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Mathematical, Life, and Physical Sciences in the news
How Quantum Physics Is About to Revolutionize Biochemistry
August 8, 2017

Chemists have largely ignored quantum mechanics. But it now turns out that this strange physics has a huge effect on biochemical reactions.

Ocean Racket Makes for Rascally Wrasses
August 4, 2017
  • A bluestreak cleaner wrasse makes its living eating parasites off larger fish, such as this ornate butterfly fish. Photo by age fotostock/Alamy Stock Photo

Motorboat noise spurs rise in fish-on-fish crime.

Eradicating crown-of-thorn starfish at night may improve conservation efforts
August 2, 2017

According to a new study published in Royal Society Open Science today, conservation efforts to eradicate the crown-of-thorn starfish may be more effective at night.

A Rising Star
July 22, 2017
  • Stained vascular cells

Researchers dissect the process by which blood vessels shrink, which could have important implications for human health

Announcements

Divisional announcements and opportunities
Brainiacs Win Big
  • Graphic design brain

UCSB Brain Initiative wins Hearst Foundation award to amplify interdisciplinary effort

Antarctica by Way of the U.K.

Geologist and Fulbright scholar Alexander Simms will conduct research at Durham University in the United Kingdom

Call For Applications: Frenkel Foundation Fellowship

The Peter J. Frenkel Fellowships recognize outstanding graduate research in energy efficiency by students who have reached advanced doctoral candidacy.

(What Would Warhol Say?) Jonathan Schooler: The Science of Imagination

Inspired by Andy Warhol’s Factory? Not unimaginable. In any case, the John Templeton Foundation, with $5.6M or so from its deep pockets, has given birth to the Imagination Institute—-a Philadelphia think tank that for the last two years has been tapping an array of talent for insight into the creative process, hoping ultimately to come up with an “imagination quotient.” Three dozen scientific investigators at 16 institutions have been awarded Templeton research money related to the project. But can imagination really be quantified?