About Us
Founded in 1944, the American Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science develops philanthropic support for the Weizmann Institute in Israel, and advances its mission of science for the benefit of humanity.
Jan 19, 2022...
Human beings did not invent democracy. Among certain animal species, decisions are also made in accordance with the majority opinion, with each individual having an equal degree of influence. For example, certain flocks of birds decide how and when to fly based on how the majority chooses to move.
In a frequently observed phenomenon unique to human beings, the majority will concede to the minority on a certain issue in order to avoid conflict, while compromising on its needs, convenience or views in the process. Now, for the first time, scientific research has identified a similar concession by the majority among animals. The experiment was conducted on carpenter ants (Camponotus sanctus), a Middle Eastern species commonly found in Israel in the mountainous areas around Jerusalem. The findings were published last week in the journal Current Biology.
Jun 13, 2022... REHOVOT, ISRAEL—June 13, 2022—They say that where there’s smoke, there’s fire, and Weizmann Institute of Science researchers are working hard to investigate that claim, or at least elucidate what constitutes “smoke.” In an article published today in PNAS, the scientists reveal an advanced, innovative method that they have developed and used to detect nonvisual traces of fire dating back at least 800,000 years – one of the earliest known pieces of evidence for the use of fire. The newly developed technique may provide a push toward a more scientific, data-driven type of archaeology, but – perhaps more importantly – it could help us better understand the origins of the human story, our most basic traditions, and our experimental and innovative nature.
Jun 24, 2022... REHOVOT, ISRAEL—June 23, 2022—Weizmann Institute of Science researchers have found that people may have a tendency to form friendships with individuals who have a similar body odor. The researchers were even able to predict the quality of social interactions between complete strangers by first “smelling” them with a device known as an electronic nose, or eNose. These findings, published today in Science Advances, suggest that the sense of smell may play a larger role in human social interactions than previously thought.
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