The final month of summer break flew by in (what feels like) record time, and the fall semester at UNLV is now off to the races. With that came the third straight year of growing enrollment, as the university welcomed over 33,000 students – our most ever. 

And if the sheer volume of UNLV experts who made news headlines is any indication, it should be no surprise why so many students are lining up to learn from them!

Is the origin of humanity about to be rewritten? Could new organ-targeted research really prevent diabetes? What’s really happening with tourism in Las Vegas? What are the health differences between a veggie burger and a conventional beefy burger? Is the housing market going to slow down soon? And have you been pronouncing the names of Nevada’s many lovely communities correctly?

Read on for the answers to these burning questions and more from the hottest hits of August!

Back to School: A Record Rebel Class

The fall semester began August 25, continuing a three-year enrollment growth streak as UNLV welcomed over 8,000 new students. Of that figure, 87% of new first-year students are Nevada residents. Four new undergraduate degrees are making their debuts this semester, as well, which include cybersecurity, audio production, and engineering technology, along with insurance and risk management.

UNLV interim president Chris Heavey spoke of the record-setting semester, the value of the university, and its influence on successful student outcomes in a column he penned for the Las Vegas Sun. Additionally, KLAS: News 8 covered the start of the semester (twice), along with a feature on the many resources available for older adult learners who are returning to school after a long hiatus or are balancing family life.

The coverage of this highlight semester continued with Telemundo, KTNV: ABC 13, and KSNV: News 3. Meanwhile, KNPR covered the UNLV American Indian Alliance’s annual sunrise celebration of the new school year.

Evolving Our Understanding of Ancient Humans

The discovery of new dental fossils has enhanced our understanding of a key period of human evolution. Brian Villmoare, anthropology professor and lead author on the research, helped unearth the fossils in Ethiopia, which date back more than 2.65 million years and come from a previously unknown species in the human evolutionary chain.

Reuters; Haaretz; CNN; New York Post; Slate; Business Insider; NPR; U.S. News & World Report; Earth.com; Popular Mechanics; Washington Post; KNPR; Men’s Journal; Science News; Live Science; IFL Science; Discover Magazine; Jerusalem Post; The Independent; Science Alert; El Colombiano; Euro News; DW; The Conversation

Health & Science

• Cannabis policy expert Riana Durrett commented on cannabis gummy poisonings in children with FOX News.
• Brain health expert Brooke Conway Kleven’s research, which says combat sports may disproportionately impact the brains of fighters from disadvantaged communities, was highlighted in several media channels: United Press International; Yahoo; American Academy of Neurology; Neurology Advisor; Health Day
• Registered dietitian nutritionist Samantha Coogan gave her thoughts on the health debate over veggie burgers and beef in a Martha Stewart article. She also helped Verywell Health readers understand how watermelon impacts blood sugar levels.
• SELF explained why exercising can heighten our emotions with the help of sports psychologist Bradley Donohue.
• Biochemistry professor Chandra Bhattacharya’s research into organ-specific drug delivery, which can help treat pancreatic cancer and diabetes, was covered by Science Magazine and KLAS: News 8.
• Earth.com took a dive into the work of marine geoscientist Carrie Tyler. Her latest research describes the functional makeup of marine communities.
• Public health expert Manoj Sharma broke down the benefits of both beverages hojicha and matcha in VeryWell Health.
• Medical entomologist Louisa Messenger talked to The U.S. Sun about the dangers of mosquitoes in Las Vegas, and how the insects are becoming resistant to pesticides with KNPR. She also spoke with The Daily Mail and KSNV: News 3, respectively, about the ongoing mosquito virus outbreaks in China and the resulting travel restrictions.

Culture

• The state of Nevada’s computer network fell victim to a cyber attack, causing a temporary shutdown of government offices such as the Department of Motor Vehicles. Cybersecurity expert Gregory Moody provided insight in CBS News, The Las Vegas Review-Journal (twice) (thrice) (four times), KLAS: 8 News Now, and KTNV: ABC 13.
• Homes & Gardens described the characteristics of a Tuscan house style with the expertise of architecture professor Dak Kopec.
• Tourism researcher Marta Soligo explained why some U.S. states have higher or lower amounts of passport owners in a story from Newsweek.
• Historian Michael Green helps us properly pronounce the destinations of Ne-VĂD-uh in the Reno Gazette-Journal. He also takes us back to the grand opening of Caesar’s Palace on the Strip, and how it influenced other themed hotels in a story from KVVU: FOX 5.
• Real estate experts Shawn McCoy and Nicholas Irwin discussed the increase in foreclosures throughout the Valley in the Las Vegas Review-Journal, KLAS: News 8, and KTNV: ABC 13. Irwin also commented on the ongoing home sales downturn in the Review-Journal.
• The Las Vegas Review-Journal interviewed economist Mark Tremblay to figure out the trend of surge pricing for everyday items on the Strip.

Politics

• With all of the hotels on the Strip now unionized, historian Michael Green was asked to break down this historic moment in stories from the Associated Press, KVVU: FOX 5, and KLAS: 8 News Now.
• Health economist Makayla Lavender explained how changes in the “Big Beautiful Bill” may end up creating additional hardships for elderly or disabled workers in a piece from the Nevada Independent.
• Business Insider and KVVU: FOX 5 covered the reasoning behind the relocation of multiple corporate headquarters, and why Nevada is a popular option, with law professor Benjamin Edwards.
• Finance expert J. Daniel Chi was quoted in a story from Forbes, detailing the viability of Las Vegas as a prime location for corporations to set up camp.
• KSNV: News 3 spoke to geoscience expert David Kreamer about the Colorado River Compact, and the need for states to reach an agreement on water allocation before the Southwest water crisis worsens.

Experts Roundup

• Anthropology professor Karen Harry discussed experimental archaeology on Slate’s Decoder Ring podcast.
• Kinesiologist John Mercer provided some advice in AARP to help older adults have a safer, more productive hike.
• Trauma surgeon Deborah Kuhls commented on the emotional toll a mass shooting can have on healthcare workers in USA Today.
• Tourism researcher Marta Soligo, hospitality expert Amanda Belarmino, and economists Andrew Woods and Stephen Miller all made the rounds in media outlets covering recent tourism numbers in Las Vegas, and the relation it has to the local job market.
  
  NPR, Business Insider, NBC News, Daily Mail, Travel and Tour World, Las Vegas Review-Journal, Nevada Current, KSNV: News 3, KVVU: FOX 5, KLAS: News 8, Straight Arrow News, Gambling News, Vegas Slots Online, Casino.org, National Post
• English instructor Madison Browne joined NPR for a discussion about the themes of a popular new entry in a video game franchise, and how they are applicable to our daily lives.
• Nutrition sciences expert Sara K. Rosenkranz talked about building muscle while strength training for a marathon in Runner’s World.
• Aviation historian Dan Bubb scored mentions in Reader’s Digest, Newsweek, World Finance, and NPR’s Marketplace. He decoded what the chimes mean on an aircraft, debunked a viral TikTok video, spoke on the regulation of autonomous aircraft, and commented on what might happen to rural airports if federal funding is cut.
• WalletHub presented the best credit cards for international travel with the help of hospitality expert Amanda Belarmino.
• Global Gaming Business Magazine talked to gaming expert Kasra Ghaharian for a story about AI’s involvement in gambling.