Arts and Humanities

The doghouse is getting a makeover for the 21st century. But you can bet your pooper-scooper that little Rover or Fido has never seen anything quite like this.

What works of American literature are Chinese readers devouring? And why? Project Yao holds the answers. --by Judith Smith

The streetscape outside Terminal 2 at Sky Harbor Airport was hot, ugly, and unfriendly to wheelchairs. ASU architects were tasked with the job of making the space human- and Earth-friendly. Their design had to combine function with safety, comfort and elegance--for a budget of just $1 million. --by Adelheid Fischer

Why is a music professor taking blood samples and studying the hormone oxytocin? ASU's Director of Bands Gary Hill wants to understand the connection between mood and music, and he thinks hormones might play a leading role. --by Judith Smith

By studying nature for clues to solving design and engineering problems, designers and engineers can create innovative solutions that will minimize the environmental impact of new products. --by Adelheid Fischer

Clarinetist Robert Spring is quick to dispel the myth that musicians are born into their talent. During one of his early auditions the instructor actually stopped him and said, "Boy, you're not very good." But Spring was determined. Today he is an endowed professor of music who has performed on six continents. His audiences respond as if they are watching a rock star. --by Sheilah Britton

Composer Tom Peterson is not very interested in music that balances consonance and dissonance. He likes conflict in his compositions, and in one piece even asked his musicians to "play what makes you angry." (part 3 of 3) --by Sheilah Britton

Most people assume that landscape photographs are about rocks or trees or space. For Mark Klett, the real meaning of landscape photography concerns our essential connection to place, to each other, and, most important, to time. --by Adelheid Fischer

An unusual new species of whirligig beetle from India has been named Orectochilus orbisonorum in honor of the late rock and roll legend Roy Orbison and his widow Barbara. ASU entomologist Quentin Wheeler announced the description and discovery of the beetle species Jan. 25 during a Roy Orbison Tribute Concert at ASU. Barbara was also presented with an original print titled "Whirligig," created by ASU's CJ Kazilek.

A series of microscopic time-lapse images show microtubules in the fungus Neurospora crassa. The image is part of a collection created by ASU cell biologist Robert Roberson. The collection has appeared in multiple galleries throughout the Phoenix area.