Research news
Research finds past burns can limit Alaska wildfire spread
September 24, 2026
UAF-led research found that previously burned areas can act as natural barriers to wildfire spread by reducing available fuels. The effect can persist for decades, although hot, dry and windy conditions make fires more likely to cross into younger burn scars.
Indigenous observations make Arctic Ocean models more accurate
September 18, 2026
Working with Indigenous observers on Alaska's northern coast, a research team has developed a way to improve the modeling of oceanic changes.
UAF drone program tests long-distance blood sample delivery
September 17, 2026
Alaska's drone research program successfully completed a 1,000-kilometer test flight carrying human blood samples for the International Testing Agency, which investigates doping by athletes at the Olympics and other major sporting events.
Mapping tsunamis, building trust
September 17, 2026
While taking a quick shower before her son's fourth birthday party on Dec. 26, 2004, tsunami scientist Elena Troshina heard the phone ring. Deciding it was worth jumping out, she picked it up -- with kids, you never know.
Getting to the bottom of copper's rise to the top
September 10, 2026
Kennecott has been spruced up quite a bit since my last visit there nearly 30 years ago.
Ancient 'cheetah' adapted to a fish-based diet to survive
September 04, 2026
When the now-extinct American cheetah was enduring the last ice age, a glaciated barrier broke up its territory into two distinct territories -- one in central North America and another much farther north. Analysis from the Alaska Stable Isotope Facility helped an international research team uncover how the ancient carnivore survived in those distinct regions. American cheetahs in the southern range hunted terrestrial prey like pronghorn antelope. Their counterparts in the Arctic adapted to their environment by making fish a staple of their diets.
September 04, 2026
The weekend trip closed with a drive home through the Alaska Range, and the steep scenery around Isabel Pass looked as glorious as it usually does -- except for one little flaw. Here and there, like pale flames along the creek banks, willows gleamed golden in the evening light. On the river's gravel bars and beside the road, dwarf fireweed leaves had turned a sunburned purple.
LARS to host community event Sept. 12
September 02, 2026
The University of Alaska Fairbanks Large Animal Research Station will celebrate the end of summer tour season with a Locals Day event on Saturday, Sept. 12, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
ACEP receives $3 million to advance energy resilience
September 01, 2026
The Alaska Center for Energy and Power at the University of Alaska Fairbanks has received $3 million to study technology that can strengthen energy systems in remote and strategically important regions.
Extreme solar storms can hit Earth harder than thought
August 28, 2026
Scientists have greatly underestimated the impact an extreme solar storm can have on Earth, according to new research.
Seeking the benefits of a parasite
August 28, 2026
This time of year, when berries fill my thoughts, the early summer blooms that begot them are hazy in my mind. As I pick, I try to remember that my belly and bucket are full thanks to these flowers and their pollinators. And to my surprise, as I learned this summer, perhaps a parasitic plant is also to thank.
Alaska Defense Forum 2026 focuses on community-military ties
August 21, 2026
Leaders in national defense, research and policy will gather with local partners next week in Fairbanks for the annual Alaska Defense Forum organized by the University of Alaska Fairbanks.
Uncorking the secrets of a tiny bottle of volcanic ash
August 21, 2026
What is this ash from Mount Spurr volcano's 1992 eruption made of?
Shapes of Western Alaska bays influence local flood danger
August 20, 2026
When large storms hit Western Alaska, some areas fare much worse than others. New research studying ex-Typhoon Merbok in September 2022 has found that a complex recipe of topography, tidal influences and seasonal water-level changes contribute to those differences. A University of Alaska Fairbanks-led team determined that the shape of bays and estuaries in the region played a huge role in funneling and amplifying Merbok-driven storm surges.
Expanded UAF, military partnership looks north
August 19, 2026
A newly inked federal agreement will expand the scope of the research partnership between the University of Alaska Fairbanks and the U.S. military. It will also refocus those efforts on the Arctic.
Time capsule: Looking for a few good wood frogs
August 14, 2026
The office phone rang while Brian Barnes discussed with me his need for wood frogs. The caller's loudness forced Barnes, a University of Alaska Fairbanks associate professor of zoophysiology, to tilt the phone away from his ear.
Accelerated rates of warming in the Arctic continue
August 12, 2026
The American Meteorological Society released its annual report on the global climate this week, with many researchers from the University of Alaska Fairbanks participating.
Festival will satisfy currant curiosity
August 12, 2026
The fourth annual Far North Currant Festival will celebrate one of Alaska's lesser-known berries from 1-4 p.m. on Aug. 22 at the Georgeson Botanical Garden in Fairbanks. Visitors of all ages can enjoy berry tastings, educational exhibits, hands-on activities and garden tours. Local growers, gardeners, researchers, artists and community experts will be on hand to answer currant questions.
UAF leads AI project to strengthen Alaska's rural power grids
August 11, 2026
A new energy research project led by the University of Alaska Fairbanks has received a $725,000 award from the U.S. Department of Energy.
How do Alaska animals sleep in the summer?
August 11, 2026
More than a month after the summer solstice, Fairbanks is still the land of the midnight sun. Joggers are out getting in their late-night runs along Farmers Loop, and we still don't need our headlights after another evening ice cream at Hot Licks.
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