University of Colorado Boulder (CU Boulder)

Menstrual pads, tampons can contain toxic substances—what to know about this emerging health issue Heavy metals, phthalates and other potentially harmful chemicals have been detected in a range of menstrual products. Read from CU expert Jenni Shearston on The

Epidemiologist Jenni Shearston from the College of Arts and Sciences is investigating how chemicals found in menstrual products may be harmful to women’s health and advocating for better regulation and awareness. Learn more on @us.theconversation.com
https://bit.ly/4b0QpT9

'Sex and the City' star to give commencement address Kristin Davis, best known for her role as Charlotte York in the HBO series "Sex and the City" will deliver the CU Boulder spring 2026 commencement ceremony

And just like that… Kristin Davis is headed back to Boulder! The Boulder‑born actor and philanthropist will deliver CU Boulder’s 2026 commencement address on May 2 at Folsom Field. https://bit.ly/4scbnWJ

CUriosity: Why does Colorado have so many hot springs, and are they at risk? Geologist Shemin Ge shares how a source of clean energy known as geothermal power could pose unexpected risks to Colorado's iconic hot springs.

Colorado is home to 93 “thermal areas,” or places where hot water bubbles up from deep underground. In our latest episode of CUriosity, geologist Shemin Ge talks about how the unique geology of the American West has given rise to these relaxing features.

Learn more ↓
https://bit.ly/40bsT0U

No matter the season, we love it here in the 303. Happy #303Day! ⛰️

The countdown to Buffs All In starts now!

For 150 years, generosity has shaped CU Boulder. Buffs around the world are coming together this March for a month of philanthropy to power what makes CU bold. Be part of the next 150 years of impact! #BuffsAllIn https://bit.ly/4cbAvaN

Project aims to improve multilingual emergency alerting in Colorado When disasters like wildfires or flooding strike in Colorado, many residents never receive emergency alerts, and those who do often receive warnings only in

Do emergency alerts go out to all Coloradans who need them?

@hazcenter.bsky.social researchers are working to understand the flaws in state alerting systems, including how to reach people who speak a non-English language or have auditory and visual disabilities.

https://bit.ly/4apX2PR

After six years, @laspatcu.bsky.social has said goodbye to Libera. The space instrument will now be integrated onto a satellite to be launched next year. It'll continue a 26-year record of Earth's "energy budget," or how energy flows to Earth from the sun and back into space. https://bit.ly/4shhfxt

The other 'Alzheimer's protein': The quest to prevent toxic tau buildup in the brain Toxic protein clusters known as tau aggregates underlie dozens of neurodegenerative diseases, or "tauopathies." New research illuminates why they form and

New CU Boulder research could someday pave the way toward a neuronal vaccine that could halt neurodegeneration, an intervention that could help prevent the progression of Alzheimer’s.

Read about the findings ↓
https://bit.ly/4rZwj2w

New minor spans disciplines in studying climate science The interdisciplinary climate science minor, available in Fall 2026, will allow students to capitalize on CU Boulder’s role as a leader in climate research.

CU Boulder has unveiled an innovative new minor.

The interdisciplinary climate science minor will give students a window into the many facets of climate science. INSTAAR's Bradley Markle and Robert Anderson made a case for the program in A&S's latest piece.

Astrobiologists search for alien life and help life on Earth in the process A team of early-career researchers say exploring how life may have evolved on far-away worlds could lead to advancements on Earth—from new sources of

Are we alone in the universe? Astrobiologists from the College of Arts and Sciences are exploring how microbes survive in extreme environments, expanding our definition of what’s possible for life on other worlds.
https://bit.ly/40xC1Na

What causes snow slopes to collapse? A physicist, skier explains—with tips for surviving An avalanche killed at least eight skiers on a guided backcountry excursion near Lake Tahoe. CU expert Nathalie Vriend explains what happens in an avalanche and

What makes avalanches so dangerous? College of Engineering and Applied Science physicist and skier Nathalie Vriend breaks down the science behind avalanche triggers, snowpack structure and mountain slopes. Learn more on @us.theconversation.com
https://bit.ly/4aIt74d

Wildlife need social connections too New research reveals that "introverted" animals that don't live in stable social groups may be more vulnerable to extinction.

