messages encouraging physical activity that most older adults consider appropriate and good quality, but their feelings about AI—and whether they know AI wrote the message—impact their response, suggests a new study in the Journals of Gerontology. The research is an important first step in helping health programs use AI to support large-scale behavior change, said lead author Allyson Tabaczynski, postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Michigan School of Kinesiology. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-pocket-sized-personal-trainer-ai.html Thu, 09 Apr 2026 16:40:05 EDT news694965722 Long-term opioid prescribing has fallen in the United States over the last decade, but millions of patients still received opioids for 90 days or longer in 2023, according to a new research letter in JAMA led by University of Michigan researchers. The team analyzed U.S. trends in long-term opioid therapy, a pattern of opioid dispensing often used for chronic pain but associated with risks, including overdose and addiction. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-term-opioid-fallen-millions-therapy.html Wed, 08 Apr 2026 15:40:04 EDT news694880701 When it comes to opinions about paying for, and getting access to, care for older adults, direct experience appears to matter a lot, a new University of Michigan study finds. People aged 50 and over who serve as unpaid family caregivers for adults over 65 are more likely than non-caregivers to say that the government should have primary responsibility for paying for the care of older Americans, at 51% vs. 43%. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-pay-older-adults-caregivers-differently.html Tue, 07 Apr 2026 10:20:01 EDT news694775521 Neuroendocrine cells are unique in their ability to act both as nerve cells and hormone-making cells. They're scattered throughout the body, including the stomach, intestines, pancreas and lungs. Tumors that arise from these cells are called neuroendocrine tumors and are often rare and slow growing. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-therapeutic-neuroendocrine-tumors-gastrointestinal-tract.html Mon, 06 Apr 2026 16:20:06 EDT news694699398 Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is the most common type of pancreatic cancer and has a low five-year survival rate. It begins with a reversible state called acinar-to-ductal metaplasia, where cells can heal after injury or inflammation. If there are cancer-causing mutations, metaplasia can continue progressing toward cancer. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-cellular-pathways-precancerous-lesions-pancreatic.html Fri, 03 Apr 2026 13:00:02 EDT news694436941 During the Artemis II mission launched Wednesday, NASA will test out a pair of new solar radiation forecasts, developed at University of Michigan Engineering, designed to protect astronauts venturing away from Earth. The forecasts will provide warnings of harmful solar radiation released by solar flares and eruptions up to 24 hours in advance. NASA's Space Radiation Analysis Group (SRAG) is examining how new solar particle forecasting technologies might provide a faster response to changing space weather conditions during the Artemis missions, which will mostly fly outside the natural shielding provided by Earth's magnetic field. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-artemis-ii-solar-particle-storms.html Space Exploration Thu, 02 Apr 2026 16:50:01 EDT news694365121 The effectiveness of air disinfection devices may now be measured in minutes, rather than hours, with a new technique from University of Michigan Engineering. This is important for researchers developing better antiviral air purifiers, helping to mitigate outbreaks of viral respiratory diseases and prepare for the next pandemic. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-04-uv-air-disinfection-minutes.html Engineering Thu, 02 Apr 2026 16:40:03 EDT news694364942 Bacteria are a major cause of infections and death in hospital settings, due—in part—to the rising incidence of antibiotic resistance. In the United States, antibiotic-resistant bacteria are involved in more than 2 million infections and cause 23,000 deaths annually. There's a growing need for new options that can both treat infections and limit resistance. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-copper-starch-nanoparticles-bacteria-microbial.html Bio & Medicine Mon, 30 Mar 2026 16:50:03 EDT news694106161 In a demonstration that could help pave the way for gene therapies with fewer side effects, several human cell types have been genetically modified with protein nanoparticles designed at University of Michigan Engineering and Michigan Medicine. Gene therapy has been enormously successful for treating disorders of the blood, including sickle cell disease and leukemia. However, using a virus as a vector for treatment can create unwanted side effects, such as secondary cancers and immune system overreactions. With the nanoparticles, the research team aims to develop a safer method for delivering gene therapies. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-nanoparticles-genetically-human-cell.html Bio & Medicine Mon, 30 Mar 2026 16:30:02 EDT news694106101 Young adults who heavily use substances may report significantly poorer memory decades later, a new University of Michigan study suggests. Researchers tracked how frequently participants reported binge drinking and daily—or near-daily—use of alcohol, cannabis and cigarettes between the ages of 18 and 30. They then compared those patterns with self-reported poor memory at ages 50 to 65. