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
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
Research tells us why psychopaths can succeed in society
A new study highlights an important link between the trait of psychopathy and charisma. The research, conducted by Binghamton’s Emma-Clementine Welsh, argues that a higher level of charisma in psychopathic individuals may make them more successful, Forbes reports. Read more
LGBTQ people face ‘groomer’ accusations and trolling as culture war rages on
The rising tide of online abuse is challenging as the internet has become an essential place for young people to learn about LGBTQ identities and connect with community members. Data from the social media platform Reddit analyzed by Jeremy Blackburn, an assistant professor of computer science at Binghamton University who studies online extremism, found about a 100 percent increase since the beginning of the year in discussion of “grooming” in conjunction with various LGBTQ slurs starting in early March, NBC news reports. Read more
