News from

Natural Sciences

Reset All Filters
170 Results
Soaking up the sun
Soaking up the sun

nocred

Soaking up the sun

A roundup of stories from Penn Today on solar innovation and protection.

Penn Today Staff

2 min. read

Meet foxes, coyotes, deer and other wildlife neighbors
A red fox in the snow.

A red fox in Philadelphia caught by a trail camera last winter in Penn Vet’s Accessing Urban Nature Initiative.

nocred

Meet foxes, coyotes, deer and other wildlife neighbors

Penn Vet’s Accessing Urban Nature Initiative is documenting Philadelphia’s wildlife through trail cameras, and shares its findings after a year of monitoring.

From Penn Vet

2 min. read

The impact of microplastics—and how to limit exposure
Derek Ho in the lab pointing to a beaker of water in front of two lab techs.

To better visualize microplastics, researchers in the McBride Lab at Penn Engineering use fluorescent dyes like Nile Red, which attach to plastics and make them glow under specific light. Environmental researcher Derek Ho developed a system used in their lab called the Fluorescent Imaging Microplastic Analysis Platform, or FIMAP. It uses machine learning to detect and identify plastic particles larger than about 20 microns in complex water samples.

(Image: Sylvia Zhang)

The impact of microplastics—and how to limit exposure

Microplastics researchers Samantha McBride and Derek Ho of Penn Engineering and Vijay Bhatia of the Philadelphia Water Department discuss how microplastics get into ecosystems and human bodies, offering practical ways to minimize exposure.

3 min. read

Unearthing new cancer treatments from fungi
Chunxiao Sun holding a fungal sample on a petri dish.

nocred

Unearthing new cancer treatments from fungi

Penn Engineers led by Xue “Sherry” Gao have developed a gene-editing tool built specifically for fungi, unlocking a hidden library of molecules—including some with early anti-cancer promise—from one of biology’s most overlooked kingdoms.

3 min. read

Transforming healthcare logistics with low-cost AI
Bustling day outside a hospital.

Credit: mtcurado

Transforming healthcare logistics with low-cost AI

Researchers from the Wharton School and Penn Engineering partnered with Sierra Leone’s government to build a low-cost AI tool that optimizes the allocation of essential medical supplies across the country. By accounting for missing data and navigating unexpected supply chain disruptions, the system ensures life-saving products reach the clinics that need them most.

4 min. read

Dean Mark Trodden on what’s next for Penn Arts & Sciences
Mark Trodden with folded arms in front of College Hall.

Mark Trodden, dean of the School of Arts & Sciences.

nocred

Dean Mark Trodden on what’s next for Penn Arts & Sciences

Dean Trodden reflects on his first year on the job, how the School of Arts & Sciences is supporting students’ futures through curriculum innovation, the new Physical Sciences Complex, and other initiatives.

6 min. read

At the intersection of energy and agriculture
Students walking along the Donga boardwalk in Kisumu.

As part of a 2024 landscape architecture studio at Weitzman, students traveled to Kisumu and visited the Donga boardwalk and overlook with students from the University of Maseno and Great Lakes University of Kisumu.

(Image: Courtesy of Weitzman News)

At the intersection of energy and agriculture

Through the Goldsmith Sustainable Agriculture Fund at the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy, Penn researchers are responding to a significant science-to-policy gap.

From the Weitzman School of Design

2 min. read

Getting to the root of it: Why soil matters
Aerial view of fields at Penn Vet's New Bolton Center.

Penn Vet’s New Bolton Center.

(Image: Elliot Bullen)

  • Q&A

    • Getting to the root of it: Why soil matters

    Soil specialist Alain Plante of the School of Arts & Sciences explains what soil is, how it works, and why its health matters far beyond plant growth.

    3 min. read

    Turf war: Artificial versus real grass
    View of a pile of artificial turf of a soccer field.

    Image: aire images

    Turf war: Artificial versus real grass

    In conversation with Penn Today, mechanical engineer, tennis player, and soccer fan Paulo Arratia discusses the material differences between natural grass and synthetic turf.

    3 min. read

    Why is everything gambling now?
    Hand holding a mobile phone with sports bets lined up.

    Over the last decade, there’s been an explosion in phone-based gambling platforms owing to the 2018 Supreme Court ruling that struck down a federal sports betting ban. Neuroscientist Michael L. Platt says the gambling boom has as much to do with human biology as it does business. 

    (Image: Hispanolist)

    Why is everything gambling now?

    Neuroscientist Michael Platt discusses the biological basis of gambling as it relates to the over proliferation of gambling-based platforms.

    5 min. read