Solar panels soon may power, protect apple orchards

A small experimental apple orchard at Cornell’s Hudson Valley Research Laboratory may soon be topped by solar panels, which would capture the sun’s energy and may prove beneficial to the trees. 

Psychedelics excite cells in hippocampus to reduce anxiety

A classic psychedelic was found to activate a cell type in the brain of mice and rats that silences other neighboring neurons, providing insight into how such drugs reduce anxiety. 

Viruses cross different tissues in insects to infect new hosts

A study in fruit flies advances understanding of the processes and machinery that underlie how insects, such as mosquitoes, spread disease.  

A.D. White Professors-at-Large Program announces 2024-25 call for nominations

A.D. White Professor-at-Large nominations in the areas of Humanities, Life Sciences, and Social Sciences are due Monday, Nov. 27.

Around Cornell

Vaccine pioneer to give Racker Lecture Oct. 3

Peter Kim ’79 will explore how vaccines work and provide an overview of some of the most influential vaccines in history. 

Around Cornell

Scott Emr awarded 2024 Horwitz Prize for discovering ESCRT pathway

“This award places Scott Emr in the company of many of the top figures in molecular biology and biomedical sciences from the past 50 years.” 

Around Cornell

Online course helps veterinarians support rural mental health

The College of Veterinary Medicine and partners have launched a free online course, “Mental Health and Suicide Prevention in Rural America,” to give learners support strategies and resources to navigate mental health challenges in rural communities.

Genomics reveals sled dogs’ Siberian lineage

A massive multi-institution genomic survey of the Siberian husky has revealed that sled dogs descended from two distinct lineages of Arctic canids and originated in the northeastern Siberian Arctic generations earlier than previously thought.

Decoy carcasses reveal how often stranded dolphins are found

The experiment gave researchers data on the rates at which stranded dolphins are found and reported, and identified areas where fewer decoys were detected, which may merit extra scrutiny by trained observers.