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Science & Technology
Where math meets physics
Where math meets physics
Collaborations between physicists and mathematicians at Penn showcase the importance of research that crosses the traditional boundaries that separate fields of science.
Magnetic microrobots use capillary forces to coax particles into position
Magnetic microrobots use capillary forces to coax particles into position
A new study shows how microscopic robots, remotely driven by magnetic fields, can use capillary forces to manipulate objects floating at the interface between two liquids.
Looking to mud to study how particles become sticky
Looking to mud to study how particles become sticky
A collaboration of geophysicists and fluid mechanics experts led to a fundamental new insight into how tiny ‘bridges’ help particles of all kinds form aggregates.
With a protein ‘delivery,’ parasite can suppress its host’s immune response
With a protein ‘delivery,’ parasite can suppress its host’s immune response
The parasite Toxoplasma gondii need not infect a host immune cell to alter its behavior, according to a new study from the School of Veterinary Medicine.
A roadblock for disease-causing parasites
A roadblock for disease-causing parasites
Activating a mosquito’s immune system can prevent it from transmitting the parasites that cause canine heartworm and human lymphatic filariasis, according to new research from the School of Veterinary Medicine.
Engineers collaborate to create electroadhesive grippers
Engineers collaborate to create electroadhesive grippers
A collaborative team has developed a method for electroadhesion—which exploits the same phenomenon as static cling—to manipulate microscale objects.
Penn senior Srinivas Mandyam awarded Churchill Scholarship
Penn senior Srinivas Mandyam awarded Churchill Scholarship
Mandyam will graduate in May with a bachelor’s degree in physics, mathematics, and biophysics, along with a master’s in physics; the scholarship awards him a year of graduate research study in physics at the University of Cambridge.
Penn nanoparticles are less toxic to T cells engineered for cancer immunotherapy
Penn nanoparticles are less toxic to T cells engineered for cancer immunotherapy
By using messenger RNA across the T cell’s membrane via a nanoparticle instead of a DNA-rewriting virus on extracted T cells, CAR T treatments could have fewer side effects.
A better building block for creating new materials
Researchers describe a new way to synthesize organic “Legos,” a chemical framework that can be easily modified and controlled to create new materials with unique properties.
What we do and don’t know about the novel coronavirus
What we do and don’t know about the novel coronavirus
Experts from the Vet School, Med School, and Center for Public Health Initiatives provide insight into the new disease outbreak.
In the News
Vox.com
This AI breakthrough in antibiotics might one day save your life
César de la Fuente of the School of Engineering and Applied Science commented on new MIT research that might speed up antibiotic discovery. “I think it’s a breakthrough in a field of much unmet need,” he said. “After all, no new classes of antibiotics have been discovered for decades. This one is definitely structurally different from conventional antibiotics.”
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“All Things Considered,” National Public Radio
At 25 years, understanding the longevity of Craigslist
Jessa Lingel of the Annenberg School for Communication spoke about the founders of Craigslist. “They’re both just old-school engineer type guys who just really believe in keeping the design as simple and functional as possible,” she said. “[I]t’s never had a competitor that was really able to swallow up its user base. It’s had loyal customers all along, loyal users all along, so it’s just never been forced to adapt.”
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WHYY (Philadelphia)
Can algorithms help judges make fair decisions?
Michael Kearns of the School of Engineering and Applied Science said algorithms force us to be more detailed in our decision-making. “You should never expect machine learning to do something for free that you didn’t explicitly ask it to do for you, and you should never expect it to avoid behavior that you want it to avoid that you didn’t tell it explicitly to avoid,” he said.
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The New York Times
Westminster and work: Some show dogs serve, search or soothe
Cynthia Otto of the School of Veterinary Medicine said that a working dog’s appearance is not nearly as important as its drive to seek scents. “They’re not what most would want as your average house pet,” she said.
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Mashable.com
Experts warn smartphone voting is ‘extremely risky,’ yet here it comes
Matt Blaze of the School of Engineering and Applied Science weighed in on a Washington state district’s plans to implement smartphone voting. “This extremely risky decision runs counter to the findings of the authoritative National Academies ‘Securing the Vote’ study, which represents the consensus of experts,” he said.
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The Hill
Critics fear Facebook fact-checkers losing misinformation fight
Eugene Kiely of the Annenberg Public Policy Center spoke about Factcheck.org and how the site manages Facebook content for review.
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The New York Times
Shuttered Philadelphia refinery may get new life after fire
Mark Alan Hughes of the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy spoke about the possibility of converting the old Philadelphia refinery into a hybrid plant that also produces renewable fuels. “They’re predicting a steadily declining place for things like the refinery that was,” he said. “The kind of mix that tries to lower the profile of fossil fuel activity is, I think, the most likely outcome.”
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Scientific American
Artificial intelligence is rushing into patient care—and could raise risks
PIK Professor Ezekiel Emanuel and Saurabh Jha of the Perelman School of Medicine spoke about the potential hazards of using artificial intelligence in medicine.
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The New York Times
How Narwhal the ‘unicorn’ puppy may have grown a tail on his head
Margret Casal of the School of Veterinary Medicine explained that the puppy with a tail on its face that went viral is likely the result of another embryo that didn’t fully separate in utero.
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Forbes
The real story about organoids: What you should know about ‘brains in a dish’
Hongjun Song of the Perelman School of Medicine explained how brain organoids were developed. “In the last five years scientists figured out how to turn stem cells into 3D cell structures, and eventually [developed] so-called brain organoids, which look like not only cell types in the brain but also cell architectures,” he said.
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