Comparing human brains to monkey brains reveals that our more evolutionarily advanced brains may be more efficient but are also less robust, according to new research from Israel’s Weizmann Institute of Science. Neurobiology Prof. Rony Paz explains that our brains are like modern washing machines – technologically sophisticated but more vulnerable to breakdown and costly disorders.
February 05, 2019
The Blavatnik Family Foundation, the New York Academy of Sciences, and the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities (IASH) announced today the 2019 Laureates of the second annual Blavatnik Awards for Young Scientists in Israel.
The Blavatnik Awards recognize outstanding, innovative early-career scientists and engineers for both their extraordinary achievements and promise for future discoveries.
February 04, 2019
Prof. Daniel Zajfman
The Weizmann Institute is neither a university nor a research laboratory committed to a single field. How would you define it?
There is no universal way to carry out research, and that’s good. Weizmann is focused on basic research in biochemistry, biology, chemistry, physics, math and computing and more. Without any immediate concern for practical applications. Our engine is above all curiosity! We try to understand our environment, to solve major scientific questions. And it's this basic work that eventually helps find solutions to some of humanity's major problems. It is somewhat the model of Bell Labs in the USA, from where emerged microwaves, the transistor and the in-depth learning of machines.
January 31, 2019
Quartz reports on the rise of robot-assisted surgery, and discusses the issue with Prof. Gabriel Barbash, who heads Weizmann’s Bench-to-Bedside Program.
January 30, 2019
The race to land humans on Mars is on again – and at an accelerated pace. Superpowers including China and the United States have declared their intentions to land astronauts on the Red Planet, as have private entrepreneurs who are taking the challenge seriously, among them Elon Musk.
January 29, 2019
The Atlantic looks at the history of artificial sweeteners, from potential to failed promise … and includes Weizmann research showing that they are not very good for us.
January 24, 2019
Weizmann scientists analyzed data from Cassini’s last mission to find surprising information about Saturn and its rings, reports The Jerusalem Post.
January 22, 2019
Under general relativity, a black hole is inescapable. Once something travels beyond the event horizon into the heart of the black hole, there’s no return. So intense is the gravitational force of a black hole that not even light - the fastest thing in the Universe - can achieve escape velocity.
Under general relativity, therefore, a black hole emits no electromagnetic radiation. But, as a young Stephen Hawking theorised in 1974, it does emit something when you add quantum mechanics to the mix.
January 21, 2019
The American Committee’s annual gala brought together prominent Weizmann supporters and leadership for a night of science and celebration.
January 16, 2019
©2019 American Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science
