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Penn’s ENIAC, the world’s first electronic computer, turns 80
Jean Bartik (left) and Frances Spence operating the ENIAC’s main control panel in 1946.

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Penn’s ENIAC, the world’s first electronic computer, turns 80

Housed in the University of Pennsylvania’s Moore School Building, ENIAC—the first programmable, electronic, general-purpose computer—launched in 1946. ENIAC’s ability to be reprogrammed to solve a wide range of complex numerical problems was revolutionary and laid the foundation for modern digital systems.

4 min. read

How children consider objects provides a peek into their behavior

How children consider objects provides a peek into their behavior

Young children gravitate toward objects with anthropomorphic features, an inclination that is not as strong in children with early signs of antisocial behavior, according to research from the lab of associate professor of psychology Rebecca Waller.

2 min. read

The small, high-tech beanie protecting premature babies
Pamela Collins holding her baby son.

Pamela Collins holds her son, John, who is wearing the Sonura Beanie. 

 

(Image: Courtesy of Penn Medicine News)

The small, high-tech beanie protecting premature babies

The Sonura Beanie, designed by Penn Engineering alums, is calming babies in the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania’s intensive care nursery.

Alex Gardner

2 min. read

Study finds declining perceptions of safety of COVID-19, flu, and MMR vaccines

Study finds declining perceptions of safety of COVID-19, flu, and MMR vaccines

An Annenberg Public Policy Center panel survey finds that a sizable majority of Americans think the three vaccines that combat measles, mumps, and rubella are safe to take, although perceptions of the safety of all three vaccines showed a statistically significant drop over the past three years.

How investors misjudge market predictions based on quarterly earnings

How investors misjudge market predictions based on quarterly earnings

Research from Wharton finance professor Jessica Wachter shows that investors systematically overreact to repetitive earnings news and then correct that mistake in the months that follow. The cause is a behavioral phenomenon known as correlation neglect.

Uncovering predictors for post-surgical chronic opioid use

Uncovering predictors for post-surgical chronic opioid use

Penn Nursing researchers have identified several key predictors of whether patient will continue using opioids long after the typical recovery period from surgical procedures.

1 min. read

Framework for assessing trustworthiness of scientific research

Framework for assessing trustworthiness of scientific research

The systems-level framework for evaluating the trustworthiness of research findings is published by a group of researchers, including Annenberg Public Policy Center director Kathleen Hall Jamieson.

From the Annenberg Public Policy Center

2 min. read

1 in 4 young people using psychotropic drugs are taking dangerous combinations
An adolescent holding a prescription pill.

Image: Chinnapong via Getty Images

1 in 4 young people using psychotropic drugs are taking dangerous combinations

A Penn Medicine study shows that the use of medicines to address mental health or behavioral conditions climbed from 2001 until 2020, but the increase has led to safety concerns.

Frank Otto

2 min. read

Green Lab’s Freezer Inventory Project: Turning a ripple of change into a wave
Srishti Jainapur recording the temperature on a freezer.

2025 graduate Srishti Jainapur recording the temperature on a freezer.

(Image: Courtesy of Penn Climate)

Green Lab’s Freezer Inventory Project: Turning a ripple of change into a wave

The Freezer Inventory Project, launched in late 2023, aims to improve the efficiency of a major energy strain: ultra-low temperature freezers.

From Penn Climate

2 min. read