On Wednesday, hundreds of companies’ executives joined in a new statement to call out Republican-sponsored voting bills that they say will curtail voting access in several American states. Republican leadership, including senate minority leader Mitch McConnell, have criticized corporate activism in the past, calling for businesses to “stay out of politics.” Lawrence Glickman, professor of history at Cornell University and an expert on consumer activism, says conservatives’ resistance to business leaders making political statements suggest a shift in the traditional alliance between corporations and the Republican Party in the U.S. Glickman is author of “Free Enterprise: An American History” that chronicles the history of “free enterprise” as a cornerstone of conservative politics.

Business, Economics & Entrepreneurship

Arts and Sciences

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Natalie Bazarova, director of the Cornell Social Media Lab who examines social-psychological and communication processes in social media and mobile interaction, says social media may be a blessing in this time of isolation. 

Social & Behavioral Sciences

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Nathan Matias, an expert on the role of digital technologies in advancing or hindering the public interest, comments on Facebook's plans to overhaul its hate speech algorithms.

Agriculture and Life Sciences

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Sen. Chuck Schumer announced today $68.9 million in funding to build a new laboratory for the federal Grape Genetic Research Unit at Cornell AgriTech in Geneva, New York. The Grape Genetic Research Unit provides critical information to grape growers across the country through a variety of innovative research programs, including cold tolerance and improved resistance to crop-killing disease.

Agriculture and Life Sciences

Food & Agriculture

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Uriel Abulof says the recent escalation in violence between Israelis and Palestinians resulted in part from Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s efforts to elevate ultra-nationalists and racist leaders.

Law and Policy

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On Wednesday, French President Emmanuel Macron vowed to rebuild the Cathedral of Notre Dame within five years, in time for the 2024 Paris Olympics. While some experts have raised doubts that timeline is feasible, Barry Strauss, professor of history at Cornell University’s College of Arts and Sciences, says that Macron’s approach mirrors that of Roman emperors who, since ancient times, have been conscious of the symbolic – and political – power of holy sites.   

International

Arts and Sciences

Arts & Humanities

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Mason Peck, professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at Cornell University and former Chief Technologist at NASA comments on SpaceX's much anticipated test launch of its Falcon Heavy Rocket.

Physical Sciences & Engineering

Engineering

Arts and Sciences

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Income inequality in the United States grew last year to its highest level in more than 50 years, according to figures released on Thursday by the U.S. Census Bureau. Heartland states are among the leaders of the increase, even though several wealthy coastal states still had the most inequality overall.

Business, Economics & Entrepreneurship

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Bart Selman, professor of computer science at Cornell University and an expert on artificial intelligence safety issues, comments on Tesla's efforts to develop fully-autonomous vehicles.

Computing & Information Sciences

Engineering

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This week the U.S. Department of Agriculture released a proposed revision which could drastically change regulations for genetically-modified crops. Matthew R. Willmann is the director of the Plant Transformation Facility at Cornell University and has 25 years of plant science research experience, having studied plant transformation and genome editing to improve crop plants. He says the revision will lower costs, lead to a broader range of genetically-engineered plants, and reduce time for improved plants to reach growers which will allow agriculture to be more reactive in response to climate change and plant diseases.

Agriculture and Life Sciences

Food & Agriculture

Law, Government & Public Policy

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