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In 2011, 12 high-school girls in upstate New York began to exhibit strange neurological symptoms: tics, verbal outbursts, seizure-like activity and difficulty speaking. The diagnosis was “conversion disorder.”

When Peter Blanken flew to Paris for the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference in December, he had somewhat low expectations. But the CU-�鶹ӰԺ geography professor was heartened to see and hear that the 200 countries attending COP21 agreed on the urgency to act. “There was a strong sense that if we don’t do something in these two weeks (of the conference), it will be too late.”

Economic inequality is a hot topic in a presidential election year. Economists, politicians and journalists are all weighing in — but what, exactly, can an archaeologist bring to the discussion? Sarah Kurnick, a Chancellor’s Postdoctoral Fellow at CU-�鶹ӰԺ, is glad you asked.

Strong and light carbon-fiber composites can be easily and cost-effectively recycled into new material just as strong as the originals, a team of researchers led by CU-�鶹ӰԺ has found. The composites are popular because they are lighter than aluminum and stronger than steel. Unlike metal, however, carbon-fiber composite is generally not recyclable.

The go-to-strategy for rescuing threatened species has long been to set aside tracts of healthy land to spread out in, and migration corridors that allow them to mix with other populations, gaining resilience via a broadened gene pool. Because habitat preservation isn’t always viable, introducing genetic diversity might keep threatened species viable, scientists find.

Generally, ‘voluntourism’ is a poor substitute for traditional development work. Most projects are short-term, organizations that promote voluntouring don’t always ‘understand the place where it happens,’ and travelers typically don’t have skills needed for particular projects, researchers find.

Some peer-reviewed studies have found that happy people tend to live longer than their less-happy counterparts. But now, for the first time, researchers have found that happiness all by itself—regardless of marital status, income, physical health and other indicators—is a key factor in longevity.

Sure, there are endorphin junkies who love to enter the ‘pain cave,’ but for those who’d rather play, fleeing from ‘zombies’ does the trick, CU-�鶹ӰԺ researchers find.

Nearly 1,000 students, most in the CU Club Sports Program, have benefitted from a cutting-edge clinic that tests for and treats concussions. Those who have suffered concussions are getting timely treatment, which helps them recover and stay in school. The CU clinic is gaining notice nationwide.

More than 600 non-business students are now enrolled in the integrative business minor program at the �鶹ӰԺ. The program underwent a massive overhaul and debuted its slick and slimmed-down 12-credit program in fall 2013—an appealing alternative to the former, clunky 24-credit program. The program is popular and exceeding enrollment projections.