Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Dartmouth Arts and Sciences @dartmouthartsci.bsky.social · 1d

After “poking around” with a newfound big data set, #Dartmouth professor @herbertchang.bsky.social ’18 discovered a data column that said “pet ownership” and “realized this was an incredible opportunity to answer a question about cat owners versus dog owners.” Via @vermontpublic.org.

Who's more charitable, dog owners or cat owners? A Dartmouth study looked into it

Herbert Chang teaches social sciences at Dartmouth, and he authored a study that delved into a fairly simple question: Among pet owners, who donates more to charitable causes? The answer came as a bit...

www.vermontpublic.org

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Dartmouth Arts and Sciences @dartmouthartsci.bsky.social · 2d

"It does not look as though the Trump text goes much further, if at all, than the existing U.S.-Qatar defense cooperation agreement.” Distinguished Visiting Fellow Steven Simon reflects on President Trump’s decision to offer Qatar security guarantees, via @newsweek.com.

Will US Troops Now Fight for Qatar After Trump Security Guarantee?

The White House is offering the Qataris an unusual pledge of NATO-like protection.

www.newsweek.com

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Dartmouth Arts and Sciences @dartmouthartsci.bsky.social · 2d

Government professor @proflind.bsky.social discusses prioritization, burden shifting, and how a strong progressive grand strategy can benefit the wider U.S. foreign policy debate on The Strategy Sessions podcast from the Stimson Center.

Jennifer Lind: Progressivism and Prioritization • Stimson Center

Emma and Jennifer Lind discuss prioritization, burden shifting, and how a strong progressive grand strategy can benefit the wider U.S. foreign policy debate.

www.stimson.org

Dartmouth Arts and Sciences @dartmouthartsci.bsky.social · 3d

Professor @mattdelmont.bsky.social offers historical perspective, via @apnews.com, on how the U.S. military has approached inclusion and equal opportunity over the years in its efforts “to put together an organization that tries to take advantage of the talents and capacities of all Americans.”

The US military has long been an engine of social change. Hegseth's approach runs counter to that

The U.S. military has historically been an engine for cultural and social change in America. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s vision for the armed forces he leads runs counter to that.

apnews.com

Dartmouth Arts and Sciences @dartmouthartsci.bsky.social · 3d

#Dartmouth geography professor @jsmankin.bsky.social warns of climate change’s mounting toll on rural Northeast communities, via @vermontpublic.org: “Drought impacts right now are stressing our practices of water provision. I think that is a potential harbinger of greater stresses in the future.”

Wells are running dry. Climate scientists say it could be a sign of what's to come

Spring-fed and shallow dug wells at Vermont’s old homes are particularly vulnerable in the drought. Drilling a new well can cost as much as $20,000.

www.vermontpublic.org

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Dartmouth Arts and Sciences @dartmouthartsci.bsky.social · 3d

Professor Mirica discussed metal-organic frameworks alongside Nobel Laureate Omar Yaghi on @cenmag.bsky.social’s Stereo Chemistry podcast in 2018.

Feast your ears on the first episode of our new podcast, Stereo Chemistry

Hear from some of the leaders in the field of metal-organic frameworks as we learn why MOFs are having a moment

cen.acs.org

Dartmouth Arts and Sciences @dartmouthartsci.bsky.social · 3d

Today’s Nobel Prize in Chemistry laid the groundwork for cutting-edge research at #Dartmouth. Professor Katherine Mirica builds on Omar Yaghi’s pioneering work on metal-organic frameworks, which holds tremendous potential in addressing global challenges related to sustainability and climate equity.

Mirica Lab: Electronic Textiles for Filtering and Sensing Toxins in Water

Watch the Mirica Lab's YouTube video accompanying their recent publication in the Journal of the American Chemical Society.

chemistry.dartmouth.edu

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Dartmouth Arts and Sciences @dartmouthartsci.bsky.social · 4d

“I worry about future presidents of both parties abusing all of the unprecedented powers that Trump is claiming.” Professor @brendannyhan.bsky.social discusses potential for the Trump administration to initiate a cycle of political retaliation, via the @nytimes.com.

