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Q&A

From 2,800-year-old charred food lumps, a window into past civilizations
Kathy Morrison sitting at a computer in a lab, gesturing to grad student Moriah McKenna. They both wear white lab coats. In front of them is a computer screen with what looks like a large rock. Next to the computer is a large microscope with its light on.

Archaeologist Kathleen Morrison (center) and anthropology doctoral student Moriah McKenna discuss one of the charred lumps from a 2010 excavation in southern India. The image is possible thanks to a new microscope, seen here on the right, that takes and stitches together high-resolution images in incredible detail. (Image: Eric Sucar)

From 2,800-year-old charred food lumps, a window into past civilizations

At a site in southern India, archaeologist Kathleen Morrison and colleagues discovered the remains of two types of dough, offering insights into how the region’s dietary practices have evolved.

Michele W. Berger

A veterinarian’s take on vaccine hesitancy
Dean Andrew Hoffman at New Bolton Center campus

School of Veterinary Medicine Dean Andrew Hoffman.

(Image: Lisa Godfrey)

A veterinarian’s take on vaccine hesitancy

In a conversation with Penn Today, School of Veterinary Medicine Dean Andrew Hoffman shares his perspective on the important role veterinarians can play in supporting underserved communities.

Katherine Unger Baillie

In Wordle, a case for ‘pure’ play
Wordle interface with three five-letter words listed

Wordle, a web-based word game, was originally created by software engineer Josh Wordle for his partner. It now has millions of users around the world. (Image: Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via AP)

In Wordle, a case for ‘pure’ play

In a Q&A with Penn Today, Cait Lamberton of the Wharton School discusses some possible reasons for Wordle’s popularity.
Justin McDaniel on life, death, religion, and his latest book
A row of gilded Buddha figures sit under a canopy swathed in red cloth

Buddhist temples (like the one above in Wat Pho, Thailand) are often ornately decorated with gilded statues, flowers, and incense. “Religion,” says McDaniel, “is often a celebration, not an austere retreat.” (Image: Frida Aguilar Estrada on Unsplash.)

Justin McDaniel on life, death, religion, and his latest book

In his new book, “Wayward Distractions,” the School of Arts & Sciences’ Justin McDaniel compiles articles on art and material culture spanning his 20-plus years of scholarship.

Kristina García

Kazakhstan unrest, explained
Protesters and riot police stand on a street in Almaty, Kazakhstan, as smoke rises in the background

Riot police block protesters in the center of Almaty, Kazakhstan, on Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2022. (Image: AP Photo/Vladimir Tretyakov)

Kazakhstan unrest, explained

Philip M. Nichols of the Wharton School and the Russia and East European Studies program in the School of Arts & Sciences offers some background on the protests and violence and why what happens in Kazakhstan matters to the region and the world.

Kristen de Groot

Penn-led nonprofit helps students with career advancement
students in a classroom

Penn-led nonprofit helps students with career advancement

A Wharton senior talks to Penn Today about how a nonprofit virtual platform, HowToStudent, is dedicated to helping students advance in their education and career regardless of their economic background.

Dee Patel

Post-COVID retail trends: omnichannel, the metaverse, and creativity in marketing
Two masked women holding shopping bags talk as they walk out of a store

Today’s consumer expects a seamless integration between storefronts and the digital experience, which is often facilitated through mobile phones, says Barbara Kahn. (Image: Tim Douglas)

Post-COVID retail trends: omnichannel, the metaverse, and creativity in marketing

Since the pandemic’s onset, retailers’ reactions to government regulations limiting capacity and consumer demands for equity and authenticity have been finessed into smarter, more flexible responses, says marketing professor Barbara E. Kahn.

Kristina García

Breaking tackles with Laquan McKever
Standing near the goalpost in the endzone at Franklin Field, Laquan McKever holds a football and wears a Penn jacket.

Breaking tackles with Laquan McKever

The senior running back discusses his sprint football career, how the pandemic reignited his passion for the game, adjusting to the speed of the sport, how he became a Colts fan living in North Jersey, and his plans for the future.