6.19
Science & Technology
Calculus III for cells
Cells can sense and respond to surface curvature in very clever ways. The results, which revealed that curvature is a profound biological cue, could pave the way to new tools in the field.
Sorenson talks gun violence prevention at March for Science
At the second annual March for Science in Washington, D.C., on Saturday, April 14, Susan B. Sorenson of the School of Social Policy and Practice spoke about gun violence prevention.
Why media should rethink the way it covers science
A Q and A with Kathleen Hall Jamieson, and Annenberg School for Communication professor, on the challenges and dynamics of science reporting.
How the Morris Arboretum is working to extend cherry blossom season
The director of horticulture at Morris Arboretum on the beauty, unpredictability, and future for cherry tree season.
Only one approach could plausibly have avoided catastrophe in Syria
Could the U.S. have better protected civilians from mass atrocities during the Syrian conflict in 2013? Research from political scientist Ian Lustick reveals that only one approach—persuading Assad to treat the protests as a reform movement rather than a violent revolution—might have helped.
Penn Global Seminar provides students with mind-opening experiences
During spring break, 15 students from the School of Engineering and Applied Science, Wharton School, Management and Technology program, and School of Arts and Sciences traveled to Beijing and Shanghai to learn more about engineering and technology innovations in China.
Two Penn professors named Guggenheim Fellows
The School of Arts and Sciences’ Charles Yang and Charles L. Bosk, also of the Perelman School of Medicine, have been named Guggenheim Fellows.
When ancient technology and high-tech robots intersect
In one Penn lab, a stone-sculpting machine is helping archaeologists solve long-held mysteries of very old tools.
Risk tolerance linked to amygdala and prefrontal cortex brain regions
New research links willingness to take risks to brain structure and function, specifically the amygdala, the prefrontal cortex, and connections between the two.
Princess Chulabhorn of Thailand visits Penn, with scientific partnerships in mind
The princess met with President Amy Gutmann and leaders of Penn’s health schools on Thursday, April 5, to discuss future collaboration aimed at advancing health and science.
In the News
Nature
Microsoft’s Purchase of GitHub Leaves Some Scientists Uneasy
Post-doc Daniel Himmelstein of the Perelman School of Medicine discussed problematic elements of GitHub’s model. “Regardless of the Microsoft acquisition, GitHub, as a centralized and closed company, possesses a dangerous level of control over the open-source ecosystem,” said Himmelstein.
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The Washington Post
The Cybersecurity 202: We Surveyed 100 Experts. A Majority Rejected the FBI's Push for Encryption Back Doors
Matt Blaze of the School of Engineering and Applied Science spoke out against the FBI’s call to weaken encryption. “Strong encryption is absolutely critical for keeping our data safe from criminals. This is especially important for mobile devices such as cellphones, which are easily lost or stolen,” said Blaze.
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The Guardian
Tesla Fatal Crash: 'Autopilot' Mode Sped Up Car Before Driver Killed, Report Finds
The School of Design’s Erick Guerra said a Tesla crash was “clearly a technology failure.” Commenting on Tesla’s autopilot feature, Guerra said that “the technology is just not up to doing as much as people hope it can do.”
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Reuters
RPT-INSIGHT-Software and Stealth: How Carmakers Hike Spare Parts Prices
Aaron Roth of the School of Engineering and Applied Science discussed the continued use of software to establish the highest prices consumers are willing to pay, a common practice in retail and manufacturing.
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The Bees of Bandelier, Snail Memories, and the State of Science
Kathleen Hall Jamieson of the Annenberg Public Policy Center was interviewed for a podcast about media coverage of the “so-called crisis in science.” (Audio)
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The New York Times
G.D.P.R., a New Privacy Law, Makes Europe World’s Leading Tech Watchdog
Michael Kearns of the School of Engineering and Applied Science weighed in on the E.U.’s advancements in cybersecurity and consumer privacy.
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Foreign Affairs
Keep CRISPR Safe
President Amy Gutmann and PIK Professor Jonathan Moreno of the Perelman School of Medicine and the School of Arts and Sciences co-authored an article emphasizing the importance of letting “global scientific and biological ethics communities” lead the charge in facilitating the implementation of gene-editing technology.
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Philadelphia Inquirer
Penn's Electric Race Car Team Seeks Fourth Title in Four Years
Eighty undergrads from a variety of departments, including Connor Sendel of the Wharton School and the School of Engineering and Applied Science, are building an electric car with four-wheel drive with hopes of winning two competitions this June.
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Gizmodo
Astronaut Scott Kelly's DNA Did Not 'Change in Space' the Way You Think
The Perelman School of Medicine’s Mathias Basner joined the chorus of sleep experts dismissing initial reports that 7 percent of astronaut and identical twin Scott Kelly’s DNA “changed” while in space.
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The Verge
Crypto.com Is Not for Sale
After purchasing the domain name crypto.com in 1993, Matt Blaze of the School of Engineering and Applied Science has had to repeatedly fend off attempts by cryptocurrency enthusiasts to purchase the website for upwards of seven figures. Blaze has refused to sell, warning against the use of cryptocurrency as “investment vehicles.”
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