In Going After His Foes, Trump Sets a Precedent That Could Haunt His Allies

www.nytimes.com

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Dartmouth Arts and Sciences @dartmouthartsci.bsky.social · 4d

In a recent @nautil.us article, #Dartmouth archaeologist Jesse Casana shares how he trained machine learning models to scan aerial images for ancient Roman forts, turning tedious hours of manual work into a high-tech collaboration.

How AI Is Helping Archaeologists Make Discoveries

How AI Is Helping Archaeologists Make Discoveries: New clues about ancient civilizations are being unearthed from the data.

nautil.us

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Yuliya Komska @ykomska.bsky.social · 5d

If you’re local, tonight we’re hosting Jewish-German playwright and novelist Sasha Marianna Salzmann with the new Imogen Taylor translation of their last novel. 4:30pm, Moore/Filene—come! german.dartmouth.edu/news/2025/09...

Donbas-Berlin: Migration and Memory on October 7th, 2025

In Salzmann's new novel, Glorious People, two generations of women speak, scream, & stay silent about the wild post-Soviet years, the (Jewish) migrati

german.dartmouth.edu

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Dartmouth Arts and Sciences @dartmouthartsci.bsky.social · 5d

When the EPA banned the carcinogenic solvent dichloromethane, #Dartmouth chemists Steve Wright ’81 and Cathy Welder found greener alternatives for undergraduate labs to use—and showed other schools how to make the switch.

A Safer Solvent for Organic Chemistry Labs | Faculty of Arts and Sciences

When the EPA banned a carcinogenic solvent, Dartmouth chemists found greener alternatives for undergraduate labs—and showed other schools how to make the switch.

fas.dartmouth.edu

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Dartmouth Economics @dartmouthecon.bsky.social · 10d

Prof. Andrew Samwick published this article, "The Insurance Value of Financial Aid" with co-authors Kristy Fan '17 and Tyler Fisher '17, both former students. direct.mit.edu/edfp/article...

The Insurance Value of Financial Aid

Abstract. Prior studies of means-testing in college financial aid formulas have analyzed the disincentives to save attributable to the inclusion of assets in the formulas. Such disincentives are only ...

direct.mit.edu

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Dartmouth Arts and Sciences @dartmouthartsci.bsky.social · 10d

#Dartmouth welcomes Shiori Itō, a Japanese Oscar- and BAFTA-nominated journalist, documentarian, and gender-rights activist Oct. 6-10 for a series of talks, an exhibition, and a screening of her 2024 award-winning documentary, “Black Box Diaries.” https://bit.ly/4gLe7oK

Image of Shiori Itō with text that reads, “Hello Shiori: Shiori Itō at Dartmouth. Journalist, Documentarian, Gender-Rights Activist. Oct. 6-10.”

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Dartmouth Arts and Sciences @dartmouthartsci.bsky.social · 11d

“My research shows how pet ownership reflects complex personality differences, even when it comes to philanthropy.” A new study by professor @herbertchang.bsky.social ’18 finds cat owners donate slightly more, more often, and more diversely than dog owners. Yet, people without pets donate the most.

Raising Money for a Charity? Don't Bark Up the Wrong Tree. | Dartmouth

home.dartmouth.edu

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Dartmouth Arts and Sciences @dartmouthartsci.bsky.social · 11d

“It’s certainly exciting to think about lunar exploration and getting to do geology on the surface of the moon.” Lauren Edgar ’07 talks to Dartmouth Alumni Magazine about being named one of NASA’s newest astronaut candidates.

To the Moon and Beyond | Dartmouth Alumni Magazine

On September 22, Lauren Edgar took a major step closer to one day setting foot on the moon or even Mars when NASA officially named her one of its 10 new astronaut candidates.

dartmouthalumnimagazine.com

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Dartmouth Arts and Sciences @dartmouthartsci.bsky.social · 11d

“Productivity slows down, firms get smaller, sometimes they go out of business.” @dartmouthecon.bsky.social professor Ethan Lewis explains what happens to companies that don’t get H-1B visas, which the Trump administration recently put a $100,000 fee on, via @marketplace.org.

Will the $100k fee on H-1B visas help U.S. workers?

The fee will likely help some American workers in the short term. But over time, the U.S. economy could suffer from failing to attract the world's best scientists and engineers.

www.marketplace.org

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Dartmouth Arts and Sciences @dartmouthartsci.bsky.social · 12d

The #Dartmouth Arts and Sciences community mourns the loss of Annabelle Winograd, an extraordinary theater scholar, mentor, friend, and advocate for students.

