Biosphere 2 Tests Pea Plants for Mars Life Support
A two-week sealed-habitat experiment at the University of Arizona measured how dwarf pea plants affect carbon dioxide and oxygen levels.
Tucson Science News
For readers in Tucson, this page covers university research, desert ecology and environmental studies, astronomy and space work, and local research funding. Reporting follows the labs, field sites and institutions where discovery happens across the city.
Botany
Peter Gierlach Celebrates 34 Years of Growing Native
The Tucson naturalist shares his passion for local flora through his long-running radio segment on KXCI-FM.
Space
Live Poll
Does increased commercial activity in space benefit long-term scientific research?
University of Arizona Hosts Space Horizons Forum
The event connects experts in space exploration, private business, and defense to discuss the future of the industry.
Geography
Live Poll
Do you trust global academic rankings to accurately reflect the quality of your local university?
University of Arizona Academic Programs Ranked Globally
The 2026 ShanghaiRanking recognized five university departments for their global research and academic impact.
Life Sciences
Live Poll
Should medical research prioritize developing synthetic drug delivery systems that improve treatment accuracy and safety?
University of Arizona Professor Received $1.9 Million Grant
The funding supports a five-year project to develop synthetic drug carriers modeled after human red blood cells.
Tucson reporting spans university laboratories, observatories and field research in the surrounding desert, grant and funding decisions, and new instruments built or tested locally. Coverage reaches across the city and into the communities around it wherever a research project crosses the line. Water scarcity and the arid climate shape much of what gets studied here, from ecology to hydrology. Large institutional projects and the public funding behind them often generate as much coverage as the findings themselves.