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Science & Technology
Community outreach inspires interest in STEM for kids
Community outreach inspires interest in STEM for kids
Graduate students and postdocs led an afternoon of hands-on science activities and fun for students grades 3-8 in the hallways and labs of Penn Chemistry.
Keeping rain out of the drain
Keeping rain out of the drain
From cisterns beneath Shoemaker Green to the green roof on New College House, special features of campus buildings and landscapes are helping manage stormwater to keep rain from the sewer lines, and scholars are using the infrastructure as a research opportunity.
Stories of Penn scientists: David Rittenhouse
Stories of Penn scientists: David Rittenhouse
In celebration of the 250th anniversary of his observations of the 1769 transit of Venus, a glimpse into the story of the man whose name became synonymous with astronomy and mathematics.
Researchers detect brain differences between fast and slow learners
Researchers detect brain differences between fast and slow learners
In a new study, researchers at the School of Engineering and Applied Science look at how brain activation patterns might affect how long it takes for new information to really stick in the brain.
A unique perspective on renewable energy
A unique perspective on renewable energy
In a conversation with Rachel Kyte, the U.N. special representative and CEO of Sustainable Energy for All discusses how this energy sector has changed in the past decade and what happens when political will doesn’t match the science.
Predilections of a destructive pest
Predilections of a destructive pest
The spotted lanternfly is emerging as a serious threat to agriculture and forested areas. At The Woodlands Cemetery near campus, Benjamin Rohr hopes to determine the types of trees the insect prefers to shape control strategies moving forward.
Names prompt distinct brain activity in preschoolers
Names prompt distinct brain activity in preschoolers
A study from Penn and CHOP found that when preschoolers with autism spectrum disorder hear their name, their neural patterns match those of their typically developing peers. The finding held regardless of whether the child’s mom or a stranger called the name.
The next generation of optical communication with nanophotonics
The next generation of optical communication with nanophotonics
Research from the lab of Bo Zhen is pushing the boundaries of optics by using fundamental physics to address many of the real-world challenges faced by engineers.
Creating connections with a Nobel laureate
Creating connections with a Nobel laureate
Thanks to their creative approach on a class project, a group of biochemistry students had the opportunity to get to know one of Penn Chemistry’s seven Nobel laureates.
From the bench to bedside, boardroom, and beyond
From the bench to bedside, boardroom, and beyond
Penn’s Life Sciences & Management program empowers the next generation of biotechnology leaders with an education in both business and the natural sciences.
In the News
Gizmodo
This freaky robotic fish is powered by ‘blood’
James Pikul of the School of Engineering and Applied Science co-authored a study in which researchers developed a soft, robotic lionfish powered by a blood-like compound. “This robot blood is our first demonstration of storing energy in a fluid that is normally only used for actuation,” he said.
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Scientific American
How the mind emerges from the brain’s complex networks
Danielle Bassett of the School of Engineering and Applied Science co-authored an article about network neuroscience, which allows us to see the origins of mental activity in the brain. One day, they write, “a neuroscientist who knew all the principles of brain function and everything about someone’s brain could predict that person’s mental conditions—the future, as well as the past, would be present inside the person’s mind.”
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The Guardian
Reversible superglue proves strong enough to hold average man
Shu Yang and colleagues from the School of Engineering and Applied Science have developed a new glue from hydrogel, inspired by snail slime. “The mucus [snails] produce is a viscous liquid, but when it dries they become firmly stuck,” said Yang.
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Scientific American
Domestication made dogs’ facial anatomy more fetching to humans
James Serpell of the School of Veterinary Medicine said humans may have bred dogs to appear more infantile over time. “We are innately predisposed to respond with a kind of nurturing behavior towards certain physical characteristics,” he said. “Over time, [humans selected] for traits that satisfy that parental nurturing response.”
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WBUR Boston
What Puerto Rico’s monkeys post-Maria teach us about survival
PIK Professor Michael Platt joined a conversation about surviving trauma and Puerto Rico’s “monkey island.”
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Nature
A DIY approach to automating your lab
Brian Chow of the School of Engineering and Applied Science led a team of Penn undergrads in developing a low-cost plate reader for teaching labs using open-source automation software. “Philosophically, I believe in supporting the open-source-hardware community,” he said.
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Axios
A contest to beat geopolitical ‘superforecasters’
PIK Professor Philip Tetlock was cited for his “gold standard” performance in a 2015 forecasting contest. Contestants in this year’s contest will have access to all the data on Tetlock’s team’s winning methodology.
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Technical.ly Philly
Leggy bots, flying bots, building bots: Here’s what Penn’s robotics hub is up to
School of Engineering and Applied Science students past and present, including Gavin Kenneally, Daniel Mellinger, Divya Ramesh, Mickey Whitzer, and Chao Liu, were highlighted for their work at the Pennovation Center. Their efforts were showcased at Philly Tech Week.
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Vice
We are not prepared for the next generation of CGI food
The School of Engineering and Applied Science’s Chenfanfu Jiang; postdoc Ming Gao; Ph.D. students Joshuah Wolper, Yu Fang, and Minchen Li; and undergrad Jiecong Lu have developed two new approaches to animating dynamic fractures, like bread tearing or cars crashing.
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The New York Times
The microbots are on their way
Marc Miskin of the School of Engineering and Applied Science spoke about his cell-sized microbots, which may one day be used for a variety of purposes ranging from measuring brain networks to cleaning cellphone batteries.
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