Discovery

Take Two Drops of Lizard Spit and Call Me in the Morning

Gila monsters are reclusive, cold-blooded, raw egg-loving lizards whose venomous bites can cause intense pain. Ah, but within that same mouthful of venom-laced saliva is a marvelously therapeutic protein – one which has already been synthesized and used in diabetic drug treatments. And, it’s one which University of Alabama researchers are analyzing in hopes it could later improve the digestive performance of humans compromised by intestinal cancer and/or surgery.

Stone Nearly 3,000 Years Old Shows the Americas’ Oldest Known Writings, UA Researcher on Team Publishing Findings in Science

Carved across the surface of a 26-pound stone slab unearthed in Veracruz, Mexico is the oldest known writing ever discovered in the Americas, according to a paper publishing in the Sept. 15 issue of the journal Science by a 7-person team of archaeologists, including Dr. Richard A. “Dick” Diehl, professor of anthropology at The University of Alabama.

Alabama Housing Market Finally Shows Signs of Slowing, According to UA’s Real Estate Research Center

After increasing for most of the year and setting a record in June, the number of existing homes sold in Alabama fell by a whopping 12.8 percent in July, according to the Alabama Real Estate Research and Education Center at The University of Alabama. Sales dropped to 5,260 units, down from 6,032 units in June.

Devastating Consequences

With Hurricane Katrina’s intense destruction in 2005, government officials and private citizens can no longer take public infrastructure for granted. Through a series of research projects, The University of Alabama’s Aging Infrastructure Systems Center for Excellence is improving the productivity and resilience of aging assets in America.

New Census Data Paints Diverse Picture of State, According to UA’s State Data Center Analysis

To outsiders, Alabama’s large cities and counties might seem relatively homogeneous—part of a Deep South state with a warm climate and a lot of people who speak with a distinctive drawl. But newly released data from the Census Bureau reveal there are significant differences among Alabama’s most urban settings, according to Annette Watters, manager of the State Data Center at The University of Alabama.

UA Seeks ‘Gold Seal’ Accreditation for Human Research

As The University of Alabama positions itself for major growth in its research activities, it is simultaneously launching a multi-year accreditation effort designed to offer the most comprehensive protection available to its human research participants.

Area Students Participate in UA Chemistry Research Program

The department of chemistry at The University of Alabama recently hosted the Research Experience for Undergraduates program, funded by the National Science Foundation, under the direction of Dr. John Vincent, UA professor of chemistry, and Dr. Stephen Woski, UA associate professor of chemistry.

Alabama Housing Affordability Declines as Economy Enters Second Half of Year, According to UA Real Estate Center

The Alabama Housing Affordability Index for the second quarter was 147.4, down from 165.0 in the first quarter of 2006, a 10.67 percent decline, according to figures released by the Alabama Real Estate Research and Education Center at The University of Alabama’s Culverhouse College of Commerce.

UA Astronomers to Navigate Telescopes Atop Mountains in Arizona, Chile Without Leaving Campus

University of Alabama astronomers and their students will soon regularly point and focus two mountaintop-based telescopes, including one in the southern hemisphere, without leaving campus.

UA Professor Researches Lake Source Heat Pumps

How do you handle the Alabama summer heat? Some residents of the Lake Tuscaloosa area have discovered an atypical way to stay cool during the summer, while saving money in the process.