Latest news with #MississippiStateUniversity
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Marco Arop's coach hails world champion runner as 'once-in-a-lifetime athlete,' marvels at fast recovery time
Years before Marco Arop ran 800 metres to a 2023 world championship gold medal and Olympic silver the next year, he was a 400-metre sprinter and could be spotted red-lining, or pushing his body to its maximum effort, during high school workouts in Edmonton. But he had zero sense of pace. "If coach gave me three 400m [intervals] I would go all-out in the first one and struggle through the next two," Arop recalled during a break in training while preparing to race the 800 and 1,500 at Grand Slam Track this Saturday and Sunday in Philadelphia. Arop would eventually understand his limits that enabled him to push through pain. Most successful track and field athletes don't shy away from the pain of training, but Arop understands the pain pushes him a step closer to his ultimate goals, according to his coach. "It means he's determined and committed to the craft, and he is not going to let anything get in his way," said Chris Woods, who has worked with Arop since becoming head track and field coach at Mississippi State University in 2019. The 26-year-old Arop can buffer lactic acid, or hurt longer and more, than anyone Woods has seen in 12 years at who began coaching at the U.S. collegiate level in 2009, has guided several track standouts, including four-time Canadian 800m champion Brandon McBride, but none like Arop. "He's a once-in-a-lifetime athlete. The way Marco can recover between fast, long and hard intervals, I've never seen anything like it," Woods told CBC Sports. "My best educated guess is it's genetics and his upbringing." To illustrate his point, Woods cited one of Arop's recent workouts at MSU. It consisted of broken runs of 700m (500/200), 600m (400/200) and 500m (300/200) that included a 48-second run in the 400. "For me, that's just another day at the track," Arop told Toronto sprinter Aaron Brown and two-time Canadian Olympic hurdler Perdita Felicien for CBC Sports' Trackside show. "This [was] the first race pace workout [I've] done this year. I'm used to seeing those times in training, but it's cool to see the reactions [from others]. "To run [one minute 41 seconds over 800 metres], and potentially faster, [I] have to be able to run fast paces on short recovery." "In the middle of that workout," Woods told CBC Sports, "he was running paces that would add up to a 1:36 800m run. In no way am I suggesting he would cover 800 in that time. It just shows how long he can hold paces such as that with minimal rest." Talk of David Rudisha's seemingly untouchable 1:40.91 world record only grew louder when Arop ran a 1:41.20 personal best in the Olympic final last Aug. 10 to finish 1-100th of a second behind Kenya's Emmanuel Wanyonyi in Paris. "It's been a goal of mine since I started running. That was the first race I watched before I did my first high school 800," Arop told Brown and Felicien. "Watching David Rudisha run that world record inspired me to get to that level. Now that I'm knocking on the door, it's really cool and a testament to all the work that's been put in. I got to give a lot of credit to my coaches because without their belief, I don't think I would be near where I am now. "To get to 1:39," continued Arop, "that's going to be another level, so that's the next step."In Philadelphia, Arop will aim for his first Slam title in three attempts after his combined point totals from the 800 and 1,500 placed him second in the short distance group in Jamaica last month and Miami on May 3. After racing the 1,500 first at those events, the 800 will be contested first on Saturday at 4:57 p.m. ET, followed by the 1,500 Sunday at 5:01 p.m. "That will be a new experience," said Arop, who has raced on back-to-back days in his career but not in different distances. "I'm confident in my ability to race the 800 with fatigue in my legs. I'm not sure what the 1,500 is going to feel like [fatigue-wise]." Arop, who is using the Slam competitions as training for various aspects of his races, believes racing the 1,500 helps him stay consistent and deliver better finishes in the 800. "I'm probably the strongest I've been [in my career]. My early [season] fitness is the best I've seen and [I'm] touching on the speed work now [in training] so I'm excited where it's going to take me," he said. Added Woods: "Running the 1,500, in theory, will make him a more well-rounded middle-distance athlete. By the end of the season, I believe fans will see a middle-distance athlete that's in the lower 1:40s in the 800m and the lower 3:30s, if not 3:20s, in the 1,500. "He'll be a very dangerous runner when that happens." The final stop of the Grand Slam Track season is June 27-29 in Los Angeles. Arop will race there before joining the Diamond League professional track and field circuit. He is scheduled to race in Monaco (July 11) London (July 19) and possibly Lausanne, Switzerland (Aug. 20).
