11/15
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 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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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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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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