Science & Technology

Nobel laureate Kip Thorne will visit Washington University to deliver a public talk on Thursday, Nov. 7. Thorne’s work in theoretical physics examines gravitational waves, the Big Bang and what these phenomena tell us about the dynamics of the universe.

The team that worked on the Mars exploration rovers Spirit and Opportunity received the Distinguished Science Award from the Huntsville, Ala., chapter of the National Space Club. The award recognizes outstanding contributions in research and discovery that expand knowledge and understanding of space. Raymond Arvidson, the James S. McDonnell Distinguished University Professor in Arts & Sciences, is the mission’s deputy principal investigator.

Jonathan Silva, a biomedical engineer in the McKelvey School of Engineering at Washington University in St. Louis, has developed the first computational model that shows the molecular groundwork of a popular drug’s effectiveness in a variety of ways.

Contrary to the belief that drinking can literally shrink one’s brain, a new study that includes researchers from Arts & Sciences suggests that a small brain might be a risk factor for heavier alcohol consumption.

Researchers in Jonathan Barnes’ laboratory in Arts & Sciences have developed a new light-sensitive hydrogel with improved biocompatibility compared with similar materials. Down the line, these materials may be particularly suited for medical uses like prosthetics or transplantable organs.

Kevin Moeller, professor of chemistry in Arts & Sciences, will receive a 2020 Arthur C. Cope Scholar Award for excellence in organic chemistry. The Cope Scholar Award is a national award sponsored by the Arthur C. Cope Fund and administered by the American Chemical Society. Only 10 recipients each year receive the award.

A Washington University in St. Louis expert on circadian rhythms says the country should be on standard time permanently. The science behind the choice is clear: standard time is better in terms of sleep, cardiac function, weight, cancer risk and alcohol and tobacco consumption.

While evidence for dark matter is strong, the nature of dark matter has remained a mystery. James H. Buckley, professor of physics in Arts & Sciences, is part of a research team searching for axions — very light, invisible particles streaming through the cosmos.

WiFi protocols have a limit to how little data will be transmitted, after which, communication is cut off. Now researchers, including the McKelvey School of Engineering’s Neil Patwari, have found a way around this limitation.

The McKelvey School of Engineering at Washington University in St. Louis recently welcomed the first cohort of students funded by a prestigious new grant from the China Scholarship Council. The three-year renewable program will enable up to six doctoral students per year to pursue research on projects in the areas of life sciences, energy and informatics involving collaborations between Washington University’s McKelvey School of Engineering and Xi’an Jiaotong University.