The Independent
28-05-2025
- General
- The Independent
Scientists may have solved 2,000-year-old mystery death of Roman baby twins
Sign up for our free Health Check email to receive exclusive analysis on the week in health Get our free Health Check email Get our free Health Check email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Lead poisoning may have played a role in the death of fraternal twin babies from 2,000 years ago found buried facing each other in Croatia, according to a new study. Though it's unclear exactly how the infants died, researchers, including Anna Osterholtz from Mississippi State University, suspect lead poisoning may have played a role. The rare double burial was discovered in the Dragulin cemetery in the Croatian city of Trogir, which was part of the Roman province of Illyricum around 47BC. Archaeologists first excavated the cemetery in 2016 when construction for a new parking lot uncovered ancient stone urns. A DNA analysis revealed the infants were fraternal twins, a boy and a girl, buried together in the first or second century AD. 'They were buried in a single event, suggesting that they died at the same time, possibly as stillbirths,' the study published in the Journal of Archaeological Science concluded. Artist's drawing of the double burial ( M Daniel Watkins ) Analysis of the skeletons indicated 'significant metabolic disease' in the infant twins and a 'typical Roman diet with marine foods'. The twins likely suffered from nutritional deficiencies, like scurvy or rickets, with their bodies unable to utilise some nutrients. Researchers suspect their mother was malnourished or suffered from a metabolic disease herself which contributed to the poor health of the babies. Alternatively, the study suggests, the infants may have died from metabolic complications caused by lead poisoning. 'Lead poisoning has been linked to increased rates of miscarriage, stillbirth, and infant mortality as well,' the study noted. 'This is due to the fact that lead exposure on the part of the mother is transmitted through placenta to the fetus and later through breast milk to the infant which may start to display pathological changes.' Previous studies have documented the key role played by lead poisoning in the fall of the Roman Empire. The Roman world widely used the toxic metal in its pipes and cookware as well as a food preservative and a sweetener in wine. Researchers found conditions in the skeletons of the twins consistent with the effects of lead poisoning such as increased bone porosity. A recent study of 150 people from ancient sites in Croatia also showed a 'tremendous increase in lead levels during the Roman period', the study said. 'The fact that a similar trend was noticed in several Roman period sites in the immediate vicinity of Tragurium may be additional confirmation for this hypothesis.'
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
When quarks misbehave, symmetry breaks down and changes the rules of physics
For decades, physicists have relied on the principle of symmetry to simplify and understand the complex behaviors of subatomic particles. Symmetry in physics basically means that some rules of nature stay the same even if you change things around. This idea has served as one of the foundations of nuclear physics, helping scientists build models of how matter behaves at the smallest scales. However, a team of researchers led by Mississippi State University (MSU) professor Dipangkar Dutta has found cracks in this foundation. Results from the new study suggest that symmetry, once thought to be a constant, can break down under certain conditions. This finding can reshape our understanding of the strong nuclear force, a force that governs everything from the behavior of particles inside atomic nuclei to the formation of matter across the universe. To test whether certain symmetries in physics really hold up, the researchers conducted an interesting experiment at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility in Virginia. They used a high-energy beam of electrons and fired it at protons and deuterons (a hydrogen isotope). This allowed them to observe how quarks, the tiny building blocks inside protons and neutrons (inside the deuteron), behave when struck. The technique the scientists used is called semi-inclusive deep-inelastic scattering (or SIDIS). In simple terms, it's a way to knock loose a quark and then study what kind of particle it turns into afterward. The researchers focused on how often quarks turned into positively or negatively charged pions (a type of subatomic particle), depending on whether they came from protons or deuterons. This process, called fragmentation, gives physicists clues about how quarks behave when they're released from the tight grip of the strong nuclear force. Now here's where the symmetry jumps in. According to a principle called charge symmetry, an up quark in a proton should behave the same way as a down quark in a neutron, once you flip the charge. That's been a helpful assumption for decades because it simplifies calculations. However, until now, this idea hadn't been tested carefully in the context of fragmentation. When the researchers compared the behavior of these quarks, they found small but clear deviations, especially at lower energy levels. These deviations caused the symmetry between the behaviors of up and down quarks to break down, suggesting that charge symmetry doesn't always hold, at least not during fragmentation. The possibility of symmetry failing under certain conditions can lead to many changes in nuclear physics. For instance, by understanding where and why symmetries break down, scientists can reevaluate theoretical models and more accurately explain particle behavior and interactions. "The assumptions we make based on symmetries greatly simplify our analyses. But they haven't been tested quantitatively with precision until now. Our new results show when the symmetries are valid and when they need certain corrections," said Dutta, in a statement released by MSU. Hopefully, future studies will also shed light on other scenarios where symmetries break and lead to an improved understanding of nuclear physics. The study is published in the journal Physics Letters B.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
