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SM-6 missile strain raises strategic risks in wider conflict

Iran’s retaliation to the intensifying war may be swift, but the longer-term risks lie in how prolonged fighting could strain U.S. defenses and tempt rivals like China.

Workers who love ‘synergizing paradigms’ might be bad at their jobs

Employees who are impressed by vague corporate-speak like “synergistic leadership,” or “growth-hacking paradigms” may struggle with practical decision-making, a new Cornell study into “corporate BS” reveals.

‘Little reason to expect any meaningful check’ on president despite some vocal opposition to strikes on Iran

Presidents typically seek approval from Congress for prolonged military actions as an opportunity to convince the American public and cultivate buy-in from members, says professor David Bateman, but this administration couldn’t care less.

Holding chaos at bay in the quantum world

Researchers have found that quantum systems in a frozen state can be stabilized long enough to be a useful strategy for preserving information before it disappears.

Planetary scientist Robert Sullivan dies at 63

Robert John Sullivan, Jr., one of the world’s foremost authorities on aeolian processes -- how wind can carve and change a landscape -- died Feb. 15 in Ithaca.

Daniel Gold, professor of Asian studies emeritus, dies at 78

Daniel Gold, a professor of Asian studies emeritus in the �鶹��Ƶ and �鶹��Ƶ, died on Feb. 16 in Ithaca. He was 78.

Literary critic Biodun Jeyifo dies at 80

Biodun “BJ” Jeyifo, a leading literary critic and cultural theorist known for his analysis of modernity and its attendant social and cultural crises, died Feb. 11 in Lagos, Nigeria. He was 80.

On a Saturday morning in February – the coldest day yet of a cold winter – more than 350 students trekked to Statler Hall for an innovative new course on civics.

Anthropic v. Pentagon reveals enduring rift between tech, national security

“It’s striking that Anthropic appears caught off guard by how its model is being used," says government professor Sarah��Kreps,��director of Cornell’s Tech Policy Institute.
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Making an impression: A new approach to classical concepts of the image

For the ancient Greeks, an image could be understood as a seal pressed on a material to leave a mark, as opposed to an inferior imitation (mimēsis), scholar Verity Platt argues in a new book.

Back to in-person work? Classics professor offers tips on office humor

In early February, classics professor Mike Fontaine tapped the expertise he gleaned from writing How to Tell a Joke to address a very modern phenomenon: the current push by many companies for a return to the office.

Cornell researchers have developed an online module, running just over an hour in length, that can be offered as a way to instill concepts of critical thinking early in a student’s academic journey.

Two Cornell researchers collaborated with colleagues in the United Kingdom in an effort to understand the organized violence of modern war.

Researchers discovered electron transfer in electroactive bacteria is mediated by CymA proteins’ ability to synchronize and form a biomolecular condensate in the cell’s inner membrane.

Cornell researchers have uncovered a built-in molecular “gate” that controls the production of the molecule nitric oxide, a crucial signaling molecule throughout biology that in humans helps regulate blood pressure, brain signaling, and immune defenses. But when levels go unchecked, it can damage cells and disrupt normal signaling.

Little changing as Ukraine-Russia war drags toward Fifth year

On��the fourth anniversary��of Russia’s��full-scale invasion��of Ukraine, what’s notable is the lack of change in the last year, says David Silbey, a professor at Cornell University who specializes in military history and defense policy.

Abruña honored for chemistry in the public interest

The Gustavus John Esseln Award for Chemistry in the Public Interest from the Northeastern Section of the American Chemical Society honors outstanding achievement in scientific and technical work that contributes to public well-being.

Your February 2026 reads

This month’s featured titles by A&S alumni and faculty include a look at the urban-rural divide, a biography of an anti-poverty activist, and a business guide for "winning dream jobs, awards, and elite opportunities.”

Student spotlight: Bayu Ahmad

Bayu Ahmad, a doctoral candidate in chemistry and chemical biology, studies the use of organic chemistry for sustainable applications under the guidance of Phillip Milner at Cornell.

Rory Guilday ’25 won a gold medal and Brianne Jenner ’15 and Kristin O'Neill ’20 took silver in women’s Olympic hockey.

Historical marker commemorates Toni Morrison’s time in Ithaca

Cornell faculty, staff, students and community members celebrated the 95th birthday of Toni Morrison, M.A. ’55, by unveiling a new historical marker in front of 513 N. Albany St., where she lived while in graduate school.

Named for Cornell’s first president, the program sponsors scholars and public intellectuals in the life sciences, physical sciences, humanities, social sciences and the arts and this semester features several connections with the �鶹��Ƶ and �鶹��Ƶ.

2024-25 Nathan Award for Dramatic Criticism winners announced

Masi Asare of Northwestern University and arts journalist Billy McEntee have been named winners of the 2024-25 George Jean Nathan Award for Dramatic Criticism.

