Arts and Science Research
Rare study of Earth-sized planet uses technique pioneered by Vanderbilt professor
Aug. 19, 2019—A groundbreaking study, using data from NASA and a technique pioneered by a Vanderbilt professor, is giving humankind a glimpse at a distant exoplanet with a size similar to Earth and a surface which may resemble Mercury or Earth’s Moon. Located nearly 49 light-years from Earth, the planet known as LHS 3844b was first discovered...
Rokas to lead budding cross-disciplinary collaboration on evolutionary studies
Aug. 14, 2019—The Vanderbilt Evolutionary Studies Initiative seeks to position the university as a global leader in evolutionary studies by engaging a large group of scholars who share this research interest.
Behavioral science models can help identify the greenest dietary changes
Aug. 9, 2019—Spreading the gospel of veggie-only diets may not be the most effective way to help reduce overall, food-related greenhouse gas emissions, according to a new model based on behavioral science. In new commentary published Aug. 9 in Nature Sustainability, Jonathan Gilligan, associate professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences, examines the importance of including realistic examples...
Intense look at La Brea Tar Pits explains why we have coyotes, not saber-toothed cats
Aug. 5, 2019—The most detailed study to date of ancient predators trapped in the La Brea Tar Pits is helping Americans understand why today we’re dealing with coyotes dumping over garbage cans and not saber-toothed cats ripping our arms off.
The momentum myth: Staggering primaries didn’t affect outcome of 2016 nominating contests
Jul. 29, 2019—During the 2016 primary season, voters didn't shift their preferences based on who was winning, according to an analysis of more than 325,000 tracking poll results.
When legislatures can and can’t check executive powers
Jul. 29, 2019—The largest analysis of gubernatorial executive orders to date reveals important nuances that explain how and when legislatures can constrain executive power.
‘Research squad’ propels student during two summer immersions
Jul. 19, 2019—Chemistry major Puxin Xuanyuan put her creativity to work this summer while splitting time between an immersion experience at a medical biotech startup in Toronto and conducting cancer-fighting research on the Vanderbilt campus.
Decline of U.S. auto industry linked to midcentury shift in production models
Jul. 18, 2019—A massive shift in production models by American automakers to limit the impact of labor unions may have unintentionally stifled innovation and led to the present decline of the U.S. auto industry, according to new research by Joshua Murray.
Computer model illuminates critical moment in Drosophila development
Jun. 19, 2019—A computer model of forces exerted by cells during development of a fertilized egg into a fruit fly larvae holds promise to help scientists understand the morphogenesis of organisms that are much more complicated. Shane Hutson, professor of physics and biological sciences and chair of the Department of Physics and Astronomy, said the model sought...
Ediacaran dinner party featured plenty to eat, adequate sanitation, computer model shows
Jun. 19, 2019—“They are behaving like animals, and that’s a link between them and what we recognize as animals," says paleontologist Simon A.F. Darroch.
Human rights treaties benefit the world’s most oppressed
Jun. 17, 2019—International human rights treaties really do work, and they work most effectively against the most repressive governments, argues political scientist Emily Hencken Ritter in a new book.
Tennessee stands at a political crossroads: Vanderbilt Poll
Jun. 6, 2019—Despite opportunities for broad consensus, Tennessee’s long history of pragmatic politics could be affected by rising polarization along party lines, according to the most recent statewide Vanderbilt University Poll.