Science

‘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

Tread Carefully: How to Stay Safe During Winter Storms

By Nicholas Stein · Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026

Major Winter Storm to Hit Ithaca Saturday Evening Through Monday

By Nicholas Stein · Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026

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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.

Learning Brought to Life: Transformative Experiences in Introductory Field Biology

By Leah Chang · Monday, Nov. 17, 2025

Cornell’s Introductory Field Biology course, NTRES 2100, transforms ecological learning through immersive, place-based experiences led by longtime instructor Prof. Marc Goebel. Blending hands-on fieldwork, interdisciplinary training, and collaborative research, the course equips students with the skills and perspective to understand and engage with the natural world far beyond the classroom.

AEI Fellow Roger Pielke Jr.’s Talk at Cornell Climate Impact Speaker Series Sparks Controversy

By Andrea Kim · Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025

Roger Pielke Jr. spoke at Cornell Atkinson’s Climate Impact Series on Wednesday, eliciting concerns from members of the scientific community due to his ties to the American Enterprise Institute and its alleged conflicts of interests.

Psychology in the Spotlight: PSYCH 4500 Brings the Mind to Life at the Sciencenter

By Susan Su · Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2025

Students in PSYCH 4500 are transforming concepts from psychology and cognitive science into playful, hands-on exhibits for children at Ithaca’s Sciencenter. By blending research on science communication with engaging design and community engagement, the course equips students to make abstract mental processes tangible, interactive and accessible for young learners.

Reviving Take Back the Tap: Reducing the Waste of Single-Use Plastic Water Bottles at Cornell University

By Elsa Huelsbergen · Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2025

Revived by new student leadership, Cornell’s Take Back the Tap campaign works to counter widespread misconceptions about tap water and the environmental costs of bottled water. The initiative promotes water sustainability through class outreach, educational materials and student ambassador efforts that highlight Cornell’s clean, high-quality tap water.