LaFeber-Silbey Lecture considers “A World Without Law?”

Scholar of law Philippe Sands will give the LaFeber-Silbey Lecture in History on March 5, considering "Lessons from History and Literature, from Nuremberg to Pinochet and Beyond.”

Five Cornell faculty members are among 126 early-career researchers across North America who have won 2026 Sloan Research Fellowships from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.

John: The life and times of the ‘maverick’ Gospel

The fourth Gospel of the New Testament holds many of the Bible’s most well-known passages, but also some of its controversies.

Computational biologist receives NIH NDRI Pilot Award

Ayshwarya Subramanian researches diabetic kidney disease, the leading cause of kidney failure worldwide, affecting 30% to 50% of people with diabetes.

Events honor the legacy of composer Steven Stucky

The Department of Music is honoring the late Steven Stucky, Pulitzer Prize-winning composer and beloved Cornell professor, with a series of concerts.

New summer course to spark civic engagement in high schoolers

A Teagle Foundation grant will help fund the course and open pathways to higher education.

Bret Stephens and Seth Klarman in conversation, March 6

The pair will offer a wide-ranging conversation, “On Democracy, Conservatism and Journalism."

Helping urban youth use AI to navigate the future

Christian Gant-Madison's '25 platform will use AI to connect youth to jobs, skill development opportunities, civic education information and social resources.

How WWII changed ideas of racial purity in Japan

The new book explores what happened to “mixed blood” children born to Japanese women and foreign soldiers.

Psychology expert on losing a gold medal

Bronze medalists often appear happier than their competitors who win silver, says Cornell psychology researcher Thomas Gilovich.

Astronomer Anna Ho named Cottrell Scholar ��

Ho is one of 24��early career scholars to receive $120,000 for proposals incorporating research and science education.

China’s pushback on UK shows pivoting from Washington isn’t so easy

China's criticism of the United Kingdom’s move to expand its British National (Overseas) visa pathway for Hong Kong residents illustrates how governments courting Beijing, amid frustration with Washington’s volatility, can find engagement with China difficult to manage.

A new student-led installation at the Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art explores the role of “staffage" figures.

Online dating seem awful? The reason may lie in evolution

In a new book –released in time for Valentine’s Day – a psychologist alum offers hopeful insights for those looking for love

Cornell researchers have discovered a new way cells regulate how they respond to stress.

Cornell researchers win prize for insight into conspiracy belief

Gordon Pennycook and David Rand won the 2026 Newcomb Cleveland Prize from the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Pianist, composer Tigran Hamasyan plays Dallas Morse Concert Series

Released on Feb. 6 via Naïve Records, Hamasyan's album "Manifeste" marks a new chapter for one of the most visionary artists working at the intersection of jazz, progressive rock, and global music.

A&S student chosen for civic engagement scholarship

Katrina Greene '27 will be headed to Washington, D.C. as a John Robert Lewis Scholar, an award given by the Faith and Politics Institute.

11 new researchers become Eric and Wendy Schmidt AI in Science Postdoctoral Fellows

Cornell researchers interested in diverse topics ranging from peptide engineering and cellular metabolites to quantum physics and sustainable computing are among the newest cohort selected by the Eric and Wendy Schmidt AI in Science Postdoctoral Fellows program.

CAU Summer Courses: From wine pairings to town-gown history

Registration is now open for the two sessions of weeklong offerings, with the option to stay in a newly renovated Balch Hall

CTI’s “The Art of Teaching” series returns Feb. 11 with “The Art of the Lab.” Faculty panelists will share creative instructional approaches for designing student-centered laboratory experiences.

Three Distinguished Visiting Journalists head to campus

New York Times columnist Bret Stephens, New York Times White House correspondent Zolan Kanno-Youngs and ProPublica investigative reporter Keri Blakinger ’14 will visit Cornell this spring.

Nigeria's Tinubu 'should be commended' for accepting US counterterrorism assistance, says Cornell expert

Olúfémi Táíwò, professor of Africana studies, shares insight into Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu's deployment of an army battalion to central Kwara state after suspected jihadist fighters killed at least 170 people on Tuesday night, hours after the United States said it had a small number of troops in the country.

Players familiar to Cornell women’s hockey fans will take the ice when the puck drops at the 2026 Winter Olympics this week in Milan, Italy.

�鶹��Ƶ and �鶹��Ƶ announces 2026 Klarman Fellows

The 12 early-career scholars will pursue research in the sciences, social sciences and humanities.

A Cornell student and two alumni have been named Schwarzman Scholars for the 2026-27 academic year and will spend it in a master’s program in global affairs at Beijing’s Tsinghua University.