FOX Weather scholarship program with Mississippi State University launches careers of young meteorologists
NEW YORK – A thriving partnership between FOX Weather and Mississippi State University (MSU) continues to launch the careers of aspiring meteorologists by tapping into the expansive expertise of FOX Weather meteorologists and giants in the broadcast industry. Through their annual scholarship, which also comes with internship and mentorship opportunities, the weather news network and one of the top meteorology schools in the nation have so far given three undergraduate students in the MSU Department of Geosciences opportunities for professional growth. This year, a fourth student, Isabelle Stewart, has been named the next recipient of the annual FOX Weather-MSU scholarship program. Stewart is a sophomore studying Geosciences with a concentration in Professional Meteorology and an emphasis in Broadcast Meteorology and a minor in Communications. As part of the scholarship, FOX Weather meteorologist Steve Bender will serve as a mentor to Stewart effective immediately and she will intern with FOX Weather beginning in 2026. We are taking a look back at the experiences of past scholarship recipients and how they have already begun to make an impact in the field of broadcast meteorology. The weather expertise at FOX Weather crosses multiple generations, from scholarship recipients and recent MSU geoscience graduates to world-renowned experts whose work spans decades. One of those experts includes FOX Weather Hurricane Specialist Bryan Norcross, who recently hosted a meteorology summit at Mississippi State University. Using his more than 50 years of broadcast experience, such as guiding Floridians through the historic disaster of Hurricane Andrew in 1992, Norcross gave career advice to MSU students attending the event. Nearly 50 Years In Florida Taught Bryan Norcross About Monster Storms Covering the event for FOX Weather was the third and most recent scholarship recipient, Sadie Morris. Morris is working toward earning a Bachelor of Science degree in geosciences with an emphasis in broadcast meteorology. As part of the scholarship program, Morris was able to learn under the guidance of mentor and FOX Weather Meteorologist Jane Minar, whose own experiences with mentors showed her the value of making such valuable connections in the industry. "I have so much gratitude for those who have been and continue to be mentors to me. So when I was asked to be Sadie's mentor, I couldn't have been more excited to give back in the same way," Minar said. "We connected almost immediately on our love for weather and zest for life." This connection is something the second recipient of the FOX Weather-MSU scholarship, Mark Kimoto, also experienced. A geoscience major focusing on professional meteorology and minoring in communication, Kimoto was able to learn from the mentorship of FOX Weather Meteorologist Craig Herrera. "Being a mentor is more than an honor. It's a privilege," Herrera said. "From the get-go, Mark Kimoto and I hit it off, and I feel like he's my little brother. Mark is a great guy who absorbs so much information and guidance." In addition to Kimoto and Morris, Haley Meier, the first recipient of the scholarship, also had the opportunity to learn from a mentor, FOX Weather Meteorologist Marissa Torres. Fox Weather's Steve Bender, Haley Meier Inspire Students At Mississippi State University Symposium Torres noted how, during the mentorship, she visited Meier at MSU and shadowed her for the day. She also provided career advice, such as reviewing her resume reel, but mostly chatted about life. "Being a mentor is an incredible opportunity and one I was honored to be a part of," Torres said. "I was paired with Haley Meier, who, by no surprise, is now my coworker at FOX Weather." By the end of the program and upon graduating from MSU in 2023, Meier joined FOX Weather as an on-air meteorologist and now hosts her own show. The successes of Meier, Kimoto and Morris are demonstrative of the strength of the FOX Weather-MSU scholarship article source: FOX Weather scholarship program with Mississippi State University launches careers of young meteorologists
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Mississippi teacher donates part of liver to save student
STARKVILLE, Miss. (WJTV) – Mississippi State University (MSU) alumna and Tupelo Public School District special education teacher Holly Allgood didn't hesitate to help one of her students. Allgood was in her classroom at Tupelo's Early Childhood Education Center when she received a call that she was a match. She donated 30% of her liver to her student, Bowen Dorr, who is battling carbamoyl phosphate synthetase I deficiency (CPS1). Belhaven University recognized for online programs 'MSU alumna Holly Allgood's selfless act of love and concern for one of her students reflects what I believe is a core value of our university, which is service,' said MSU President Mark E. Keenum. 'We try to instill in our College of Education graduates the sense that they are stewards of the future in teaching and impacting the lives of their students. Certainly, Holly has taken that to an entirely new level, and all of us in the Mississippi State family admire and applaud her sacrifice and devotion to her student.' Both Allgood and Bowen are recovering well after the August transplant and have gained national attention for their story. Allgood, Dorr, and Dorr's mother were recently featured on the 'Jennifer Hudson Show' during this week's national Teacher Appreciation Week. They shared Dorr's story, and Allgood received a $10,000 gift from PaperMate. 'He's a completely different kid now,' Jamie Dorr, Bowen's mother, said in the interview. '…To have someone so close to home that was willing to lay down her life for [my child] when I couldn't—it's a gift I can't put words to. We need more Hollys.' Allgood, a Tupelo native and 2005 MSU College of Education graduate, has spent nearly two decades teaching special education. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
