In nature, plants engage in a never-ending battle to avoid being eaten. Unable to run away, plant species have evolved defenses to deter herbivores; they have spines, produce nasty chemicals, or grow tough leaves that are difficult to chew. For years, scientists have assumed that herbivores and plants are locked into evolutionary competition in which a plant evolves a defense, the herbivore evolves a workaround, and so on.

New research led … Read more

Tropical forests contain more than one-half of all plant and animal species on Earth. Unfortunately, they are disappearing at the highest rate of any forests worldwide. Furthermore, many of the most threatened tropical species are restricted to 20 or so biodiversity hotspots, which are sites that have lost more than 70 percent of their original habitat.

Now, a new University of Utah-led study, appearing today in the Proceedings of the National … Read more

It’s estimated that about 788,000 people worldwide died of liver cancer in 2015, the second-leading cause of cancer deaths, according to the latest statistics from the World Health Organization. One of the major challenges in combatting this disease is detecting it early because symptoms often don’t appear until later stages.

But a team of researchers led by University of Utah chemical engineering and chemistry professor Marc Porter and U surgeon and … Read more

The 10th season of the University of Utah Farmers Market begins Aug. 24, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., at Tanner Plaza, west of the Student Union, and continues every Thursday through Oct. 5.

The Farmers Market began as a way to bring fresh, local food to the campus in order to help build healthier, more sustainable lifestyles. The market is a staple of the fall semester, and campus members come back year after … Read more

Now a new study offers insights into what people are deliberating about and what makes the decision so difficult, which could help therapists working with couples and stimulate further research into the decision-making process.

The study, led by U psychology professor Samantha Joel, was published in Social Psychology and Personality Science. Co-authors were Geoff MacDonald and Elizabeth Page-Gould of the University of Toronto.

“Most of the research on breakups has been predictive, … Read more

The Department of English in the University of Utah’s College of Humanities will offer students four new classes this fall exploring horror media, video games, the roles of African-Americans in film and the connection of law and literature.

“In addition to our core courses — which range from our popular classes in traditional literature like Shakespeare and Jane Austen to classes that explore newer forms of cultural production like fantasy and … Read more

Dianne S. Harris, dean of the College of Humanities at the University of Utah, has accepted a new position as senior program officer in higher education and scholarship in the humanities with the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Harris will join the foundation on Nov. 1, 2017.

“I have loved serving as dean at the University of Utah, working with our fabulous faculty, staff and students,” said Harris. “This is a truly … Read more