Newsroom Stories

Over the past 18 months, many trees have given their lives so that articles titled something like, “Is India the next China?” could appear. But, an equally interesting question a professor from Washington University in St. Louis posed is, “Is China the next India?” These two questions offer a lens through which we might glimpse, however darkly, the economic futures of India and China. And by posing these questions side by side, Professor Jim Little said we can see an interesting pattern emerge: as China moves up the technology ladder, the drivers of its growth are becoming more like India’s. At the same time, India increasingly resembles China’s current economy as it develops as a manufacturing base.

Entrepreneurs are just as sensitive to uncertainty as anyone. In fact, several studies suggest that entrepreneurs are more risk-averse than other people. So why do they risk losing their shirts by starting a business? They have an overdeveloped sense of confidence that that they can beat the odds, according to research from a business professor at Washington University in St. Louis.

There is no parking on Throop Drive at Bryan Hall until further notice. Crews are inspecting a fifth floor overhang.

Eric ChouTesting the wake-sleep cycleA biologist at Washington University in St. Louis and his collaborators have identified the factor in mammalian brain cells that keeps cells in synchrony so that functions like the wake-sleep cycle, hormone secretion and loco motor behaviors are coordinated daily.

NASALet’s visit Europa!William B. McKinnon, Ph.D., professor of earth and planetary sciences in Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis, says the space science community suffers from an embarrassment of riches when pondering which of Jupiter’s moons should be studied next, because they all differ in the way that they can reveal more about planets and how they behave. But he thinks it is Europa that clearly commands the most attention.

Eric ChouA slice through the earth, showing the attenuation anomalies within the mantle.A seismologist at Washington University in St. Louis has made the first 3-D model of seismic wave damping — diminishing — deep in the Earth’s mantle and has revealed the existence of an underground water reservoir at least the volume of the Arctic Ocean. The research, which analyzed 80,000 shear waves from more than 600,000 seismograms, provides the first evidence for water existing in the Earth’s deep mantle.

Interested in being a part of the 17th annual powwow at Washington University in St. Louis? Join members of the St. Louis community at the upcoming Community Powwow Meeting from 5:30 – 8 p.m. on Feb. 19 in Goldfarb Hall, Room 124.

SemenkovichInterrupting nerve signals to the liver can prevent diabetes and hypertension in mice, according to scientists at the School of Medicine. The finding is reported in the February issue of the journal Cell Metabolism. A research team led by Clay Semenkovich surgically removed the vagus nerve in mice and found the procedure prevented or reversed the development of insulin resistance and high blood pressure in mice primed to develop these disorders through treatment with glucocorticoids.

Photo by Robert BostonKaidence Oliver, 22 months, entertained a number of members of the St. Louis media Jan. 17 during a celebration honoring her as the University’s 1,000th liver transplant recipient. She received her new liver one year ago at St. Louis Children’s Hospital.

Jan. 31 4:53 p.m. — A student reported he had his keys laying on his gym bag while he was playing basketball between 3-3:30 p.m. on Jan 28. The keys were missing when the student returned. 10:06 p.m. — A student reported her wallet missing and stated she last saw it at 1:30 p.m. today while at the Danforth bakery in Mallinckrodt Student Center. She noticed it missing while in Lopata Hall after class at 3 p.m. The student reported no activity on her credit cards.