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Peering deep into a distant galaxy, astronomers from the University of Wisconsin, Madison and the University of Colorado at Boulder have obtained a glimpse of what may be the youngest massive star clusters ever observed.

Erica Ellington, who became fascinated with the universe when she was only 5 years old, this week will take Fiske Planetarium audiences out to the distant star clusters previously visited only in science fiction. The assistant professor in the University of Colorado at BoulderÂ’s department of astrophysics and planetary sciences, will present public programs on "Galaxies at the Edge of the Universe," on Tuesday, Jan. 12, and Friday, Jan. 15, at 7:30 p.m.

A University of Colorado at Boulder research project on long-term ecological changes occurring in an alpine region west of Boulder will continue for at least six more years as a result of a $4.2 million renewal grant from the National Science Foundation.

EDITORS: In some cases, reporters can arrange meetings with these business leaders prior to or following their lectures. Contact Laurie Van Horn, (303) 492-2224, for information. Undergraduate students in ¶¶Òõ¶ÌÊÓƵ-BoulderÂ’s Profiles in American Enterprise class will hear from a variety of top CEOs this semester from telecommunications companies like Nextel and Qwest to retailers like Wild Oats.

Fiske Planetarium at the University of Colorado at Boulder will present a series of monthly astronomy shows this spring that will take viewers from black holes to the very edges of the universe. The monthly sky shows, in addition to the regular Friday evening and Tuesday evening programs, will be led by noted ¶¶Òõ¶ÌÊÓƵ astronomers and will use the planetariumÂ’s versatile imagery to visualize the cosmos. The in-depth presentations are intended for adults and children age 12 and over.

The earliest humans who peopled Australia some 55,000 years ago may have inadvertently disrupted the continent's food chain by burning vast areas of native vegetation, resulting in the extinction of most large animal species.

Dennis Van Gerven, a ¶¶Òõ¶ÌÊÓƵ-Boulder anthropology professor known for his collection of Nubian mummies and lively classroom presentations, will be the first featured speaker in a winter-spring lecture series at the Boulder Public Library beginning Wednesday, Jan. 13. Van Gerven's talk on "Bones, Bodies and Disease in Ancient Nubia" kicks off the spring Chancellor's Community Lecture Series, which will feature ¶¶Òõ¶ÌÊÓƵ arts, science and music faculty. The talk is at 7:30 p.m. in the library's main auditorium.

In the not-too-distant future, University of Colorado at Boulder students will find that registering for classes will be as easy as tapping their computer keyboards. Some 900 sophomores and freshman took advantage of a pilot program in web registration when they signed up for spring classes in November and found the experimental web registration to their liking.

William E. Briggs, who taught mathematics at the University of Colorado at Boulder both before and after he served 16 years as dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, died Jan. 4 following a long illness. He was 73. Briggs became dean of arts and sciences on July 1, 1964, after serving one year as the acting dean, and held that position until he retired in 1980, at which time he received a medal for outstanding service.

Local senior citizens are invited to explore reference publications, view rare photograph collections and learn how to use computers during "Senior Day at Norlin Library," at the University of Colorado at Boulder. The event will be held Jan. 6 from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Center for British Studies in Norlin Library room M549. The event is sponsored by The Friends of the Libraries, an organization that encourages community members to use university library resources. "Senior Day at Norlin Library," is free and open to the public and reservations are not required.