Natural Sciences

Humpback whales, like the one pictured here off the coast of Provincetown, Massachusetts, are routinely located by analyzing when their calls reach underwater microphones. In a recent paper, oceanographer John Spiesberger and a colleague identified a theoretical wave-interference effect that can make energy from sound waves outrun fundamental speed limits without violating the laws of physics. Their findings could improve whale tracking.

(Image: Courtesy of Bryce Flynn / Getty)

To better understand trade and economics along the Mediterranean Sea during Late Antiquity, second-year Ph.D. student Konstantinos Raptis dives deep into the ocean. Artifacts and shipwrecks remain preserved on the seafloor, offering a rare time capsule from a world long gone by.

(Image: Courtesy of Konstantinos Raptis)

Image: Jenny Evans / Stringer via Getty Images

“Many people still think of waste as something disposable, rather than as a resource that still contains value,” says Reto Gieré, earth and environmental science professor in the School of Arts & Sciences.

(Image: Courtesy of Penn Climate)

Arnav Lal collects water at Playa Baquerizo on San Cristóbal Island as a sea lion watches.

(Image: Lisa Mattei)

Image: Courtesy of Penn Engineering

Penn Engineering materials scientist Shu Yang and Weitzman School of Design architect Masoud Akbarzadeh teamed up to develop a 3D concrete printing system that captures carbon dioxide and boosts the structural performance of the building materials. The solution is based on diatomaceous earth and offers enhanced carbon capture and structural fortitude while using relatively fewer materials.

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A red fox in Philadelphia caught by a trail camera last winter in Penn Vet’s Accessing Urban Nature Initiative.

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