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Nathi Magubane

Science News Officer
  • nathi@upenn.edu
  • (215) 898-8562
  • A portrait of science writer Nathi Magubane
    Articles from Nathi Magubane
    New high-definition pictures of the early universe
    Part of the installation of a telescope.

    (Image courtesy of ACT Collaboration; ESA/Planck)

    New high-definition pictures of the early universe

    Research by the Atacama Cosmology Telescope collaboration has led to the clearest and most precise images yet of the universe’s infancy—the cosmic microwave background radiation that was visible only 380,000 years after the Big Bang.

    8 min. read

    Can surface fractures on Earth, Mars, and Europa predict habitability on other planets?
    A view of a planet in the solar system.

    (On homepage) A global view of Jupiter’s moon Europa displaying extensive surface fractures—long, curving lines carved into the ice by tidal forces from Jupiter. These cracks hint at dynamic activity beneath Europa’s frozen shell and may provide clues about the moon’s potentially habitable subsurface ocean.

    (Image: Courtesy of NASA/JPL-Caltech)
     

    Can surface fractures on Earth, Mars, and Europa predict habitability on other planets?

    Geophysicist Douglas Jerolmack has used the mathematical framework developed for understanding fracture patterns on Earth to survey two-dimensional fracture networks across the solar system, which could offer insights into detecting potentially habitable environments on other planets.
    Building bridges: A feat of engineering and artistry
    The Glass Bridge

    Architect Masoud Akbarzadeh and research assistant Boyu Xiao of the Weitzman School of Design, along with collaborators including Yao Lu of Jefferson University, defied conventional engineering by constructing a 30-foot-long bridge entirely from 16 millimeter hollow glass units. Their effort is now showcased at the Corning Museum of Glass.

    (Image: Courtesy of the Corning Museum of Glass)

    Building bridges: A feat of engineering and artistry

    At the Corning Museum of Glass, professor of architecture Masoud Akbarzadeh and his team have turned fragility into strength with a 30-foot-long span of shimmering glass, blending ancient wisdom with cutting-edge design to redefine the future of structural engineering and architecture.

    9 min. read

    What can theoretical physics teach us about knitting?
    knitted squiggles

    (On homepage) A close-up of a highly structured self-folding knit, where carefully designed stitch patterns create a repeating wave-like geometry. This fabric’s shape is dictated entirely by its stitch arrangement, demonstrating how knitting can be programmed to form complex, three-dimensional structures without the need for additional shaping forces. Such advancements in knitigami—the fusion of knitting and origami—could lead to innovations in deployable textiles, soft robotics, and adaptive materials.

    (Image: Courtesy of Lauren Niu)

    What can theoretical physics teach us about knitting?

    Penn physicist Randall Kamien, visiting scholar Lauren Niu, and collaborator Geneviève Dion of Drexel bring unprecedented levels of predictability to the ancient practice of knitting by developing a mathematical model that could be used to create a new class of lightweight, ultra-strong materials.
    Four from Penn named 2025 Sloan Research Fellows
    Four portraits arranged in a 2x2 grid. Clockwise from top left: Jason Altschuler, Cesar de la Fuente, Liang Wu, and Anderson Ye Zhang

    Jason Altschuler (top left) and Anderson Ye Zhang (bottom left) of the Wharton School, Liang Wu (bottom right) of the School of Arts & Sciences, and César de la Fuente (top right) of the Perelman School of Medicine have been named 2025 Sloan Research Fellows. They are among 126 early-career scientists in North America chosen this year to receive the two-year, $75,000 fellowship in recognition of their accomplishments, creativity, and potential to become leaders in their fields.

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    Four from Penn named 2025 Sloan Research Fellows

    Jason Altschuler, César de la Fuente, Liang Wu, and Anderson Ye Zhang have been honored as early-career researchers and scholars for their accomplishments, creativity, and potential to become leaders in their fields.
    Quantum communications
     3D rendering of artist's interpretation of quantum entanglement.

    Leveraging principles of quantum mechanics to securely transmit messages has promised a revolution in encryption, keeping sensitive information secure. Now, a collaborative team of researchers including the School of Engineering and Applied Science’s Liang Feng and Ph.D. candidate Yichi Zhang have developed a system that enables more stable, robust, high-efficiency, and long-range quantum communication—paving the way for practical, high-dimensional quantum networks.

    (Image: Courtesy of Jian Fan)

    Quantum communications

    Penn and CUNY researchers collaborated to develop a device that uses quantum principles to relay information securely—an advance that could improve encryption in critical service areas like banking and health care.
    Turning the desert into an oasis
    People gather around a large map placed on the floor.

    In Senegal, the ambitious Dakar Greenbelt project seeks to create an extensive network of ecological infrastructure in and around the city to sustainably address environmental concerns and enhance urban life. With support from David Gouverneur and Ellen Neises, Ph.D. candidate Rob Levinthal in the Weitzman School of Design led two courses that included a field trip to Dakar, that culminated in students presenting their visions for parts of the Greenbelt.

    (Image: Courtesy of Chaowu Li)

    Turning the desert into an oasis

    Students from the Weitzman School of Design journeyed to Senegal to help with a massive ecological and infrastructural greening effort as part of their coursework. The Dakar Greenbelt aims to combat desertification and promote sustainable urban growth.
    New ways to modulate cell activity remotely
    3D rendering of cells on a blue backdrop

    Cells are dynamic, fast-changing, complex, tiny, and often hard-to-see in environments that don’t always behave in predictable ways when exposed to external stimuli. Now, researchers led by Lukasz Bugaj of the School of Engineering and Applied Science have found new ways to modulate cell activity remotely.

    (Image: iStock/Maksim Tkachenko)

    New ways to modulate cell activity remotely

    Penn researchers use temperature to guide cellular behavior, promising better diagnostics and targeted therapies.
    A less clumpy, more complex universe?
    Dark energy telescope with star trails

    A less clumpy, more complex universe?

    Researchers combined cosmological data from two major surveys of the universe’s evolutionary history and found that it may have become “messier and complicated” than expected in recent years.
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