Cornell Cinema will present a screening of the documentary “Rule Breakers,” chronicling the founding of Afghanistan’s first all-girls robotics team, followed by a panel discussion and Q&A.

Composer Michael Abels, famous for work on Jordan Peele films, to visit March 6-7

Events include film screenings, panel discussions and a concert by the Barbara & Richard T. Silver Wind Symphony.

Four Cornell faculty members are among 99 researchers across the U.S. who have been awarded grants by the U.S. Department of Energy as part of its Office of Science Early Career Research Program.

Art offers access to true self

Psychology researcher Jordan Wylie and colleagues found that artistic excellence, rather than moral excellence, offers greater access to one’s true self.

Historian Keisha N. Blain to speak on Black women and the history of human rights

In the public lecture culminating the Black History Month series, Blain will trace how Black women from Ida B. Wells to contemporary Black Lives Matter leaders have used the language and practice of human rights to confront racism and white supremacy.

Bad Bunny breaks through: Cornell expert on the Grammys

The first artist to win Album of the Year with a Spanish‑language album, Bad Bunny reflects the mainstreaming of Spanish language music and artistry, says professor Karen Jaime.

Four faculty from A&S have been awarded Cornell’s highest honors for graduate and undergraduate teaching.

Launching Jan. 27 with three episodes, “Research Matters” spotlights Cornell scholars whose research directly engages with real-world challenges, from climate change and public safety to mental health.

You'll recognize this alum from 'Undeclared,' 'Bones,' and more

Veteran actor Carla Gallo ’97 has a long list of credits on TV and in movies — and now, she’s co-starring in the hit comedy "Platonic."

Gravitational wave signal tests Einstein’s theory of general relativity

When two black holes merge, the collision rings like a bell, emitting specific tones characterized by two numbers.

Events boost student opportunities for career exploration

More than 150 students took advantage of winter break to jump start the career and internship process through A&S events.

Novel way to detect signals from stellar and exoplanetary systems unveiled

Thanks to this innovation, scientists have discovered new radio bursts originating from dwarf stars and possibly from exoplanets.

Chemist Song Lin wins Snapdragon Prize

The award recognizes innovation in modern pharmaceutical discovery and manufacturing.

Garifuna Collective featured on Dallas Morse Coors Concert Series

Rooted in the Afro-AmerIndian heritage of communities along the Caribbean coasts of Belize, Guatemala and Honduras, Garifuna music blends West African rhythms, indigenous Carib influences and the Arawak language.

Scialog award will help Cornell chemist research quantum entanglement

Eunice Bae is part of the three-person group researching “Quantum Entanglement of Skyrmion-Antiskyrmion Pairs.”

Fossiles to fortepianos: The Hill's 'mini-museums' and collections

The next time you visit Ithaca, check out exhibits on Chimes history, astronomical instruments, historical keyboards and so much more

Cornell Cinema unveils diverse, collaboration-driven spring lineup

From midcentury melodramas to speculative visions of technology and the human body—and even a French coming of age story about crafting world class cheese—Cornell Cinema’s spring season offers a varied plate.

Threats to Fed independence already taking an economic toll

While market movements have been modest so far, they signal declining trust in the ability or willingness of future FOMC members to achieve the Fed's inflation objectives, says Cornell economist Ryan Chahrour.

AI chip exports bill an “attempt to reclaim congressional agency”

Prof. Sarah Kreps comments on proposed legislation giving Congress power over artificial intelligence chip exports.

Discovery challenges assumptions about the structure of language

Researchers believe that mental representations of language patterns make humans adept at improvising new sentences.

On Jan. 28, the Center for Teaching Innovation and Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art will co-host “Teaching About Climate Change: Art, Action and Reflection,” a faculty panel, teaching workshop and exhibit tour exploring how instructors can engage the humanities, climate change and community in their teaching.

Your January 2026 reads

This month’s featured titles include poetry, an anthropologist’s memoir, and a chronicle of the Nazi’s massive looting of European artworks.

Recounting Russia’s history through its forests

The fate of Russia’s forests will affect the whole world, according to a new book by a Cornell researcher.

Doris wins Gittler Award for contributions to social psychology and ethics

A leading proponent of interdisciplinary approaches to moral psychology exploring questions of character, virtue and agency, John Doris writes about a movement to inform moral philosophy with psychological research, as well as the other way around.

Artist team Mendi + Keith Obadike named USA Fellows

The Obadikes have exhibited and performed their interdisciplinary work at The New Museum, The Studio Museum in Harlem, The Whitney Museum of American Art, New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art, and The Museum of Modern Art.��Their projects include four books, two albums, and a series of large-scale public sound artworks.

In Praise of Sage Chapel, East Hill’s beloved house of worship

Built in an era when the University was under fire for being nonsectarian, it offers respite from a bustling campus.

