Tempe campus

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

Glass is much more than the stuff of windows and mirrors. The scientific term "glass" refers to substances that cool and become rigid without taking on a crystalline structure. The nature of glass is still a mystery to chemists. Glassy water is the biggest enigma of all. --by Nicholas Gerbis

An international research team has discovered traces of oxygen in Earth's atmosphere about 50 million years before expected. The results came as a surprise to the scientific community. --by Diane Boudreau

As top news headlines trumpet American economic woes, U.S. presidential candidates struggle to reassure panicked investors. But how exactly does the economy influence voting behavior? Researchers are finding out.

While America's presidential candidates stump for education reform, some of the nation's most distinguished scholars are developing research-based recommendations to help our country's next leader formulate effective education policies. --by Verina Palmer Martin

ASU undergraduate Bryan Rolfe conducts research on isotope effects on environmental systems using mass spectrometry. He credits his father for his science-oriented mind, and a high school teacher for winning him over to the world of chemistry. --by Debra Fossum

The desert city of Phoenix depends on an extensive canal system to bring water to farms and homes. But artificial lakes and canal systems along with extensive groundwater pumping have had unintended effects on the ecosystem, scientists say. --by Margaret Coulombe

People who want to lose weight should probably think twice about stocking up on 100-calorie mini-packs. A new study shows dieters actually eat more food and calories if the portions are presented in small sizes and packages. --by Debbie Freeman

Does nature or nurture determine an ant's place in society? A little of both, for one species of harvester ant, at least. This kind of flexibility allows the colony to respond to changing conditions successfully.

ASU researchers are using new genetic tools to trace the evolution of tuberculosis, a bacterium that claims millions of lives each year. Their study of the past can help us develop better treatments for the disease in the future. (photo: Janice Carr, CDC) --by Rebecca Howe