A ‘breakthrough’ to restore memory Michael Kahana and colleagues have created an implantable therapy device to treat memory loss in adult patients with traumatic brain injuries. Results of studies about the device’s effectiveness have been promising, and this past March the FDA gave it “Breakthrough Device Designation.”(Image: Or Barak) A ‘breakthrough’ to restore memory After decades of research and discovery, Michael Kahana in the School of Arts & Sciences and colleagues are closer than ever to an AI-guided device to treat memory loss. 2 min. read
A summer of research and teaching with Scribe Video Center As part of a summer internship at Scribe Video Center, rising third-year student Sarah Attia taught students at the Jubilee School in West Philadelphia how to use archives to find primary sources about John Coltrane’s life in Philadelphia.nocred A summer of research and teaching with Scribe Video Center Through the Summer Humanities Internship Program, rising third-year Sarah Attia has honed her research and interviewing skills and taught archival skills to elementary students. 2 min. read
First-year welcome: ‘Mixing curiosity with creativity’ nocred First-year welcome: ‘Mixing curiosity with creativity’ President J. Larry Jameson, Provost John L. Jackson, Jr., and the Glee Club welcomed first-year and transfer students and their families to Penn. 4 min. read
Supersonic whale calls and special relativity 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) Supersonic whale calls and special relativity Researchers noticed a wave-interference effect that makes sound energy appear to outrun fundamental limits without breaking physics. Their findings could improve whale tracking. 3 min. read
What lies beneath 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) What lies beneath From uncovering ancient ways of life to addressing the pressing threat of climate change, scholars at Penn Arts & Sciences are finding an upside to looking down. 2 min. read
Group projects nocred Group projects A roundup of stories from Penn Today on foraging patterns in the bee community, group problem solving, student performing arts, and moderating social media content. 2 min. read
Awards and honors for Penn faculty in the School of Arts & Sciences nocred Awards and honors for Penn faculty in the School of Arts & Sciences A roundup of the latest awards and accolades for Arts & Sciences faculty in criminology, sociology, political science, Africana studies, English, and history. 2 min. read
The hidden waves at the beach Image: Jenny Evans / Stringer via Getty Images The hidden waves at the beach Electromagnetism researcher Nader Engheta explains the physics behind invisible waves washing over beachgoers at the shore. 3 min. read
Tracing an ancient blue across the ancient world nocred Tracing an ancient blue across the ancient world Penn researchers Vanessa and Alexis North are studying one of the largest collections of Egyptian blue objects ever found in the ancient Near East, shedding new light on how the world’s first synthetic pigment may have traveled far beyond Egypt. 4 min. read
Lasting legacy nocred Lasting legacy A roundup of stories from Penn Today on the evolution of language, plant reproduction, DNA and evolution, and men’s sexual and reproductive health. 2 min. read