12.8
Arts, Humanities, & Social Sciences
For the first time, a neural link between altruism and empathy toward strangers
Studying the brain activity of people who have donated a kidney to a stranger, psychologist Kristin Brethel-Haurwitz found a clear link between real-world altruism and empathy, particularly in regard to the pain and fear of strangers.
Theatre students perform on international stage
Portraying dual roles of conjoined twins from the 19th century and a pair of modern-day researchers, junior Duval Courteau and senior Aria Proctor took the stage at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland with the one-act play, “Curio.”
Q&A with Tulia Falleti
The political science professor explains the events of the “other” 9/11, the coup of 1973 that displaced the democratically-elected president of Chile and instated a military dictator.
Collective grief over loss from Brazil’s National Museum fire
Members of the Penn Museum’s archeological community discuss the devastation felt over the destruction of an invaluable piece of world history.
Floating art installation brings Schuylkill River history to life
Jacob Rivkin, an artist-in-residence for the Penn Program in Environmental Humanities and an instructor in the School of Design, will present a public art installation on the Schuylkill River called “Floating Archives,” starting this weekend. (Video)
A chance to be an art curator
In a creative approach to curating its next art exhibition, the Arthur Ross Gallery is opening the choice of artworks to the public through its first-ever crowdsourcing effort.
Can social media networks reduce political polarization on climate change?
A study from the Annenberg School for Communication shows that exposure to anonymous, bipartisan social networks can lead liberals and conservatives to improve their forecasting of global-climate trends.
Bringing world leaders together around competing visions of the global order
Former U.S. National Security Advisors H.R. McMaster and Susan Rice will be the headline speakers at a two-day Perry World House colloquium in September, with former Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Nick Clegg participating in the Penn Biden Leaders Dialogue.
A squirmy, slimy, crunchy new potential staple of the American diet
Psychologist Paul Rozin discusses how it’s possible to get past the ick factor of eating bugs (the key is exposure), and how the insects actually taste. It’s all part of his research focusing on the emotion of disgust as it relates to food.
People who don’t read the news foresee which articles will go viral
In an upcoming article in the journal Cerebral Cortex, researchers tracked activity in the brain's prefrontal cortex, and found that avid readers of the news had little change in brain activity from story to story, making them less accurate predictors of viral content.
In the News
Philadelphia Inquirer
In Philly galleries, three must-see shows for December
The Arthur Ross Gallery is host to “Citizen Salon,” a crowd-sourced exhibition of works chosen by Philadelphia’s art community. The show will be on display through March 24.
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The Washington Post
Why the speech George H.W. Bush didn’t give may be his most important
Kathleen Hall Jamieson of the Annenberg Public Policy Center said the late George Bush’s notable restraint after the Berlin Wall fell characterized his presidency. “Sometimes the right thing to do is not celebrate and engage in a rhetoric of triumph,” she said.
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WHYY Radio (Philadelphia)
Penn study: Marijuana doesn’t cause bad behavior — it’s the other way around
A new study, co-authored by Dan Romer of the Annenberg Public Policy Center, has found that marijuana may not be the “gateway drug” it was once thought to be. “Previous research had suggested that using marijuana would lead to conduct problems,” said Romer. “We found the exact reverse.”
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The Washington Post
Parenthood lost: How incarcerated parents are losing their children forever
PIK Professor Dorothy Roberts said the child-welfare system is biased against poor parents, especially incarcerated women of color. “Instead of actually responding to the struggles of poor families …. we’ve decided that it’s simpler to take their children away,” said Roberts.
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CNN
Why would police ever destroy a rape kit belonging to a child or teenager?
Marci Hamilton of the School of Arts and Sciences co-authored an op-ed about the lack of protocol for the preservation of rape kits of child and teenage victims.
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