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A team led by the University of Colorado at Boulder and the University of Milan has discovered some unexpected forms of liquid crystals of ultrashort DNA molecules immersed in water, providing a new scenario for a key step in the emergence of life on Earth.

With the snow starting to fly in the Colorado high country not only is it time to sharpen the skis and dust off the snowshoes, but it's also time to tune up your body so you can enjoy your favorite winter sport. According to James Hardy, assistant strength and conditioning coach in the University of Colorado at Boulder athletics department, the first step to getting into shape is to get your body moving.

A podcast produced by the University of Colorado at Boulder Office of News Services offers shopping tips from Leeds School of Business Professor Donald Lichtenstein to help consumers save money. Even with all the choices and information available to shoppers today on the Internet, Lichtenstein said many shoppers still lose when it comes to getting the best price for their gifts because most people engage in surprisingly little "search behavior" before making a purchase.

The University of Colorado at Boulder Housing and Dining Services Department will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the debut of the newly renovated Sewall Hall Dining Center. The grand opening will take place from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 27, at Sewall Hall, the oldest residence facility on the CU-Boulder campus. A $6.5 million project to update Sewall's dining accommodations included the restoration of historic fixtures and the addition of bright, modern conveniences to serve more than 1,000 meals per day.

The Charles A. and Anne Morrow Lindbergh Foundation has awarded grants for two University of Colorado at Boulder engineering projects exploring technological solutions to environmental challenges. One of the grants was awarded to John Zhai, an assistant professor in the Building Systems Program, and the other was awarded to environmental engineering professors Angela Bielefeldt and Scott Summers. The Lindbergh Foundation awarded 14 grants this year from a pool of 150 applications.

The University of Colorado at Boulder has received a grant of up to $2.4 million to improve teacher education in math and science following a nationwide competition that included submissions from more than 50 universities. CU-Boulder's grant is one of 12 being awarded by the National Math and Science Initiative to implement programs modeled after UTeach, a highly successful math and science teacher preparation program at the University of Texas at Austin.

City of Boulder news release Yesterday afternoon, a fuel truck involved in construction work on the CU-Boulder campus leaked diesel fuel that made its way into Boulder Creek. The fuel spill occurred in an area extending from University Avenue to the banks of Boulder Creek near the 17th Street Bridge.

John Ashcroft, who served as U.S. attorney general under President George W. Bush, will visit the University of Colorado at Boulder campus this month to talk about national security following the 2001 terrorist attacks. The CU-Boulder Student Union's Cultural Events Board is sponsoring his appearance as part of its notable speaker series. Ashcroft will discuss "Freedom and Security in Post 9/11 America" at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 27, at Macky Auditorium. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m.

An unknown amount of diesel fuel leaked from a fuel truck involved in construction work on the University of Colorado at Boulder campus Wednesday afternoon and made its way into Boulder Creek. The fuel is being contained and cleanup operations, expected to take about two days, are under way in an area extending from University Avenue to the banks of Boulder Creek near the 17th Street bridge, campus officials said.

An estimated 1,000 middle school students representing 37 teams from around Colorado will converge on the University of Colorado at Boulder campus on Saturday, Nov. 17, for the eighth annual FIRST LEGO League competition. The competition at Balch Fieldhouse next to Folsom Stadium will be from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. The FIRST LEGO League competitions for middle school students began in 1999. Competing in this yearÂ’s event will be teams from around Colorado, representing Front Range cities such as Denver, Longmont and Boulder.