Some of the neediest children in Tompkins County will have real reason to believe in Santa Claus this year, thanks to the work of a group of Cornell University "elves."
With nine days left in the year, it appears probable that 1998 will be the Northeast's warmest year since records began in 1895, according to the climatologists at the Northeast Regional Climate Center at Cornell. Up to now, 1953 was region's the warmest year on record.
Seduced by a domineering, two-timing female and then largely abandoned to raise young that aren't his own, the male wattled jacana would seem to be a loser in the genetic lottery. But the tropical shorebird has some consolations.
There's no arguing with success. Nine members of the Cornell Forensics Society, a debate and speech team with up to 40 members, secured a first place trophy at the 30th annual Bloomsberg University tournament in November.
The Cornell University Glee Club will perform two concerts in the Los Angeles Area on Jan. 15 and 16. The 60-member male choir directed by Scott Tucker will be in the midst of a two-week tour of the West Coast.
A Cornell professor of music and a former Cornell visiting professor of anthropology are among the recipients of National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) awards announced this month. James Webster, the Goldwin Smith Professor of Music, will receive $30,000.
Researchers in the Cornell College of Veterinary Medicine, working with federal fisheries personnel, have made the first identification of a virus believed responsible for cancerous tumors in Atlantic salmon in the New England region.
There is fungus among us. George Hudler, a Cornell professor of plant pathology, tells all about it in his new, mycological book, "Magical Mushrooms, Mischievous Molds (Princeton University Press, $29.95)," the story of the fungus kingdom and its impact on humanity.
Mike Kelley, professor of electrical engineering at Cornell, has been named to the new position of associate dean for professional development in the College of Engineering.
Cornell's campuswide campaign for United Way of Tompkins County has gone over the top, raising $21,600 more than its $500,000 goal -- thanks to Cornell employees, retirees and students.
NASA launched the Mars Climate Orbiter today (Dec. 11, 1998) from Cape Canaveral, Fla. On board the spacecraft was the Mars Color Imager -- known as MARCI -- designed with the help of two Cornell astronomers. Engineering problems had forced postponement of the launch from Dec. 10.
Staring and squirming by infants might not be as random or meaningless as they seem, says a Cornell developmental psychologist. Rather, the link between the two could prevent infants from getting visually stuck, and allow them to "visually forage" the environment.
