Hearing changes could be ancient in the human line
A Binghamton University study of two ancient hominins from South Africa suggests that changes in the shape and size of the middle ear occurred early in our evolution. Such alterations could have profoundly changed what our ancestors could hear — and perhaps how they could communicate, Nature reports this week. Read more
CASP: A leader in smart energy
Binghamton’s Center for Autonomous Solar Power tackles scientific challenges to reduce the cost of solar power and enhance energy efficiency. Watch video
Hackers compete to create the most insidious code
Computer security expert Scott Craver, a Binghamton faculty member, tells Wired magazine he created the contest to raise awareness about security issues and drive research. Read more
Study: Same-sex parents judged more harshly
A new Binghamton University study suggests that gay parents are judged more harshly than straight parents. Read more
Hanging with smarties ups GPA
High school students whose friends get higher marks tend to raise their own grade point averages over time, Scientific American reports in this one-minute podcast focusing on research by Binghamton’s Hiroki Sayama. Read more
Seven steps to a solar cell
Researchers at Binghamton’s Center for Autonomous Solar Power create solar cells using materials that are abundant on earth. A typical cell is 1 centimeter long and half a centimeter wide, with several layers about a hundred times thinner than a single human hair. Read more
Treasures from the Civil War collections
From diaries to touching letters from the front, the Binghamton University Libraries’ collections include numerous documents, books and photographs from the Civil War era. View gallery