Research from the College of Arts and Sciences reveals that even “loosely social” animals—like deer and squirrels—depend on social connections for survival. Fragmented wildlife populations threaten social networks, making more species vulnerable to extinction.
https://bit.ly/4kJcIkE

We are so excited to be one of the hosts for this legendary Festival! 🎥

Sundance Film Festival announces dates for 2027 The Sundance Film Festival is set to make its Boulder debut in January 2027. Find out the exact dates and how to stay connected as planning progresses.

Big news—Boulder will be the home to the #SundanceFilmFestival January 21-31, 2027! 🎞️

We are excited to be one of the hosts for this legendary Festival founded by Robert Redford, who attended CU Boulder in the mid 1950s.

Learn more ↓
https://bit.ly/4qTpz5a

@sundance.org

Inaugural Sustainability Research Initiative Research Fellows unveiled This SRI Research Fellowship will serve as a year-long incubator designed to bring together CU Boulder researchers from across academic units, disciplines and

Congratulations to Keith Musselman and Irina Overeem, who were selected as members of the inaugural cohort of Sustainability Research Initiative Research Fellows at CU Boulder.

As fellows, the researchers will participate in a year-long interdisciplinary research incubator.

CU Boulder establishes Tribal Sustainability Leaders Fellowship CU Boulder's SPIKE Center for Sustainability Education has partnered with the Center for Native American and Indigenous Studies, committing support for the new

The SPIKE Center for Sustainability Education is partnering with the Center for Native American and Indigenous Studies @colorado.edu to support a new Tribal Sustainability Leaders Fellowship.
www.colorado.edu/today/2026/0...

One of the saltiest parts of the ocean is getting fresher Off the west coast of Australia, some seawater has lost nearly a third of its salty area in recent decades, as climate change-related current shifts push more

One of the saltiest parts of the ocean is getting fresher, and the changes could potentially disrupt major ocean circulation systems that help regulate climates around the world, affect marine ecosystems and more.

Explore the research ↓​​
https://bit.ly/4czITB1

What are the little red dots deep in space? CU researchers worked with an international team to uncover more about the mysterious objects detected by the James Webb Space Telescope.

What are the little red dots detected by the James Webb Space Telescope?

CU Boulder astrophysicists and an international team found evidence that at least one of these mysterious objects is a growing supermassive black hole.

https://bit.ly/4agUXo5

❄️ What causes snow slopes to collapse?
INSTAARite Nathalie Vriend updated her article for The Conversation 👇🏽

The pine beetles are back. Here's why—and what you can do about it Mountain pine beetles are exploding in numbers again, killing ponderosa pines across large swaths of Colorado. A CU Boulder entomologist explains why it's

Entomologist Samuel Ramsey from the BioFrontiers Institute and the College of Arts and Sciences warns that warmer winters are fueling an increase in pine beetle populations. These conditions form a perfect storm that raises wildfire risk and threatens local ecosystems.
https://bit.ly/3ZFLj9K

Western Water Assessment 2025 Intermountain West Hazard Summary report cover with an image of a burned, mountainous landscape. Logos for Western Water Assessment, CIRES, University of Colorado Boulder, University of Utah, and NOAA Climate Adaptation Partnerships are at the bottom of the page.

@wwanews.bsky.social produced an Intermountain West Hazard Summary, which highlights the most significant hazards — drought, wildfire, flooding, severe storms, and high wind — that impacted communities in Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming in 2025. @colorado.edu
wwa.colorado.edu/resources/ha...

