4.23
Science & Technology
Electric bond
Behind the discovery of a new class of electronic materials is a 20-year collaboration between two Penn physicists, winners of the 2019 Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics.
Celebrating science
Eight Penn faculty share their favorite general interest books about science.
Student club highlights interdisciplinary art of making video games
Undergraduate students Luigi Mangione and Josh Nadel lead a group of 60 students who gather and collaborate weekly to develop video games at Huntsman Hall.
Thoughts from a medical ethicist on gene editing babies
In a Q&A, PIK Professor Jonathan Moreno discusses using CRISPR technology on humans and the future of the field.
Podcast series charts a path for Latin Americans in science
Concerned about the scarcity of Latin Americans in scientific careers, doctoral students Kevin Alicea-Torres and Enrique Lin-Shiao took action to prime the pump. On their Spanish-language podcast, “Caminos en Ciencia,” they chat with Latinx scientists who discuss their career paths and provide advice for young scientists-to-be.
‘The Pitch’ podcast comes to Penn
Senior molecular biology major Katherine Sizov won the judges over with her fruit biosensor company Strella Biotech.
A new, virtual tool in the very real fight against opioid overdoses
Researchers from Penn Nursing and the Annenberg School have found that an immersive Narcan training video is as effective as in-person simulation trainings.
Up, up, and away
Mark Devlin and his team behind BLAST are about to embark on another scientific adventure in Antarctica, this time measuring how stars form in our galaxy.
How do individual decisions affect group decisions?
Postdoctoral fellow Colin Twomey looks to fish behavior to explore the dynamic between individual and group decision-making.
Where do comets originate?
A new technique developed by team of Penn astronomers may allow the scientists to measure radiation from celestial bodies that are only theorized to exist.
In the News
The Wall Street Journal
How the U.S. surrendered to China on scientific research
In an op-ed, PIK Professor Ezekiel Emanuel and Amy Gadsden and Scott Moore, all of Penn Global, said America’s “lead in science and technology fields has been significantly eroded.” The authors say the U.S. needs to “meet [China’s] strength with strength” by investing in innovation.
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The New York Times
‘Partly alive’: Scientists revive cells in brains from dead pigs
PIK Professor Jonathan Moreno weighed in on an experiment that revived tissue in the brains of dead pigs. “If ever there was an issue that merited big public deliberation on the ethics of science and medicine, this is one.”
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Associated Press
Senior’s weakness for scams may be warning sign of dementia
Jason Karlawish of the Perelman School of Medicine said a recent study on aging and scam awareness doesn’t prove a link between susceptibility and cognitive decline in seniors. However, Karlawish says, the results “should be a call to action to health care systems, the financial services industry and their regulators.”
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Science
This physicist is trying to make sense of the brain’s tangled networks
Danielle Bassett of the School of Engineering and Applied Science was profiled.
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Wired.com
Tracking readers’ eye movements can help computers learn
Dan Roth of the School of Engineering and Applied Science said it’s “clear to everyone” that signals within brain activity exist and may eventually improve machine learning.
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BBC
Do mosquitoes feel the effects of alcohol
Tanya Dapkey of the School of Arts and Sciences said it’s unlikely that mosquitoes feed on inebriated humans to get drunk themselves. However, she said, the fact that “alcohol makes us more attractive to them is an interesting question to me.”
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Philadelphia Magazine
Can the new Penn Center for Neuroaesthetics unlock the science of beauty?
Anjan Chatterjee of the Perelman School of Medicine was profiled for his work founding Penn’s Center for Neuroaesthetics, which aims to “understand the neural systems that underlie aesthetic experiences and choices,” exploring beauty, art, design, and architecture.
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Defense News
U.S. military changing ‘killing machine’ robo-tank program after controversy
Michael Horowitz of the School of Arts and Sciences said the controversy over the U.S. army’s plans for a new Advance Targeting and Lethality Automated System “demonstrates that there are continuing technological and ethical issues surrounding the integration of autonomy into weapon systems.”
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Philadelphia Citizen
Second (science) city no more
Kevin Mahoney of the Perelman School of Medicine and the Health System said Philadelphia is “creating new history” with its efforts to catch up to other major cities known for innovation. Penn is leading the way with investments designed to create jobs, fund research, and keep talent local.
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Science News
Physics explains how pollen gets its stunning diversity of shapes
The School of Arts and Sciences’ Alison Sweeney explained how phase separation contributes to the unique shapes of pollen grains.
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