Martin Luther King Jr.’s speeches tapped into a Black musical tradition that animated the Civil Rights Movement, says Ambre Dromgoole, assistant professor of Africana religions and music.

In 2026, the from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation will begin funding 10 two-year postdoctoral appointments including three in astronomy, chemistry and physics in the �鶹��Ƶ and �鶹��Ƶ.

Yaddo residency shapes long-term dance research

During her Yaddo residency, Danielle Russo developed a dance piece, enriching the work by drawing on ideas of ritual movement, personal memories and family history, and more.

Tensions with China give Japanese PM an opening for snap elections

Prof. Kristin Roebuck comments on the plans of Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to dissolve parliament next week and call a snap election.

Pandora satellite launches for exoplanet observation

Tasked with studying exoplanet systems around small stars, the refrigerator-sized satellite is the first in NASA’s Astrophysics Pioneers program – small-scale missions designed to train early-career scientists, including Trevor Foote, Ph.D. ’24, a former member of the research group led by faculty member Nikole Lewis.

Trade expert discusses misconceptions about trade Jan. 29

Scott Lincicome will talk about imports, tariffs and globalization during his talk, “What You Think You Know About Trade is Probably Wrong."

Cornell astronomer honored for achievement in observational research

With the 2026 Newton Lacy Pierce Prize, the American Astronomical Society recognizes Anna Y. Q. Ho’s pioneering investigations of extreme explosions powered by stellar death.

Women in exile shaped South Africa’s anti-apartheid movement

Women played a major role in debates surrounding the fight against apartheid in South Africa, Rachel Sandwell writes in a new book, “National Liberation and the Political Life of Exile: Sex, Gender, and Nation in the Struggle against Apartheid.”

Europe has little leverage to push back if Trump moves to take Greenland

A Cornell historian and military expert doubts a NATO military response to the US annexation of Greenland would not happen, Despite tough talk from European leaders.

'Remember they’re playing for the love of the game’

A former Big Red star himself, women’s ice hockey coach and A&S alum Doug Derraugh ’91 has led the squad to five ECAC championships.

The people behind the telescope: How specialized expertise is supporting science at the edge of the universe

Behind a world-leading telescope bound for Chile is a team of engineers, machinists, electronics specialists and riggers at Cornell. Meet the specialized staff whose expertise is helping push cosmology to new frontiers.

Power play: Arts & �鶹��Ƶ alum is a long drive golfing champ

After competing in track and field for the Big Red, Troy Mullins ’09 parlayed her athleticism into success at smashing the ball.

Mészáros elected to American Mathematical Society

Mészáros’ research focuses on algebraic and geometric combinatorics.

In 2025, Cornell produced cutting-edge AI research, inaugurated a president and advanced agriculture and sustainability. The university’s faculty, staff, students and alumni made the world a better place, welcomed back two Nobel laureate alumni and conducted research that matters.

Researchers discovered that DNA packaging structures called nucleosomes, which have been traditionally seen as roadblocks for gene expression, actually help reduce torsional stress in DNA strands and facilitate genetic information decoding.

TikTok user long-term experience will ‘depend’ on regulators in new framework

Tiktok has signed a deal to spin off its U.S. business, but it remains unclear how effectively the new framework will address the initial national security threat concerns, says government professor Sarah Kreps.

A new study shows that using large language models like ChatGPT boosts paper production, especially for non-native English speakers, but the overall increase in AI-written papers is making it harder to separate the valuable contributions from the AI slop.

‘Songs In Flight,’ inspired by Cornell-based project, earns Grammy nod

Based on poems by A&S alumna Tsitsi Ella Jaji, M.A. ’06, Ph.D. ’08, the songs by Shawn Okpebholo bring to life individual stories preserved by the Cornell-based Freedom on the Move project.

In Bukovina, European empires built new worlds out of inherited materials

The region never fit easily among its neighbors, as regimes including the Habsburg Empire and the Soviet Union tried to remake it in their image.

Quantum mechanical molecular ‘fingerprints’ solve machine learning mystery

The new method can predict molecular properties with up to 100 times more accuracy than the current method.

Astronomer paints vivid history of Arecibo Observatory

In a new book, Donald Campbell, Ph.D. ’71, professor emeritus of astronomy, recounts the history of Arecibo from construction to its last days under Cornell’s management in 2011.

When postdoctoral researcher Matthew Zipple releases lab mice into a large, enclosed field just off Cornell’s campus, something remarkable happens.

The book shows how patterns of psycho-social stress combined with modernity’s pressures can influence psychiatric practice.

From better sleep to stronger communities: The benefits of gratitude

Gratitude not only makes you feel good, but it helps you live up to your best self and be a better member of society, psychology professor Thomas Gilovich has found.

Researchers are plumbing the depths of the largest and deepest of New York’s Finger Lakes to explain the source of its famous booming sounds.