11/29
Physics
Minimally invasive method tracks how the brain spends energy
Penn researchers have developed a new technique for monitoring the brain’s metabolic rate of oxygen consumption, a measure of the brain’s consumption of energy.
Physics of disaster: How mudslides move
Physics of disaster: How mudslides move
Researchers led by Douglas Jerolmack and Paulo Arratia used samples from the deadly 2018 Montecito mudslides to understand the complex forces at work in these disasters.
Two Penn faculty elected American Physical Society fellows
Two Penn faculty elected American Physical Society fellows
Paulo Arratia of the School of Engineering and Applied Science and Evelyn Thomson of the School of Arts & Sciences received the honor of being elected by their peers in recognition of their contributions to the field.
What it’s like to be stationed at a particle accelerator
What it’s like to be stationed at a particle accelerator
Gwen Gardner and Lauren Osojnak, Ph.D. candidates in physics, describe their work as part of the Penn ATLAS team at the Large Hadron Collider.
Exploring what it means to be curious
Exploring what it means to be curious
In a new book “Curious Minds: The Power of Connection,” Penn’s Dani S. Bassett and twin sibling Perry Zurn weave together history, linguistics, network science, neuroscience, and philosophy to unpack the concept of curiosity.
When curved materials flatten, simple geometry can predict the wrinkle patterns that emerge
When curved materials flatten, simple geometry can predict the wrinkle patterns that emerge
The findings—from a collaboration between Penn, Syracuse, and the University of Illinois Chicago—have a range of implications, from how materials interact with moisture to the way flexible electronics bend.
A novel method for monitoring the ‘engine’ of pregnancy
A novel method for monitoring the ‘engine’ of pregnancy
By combining optical measurements with ultrasound, researchers were able to study oxygen levels in the placenta, paving the way for a better understanding of this complex, crucial organ.
A new connection between topology and quantum entanglement
A new connection between topology and quantum entanglement
The theoretical work led by physicist Charles Kane reveals an unexpected link between two major principles in physics that may inform future experimentation and an understanding of how to harness quantum information.
Inspired by nature, artificial microtubules can work against a current to transport tiny cargoes
Inspired by nature, artificial microtubules can work against a current to transport tiny cargoes
Technology developed by Arnold Mathijssen of the School of Arts & Sciences and colleagues could one day clear blockages in blood vessels or precisely target chemotherapy drugs to a tumor.
Music-making and the flow of aerosols
Music-making and the flow of aerosols
If simply breathing can spread the SARS-CoV-2 virus to others nearby, what about blowing into a tuba? Researchers from the School of Engineering the School of Arts & Sciences used fluid mechanics to study the movement of aerosols generated by musicians.
In the News
The Guardian
UK joins international effort to uncover first moments of the universe
In a statement for the Simons Observatory, Mark Devlin of the School of Arts & Sciences says that new telescopes and researchers from the UK will make a significant addition to their efforts to examine the origins of the universe.
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Physics World
Liquid crystals bring robotics to the microscale
In collaboration with the University of Ljubljana, Kathleen Stebe of the School of Engineering and Applied Science has built a swimming microrobot that paddles by rotating liquid crystal molecules.
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Quanta Magazine
The new math of wrinkling
Eleni Katifori of the School of Arts & Sciences is credited for her work simulating wrinkle patterns, which were crucial to an overall theory of geometric wrinkle prediction.
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New Scientist
Researchers have worked out the rules for how some things wrinkle
Eleni Katifori of the School of Arts & Sciences and colleagues used simulations of curving plastic pieces to predict the formation of wrinkling patterns.
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Scientific American
Why some fluids flow slower when pushed harder
Paulo Arratia of the School of Engineering and Applied Science commented on a study that explored how fluids flow under different pressures. “Visualizing flow inside a 3-D porous media literally gives a window into something that was impossible to see,” he said. “If you could actually see the molecules stretching and recoiling, that would be wonderful [to] connect the molecular point of view to the microscopic.”
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Science
From rocks to icebergs, the natural world tends to break into cubes
Douglas Jerolmack of the School of Arts & Sciences commented on his research, which finds that when natural structures break apart, they tend to fragment into cube-like shapes. He said the findings could help geologists calculate the size of rocks breaking off cliff faces, among other applications.
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