In Memoriam: Professor Annabelle Winograd

We are saddened to hear the news of the passing Annabelle Winograd, Department of Theater professor. Our condolences to her family, friends, and students, she will be missed.

theater.dartmouth.edu

Dartmouth Arts and Sciences @dartmouthartsci.bsky.social · 13d

“This isn’t a problem that can be fixed at the grassroots level alone.” Research from @prl.bsky.social, co-led by professor @seanjwestwood.bsky.social, finds most attempts to reduce partisan animosity are modest and fleeting. Structural reform and civic education are key to lasting depolarization.

Research Shows There Are No Easy Fixes to Political Hatred | Faculty of Arts and Sciences

Study finds that interventions to reduce partisan animosity have fleeting effects.

fas.dartmouth.edu

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Roopika Risam @roopikarisam.bsky.social · 17d

Getting ready for my lecture for Dartmouth’s Family Weekend tomorrow! They’re getting the #DataEmpire sneak peek 🤩

From Clay Tablets to Cloud
Servers: The Deep History of Data (Murdough Center)
Read more v
Cook Auditorium, 31 Tuck Mall Drive
Special Faculty Lecture
Before there was "big data," there were tallies carved on bone, census rolls of empires, and ledgers of trade. Sharing insights from her forthcoming book, Data Empire: A Human History of Records and Rule (HarperCollins, 2026), Prof. Risam reveals how data has always been a tool of power, tracing its history from ancient civilizations to the digital platforms that govern our lives today.

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Dartmouth Arts and Sciences @dartmouthartsci.bsky.social · 17d

“Our job is to help the next generation cultivate their uniquely human skills which, first and foremost, means being able to communicate with one another.” #Dartmouth President Sian Leah Beilock authors an op-ed in The Atlantic about the role colleges play in fostering connection and collaboration.

How to Think, Not What to Think

College is not just about transmitting knowledge—it’s also about learning and practicing the skills that connect us to one another.

www.theatlantic.com

Dartmouth Arts and Sciences @dartmouthartsci.bsky.social · 17d

#Dartmouth economics professor Robert Staiger, an expert on international trade policy and organizations, has been tapped to serve a two-year term as chief economist for the @wto.org, beginning Jan. 12. @dartmouthecon.bsky.social

Professor Robert Staiger Named Chief Economist of the WTO | Faculty of Arts and Sciences

The international trade policy expert begins the two-year term in January.

fas.dartmouth.edu

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Emily Behrman @emilylbehrman.bsky.social · 18d

Lab meeting field trip this morning! The undergrads explored the field site. I’m thrilled to work with a great team of ‘28s who will be on campus for sophomore summer next year and can expand their lab research to the mesocosms! @dartmouthartsci.bsky.social #fieldworkfun

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Dartmouth Arts and Sciences @dartmouthartsci.bsky.social · 18d

A collaboration between researchers at #Dartmouth and the American University of Kuwait enhanced the detection range of systems that can discover and map hidden or passive electronics, even when they are powered off and disconnected from a network. @dartmouthcs.bsky.social

Dartmouth and AUK Researchers Advance Detection of Hidden Electronics | Department of Computer Science

The research collaboration uses radio waves to detect and map electronic objects.

web.cs.dartmouth.edu

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Reposted by Dartmouth Arts and Sciences

Burcin Mutlu-Pakdil @burcinmp.bsky.social · 19d

🚨 Exciting news! 🚨
Our SEAMLESS survey has recently been awarded a new #NSF grant! 🎉 We’re using #AI to uncover and study the faintest dwarf galaxies — pushing the limits of galaxy formation research.
@dartmouthartsci.bsky.social

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Dartmouth Arts and Sciences @dartmouthartsci.bsky.social · 19d

"Perseverance represents more than a machine. It is a proxy extending humanity's senses across millions of miles to an alien world.” Postdoctoral affiliate Ari Koeppel '15 wrote an op-ed about how planetary scientists use robots on Mars as extensions of human senses, via @theconversation.com.

Mars rovers serve as scientists’ eyes and ears from millions of miles away – here are the tools Perseverance used to spot a potential sign of ancient life

A planetary scientist walks through the sensors and systems that went into the recent detection of potential biosignatures.

theconversation.com