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First ever ‘pioneer’ factor found in plants enables cells to change their fate
A close-up view of white flowers emerging from a plant

Using an experimental technique whereby flowers can be coaxed to form from plant roots, biologists led by Doris Wagner uncovered a protein that enables for the initial loosening of chromatin that can allow new proteins to be made and plants to take on different forms. (Image: Courtesy of the Wagner laboratory)

First ever ‘pioneer’ factor found in plants enables cells to change their fate

To start the process of unpacking tightly bundled genetic material, plants depend on the LEAFY pioneer protein, according to work led by biologist Doris Wagner.

Katherine Unger Baillie

Children persist less when parents take over
A young girl doing a math problem at a whiteboard. The numbers 25, 49, and 14 are visible.

Children persist less when parents take over

According to research from Penn psychologists, kids ages 4 to 7 persevere longer when allowed to struggle through a challenging activity than if a grown-up steps in.

Michele W. Berger

The outlook for science under the Biden-Harris administration
International leaders celebrate the Paris Climate Accord

President Biden made good on his promise to rejoin the Paris Climate Accord on his first day in office. The agreement was originally adopted at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in 2015. (Image: UNclimatechange)

The outlook for science under the Biden-Harris administration

Penn Today spoke with experts in various areas of science and environmental policy about what they anticipate will shift now that President Biden has assumed the nation’s leadership.

Katherine Unger Baillie

Arab Spring, 10 years later
Large group of men gather in the street in Yemen holding the country's flag during the 2011 Arab Spring.

Protesters in Aden, Al Mansoora during the Arab Spring 2011 calling for the secession of South Yemen from the North. (Image: Almahra)

Arab Spring, 10 years later

A virtual panel at the Middle East Center looked at the legacy and long-term impact of the 2011 uprisings and how the region has been redefined by them.

Kristen de Groot

Metamaterial tiles boost sensitivity of large telescopes
a person in a hardhat inspecting a metal device with gold plates and wires

Metamaterial tiles boost sensitivity of large telescopes

Research on a low-cost, mass producible technology is poised to help the Simons Observatory uncover new insights into how the universe began.

Erica K. Brockmeier

America’s first fossil fuel state
spruce power station

America’s first fossil fuel state

History course looks at Pennsylvania’s role in helping fossil fuel power the making of the modern world.

Kristen de Groot

The influence and importance of language
A person in an American flag outfit and bandana carrying an American flag in front of a large group of people at the U.S. Capitol building. Many hold flags that read "Trump 2020."

On Jan. 6 2021, a group of Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol building, resulting in the death of five people. (Image: Tyler Merbler)

The influence and importance of language

Labels for what happened Jan. 6 at the U.S. Capitol were very different from those used to describe the Black Lives Matter movement or the 2020 election results. How much weight do individual words actually have? It depends on the context.

Michele W. Berger