6 things you didn’t know about Saint Hildegard of Bingen
University musicologist and Hildegard biographer Honey Meconi explores the life of the 12th-century Benedictine nun who created her own language, wrote one of the first musical plays, and wrote books on health and healing.
Fools who speak truth to power
Late-night satire may be enjoying a heyday, but fools who speak truth to power are nothing new. In her latest book, professor emerita of history Dorinda Outram looks at how court jesters were much more than just a floppy hat.
Listening to family stories helps cancer researchers identify gaps in care
A Wilmot Cancer Institute study of more than 90 families and caregivers looked for common threads about their loved one’s final transition from active treatment to death and dying.
Can the laws of physics untangle traffic jams, stock markets, and other complex systems?
Gourab Ghoshal is using the fundamental laws of physics to untangle the complex systems behind human behavior, urban planning, and social networks.
Saving the lost text of a Torah scroll
Professor Gregory Heyworth and his digital media students are using different wavelengths of light to reveal illegible text that could create a sacred, tangible link with Jewish congregations lost to the Holocaust.
Conservative audiences no less interested in Captain Marvel
“The myth that female- or minority-led films struggle at the box office has been debunked again,” writes Bethany Lacina, an associate professor of political science, in an analysis for the Washington Post.
‘Selfish’ genetics amplify inflammation, age-related diseases
Research from Rochester biologists shows that a class of genomic parasites may cause more harm than previously thought, triggering inflammation that causes age-related diseases.
Watching for ‘bright lines’ during the Trump presidency
In a study spanning the first 18 months of the Donald Trump presidency, the non-partisan Bright Line Watch research group found large areas of agreement as to what constitutes critical democratic principles, but little agreement over which have been violated.
Researchers turn liquid metal into a plasma
For the first time, researchers at Rochester’s Laboratory for Laser Energetics (LLE) have found a way to turn a liquid metal into a plasma and to observe the temperature where a liquid under high-density conditions crosses over to a plasma state.
Does awe lead to greater interest in science?
In a recent study, participants who watched awe-inducing nature videos or virtual reality simulations consistently reported greater interest in science and greater awareness of gaps in their knowledge.