Research In The News

All Hail Charles, the Unmemeable King

All Hail Charles, the Unmemeable King

Published May 9, 2023

Binghamton scholar Jeremy Blackburn and others speculate for WIRED about why Charles is no meme queen.  Read more

How children conjure a snow day

How children conjure a snow day

Published Jan 4, 2023

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

How Spam became cool again

Published Oct 7, 2022

“Spam has undergone a reputation makeover,” Binghamton scholar Robert Ku tells CNN Business. Read more

These spiders use their webs like huge, silky ears

These spiders use their webs like huge, silky ears

Published Oct 3, 2022

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.

Think you have thick skin? You’re literally right.

Published May 28, 2022

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

This spider can breathe underwater for 30 minutes

Published May 13, 2022

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

Research tells us why psychopaths can succeed in society

Published May 11, 2022

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