UNH Today

DURHAM, N.H.—In the aftermath of the collapse of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge, authorities are trying to figure out what went wrong and how the collision of the heavily traveled structure with a container cargo ship brought it crumbling down into the Patapsco River. Video shows the massive bridge buckling and tumbling into the water in a matter of seconds. Erin Bell, chair and professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of New Hampshire, is an expert on bridge construction and points to the structure of the bridge as a possible weakness.

DURHAM, N.H. — Television dramas, like CSI and NCIS, make criminal investigations look easy. In real life, DNA testing can be challenging and requires expensive equipment, special facilities and extensive training to identify DNA from a crime scene and determine which belongs to a potential suspect and which may have been transferred from someone who was never there. Research from the University of New Hampshire has found a less expensive and easier to use test to learn more about forensic touch DNA.

DURHAM, N.H.—As Princess Catherine continues to recover from a mysterious stomach surgery, a badly edited photo of the future queen released on Mother’s Day has the public questioning any news, or lack of, coming from the royal palace. As speculation and rumors swirl, Nicoletta Gullace, associate professor of history at the University of New Hampshire and an expert on the royal family, is available to comment if these latest issues are just a bump in the road for the royal family or if there is reason for Britons to question their confidence in the palace and the future of the monarchy.

DURHAM, N.H.—Recent major flooding and historical tide surges along the coastline of the United States have shown the significant and sometimes devastating damage that winter storms and increased sea level can cause in surrounding areas and infrastructure. The University of New Hampshire has several leading experts in coastal flooding and resiliency that can comment on a number of key topics like sea-level rise and more frequent powerful storms and their impact on infrastructure and transportation.

DURHAM, N.H. — Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions are not typically associated with water ways, like streams and rivers, but emerging research shows that water bodies play an important role in storing and releasing carbon dioxide.

DURHAM, N.H. — It can be challenging to gauge the quality of online news — questioning if it is real or if it is fake. When it comes to health news and press releases about medical treatments and procedures the issue can be even more complex, especially if the story is not complete and still doesn’t necessarily fall into the category of fake news.

DURHAM, N.H.–Grab some eclipse glasses and pick a place on the map to experience a unique opportunity to view a total solar eclipse of the sun that will pass across the United States, from coast to coast, on Monday, April 8, 2024. Solar eclipses often happen over oceans or hard to access areas but this one will offer a number of chances to catch a glimpse, including in several New England states like New Hampshire, Vermont and Maine. The spring eclipse will be a total solar event meaning that the moon will completely block the sun and the sky will darken as if it were dawn or dusk.

DURHAM, N.H.—The Carsey School of Public Policy at the University of New Hampshire is establishing a first-in-the-state early care and education research consortium, made possible by a $1.5 million grant from the Couch Family Foundation.

The multi-year grant will enable the Carsey School to conduct new research on early childhood care and education policy and help to build and coordinate a consortium of researchers and practitioners across the Granite State.

DURHAM, N.H.—The University of New Hampshire has been awarded over $1.2 million to investigate an apparent steady decline of the fisher population in the state of New Hampshire. The grant, from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and N.H. Fish and Game Department, will help UNH researchers investigate the health and mortality of fishers to better understand why these mammals, which can be indicators of forest health, are disappearing.

DURHAM, N.H.—During the recent NFC championship playoff game the coach of the Detroit Lions, Dan Campbell, faced a tough decision - trust the analytics or trust his gut? Listen to some old-school NFL watchers and the feeling was the team used too much math. But according to Peter Zaimes, lecturer in decision sciences at the University of New Hampshire and an expert in sports analytics, those kinds of decisions come into play in every football game, even Super Bowl LVIII.