Events on campus this week include '60s psychedelic films with live music, book talks on edible bugs, bad decisions and privacy; Darwin Days and a jazz concert by Cuban pianist Alfredo Rodriguez.
The Cornell Genetic Ancestry Project will map the 'deep' ancestry of 200 undergraduate volunteers and sponsor discussions concerning genetic testing. (Jan. 25, 2011)
Chimpanzees and humans share a common ancestor, and even today 99 percent of the two species' DNA is identical. But since the paths of man and chimp diverged 5 million years ago, that one percent of genetic difference appears to have changed humans in an unexpected way: It could have made people more prone to cancer. A comparative genetic study led by Cornell researchers suggest that some mutations in human sperm cells might allow them to avoid early death and reproduce, creating an advantage that ensures more sperm cells carry this trait. But this same positive selection could also have made it easier for human cancer cells to survive.
Cornell will receive $25 million from the state's Gen*NY*sis biotechnology economic development program as a major share of the cost of constructing the university's Life Science Technology Building.
A study has identified the genes related to leaf angle in corn (maize) - a key trait for planting crops closer together, which has led to an eight-fold increase in yield since the early 1900s. (Jan. 10, 2011)
A high-profile consortium of nanotechnology research centers, of which Cornell is a founding member, has received a five-year renewal grant from the National Science Foundation.
For this year's Cornell Entrepreneur Organization Elevator Pitch Competition, contestants had 60-90 seconds to sell their idea to a panel of three judges. The top prize was $100. (Nov. 2, 2009)
By replacing outdated lighting and timers, great energy savings are expected to be realized in growth chambers in the greenhouses of the Cornell University Agricultural Experiment Station. (July 6, 2011)