7.30
Science & Technology
With impressive accuracy, dogs can sniff out coronavirus
With impressive accuracy, dogs can sniff out coronavirus
In a proof-of-concept study led by the School of Veterinary Medicine, dogs identified positive samples with 96% accuracy.
From ‘Indiana Jones’ to medieval robots
From ‘Indiana Jones’ to medieval robots
Historian of science Elly Truitt’s multidisciplinary investigations of the Middle Ages challenge assumptions about the period as a dark time in innovation and prompt a rethink of notions of ‘modern’ science.
Beyond topological insulators
Beyond topological insulators
Charlie Kane and Eugene Mele’s groundbreaking theories on the existence of a new class of materials continues to inspire an upcoming generation of physics researchers.
27 million galaxy morphologies quantified and cataloged with the help of machine learning
27 million galaxy morphologies quantified and cataloged with the help of machine learning
Using data from the Dark Energy Survey, researchers from the Department of Physics & Astronomy produced the largest catalog of galaxy morphology classifications to date.
The power of architecture to address public health and environmental crises
The power of architecture to address public health and environmental crises
Two new studies, one on UV sterilization in occupied rooms and another on radiative cooling, show how architecture can help create interior spaces that are both COVID-safe and energy-efficient.
Toward a better understanding of ‘fake news’
Toward a better understanding of ‘fake news’
PIK Professor Duncan Watts publishes a framework for developing a comprehensive research agenda to study the origins, nature, and consequences of misinformation on democracy.
Even without a brain, metal-eating robots can search for food
Even without a brain, metal-eating robots can search for food
SEAS engineers are developing robot-powered technology with energy sources that are harvested in the robot’s environment.
Developing a new platform for DNA sequencing
Research from the lab of Marija Drndić in the School of Arts & Sciences shows how solid state materials can be developed for large-scale automated sequencing by incorporating state-of-the-art fabrication and analytics.
Turning back the clock on a severe vision disorder
Turning back the clock on a severe vision disorder
Gene therapy triggered the regrowth of healthy photoreceptor cells and restored vision in dogs with a severe form of Leber congenital amaurosis.
Three Goldwater Scholars for Penn
Three Goldwater Scholars for Penn
Penn’s newest Goldwater Scholars, awarded to sophomores or juniors planning research careers in mathematics, the natural sciences, or engineering are sophomore Emma Keeler, junior Michele Meline and junior Max Wragan.
In the News
NPR
More retailers are using AI. What does this mean for privacy?
Joseph Turow of the Annenberg School for Communication weighed in on how machine learning and automation are shaping the job market and consumer privacy.
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Psychology Today
Hyenas inherit their moms’ social connections
Erol Akçay of the School of Arts & Sciences and former postdoc Amiyaal Ilany discussed their research on hyena’s social networks. “We show that a simple process—social inheritance—is important to understanding network structure and dynamics,” said Akçay.
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WESA Radio (Pittsburgh)
More than 1,000 cases of mysterious bird disease reported in Pennsylvania
Scott Weber of the School of Veterinary Medicine and Penn’s Wildlife Futures Program said wildlife veterinarians are concerned about the numerous reports of sick or dead songbirds in the Mid-Atlantic region. “It does seem to be spreading through the U.S. pretty quickly, and spreading to a fairly wide geographical area,” he said.
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NPR
A mysterious illness is killing Mid-Atlantic songbirds
Lisa Murphy of the School of Veterinary Medicine spoke about the Wildlife Futures Program’s research on the illness killing songbirds in the Mid-Atlantic region. "I think what's especially challenging about this is that it's not localized ... to one specific geographic area [and] it's not localized to one particular bird species,” she said.
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U.S. News & World Report
‘Transmitted down the leash:’ Anxious owners, anxious dogs
James Serpell of the School of Veterinary Medicine spoke about the reciprocal relationship between pets’ and their owners’ feelings. “You can think of many contexts in which having an animal that can anticipate your thoughts is wonderful, in terms of training or performing tasks for people,” he said. “But in the context of an owner who's experiencing a lot of anxiety, you can see the disadvantage.”
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The New York Times
The hills are alive with the flows of physics
In the lab of Douglas Jerolmack, researchers led by doctoral candidate Nakul Deshpande of the School of Arts & Sciences explored how landscapes gradually move over time.
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MIT Technology Review
These creepy fake humans herald a new age in AI
Aaron Roth of the School of Engineering and Applied Science spoke about synthetic data and privacy concerns. “Just because the data is ‘synthetic’ and does not directly correspond to real user data does not mean that it does not encode sensitive information about real people,” he said.
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6ABC.com
Cyberattack temporarily shuts down JBS meat processing plants, including one in Montgomery County
Gary Althouse of the School of Veterinary Medicine commented on a ransomware attack that targeted one of the largest suppliers of beef, pork, and chicken in the U.S. “With food production, computerized systems are used in most aspects of it. We need to identify where these vulnerabilities are," he said.
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Philadelphia Inquirer
These Penn scientists discovered how the brain engages in imagination
Joseph Kable of the School of Arts & Sciences and alumni Arthur Lee and Trishala Parthasarathi used MRI brain scans to study the neuroscience of imagination.
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Scientific American
A better way to cool ourselves
Dorit Aviv of the Stuart Weitzman School of Design and international collaborators wrote an opinion piece about their work developing a healthier and more sustainable alternative to air conditioning.
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