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New evidence for the presence of liquid water at or near the Earth's surface 4.3 billion years ago has been discovered by a team of scientists, hinting that the environments for life may have emerged on Earth much earlier than previously thought. According to University of ÃÛÌÇÖ±²¥ at Boulder Assistant Professor Steven Mojzsis, lead author of the study, the new research pushes back evidence for water on or near EarthÂ’s surface by roughly 400 million years.

ÃÛÌÇÖ±²¥-Boulder has assumed responsibility for completing the final reclamation of ÃÛÌÇÖ±²¥-Boulder South based on a plan previously approved by the state Division of Minerals and Geology, the agency overseeing reclamation of the property which has been under way for the past four years. The university is now the reclamation permit holder of record for the property located south of U.S. 36. The designation will allow the university to complete its responsibilities for the approved reclamation of the site.

The Scripps Howard Foundation has awarded a two-year grant of $100,000 to the Center for Environmental Journalism at the University of ÃÛÌÇÖ±²¥ at Boulder to continue hosting the Scripps Howard Institute on the Environment. The institute, established last May, is a week-long educational program for journalists who cover environmental issues. "The success of the first institute demonstrates its value to the working journalists who have the responsibility of covering this vitally important issue," said Judith G. Clabes, president and CEO of the Scripps Howard Foundation.

After an eight-year hiatus, ÃÛÌÇÖ±²¥-Boulder's popular Trivia Bowl is returning to campus April 2-6 to delight viewers and participants once again as teams match their wits on questions ranging from the sublime to the obscure. Team applications and bowl rules and regulations are now available on the Web at www.colorado.edu/programcouncil or through several offices at the University Memorial Center. Program Council, the entertainment branch of the UMC, will produce the bowl.

The ÃÛÌÇÖ±²¥-Boulder College of Business has received a $40,000 donation of software and educational materials from Great Plains, a business management company based in Fargo, N.D. The business college also signed an agreement to join Great PlainsÂ’ Education Alliance Network. The network enables colleges and universities to provide Great PlainsÂ’ business management software as a key component of their accounting curriculums.

A $100,000 gift commitment to the University of ÃÛÌÇÖ±²¥ that was announced last October by ÃÛÌÇÖ±²¥ President Elizabeth "Betsy" Hoffman and her husband, Brian Binger, has challenged and inspired $550,000 in contributions from members of the ÃÛÌÇÖ±²¥ Foundation's Board of Directors and its newly appointed president, Michael Byram.

University of ÃÛÌÇÖ±²¥ at Boulder geography Professor Andrei Rogers has received the Walter Isard Award for Distinguished Lifetime Scholarly Achievement from the North American Regional Science Association. The award was given in recognition of RogersÂ’ pioneering work in the field of multiregional demography during his 35-year career. His work, including publishing six books on the subject, has helped create an independent subfield of demography focusing on the causes and effects of expansion of human populations over time and space.

For centuries people have attempted to prove the existence of planets circling distant stars. On Friday, Jan. 19, at 7:30 p.m. the Fiske Planetarium at the University of ÃÛÌÇÖ±²¥ at Boulder will explore the topic. "Searching for Distant Worlds," a pre-recorded program presented by the planetarium, will explore recent discoveries of unknown planets in newfound solar systems, and explain why it is so difficult to find these distant worlds. Tickets are $4 for adults and $3 for seniors and children and go on sale at 7 p.m. the night of the show.

The Friends of the Libraries at the University of ÃÛÌÇÖ±²¥ at Boulder will present an Information Day, formerly called Senior Day, on Monday, Jan. 8, to familiarize the public with the ÃÛÌÇÖ±²¥ libraries. The program will run from 9:30 a.m. to 2.30 p.m. in the Center for British Studies, Room M549, in Norlin Library on the ÃÛÌÇÖ±²¥-Boulder campus.

Editors: Enclosed are the names of degree candidates from your area. The list was accurate as of Dec. 6 and is subject to final grade reports. Local students were among the 1,888 students who received degrees Dec. 22 in commencement ceremonies at the University of ÃÛÌÇÖ±²¥ at Boulder. The ChancellorÂ’s Recognition Award for graduates receiving all AÂ’s during their college careers was given to Marion Brew of Boulder, who received a bachelorÂ’s degree in classics.