“The Origin of the Species” is one of the most famous books ever written. But how many of us have actually read Charles Darwin’s masterwork? Not enough, according to Penn Museum Director Richard Leventhal and his colleagues, who have put together a “Darwin Day” featuring short teach-in talks to familiarize us with the famous naturalist and his groundbreaking theory of evolution. Throughout the afternoon, Penn experts will speak for 10-15 minutes on such Darwinian topics as “Evolution: Just the Facts” (Paul Sniegowski, associate professor of biology), “Skulls and Bones” (Janet Monge, keeper of Physical Anthropology) and “Darwin’s Story” (Susan Lindee, professor of history and sociology of science). A special afternoon session of Penn’s popular “Science Café” discussion program will round out the talk, while a birthday cake (for Darwin’s 197th birthday) and badminton (one of the big D’s favorite games) promise light-hearted interludes. Visitors can also take a break from lecture learning to watch “Life on Earth,” the classic BBC documentary narrated by Sir David Attenborough.
Novel plant-based approach to a better, cheaper GLP-1 delivery system
Research led by Penn Dental’s Henry Daniell investigates the use of a lettuce-based, plant-encapsulated delivery platform as a new oral delivery of two GLP-1 drugs previously approved by the FDA in injectable form.
No brain, no gain: Neuronal activity enhances benefits of exercise
Research led by Penn neuroscientist J. Nicholas Betley and collaborators finds that hypothalamic neurons are essential for translating physical exertion into endurance, potentially opening the door to exercise-mimicking therapies.
In honor of Valentine's Day, and as a way of fostering community in her Shakespeare in Love course, Becky Friedman took her students to the University Club for lunch one class period. They talked about the movie "Shakespeare in Love," as part of a broader conversation on how Shakespeare's works are adapted.
In Becky Friedman’s English course Shakespeare in Love, undergraduate students analyze language, genre, and adaptation in the Bard’s plays through the lens of love.
Beating the heat: Designing cooling for bodies in motion
Dorit Aviv, director of Weitzman’s Thermal Architecture Lab, studies how humans, technology, and design intersect, paving the way for the development of novel approaches to cooling people efficiently.
