Arts & Sciences

SmithSenate Majority Leader Bill Frist is playing with fire when he suggests that Republicans will deploy the so-called “go nuclear” option to prevent Democrats from using filibusters to block controversial judicial nominations expected to reach the floor in mid-to-late February, says congressional expert Steven S. Smith.

David Kilper / WUSTL PhotoWUSTL researchers are trying to infer the Egyptian climate from the fossil evidence.Earth and planetary scientists at Washington University in St. Louis are studying snail fossils to understand the climate of northern Africa 130,000 years ago. While that might sound a bit like relying on wooly bear caterpillars to predict the severity of winter, the snails actually reveal clues about the climate and environment of western Egypt, lo those many years ago. They also could shed light on the possible role weather and climate played in the dispersal of humans “out of Africa” and into Europe and Asia.

John W. Bennett, Ph.D., founder and first chair of the Department of Anthropology in Arts & Sciences, died Feb. 1. He was 89.

Sen. Jim Talent, Michael DeBaun and Isaac Singleton Jr. help raise awareness about sickle cell disease at a recent stamp dedication ceremony.In sickle cell disease, red blood cells change from their normal round shape to a curved, or sickle-shape. Sickle-shaped cells become stuck in blood vessels, causing damage to tissues and organs. WUSM pediatric hematologist Michael DeBaun says that ongoing blood transfusion therapy is vitally important for children with sickle cell disease, and treatment requires a sufficient supply of blood from African-American donors. “Black History Month is an ideal time to encourage African-Americans to come out and donate blood,” he says.

Lili Almog, courtesy Bernstein ArtistsBeiserLong recognized as a leading performer of cutting-edge music, Maya Beiser has helped to redefine the cello as a solo instrument, both through her commitment to contemporary composers and her multicultural approach. On Feb. 12, the Israeli-born cellist will present a special, one-night-only performance as part of the Edison Theatre OVATIONS! Series at Washington University.

He was a professor of English and of Religious Studies in Arts & Sciences for nearly 40 years.

Carmen is perhaps the ultimate operatic femme fatale, a beautiful yet unfaithful Gypsy who maddens her Spanish lover, with tragic results. On Jan. 30 and 31, the Center for the Humanities in Arts & Sciences will present a two-day symposium on “The Many Faces of Carmen” as part of it’s 2004-05 Translation Series.

The performance will include chamber music by Franz Joseph Haydn, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Ludwig van Beethoven.

Widely considered the greatest anti-war play ever written, it remains both timeless and timely, a poignant meditation on the aftermath of battle.

The nearly 70 events are being held in conjunction with the major exhibit Inside Out Loud: Women’s Health in Contemporary Art.