Soil scientist Alain Plante explains what soil is, how it forms, and how human activity affects the way it works.
Keeping you up to date with the most recent news from the University of Pennsylvania
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June 11, 2026
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As the landscape greens, soil scientist Alain Plante talks with Penn Today about what soil is, how it forms, and how human activity, from fertilizers to deforestation, affects the way it works. “Without soil, there would be no life and we wouldn't survive—it’s that simple,” says Plante.
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Penn engineers have co-developed a new trajectory-planning system that enables an unpiloted aerial vehicle to react quickly to obstacles while staying on a smooth flight path that minimizes travel time. The open-source system could allow autonomous drones to streamline disaster recovery, parcel delivery, industrial inspection, and more.
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In a new paper, Penn experts call for the thoughtful integration of AI to preserve what makes nursing uniquely human. “Many organizations are eager to adopt AI quickly, but they may not yet have clear standards for validation, fairness assessment, implementation monitoring, or accountability,” says co-author and Penn Nursing Dean Antonia Villaruel.
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Today, revisit one professor’s look at the complexities of American architecture. Architectural historian Brian Whetstone teaches a course that helps introduce students to architecture from the beginning of human settlement in America to the present, and shares insights from his forthcoming book on housing and historic infrastructure.
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GOTHAMIST
“From a sports business perspective, relatively speaking, they’re giving out candy. That’s quite a deal,” says Robert J. DiGisi of the Wharton School.
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JUNE 12
The Department of Fine Arts at the Weitzman School of Design, in partnership with Twelve Gates Arts and Art Philly, will present sāgar kāmath’s “Myths and Dreams of Red & Blue,” a night of storytelling and mythical journeying that brings together Kathak dance, painting, video, and sound. Aligned with America 250 programming, this event will explore diasporic identity, nostalgia, boyhood, and the pursuit of the American Dream. Free and open to the public. Register to attend.
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