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Physics
Chinatown and community as a cornerstone
Chinatown and community as a cornerstone
Will Chan, a Thouron Scholar and Ph.D. candidate in theoretical physics, is also an advocate for building Asian communities.
Studying Wikipedia browsing habits to learn how people learn
Studying Wikipedia browsing habits to learn how people learn
A collaborative team of researchers analyzed the information-seeking styles of more than 480,000 people from 50 countries and found that gender and education inequality track different types of knowledge exploration. Their findings suggest potential cultural drivers of curiosity and learning.
Acoustic signals for better wireless technologies
Acoustic signals for better wireless technologies
Researchers push the limits of sound wave control, unlocking the potential for faster, clearer wireless communication and quantum information processing technologies.
Novel coupled nanopore platform offers greater precision for detecting molecules
Novel coupled nanopore platform offers greater precision for detecting molecules
An interdisciplinary team of researchers from Penn have created the first ever reusable coupled nanopore platform for detecting and guiding molecules, findings could pave the way for much improved DNA sequencing and molecule identification.
Sound research as a lens to understanding the world
Sound research as a lens to understanding the world
Researchers across Penn’s School of Arts & Sciences are turning to sound for new answers to questions on subjects from birdsong to the benefits of music exposure.
Does heat travel differently in tight spaces?
Does heat travel differently in tight spaces?
New research led by Penn scientists offers insights into fundamental problems in fluid mechanics, findings that pave the way for more efficient heat transfer in myriad systems.
Four academic journeys explored
Four academic journeys explored
Vijay Balasubramanian and Tukufu Zuberi in the School of Arts & Sciences, Amy Hillier in the School of Social Policy & Practice, and Brittany Watson in the School of Veterinary Medicine share their academic paths toward interdisciplinary work.
A first, physical system to learn nonlinear tasks without a traditional computer processor
A first, physical system to learn nonlinear tasks without a traditional computer processor
Physics and engineering researchers created a contrastive local learning network that is fast, low-power, and scalable.
Five from Penn elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2024
Five from Penn elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2024
Dolores Albarracín, Charles L. Kane, Edward D. Mansfield, Virgil Percec, and Deborah A. Thomas are recognized for their contributions to mathematical and physical sciences and social and behavioral sciences.
Total solar eclipse
Total solar eclipse
Gary Bernstein and Bhuvnesh Jain speak with Penn Today about the significance of the coming total eclipse.
In the News
The New York Times
Harrison White, groundbreaking (and inscrutable) sociologist, dies at 94
Randall Collins of the School of Arts & Sciences and PIK Professor Duncan J. Watts discuss the career of the late Harrison White, a theoretical physicist-turned-sociologist.
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The Scientist
Artificial chromosomes for disease modeling
A study by Ben Black of the Perelman School of Medicine and colleagues used a new technique for synthesizing chromosomes to introduce panels of genes into disease models, facilitating drug testing.
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Live Science
Scientists propose ‘missing’ law for the evolution of everything in the universe
Stuart Kauffman of the Perelman School of Medicine comments on a study that proposed a missing scientific law identifying “universal concepts of selection” that drive evolution.
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The Wall Street Journal
Russia aims to restore prestige in race to moon’s south pole
Benjamin L. Schmitt of the School of Arts & Sciences and the Weitzman School of Design says that sentiment in the scientific and astronaut communities has begun to shift toward a future in which NASA and Roscosmos are no longer close partners.
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Philadelphia Inquirer
Nine women who changed science are featured in a new Philly exhibit
A new exhibit at the American Philosophical Society in Philadelphia celebrates the late Mildred Cohn, a biochemist at the Perelman School of Medicine who fought to reduce discrimination in academia.
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Inc.
Neuroscience explains why Bill Gates’ weird reading trick is so effective
A study by Penn researchers working in physics, neuroscience, and bioengineering found that people instinctively seek patterns and similarities in the data they absorb.
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