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-03-brain-hidden-young-adult-substance.html Sun, 29 Mar 2026 13:00:05 EDT news693487713 For decades, the college athlete's world has been split between the classroom and the playing field––and now there's a third role: chief marketing officer. Name, image and likeness policies provide athletes income through endorsements and sponsorships, and while NIL doesn't force athletes to choose between school and sports, it does crank up the pressure, new research from the University of Michigan and the University of Minnesota suggests. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-money-problems-links-image-commitment.html Economics & Business Fri, 27 Mar 2026 13:10:01 EDT news693835321 An international team of experts recently came together to update sepsis care guidelines for adults for the first time since 2021. The updates have profound implications for the management of sepsis, which is responsible for approximately 11 million deaths per year worldwide. Co-led by U-M's Hallie Prescott, M.D. and Massimo Antonelli, M.D. of Catholic University in Rome, Italy, the 69-person panel reviewed research, concentrating on areas of care that may have new evidence supporting a change in practice. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-03-surviving-sepsis-guidelines-harness-life.html Thu, 26 Mar 2026 19:30:01 EDT news693734977 Picture a cockpit crew of two who met just minutes before takeoff, now descending through a turbulent midnight sky. They aren't looking at each other—their eyes scan the instruments in the cockpit and the horizon outside—and yet they move in perfect sync. This isn't just professional courtesy. It's a high-speed psychological "meshing" that keeps flights safe. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-flight-simulators-crews-rapport.html Economics & Business Thu, 26 Mar 2026 15:20:01 EDT news693746726 Nitrile and latex gloves that scientists wear while they are measuring microplastics may lead to a potential overestimation of the tiny pollutants, according to a University of Michigan study, published in Analytical Methods. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-nitrile-latex-gloves-overestimation-microplastics.html Polymers Thu, 26 Mar 2026 05:00:01 EDT news693656221 When people binge eat, it's rarely broccoli or apples on the menu. Instead, foods like cake, cookies, ice cream and chocolate consistently show up—and a new University of Michigan study suggests that's no coincidence. An analysis of more than four decades of research reveals that highly processed foods are not just common in binge-eating episodes—they are nearly universal. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-03-binge-evidence-foods.html Tue, 24 Mar 2026 22:30:01 EDT news693574169 When a person with cancer finds out they carry an inherited genetic variant that puts them at higher risk of cancer, the results can help inform their treatment or steps to prevent additional cancer. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-03-online-intervention-cancer-patients-genetic.html Tue, 24 Mar 2026 16:00:05 EDT news693564516 Stellar streams are trails of stars that astronomers can study to solve mysteries about the history of our Milky Way galaxy and, potentially, the dark matter that helps shape the cosmos despite eluding direct observation. These streams have largely been left behind by small dwarf galaxies and globular clusters, which have since petered out of existence. But there is a rare and important third type of stellar stream: streams from globular clusters that still survive. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-astronomers-stellar-stream-candidates-milky.html Astronomy Mon, 23 Mar 2026 17:00:08 EDT news693487754 Childhood deaths are significantly higher among children who lose a parent to drug overdose, homicide, or suicide compared to the general child population, a new University of Michigan study found. The research, published in JAMA Network Open, investigated the link between specific types of parental loss and the subsequent risk of mortality for children in Michigan, said study lead author Sean Esteban McCabe, professor at the U-M School of Nursing. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-03-kids-parent-homicide-suicide-drug.html Mon, 23 Mar 2026 11:00:02 EDT news693219181 While urban life is often associated with stress and pollution, living in more intensely developed neighborhoods may actually protect against stroke, a new University of Michigan study suggests. The research published in Cities & Health tracked more than 25,000 adults across the United States for over a decade, and found that residents in areas with higher levels of development, characterized by more buildings, sidewalks and infrastructure, had a 2.5% lower risk of suffering a first-time stroke compared to residents in less developed areas. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-03-urban-shield-longitudinal.html Thu, 19 Mar 2026 18:00:03 EDT news693156137 Nearly a third of Americans over age 50 provide regular care to an adult relative or friend with a health issue or disability, a new poll finds. But many of them don't know about, or use, local resources that could help them with caregiving. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-03-caregiving-net-poll.html Thu, 19 Mar 2026 07:00:01 EDT news693122222 They're tired all the time. They fainted at school. Their blood pressure, body temperature or heart rate are super low. They've lost a lot of weight in a few months. Their hair is falling out. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-03-disorder-medical-emergency-resources-hospitals.html Wed, 18 Mar 2026 15:40:04 EDT news693066842