Science

Cornell Ph.D. Student Develops Novel Method of Gene Delivery in Plants

By Andrea Kim · Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026

As a Ph.D. candidate in the Smith School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Nathan Piligian is developing a novel method of delivering genes into plant cells so that they are better adapted to environmental stressors in the Alabi Lab.

The Science Behind the Winter Storm: Fern Explained

By Andrea Kim · Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026

The Only Team of Its Kind: Inside C2S2, Cornell's Student-Run Chip Design Team

By Ashley Kim · Monday, Feb. 2, 2026

‘Something Close to a Miracle’: How Donations, Community Efforts Saved the Museum of the Earth

By Tania Hao and Susan Su · Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026

‘Lasers and Photonics’: The Class Where Building a Laser Is Part of the Lesson

By Gabby Coleman · Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026

Students in the class ENGRI 1100: "Lasers and Photonics" engage in hands-on learning and build a laser for an assignment.

Student Design Competition Aims to Reduce Bird Collisions at Stocking Hall

By Gabby Coleman · Monday, Jan. 26, 2026

The Cornell Lab of Ornithology is hosting a Bird-Friendly Student Art Contest this semester, inviting students to submit imaginative window decal designs by March 30 to help prevent bird collisions at Stocking Hall.

Tread Carefully: How to Stay Safe During Winter Storms

By Nicholas Stein · Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026

The Sun shares some winter safety tips amid a snowstorm sweeping Ithaca.

Major Winter Storm to Hit Ithaca Saturday Evening Through Monday

By Nicholas Stein · Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026

A major winter storm is set to impact Ithaca from Saturday through Monday, bringing bitter cold, heavy snowfall and hazardous travel conditions, with totals that could mark the city’s largest two-day snowfall since February 2021. This forecast outlines the storm’s expected timeline and impacts, alongside preparation efforts from local and state officials as the region braces for significant disruption.

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Experiential Learning Symposium 2025 Showcases Student Presentations From HIV Resources to Climate Change Preparedness

By Valentine Kim · Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026

The Experimental Learning Symposium was held in November as an opportunity for over 50 undergraduates in health science fields to present their research.

How A Cornell Psychology Professor Studies Early Childhood to Combat Climate Change

By Tania Hao · Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026

Prof. Charlie Trautmann Ph.D. ’83, psychology, developed a novel research method to study the impacts of childhood experiences on attitudes and behaviors regarding the environment later in life.

Digital Agriculture at Cornell a Possible Component of $30 Million in Settlement Funding

By Angelina Tang · Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026

Part of Cornell’s settlement with the federal government is a $30 million investment into agricultural research, which may include digital agriculture, a field that incorporates technology and data into increasing farming efficiency.

Image courtesy of Joshua Umansky-Castro, grad. This artist’s conception depicts the release of the Alpha CubeSat light sail into Earth’s orbit.

Cornell Students Deploy World’s First Free-Flying Light Sail

By Laine Havens · Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026

Cornell students in the Space Systems Design Studio built the Alpha CubeSat as part of a NASA program supporting student-built spacecraft missions.

93-Year-Old Paleontological Research Institution Faces Potential Closure Amid Financial Crisis

By Susan Su · Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2025

The Paleontological Research Institution may face closure by the end of the year if it cannot pay off a $3 million mortgage, according to PRI Director Prof. Emeritus Warren Allmon, earth and atmospheric sciences.

Research Spotlight: Locus Coeruleus Degeneration and Its Pathological Role in Alzheimer's Disease

By Rachel Horn · Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025

The locus coeruleus (LC) — a tiny, ancient brainstem structure that regulates arousal, attention and memory—plays a far more critical role in cognition and disease than long assumed, and its early deterioration is now recognized as a key marker of Alzheimer’s progression. Emerging interventions such as vagus nerve stimulation and even music-based therapies may help modulate LC function, offering promising avenues for preserving cognitive health as we age.

Cornell’s $30 Million Agricultural Investment Signals a Lasting Shift Toward High-Tech Farming Leadership

By Gillian White · Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025

Cornell's recent settlement with the Trump administration to restore roughly $250 million in frozen federal research funding involves agreeing to invest $30 million in agricultural research that integrates AI and robotics over the next three years. The deal ends months of widespread disruption across campus labs and academic programs, though students and researchers say the freeze has left lasting damage.

Cornellians Weigh in on RFK Jr’s 2025-2030 Guidelines for U.S. Nutritional Policy

By Hana Kang · Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025

The upcoming Dietary Guidelines for Americans, reworked under RFK Jr.’s leadership, are expected to depart sharply from past evidence-driven standards by condensing the document and elevating whole foods, saturated fat and critiques of ultra-processed foods. Cornell nutrition experts warn that without transparent methods or clear definitions, the revised guidelines may overlook years of scientific work and complicate public health messaging.

Mary Bellakbira Blends Fashion and STEM to Redefine Hormone Health

By Zeinab Faraj · Monday, Dec. 1, 2025

“Fashion to me is about how you feel,” said Mary Bellakbira ’26. “How you feel is directly linked to your hormones and the way those two affect each other has been the subject of my research.”

Cornell GeoData Blends Engineering with Earth Science in Environmental Sensor Projects

By Tania Hao · Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2025

Cornell’s CU GeoData project team brings together engineering and earth science students to design and deploy low-cost environmental sensors aimed at improving regional climate data and research. Through these interdisciplinary, student-run projects, the team hopes to expand accessible environmental data for local communities, support research on environmental change and strengthen real-world fieldwork and engineering experience.

Anemones and Accessibility: Rowan Lopez ’26 Supports Students Seeking Undergraduate Research

By Angelina Tang · Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2025

Rowan Lopez ’26 is conducting groundbreaking research on a species of anemone that engages in fights. He also helps other undergraduates get involved in research.

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Designing a Better World, One Polymer at a Time: The Journey Behind Prof. Coates’s Franklin Award

By Marissa Gaut · Monday, Nov. 17, 2025

Prof. Geoffrey Coates’s Franklin Award recognizes not only his pioneering work in sustainable polymer design but also the decades of collaborative innovation driven by the students, postdocs and colleagues who built that science alongside him. Together, their collective creativity and persistence have transformed visionary molecular ideas into real-world materials that advance environmental sustainability.