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Héctor Abruña, professor in the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology at Cornell University and an expert on batteries and energy storage technology, comments on the technology behind 'salt batteries.'

Arts and Sciences

Physical Sciences & Engineering

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On Thursday, Pope Francis announced new norms for the Catholic Church’s internal handling of sexual abuse accusations. The law, titled ‘Vos estis lux mundi,’ sets global standards for officials who report and investigate sexual abuse allegations against clergy, and offers protection for whistleblowers. Kim Haines-Eitzen, professor of religious studies at Cornell University, says that the law is a step towards more accountability.

International

Arts and Sciences

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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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Kristin Roebuck, professor of history at Cornell University, is a historian of modern Japan and says that procedures around Emperor Akihito’s abdication highlight the power of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party to both preserve and modernize elements of the royal tradition. 

International

Law and Policy

Arts and Sciences

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Mason Peck, professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering, Elizabeth Bilson, former administrative director of space sciences, Peter Thomas, a visiting scientist at the Cornell Center for Astrophysics and Planetary Science, and Philip Nicholson, professor of astronomy and deputy director of the Cornell Center for Astrophysics and Planetary Science, comment on the upcoming 50th anniversary of the first moon landing.

Physical Sciences & Engineering

Arts and Sciences

Engineering

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Dong Lai, professor of astronomy at Cornell University and an expert on black holes, comments on an upcoming "groundbreaking" announcement from astronomers on the Event Horizon Telescope team.

Arts and Sciences

Physical Sciences & Engineering

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Lisa Kaltenegger, director of Cornell University’s Carl Sagan Institute, comments on the discovery of a tiny planet around a white dwarf star.

Arts and Sciences

Physical Sciences & Engineering

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April 4 marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). The alliance, whichmany credit for helping secure a period of unprecedented peace in Europe, has repeatedly been called into question by President Trump who says that NATO’s financial burden is unfairly tilted towards the U.S. Cornell historians say that despite its current challenges, NATO’s legacy is one of remarkable success.

International

Arts and Sciences

Law and Policy

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Election results are slowly rolling in in Thailand, accompanied by growing complaints of irregularities. According to the votes counted so far, the pro-military party is set to retain power. Thomas Pepinsky, professor of government at Cornell University and an expert in South East Asian politics, says preliminary results suggest the outcome is unlikely to bring stability to the country’s politics.

International

Arts and Sciences

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Noliwe Rooks, professor of American studies at Cornell University and author of the book “Cutting School: Privatization, Segregation, and The End of Public Education,” comments on international school strikes, at which students from around the globe demand political action to combat climate change.

Arts and Sciences

Energy, Environment & Sustainability

Atkinson Center for a Sustainable Future

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