Glass is weirder than you think

Changes in a liquid as it becomes a glass are related to repulsion between its atoms as they are crowded together. Although scientists have long believed the poorly understood glass transition must have atomic underpinnings, this is the first time they have been demonstrated experimentally.

Who Knew WashU? 7.11.17

Question: Which former WashU student authored a best-selling children’s book in the 1950s after achieving success as an actress, singer, composer and voice coach?

Hands-on science ignites passion in young minds

There is a growing need for interdisciplinary approaches to address many of the modern challenges to advancing research, innovation and technological development. This creates a call for science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education—not just in our classrooms, but also in our economic potential. As careers in STEM grow, we recognize the importance of equipping students with the 21st century skills necessary for them to thrive.

Judging the Supreme Court

In January 2017, Professor Lee Epstein team-taught a three-day course on the Roberts court. Her co-instructor, Adam Liptak (not pictured), covers the Supreme Court for The New York Times. (Photo by Joe Angeles/WUSTL Photos)
The justices of the nation’s highest court have a bird’s-eye view of the nation’s discord. But Lee Epstein trains her binoculars on them as they do their work.

Targeted excavating leads to lost city

Michael Frachetti excavating in Tashbulak
Using modern, high-tech analysis tools, anthropologist Michael Frachetti is leading groundbreaking research on an ancient city high in the Uzbekistan mountains. The site may hold clues to how medieval civilizations changed when diverse communities integrated — and even suggest how we might consider our own current initiatives of global community-building.