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Research
The soils beneath the solar fields
How do solar farms impact soil health? It’s a question that master’s student Hannah Winn is exploring at the central Pennsylvania site where solar energy production is helping Penn progress toward carbon neutrality.
Finding solutions for burnout among nurses of color
The Center for Health Outcomes and Policy Research at the School of Nursing brought together nurses and researchers for the Solutions to Health Inequities & Nurses’ Emotional Exhaustion Invitational.
Romance and race
Sociology Ph.D. candidate Olivia Hu is studying how people choose romantic partners across race lines, and how those relationships affect their understandings of social difference.
New chip opens door to AI computing at light speed
A new silicon-photonic (SiPh) chip design from the lab of Nader Engheta, alongside Firooz Aflatouni, uses light waves, the fastest possible means of communication, rather than electricity, to perform mathematical computations.
‘Switchable’ bispecific antibodies pave way for safer cancer treatment
Immunotherapy utilizing an FDA-approved drug has enabled Penn researchers to develop a novel switchable bispecific T cell engager that mitigates negative outcomes of immunotherapy.
The YouTube algorithm isn’t radicalizing people
A new study from Annenberg School for Communication’s Computational Social Science Lab finds that the YouTube recommendation system is less influential on users’ political views than is commonly believed.
Penn Vet launches mRNA Research Initiative
The University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine today announced the mRNA Research Initiative to advance veterinary vaccine science.
What makes a breakthrough? ‘Eight steps back’ before making it to the finish line
Four of Penn’s Breakthrough Prize recipients, Carl June, Katalin Karikó, Virginia M-Y Lee, and Drew Weissman, were honored at a reception on Feb. 13.
Lessons from the 17th century ‘New Netherland’
Through study of the fur and wampum trade between the Lenape and Dutch in the 1600s, fourth-year history Ph.D. candidate Molly Leech is aiming to recenter Indigenous contributions to global trade.
How Penn researchers are helping address group violence in Baltimore
The Crime and Justice Policy Lab has seen encouraging results from its work implementing a Group Violence Reduction Strategy in part of the city.
In the News
Suddenly there aren’t enough babies. The whole world is alarmed
Jesús Fernández-Villaverde of the School of Arts & Sciences estimates that global fertility last year fell to below global replacement for the first time in human history.
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The quest for treatments to keep weight off after Ozempic
Researchers at Penn are conducting a co-authored study of the brains, fat and muscle cells, and eating patterns of people trying to maintain new body sizes.
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There’s still no standard test to detect pancreatic cancer early. Scientists are working to change that
A 2020 study from the Perelman School of Medicine found that a blood test to screen for certain biomarkers associated with pancreatic cancer was 92% accurate in its ability to detect disease.
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Hedge funder famous for his ‘black swan’ strategy says there’s ‘something immoral’ about America’s reliance on debt—and future generations ‘will bear the burden for this’
A 2023 study by the Wharton School found that the U.S. has about 20 years left for corrective action to fix the national debt before it hits 200% of GDP.
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Can money buy you happiness? Yes, it can. However…
Research by Matthew Killingsworth of the Wharton School reveals there is no monetary threshold at which money's capacity to improve well-being diminishes.
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Sugar-coated gold nanoparticles could replace some antibiotics
According to a Penn Medicine study, a new therapy involving laser light and sugar-coated gold nanoparticles can reduce tooth decay and infected wounds without needing antibiotics.
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