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Science & Technology
A $365 million development will expand the life sciences hub at Pennovation Works
A $365 million development will expand the life sciences hub at Pennovation Works
Penn Senior Executive Vice President Craig Carnaroli speaks with Penn Today about the evolution of the research and manufacturing project, led by Longfellow Real Estate Developers, and its value for Penn and the region.
Engineering a solution for microplastic pollution
Engineering a solution for microplastic pollution
May graduates Sarah Beth Gleeson, Shoshana Weintraub, and Julia Yan will use their President’s Sustainability Prize to create a device for trapping microfibers in laundry machines to reduce ocean microplastic pollution.
A chip that can classify nearly two billion images per second
A chip that can classify nearly two billion images per second
Using a deep neural network of optical waveguides, a new chip developed by Penn engineers—smaller than a square centimeter—can detect and classify an image in less than a nanosecond, all without the need for a separate processor or memory unit.
A new method could enable a patient’s own antibodies to eliminate their tumors
A new method could enable a patient’s own antibodies to eliminate their tumors
A team of researchers at Penn Engineering has developed a new methodology to help differentiate tumors from healthy, normal tissues.
How bacteria store information to kill viruses (but not themselves)
How bacteria store information to kill viruses (but not themselves)
Researchers from the School of Arts & Sciences have discovered that the balance between fighting viruses and avoiding autoimmunity has a key role in shaping how bacteria “remember” old infections.
Soft ‘rotini’ robots navigate with a snap
Soft ‘rotini’ robots navigate with a snap
Researchers at Penn Engineering have developed soft robots that are capable of navigating complex environments, such as mazes, without input from humans or computer software.
An arms race that plays out in a single genome
An arms race that plays out in a single genome
School of Arts & Sciences biologist Mia Levine and Cara Brand, a postdoc, shed light on an example of coevolution in fruit flies that has implications for human health.
Genomic differences selected through evolution may offer clues as to why COVID-19 outcomes vary widely
Genomic differences selected through evolution may offer clues as to why COVID-19 outcomes vary widely
A team from the University of Pennsylvania analyzed genomic data from global populations, including thousands of ethnically diverse Africans, to identify genetic variants that may be associated with clinical COVID-19 outcomes.
Elucidating the developmental origin of life-sustaining adrenal glands
Elucidating the developmental origin of life-sustaining adrenal glands
Research led by the School of Veterinary Medicine reveals that adrenal development proceeds differently in humans than it does in mice.
Prioritizing environmental justice while capturing carbon from the air
Prioritizing environmental justice while capturing carbon from the air
The Clean Energy Conversions Lab’s mission is to minimize the environmental and climate impacts of the world’s dependence on fossil fuels through carbon management.
In the News
USA Today
Climate change makes living at the coast riskier. But more people keep coming
Michael E. Mann of the School of Arts & Sciences says that people moving to the coast overlook increased flooding and storm risks at their peril.
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Quanta Magazine
The new math of wrinkling
Eleni Katifori of the School of Arts & Sciences is credited for her work simulating wrinkle patterns, which were crucial to an overall theory of geometric wrinkle prediction.
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New Scientist
Drone swarm that 3D prints cement structures could construct buildings
Robert Stuart-Smith of the Weitzman School of Design and colleagues demonstrate how 3D-printing drones can create large structures made of foam or cement, paving the way for future construction efforts.
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iTech Post
University of Pennsylvania researchers develop microrobots that can brush, floss your teeth
Hun Michel Koo of the School of Dental Medicine, Edward Steager of the School of Engineering and Applied Science, and colleagues have created automated shapeshifting microrobots with the ability to brush, floss, and rinse teeth.
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Interesting Engineering
Google AI succeeds in developing odor maps of molecules
Joel Mainland of the Perelman School of Medicine and colleagues have used a neural network to create a molecular map of odors in compounds that repel mosquitos.
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Philadelphia Business Journal
University City is running out of real estate for life sciences development. The answer? Densification
At a Philadelphia Business Journal event, Senior Executive Vice President Craig Carnaroli discussed the lack of available land in Philadelphia for life sciences development and the need for densification.
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With COP27 approaching, cities like Philadelphia are ‘powerful tools’ for climate adaptation
Mark Alan Hughes of the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy says that cities are powerful tools for collective action on climate change, noting that Philadelphia is vulnerable on climate adaptation but well-positioned to improve.
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NPR
Renewable energy is maligned by misinformation. It’s a distraction, experts say
Shelley Welton of Penn Carey Law and the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy says that blaming renewables is a distraction, a way to forestall a transition that is underway but needs to be moving faster.
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Bloomberg
Green concrete transition has path to credibility in climate law
Cary Coglianese of Penn Carey Law says that the EPA will need to find a way to audit the declarations of green construction companies to avoid potential damage to the entire sector.
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Associated Press
Dangerous heat predicted to hit three times more often in future
Michael Mann of the School of Arts & Sciences says that a new study about rising heat waves focuses on mathematical probabilities rather than the true political obstacles.
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