Philly’s coronavirus response

Philly scientist behind COVID vaccine tech was demoted by UPenn, yet she persisted

Dismissed by many, Dr. Katalin Karikó remained passionate about mRNA therapeutics.

Philly’s Spark Therapeutics was just acquired by a Swiss company for $4.8 BILLION, but operations will stay local

Philly scientists created a virus to spread kindness and empathy, because 2019

After decades of research in the rain forests of Haiti, a Temple scientist found that the country is closer to losing its rich biodiversity than almost any other country in the world

Axalta’s new innovation center in the Navy Yard is the world’s largest coatings R&D lab

The University City Science Center will spend the next two years raising $3 million to support emerging scientists, entrepreneurs, artists and STEM students in Philly. You can learn more about the Ignite Innovation campaign here

Sorry astronomy geeks: This Friday’s total lunar eclipse won’t be visible from Philly — or anywhere else in North America.

Naturally Philly

How big cities like Philly are creating entirely new animal species

Urban evolution happens faster than anything Darwin saw.

The math that took down PA’s gerrymandered congressional district map

Scientists wielded computing power to prove the map was biased.

Giant chocolates commemorate first dinosaur skeleton ever mounted for display

Old City's Shane Confectionery created fossil-themed sweets for the Academy of Natural Sciences.

People are more productive when they believe they’re multitasking, per this new Wharton study

From research that began at Penn, Lia Diagnostics is launching the first-ever flushable pregnancy test

Philly’s Spark Therapeutics gets FDA backing on breakthrough eye gene therapy

The crescent sun

Hope you enjoyed the eclipse, Philly

The Franklin solar eclipse viewers are already gone

The Franklin was giving away free solar eclipse viewers until 1 p.m. today, or while supplies lasted. They didn't last long.

Why the Academy of Natural Sciences is scooping bugs from Swann Fountain (nope, not just for fun)

Researchers at CHOP have developed an artificial womb for premie babies that’s been successful in animal trials

Whatever Happened With

Philly has a ‘moon tree’ and this is why it’s so puny

It's a clone of a tree that grew from seeds that have been to the moon.

Neighborhoods

A South Philly physics teacher is being compared to… Cal Ripken Jr.?