IBS Training Award supports research comparing deliberative democracy in Boulder and Chengdu, China - Institute of Behavioral Science At Boulder’s first Community Assembly for the Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan, 43 randomly selected residents came together to discuss how and where to implement 15-minute neighborhoods. Across the ...

Both #Boulder and #Chengdu, China are using community-based deliberation to debate #15-minuteneighborhoods. The IBS Training Program awarded @xiaodongyan.bsky.social a $1500 grant to investigate how deliberative #democracy operates in #China compared to the #U.S.

ibs.colorado.edu/ibs-training...

Some tropical land may experience stronger-than-expected warming under climate change A sediment record millions of years old revealed that the tropical Andes heated up dramatically when atmospheric CO2 levels were similar to today’s.

Scientists at @instaar.bsky.social have reconstructed regional temperatures from millions of years ago by analyzing ancient Colombian lake sediments. The findings show that as climate change accelerates, tropical land areas could warm nearly twice as much as oceans.
https://bit.ly/4aIXxnc

Climate change media coverage fell 14% in 2025 Despite rising impacts, climate change received less attention in media around the world in 2025. CU Boulder sociologist Max Boykoff shares the reasons and

"Journalists may be hesitant to connect the dots between ecological and meteorological events, like wildfires, and a changing climate due to the ongoing politicization of climate science."

Read the Q&A with CIRES' @maxboykoff.bsky.social about climate change media coverage:

Can a chatbot make you feel less lonely? Information systems expert Jason Thatcher explores how emotionally intelligent chatbots could support users and why it’s important to design them with clear

How can emotionally adaptive AI chatbots help address loneliness? Research from the Leeds School of Business is exploring how chatbots can support users’ emotional needs and foster meaningful interactions—but there are risks associated.
https://bit.ly/4rM122Q

What is 'romantasy,' and why can't readers get enough? Fairies and dragons and love! Oh my! An expert on romance fiction digs into one of the publishing industry's hottest trends.

Forget the rom-com. This Valentine’s Day, it’s romantasy. ❤️📚

Romantasy continues to be one of publishing’s hottest trends, with major bestsellers breaking records. Christine Larson, assistant professor of journalism, breaks down what’s driving the surge and why readers are obsessed.

CUriosity: What is love? Like only about 5% of all mammal species, prairie voles can form long-term bonds with a partner. CU Boulder neuroscientist Zoe Donaldson shares what these

What is love? And how does your brain generate it?

In our CUriosity series, neuroscientist Zoe Donaldson dives into her lab's research on prairie voles, a monogamous rodent species that has the capacity to have lifelong bonds with their mating partner—just like us. https://bit.ly/3OqRhc1

What Olympic athletes see that viewers don't Machine-made snow makes ski racing faster and riskier—and it's widespread at the 2026 Games. Hear from U.S. Olympic skiers and CU scientists on The

Winter Olympic athletes are on the front lines of climate change. With the shrinking availability of natural snow comes the inherent challenges of competing on machine-made snow, a necessary but dangerous substitute. Read more in the @us.theconversation.com
https://bit.ly/3ZvBKdu

Spruce Gulch Wildlife and Research Reserve

Summer funding opportunity for CU Boulder grad & undergrad student projects in the 🌲 Spruce Gulch Wildlife & Research Reserve @colorado.edu

Proposals can be in natural sciences, engineering, museum studies, social sciences, humanities, or arts
Deadline: 13 Mar 2026
www.colorado.edu/instaar/rese...

Doing things solo is on the rise, and businesses should pay attention—even on Valentine's Day More consumers are living, dining, traveling and spending on their own, yet most brands still cater to couples. Read from CU expert Peter McGraw on The

The economy is shifting to design for singles. While Valentine’s Day may be a holiday for couples, businesses are beginning to recognize independent customers, according to research from Leeds School of Business expert Peter McGraw. Read more in the @us.theconversation.com
https://bit.ly/4raqL5k