Research In The News – Binghamton University Research News

Modern medicine traces its scientific roots to the Middle Ages

rad — Wed, 15 Nov 2023 21:31:25 +0000

Contrary to popular belief, early medieval doctors relied on rational deduction to understand and treat disease, Binghamton historian Meg Leja writes in Smithsonian Magazine.

Earth to be hit by ‘widespread pest outbreaks’ — and it’s our fault

rad — Fri, 23 Jun 2023 18:27:47 +0000

Insects around the world are expected to be thrown into chaos by the effects of man-made climate change, according to research from Binghamton biologist Thomas H.Q. Powell highlighted in Newsweek.

For EV batteries, lithium iron phosphate narrows the gap with nickel, cobalt

rad — Fri, 23 Jun 2023 18:25:09 +0000

All the minerals can be obtained in North America, which means much lower transportation costs and a more secure supply chain, Binghamton researcher M. Stanley Whittingham tells Reuters.

The revolt of the other mothers

rad — Fri, 02 Jun 2023 13:36:34 +0000

“Our current pattern of school culture-warring goes back about a hundred years,” Binghamton researcher and education historian Adam Laats tells New York Magazine.

All Hail Charles, the Unmemeable King

rad — Tue, 09 May 2023 14:59:06 +0000

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

How children conjure a snow day

rad — Wed, 04 Jan 2023 16:00:15 +0000

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.

How Spam became cool again

rad — Fri, 07 Oct 2022 14:35:20 +0000

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

These spiders use their webs like huge, silky ears

rad — Mon, 03 Oct 2022 18:12:27 +0000

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.

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

rad — Sat, 28 May 2022 19:35:23 +0000

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.

This spider can breathe underwater for 30 minutes

rad — Fri, 13 May 2022 13:13:40 +0000

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.

Research tells us why psychopaths can succeed in society

rad — Wed, 11 May 2022 14:24:46 +0000

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.

LGBTQ people face ‘groomer’ accusations and trolling as culture war rages on

rad — Wed, 20 Apr 2022 20:43:04 +0000

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.

Off the Page from WSKG: The Weeping Time

rcoker — Mon, 18 Apr 2022 21:00:54 +0000

The largest slave auction in American history took place in 1859, but it’s been largely forgotten by history. Binghamton University historian Anne Bailey joins Crystal Sarakas of WSKG in this podcast for a conversation about race, the erasure of slave auctions, and the healing that families are doing as they trace their history back to the auction block.

Funding to clean up orphaned oil, gas wells is on the way

rad — Mon, 07 Feb 2022 18:41:06 +0000

Two Binghamton University professors have been working to solve the problem of tracking down abandoned wells with newly developed drone technology, Sierra magazine reports.

More than ‘Squid Game:’ the international rise of K-dramas

rad — Thu, 21 Oct 2021 17:49:15 +0000

Binghamton University scholar Robert Ku and others discuss Korean dramas such as “Squid Game” on the radio program 1A this week.

Christian schools boom in a revolt against curriculum, pandemic rules

rad — Thu, 21 Oct 2021 17:39:04 +0000

A boom in conservative Christian schooling appears to be driven nationwide by a combination of pandemic frustrations and rising parental anxieties around how schools handle education on issues including race and the rights of transgender students, the New York Times reports, quoting Binghamton historian Adam Laats and others.

Why we share stories of local ghosts

rad — Thu, 21 Oct 2021 15:19:26 +0000

Communities have always circulated tales of nearby spirits that are attached to specific spaces and carry memorable lessons, Binghamton scholar Elizabeth Tucker and other folklorists tell Discover Magazine.

Can skeletons have a racial identity?

rcoker — Tue, 19 Oct 2021 18:06:05 +0000

In recent years, a growing number of forensic anthropologists, including Binghamton scholar Liz DiGangi, have grown critical of ancestry estimation and want to replace it with something more nuanced, The New York Times reports.

How to use science to focus at work

rad — Fri, 10 Sep 2021 15:31:48 +0000

Quit kidding yourself that you can multitask, Binghamton psychologist Nicholas Gaspelin tells Wired.

How school boards became battlegrounds for culture wars

rad — Thu, 26 Aug 2021 20:53:41 +0000

“The history of school board politics is a great way to chart the career of all culture war issues,” Binghamton historian Adam Laats tells The Guardian. “School boards made perfect battlefields.”