The case for historians being more engaged in public affairs
Binghamton University scholar Adam Laats writes in the Washington Post that historians “must move aggressively — not just exhort Americans to study the past, but help the public to dismantle historical interpretations that have been bent and twisted the past to support short-term political convenience.” Read more
Nobel prize honors breakthroughs on lithium-ion batteries
If you’re reading this on a cellphone or laptop computer, you might thank the three winners of this year’s Nobel Prize in chemistry for their work on lithium-ion batteries, The New York Times reports. Read more
Why is the U.S. still using hypnosis to convict criminals?
For decades, U.S. law enforcement has used “forensic hypnosis” to help solve crimes – yet despite growing evidence that it is junk science, this method is still being used to send people to death row. The Guardian talks to Binghamton expert Steven Lynn and others about the controversial technique. Read more
New algorithms aim to stamp abuse on Twitter
A new tool can identify Twitter accounts engaging in bullying with over 90% accuracy, according to researchers at Binghamton University, who told the BBC it could be used to help find and delete abusive accounts. Read more
What archeologists found at the farm where Woodstock was held
“Unfortunately, they cleaned up pretty well,” Maria O’Donovan of Binghamton’s Public Archaeology Facility tells TIME Magazine. Read more
Book review: ‘Copperhead’
Binghamton author Alexi Zentner’s new novel Copperhead is a smart, propulsive story about racism, class and the limits of individual possibility, says Maureen Corrigan, Fresh Air’s book critic. Read more
Mosquitoes can hear over surprisingly long distances
In a new study, published in the journal Current Biology, researchers at Cornell University and Binghamton University have shown that mosquitoes are able to hear a range of low frequencies as far away as 10 meters (32 feet). Moreover, that frequency range correlates with many sounds made by human speech, Forbes reports. Read more
