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Research
An updated understanding of how to synthesize value-added chemicals
An updated understanding of how to synthesize value-added chemicals
New research provides key insights on how to add functional groups onto simple hydrocarbons including methane, a crucial first step towards designing the next generation of catalysts.
What happens in the brain when we imagine the future?
What happens in the brain when we imagine the future?
Research from neuroscientist Joseph Kable finds that two sub-networks are at work, one focused on creating the new event, another on evaluating whether that event is positive or negative.
Rapid COVID-19 diagnostic test delivers accurate results within 4 minutes
Rapid COVID-19 diagnostic test delivers accurate results within 4 minutes
The low-cost biosensor test developed by Penn Medicine could extend COVID-19 testing with 90% accuracy to remote and disadvantaged areas.
A more effective at-home treatment for IBS
A more effective at-home treatment for IBS
In a randomized control trial, researchers found that after eight weeks, participants with irritable bowel syndrome who used an app focused on cognitive behavioral therapy experienced better health-related quality of life, fewer GI symptoms, and less anxiety.
Hajer Al-Faham finds American Muslims are under watch, even in research
Hajer Al-Faham finds American Muslims are under watch, even in research
The doctoral candidate in political science, finds that disproportionate surveillance of American Muslims stifles academic research.
First-year research is hands-on from the start
First-year research is hands-on from the start
With the Penn Freshmen Exposure to Research in Biological Science program, students from communities that are underrepresented in STEM can jump-start their scientific careers with mentoring and opportunities to pursue original research.
The ‘hijab penalty’: Feminist backlash to Muslim immigrants in Germany
The ‘hijab penalty’: Feminist backlash to Muslim immigrants in Germany
Research from political scientists Nicholas Sambanis, Danny Choi, and Mathias Poertner finds discrimination against Muslim women is eliminated when they show progressive gender attitudes.
A new theory for what’s happening in the brain when something looks familiar
A new theory for what’s happening in the brain when something looks familiar
This novel concept from the lab of neuroscientist Nicole Rust brings the field one step closer to understanding how memory functions. Long-term, it could have implications for treating memory-impairing diseases like Alzheimer’s.
A link between gun violence on TV and firearm deaths
A link between gun violence on TV and firearm deaths
Research from Annenberg Public Policy Center’s Daniel Romer and Patrick E. Jamieson found that gun use on television doubled from 2000 to 2018, rising in parallel with the proportion of homicides from firearms in the U.S. during the same period.
How do natural disasters shape the behavior and social networks of rhesus macaques?
How do natural disasters shape the behavior and social networks of rhesus macaques?
A team of researchers from Penn, the University of Exeter, and elsewhere found that after Hurricane Maria monkeys on the devastated island of Cayo Santiago formed more friendships and became more tolerant of each other, despite fewer resources.
In the News
Business Insider
The hidden risk factor investors may be missing in stocks, bonds, and options
A study by Nikolai Roussanov of the Wharton School and colleagues finds that stocks, bonds, and options strategies could have more correlated risk than is evident on the surface.
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Inc.
Why the return to office workforce is coming back less diverse
A study by the Wharton School found that changing job openings to remote work at startups increased female applicants by 15% and minority applicants by 33%.
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The Washington Post
Diversity will suffer with five-day office mandates, research suggests
A 2024 Wharton School study found that changing job openings to remote work at startups increased female applicants by 15% and minority applicants by 33%.
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Education Week
The more students miss class, the worse teachers feel about their jobs
A study co-authored by Michael Gottfried of the Graduate School of Education finds that teacher satisfaction steadily drops as student absenteeism increases.
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Interesting Engineering
Superhuman vision lets robots see through walls, smoke with new LiDAR-like eyes
Mingmin Zhao of the School of Engineering and Applied Science and colleagues are using radio signals to allow robots to “see” beyond traditional sensor limits.
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Phys.org
Rising student absenteeism may be hurting teacher job satisfaction
A study by Michael Gottfried and Ph.D. student Colby Woods of the Graduate School of Education finds that student absences are linked to lower teacher job satisfaction, which could exacerbate growing teacher shortages.
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