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Science & Technology

How repeatable is evolutionary history?

Some clover species have two forms, one of which releases cyanide to discourage nibbling by snails and insects and the other of which does not. A scientist at Washington University in St. Louis found that this “polymorphism” has evolved independently in six different species of clover, each time by the wholesale deletion of a gene. The clover species are in a sense predisposed to develop this trait, suggesting that evolution is not entirely free form but instead bumps up against constraints.
Science & Technology

PARC wins renewed funding for photosynthetic research

The Department of Energy has awarded the Photosynthetic Antenna Research Center (PARC) $14.4 million for continuing research on natural and bio-inspired systems for harvesting the sun’s energy. The center, which is hosted by Washington University in St. Louis, was one of 32 projects selected for funding from among more than 200 proposals and one of only 22 to receive second-round funding.
Humanities & Society

Crain, Sherraden discuss Economic Fragility in Washington

The Brown School’s Michael Sherraden and the School of Law’s Marion G. Crain, co-authors of the new book “Working and Living in the Shadow of Economic Fragility,” were in Washington, D.C., May 28 at the New America Foundation for a webcast presentation that Crain called “a chance for scholars to talk to the world.” U.S. economic policies have failed to restore full employment and in some ways have made labor market conditions worse for many Americans, they said.
Climate & Environment

Humans have been changing Chinese environment for 3,000 years

A widespread pattern of human-caused environmental degradation and related flood-mitigation efforts began changing the natural flow of China’s Yellow River nearly 3,000 years ago, setting the stage for massive floods that toppled the Western Han Dynasty, suggests new research from Washington University in St. Louis.
Campus & Community

A man for all seasons

John Schael, retired athletics director, being honored at baseball game.
Schael was hired in 1978. At the time, the athletics department was made up primarily of part-time staff. The facilities were 60 years old. “There were lots of naysayers,” Schael recalls. “They said things like, ‘You’ll never be able to change this department.’”