Inverse Ocean Modeling (IOM) is a tool for combining computer models with observations of the ocean. Researchers at ASU are helping to make the system more accessible and easier to use. --by Jessica McCann

Laboratory work shows undergraduates what it's like to work as a researcher, and gives them skills they can't pick up in the classroom. --by Linley Erin Hall

Cyanobacteria invented a perfect way to extract energy from the sun more than 2 billion years ago. Wim Vermaas thinks these busy bacteria would make an excellent biofuel. --by Diane Boudreau

In frogs, a chemical called Allurin acts like designer perfumes. Males are lured to the right spot to meet Princess Froggy. If it's good enough for frogs, what about humans? --by Margaret Coulombe

What caused the mysterious dark spots, fan-like markings, and spider-shaped features on the icecap at the Martian south pole?

Why would anyone want to study ancient cultures? Charles Redman says that understanding the past is key to enriching the present and future. --by Jessica McCann

A lot of people would define "affection" they way they define good art: "I can't explain it, but I know it when I see it." For a scientist, however, that's not enough. --by Diane Boudreau

Understanding the economy requires a sense of what Dawn McLaren calles connectivity—the way in which many factors come together to create a sort of force that affects us all. --by Jessica McCann

Accurate economic forecasting involves more than number crunching—it also takes a bit of gut instinct. --by Jessica McCann

Some of our earliest ancestors possessed a rather unsteady stride due to subtle anatomical differences in their ankles and feet. The bones are providing clues about how people began walking upright. --by Michael Price

Creativity is considered an attractive trait by both men and women. Research from ASU shows that the reverse is also true—feelings of attraction inspire the imagination. People automatically become more creative when they have a romantic partner in mind. --by Diane Boudreau

Clay has been associated with home cures since Roman times. But there have been very few scientific studies to investigate such claims--until now. Researchers at ASU have found that French green clay can kill pathogenic bacteria. --by Margaret Coulombe

The flesh of a rotting saguaro cactus is 90 percent water, a moist organic soup that is teeming with life. The whole thing is moving, heaving with bugs, worms, and all sorts of microorganisms. It also sparkles with a stunning variety of crystals--some rare, some completely new to science. --by Adelheid Fischer

Photosynthesis may hold the key to curing humans of their addiction to oil and other fossil fuels. --by Diane Boudreau

Predicting how the smallest details of a golf ball's design will make it act in flight is a painstakingly complex task. --by Joe Kullman

"Fences/Borders-USA Mexico" is a multimedia exhibit depicting the US/Mexico border using satellite images, video, and sculpture.