2.19
Science & Technology
Tracing the evolutionary origins of fish to shallow ocean waters
Coral reefs are envisioned as the seats of great biodiversity, but they may not be where all that diversity got its start. In a new study in Science, paleobiologist Lauren Sallan and colleagues reveal that the earliest fish may have diversified in shallower waters near shore.
A new-to-us mineral
Reto Gieré of the School of Arts and Sciences and colleagues say the new mineral, isolated from a sample of igneous rock in central Madagascar, may help immobilize nuclear waste.
Drivers of inflammation provide valuable targets for new gum disease therapies
A subset of T cells contributes to the inflammation and bone loss that characterizes periodontitis, a severe form of gum disease. According to new research by George Hajishengallis and scientists at the National Institutes of Health, drugs that specifically inhibit these cells may offer an effective therapy.
Eugene Mele and Charles Kane to share Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics
For introducing a new class of materials with unique and useful properties, known as topological insulators, physicists Charles Kane and Eugene Mele will receive the Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics. The award honors “fundamental discoveries…that are transforming our world.”
Multidisciplinary team to develop stem cell-based approaches to restore vision
Gene therapies have had success in treating blindness but can’t save areas of the retina where cells have already died. In a new effort, School of Veterinary Medicine scientists John Wolfe and William Beltran will attempt to develop a stem-cell-based approach that restores vision.
To improve dunes, plant more beach grass
Pairing biology and cinema studies, Bianca Charbonneau and Yoni Gottlieb have produced a light-hearted, informative video that teaches the proper method for planting dune grasses to build a healthier dune ecosystem.
Immune cells involved in triple-negative breast cancer could offer future therapeutic target
New research led by Rumela Chakrabarti reveals how immune cells called myeloid-derived immunosuppressor cells contribute to the progression of triple-negative breast cancer, a particularly aggressive cancer. Pairing chemotherapy with a drug that blocks these cells may one day help stem its growth.
Electronic research notebooks streamline the scientific method
To do it right, scientific research requires careful record keeping, dutiful repetition of protocols, and, in many cases, free exchange of data. Electronic research notebooks are intended to help researchers up their game and are now available at no charge to the University community through the Office of the Vice Provost for Research, Dawn Bonnell.
A new take on the 19th-century skull collection of Samuel Morton
After unearthing and analyzing handwritten documentation from scientist Samuel Morton, doctoral candidate Paul Wolff Mitchell drew a new conclusion about the infamous 19th-century collection: Though Morton accurately measured the brain size of hundreds of human skulls, racist bias still plagued his science.
Making fossils move to build better robots
Aja Carter, a Ph.D. candidate in paleontology, builds robots based on fossilized animals that crawled out of the sea about 300 million years ago. She’s pioneering a new field that she calls paleo-bio-inspired robotics.
In the News
Science News
A new insulation material is practically weightless yet still durable
The School of Engineering and Applied Science’s Deep Jariwala commented on a new, nearly weightless insulation material made of porous aerogel capable of withstanding temperature shifts of over 1,000 degrees Celsius. “It’s notoriously hard to make materials that are not just lightweight but can also be heavily heat resistant.”
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Christian Science Monitor
Have you heard the buzz? Honeybees can count
Elizabeth Brannon and postdoc Rosa Rugani of the School of Arts and Sciences discussed new research about honeybees’ ability to add and subtract numbers. Brannon said bees use ratios, rather than exact digits, to understand quantities. “When animals are comparing two numerical values, they’re much better if they differ by a large ratio than if they differ by a very small ratio,” she said.
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Radio Times with Marty Moss-Coane (WHYY-FM)
Protecting your privacy online
The Annenberg School for Communication’s Joseph Turow joined a conversation on about data mining and online privacy.
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The Conversation
People don’t trust blockchain systems—Is regulation a way to help?
The Wharton School’s Kevin Werbach wrote about blockchain and the contradiction between its “allegedly trust-less technology and its trust-needing users.”
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The Hill
The false trade-offs of personal data protection
The Annenberg School for Communication’s Joseph Turow was cited for his research, which found that most Americans don’t believe trading data for discounts is “a square deal.”
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Gizmodo
Blue pigment in 1,000-year-old teeth links women to the production of medieval manuscripts
The Libraries’ Nicholas Herman offered commentary on a study that used bio-archaeology to identify ultramarine in the dental tartar of an 11th-century woman in rural Germany. “Only by looking very closely at new kinds of evidence can we begin to discover the true importance of female artisans,” said Herman.
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Technical.ly Philly
For a glimpse into the future, look at aerial robotics
An event about aerial robotics with the School of Engineering and Applied Science’s dean Vijay Kumar is featured.
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Philadelphia Inquirer
Are bigger brains smarter? Barely, says study led by Penn scholar
A new study co-led by the Wharton School’s Gideon Nave and the School of Arts and Sciences’ Joseph Kable found that brain size has a slight, but ultimately insignificant, correlation to intelligence.
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WHYY (Philadelphia)
PGW plan for liquified natural gas facility in Southwest Philadelphia clears hurdle
Christina Simeone of the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy discussed the possible environmental impact of the creation of a new liquified natural gas (LNG) facility in Southwest Philadelphia. “The environmental benefit will happen if LNG displaces diesel or fuel oil,” she said. “But it’s just not clear until there’s a client base who is going to be the end user of this gas.”
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NBC News
After a stressful election, experts warn blockchain is not the answer
Matt Blaze of the School of Engineering and Applied Science weighed in on blockchain voting. “The charlatans pushing for blockchain elections and online voting are doing the equivalent of advocating a healthcare policy that assumes we’re about to cure cancer,” Blaze tweeted. “Maybe we will, but best not to bet on it.”
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