How children conjure a snow day
When there’s a hint of snow, children put spoons under their pillows and flush ice down the toilet to summon a day off. Where do these rituals come from? The Atlantic reports, with commentary from Binghamton folklorist Libby Tucker and others. Read more
How Spam became cool again
“Spam has undergone a reputation makeover,” Binghamton scholar Robert Ku tells CNN Business. Read more
These spiders use their webs like huge, silky ears
A Binghamton University study of orb-weaving spiders shows that their webs pick up a range of sounds — and that they are always “listening” for vibrations coming in over them, Scientific American reports in a new podcast. Read more
Binghamton joins I-Corps Hub
The program aims to create an innovation ecosystem that delivers inclusive models of education and workforce training designed for and by innovators in rural regions and small cities. Read more
Binghamton researchers win NSF CAREER Awards
Four Binghamton University faculty members received CAREER Awards from the National Science Foundation this spring. The prestigious five-year grants of roughly $500,000 support early-career researchers who have the potential to serve as academic role models. Read more
Think you have thick skin? You’re literally right.
Human skin is tougher than you might think, SYFY reports. When Binghamton researchers created artificial skin to see what it took to break, they found that they needed huge amounts of pressure from sharp and blunt weapons. Read more
This spider can breathe underwater for 30 minutes
To make the underwater trick work, the tropical spider Trechalea extensa used its own hydrophobic hairs to help create a “film of air” that kept the air-breathing spider safe while in survival mode, Binghamton biologist Lindsey Swierk tells Popular Mechanics. Read more
