News
16 Easy Ways to Support the College of Science This Giving Day
Prepare for 24 hours of excitement and philanthropy at Northeastern University’s Giving Day—an event dedicated to rallying alumni, parents, students, faculty, staff, and friends in support of the university and the College of Science. This year marks the 7th annual celebration of Giving Day at Northeastern. What sets this day apart? Giving Day is a […]
April 08, 2024
Physics
You’ve heard of a leap year, but what about a leap second? A physicist explains what is messing with the Earth’s rotation
The effects of climate change can be seen everywhere, in the global refugee crisis, an even worse allergy season and, now, even in the very concept of time. Scientists have recently pinpointed how meltwater from the polar ice caps is throwing off Earth’s rotation to the point that those who really care about precision timekeeping […]
April 02, 2024
Can AI find extraterrestrial life? NASA’s Steve Chien delivers keynote to kick off AI in Action Week.
Steve Chien’s contributions to space exploration started relatively close to home. In the early 2000s, the distinguished researcher at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory helped develop weather satellites that used artificial intelligence to track wildfires, monitor volcanoes and allocate relief aid for natural disasters. Now, his greatest ambition is to take AI beyond our solar system […]
April 01, 2024
Can pottery be therapy? This psychology student thinks so.
The Create ceramics studio in Boston’s Roslindale neighborhood is a tapestry of gentle, sturdy neutrals. Earthenware pots, bowls and teacups awaiting paint jobs rest on light gray shelves; white drop cloths and stone potter’s wheels take up most of the wood floor, all of it bathed in low afternoon sunlight gushing through storefront windows. But […]
March 28, 2024
Five decades after his graduation, a legendary general returns to Northeastern as an inductee into the ROTC Hall of Fame
Salvatore Cambria, a retired U.S. Army major general, had not visited Northeastern University since he graduated with a biology degree in 1976. On Friday, he made his return while receiving an unprecedented honor. Maj. Gen. Cambria was inducted into the United States Army Cadet Command Hall of Fame — the first Northeastern graduate to be […]
March 28, 2024
What is the ‘3 Body Problem’? Astrophysicist explains concept behind hit Netflix show
“3 Body Problem,” Netflix’s new big-budget adaptation of Liu Cixin’s book series helmed by the creators behind “Game of Thrones,” puts the science in science fiction. The series focuses on scientists as they attempt to solve a mystery that spans decades, continents and even galaxies. That means “3 Body Problem” throws some pretty complicated quantum […]
March 26, 2024
Chemistry and Chemical Biology
Get to know Alicia Wagner, the 2024 Robert M. Scarborough Postgraduate Award Recipient
The Robert M. Scarborough Award for Excellence in Medicinal Chemistry is a national award presented to two graduate students or postdoctoral researchers annually. Candidates must have “demonstrated a key role in and contribution to a research project with direct medicinal chemistry applications and relevance.” This year, Northeastern’s very own Alicia Wagner was the recipient for […]
March 25, 2024
Parrots love playing tablet games. That’s helping researchers understand them.
Touchscreens have long been integral to our everyday life — humans use them to work, play, talk with loved ones and snag Lightning Deals on Prime Day. In recent years, they’ve shown potential for the animal kingdom as well, leading to a growing body of academic researchand a proliferation of consumer products promising to leverage […]
March 20, 2024
Marine and Environmental Sciences
This co-op at a Napa Valley winery teaches students about wine ‘from grape to bottle’
Grace Arents, a fourth-year environmental and sustainability sciences student, had never had a glass of wine before when she saw a posting for a co-op at a winery on NUWorks. Still, her interest was piqued and she applied to spend a semester learning enology — the process of making wine — in Napa Valley. Before […]
March 18, 2024
What is a nova outburst? Astrophysicist explains science behind the once-in-a-lifetime event that will light up the sky this year
The total solar eclipse isn’t the only reason to keep your eyes to the sky this year. For the first time in 80 years, a star system 3,000 light years away will be visible to the naked eye thanks to a once-in-a-lifetime nova outburst. NASA announced that the nova, which will create a “new” star […]
March 18, 2024
Being queen is all in this termite’s head. Really.
In the world of termites studied by Northeastern professor Rebeca Rosengaus, worker termites spend their few short months on Earth cleaning and feeding their enormous long-lived queen mother and tending to her eggs and their young siblings. Since termite workers and queens both possess a network of genes called the Queen Central Module, it has […]
March 18, 2024
What will the once-in-a-generation total solar eclipse on April 8 look like?
The moon’s shadow will cast a path of daytime darkness as it traverses the country on a narrow path from Texas to Maine during April 8’s solar eclipse. Those located inside the 115-mile-wide corridor known as the “path of totality” will experience a total eclipse, says Northeastern professor Jonathan Blazek. If it’s not cloudy, stars will […]
March 15, 2024
From Undergraduate Lab to Publication: George Hatzis’ Biology Project Success
Biology Project Lab (BIOL 2309) offers an inquiry-based, intensive laboratory experience in which students can design and conduct independent research projects, applying approaches and techniques used in cell and molecular biology. In Fall 2021, George Hatzis (COS ‘23), took Biology Project Lab under Dr. Erica Homan’s instruction and recently his group’s findings were published in […]
March 15, 2024
Efforts to limit fast-food near homes need rethinking, Northeastern researcher says
Amid an obesity epidemic in the United States, you may have heard of efforts to eliminate “food deserts,” or areas with few healthy food options, and limit fast-food chains near where people live. But research from Northeastern University suggests a new approach. “Most of the fast food in this country is consumed far away from […]
March 15, 2024