Takes a licking and keeps on storing

Impact Resistant Polymer Supercapacitor
Researchers in Arts & Sciences made an energy storage device that can withstand a hammer striking it more than 40 times. The shatterproof supercapacitor is also nonflammable, unlike lithium-ion batteries. The new work is the cover story of the April 23 issue of the journal Sustainable Energy and Fuels.

The kids are alright

Robins in nest
A new study reveals the surprising way that family quarrels in seeds drive rapid evolution. Conflict over resources seems to play a special role in the development of certain seed tissues, according to Washington University in St. Louis research led by David Queller and Joan Strassmann in Arts & Sciences.

Ornitz receives NIH grant to study signaling mechanisms and mouse models

David Ornitz, MD, PhD, the Alumni Endowed Professor of Developmental Biology, received a two-year, $456,853 grant from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for his project titled “Signaling mechanisms and mouse models for insulin-mediated pseudoacromegaly.”

Students study bringing renewable energy home

The Office of Sustainability launched RESET, an innovative new program that provides students real-world experience in renewable energy, one of the fastest-growing sectors in the U.S. economy. Students from a range of disciplines have studied the engineering, policy and business aspects of installing solar power on the South 40.

Class Acts: Building resilient cities

Cities are both a leading cause and victim of global climate change, but they also hold great promise. In the first installment of Class Acts, a series celebrating the Class of 2019, seniors Marissa Lerner and Alexis Vidaurreta share their optimism and respective visions for cities that protect people and resources.