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Northeastern University


New hope for drug discovery in African sleeping sickness

Researchers at Northeastern University have identified nearly 800 chemical compounds that could lead to a cure for African sleeping sickness, a deadly disease claiming thousands of lives annually. The discovery was made through screening and testing over 42,000 chemicals against the parasites that cause the disease.

SourceNortheastern University·JournalPLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases·DateOct 24, 2014

Identifying microbial species

Researchers at Northeastern University developed a device that cultivates a single bacterial species, allowing scientists to study and identify the millions of microorganisms that populate the world. The device solves the problem of natural competition between species, enabling the isolation of pure, single-species samples.

SourceNortheastern University·JournalPLOS ONE·DateJul 3, 2014

Climate negotiation as a bargaining game

Researchers found that smaller groups of countries are more likely to reach consensus, while side agreements among smaller numbers of participants can actually promote the UN process. The study also highlights the importance of perceived individual threat in maintaining successful negotiations.

SourceNortheastern University·JournalNature Climate Change·DateMay 12, 2014

Your face says it all? Not so fast

A new study disputes the idea that humans experience six basic emotions universally, citing context-dependent expression recognition. Researchers found that facial expressions and vocalizations were not consistently labeled with emotion words across cultures, suggesting cultural categories may be at play.

SourceNortheastern University·JournalPsychological Science·DateMar 5, 2014

'Gaydar' revisited

A recent study revisits the phenomenon of 'gaydar' in women, finding that lesbians are better at detecting sexual orientation, while straight women excel at identifying emotions and thoughts. The research also highlights differences in judgments between lesbian and straight judges.

SourceNortheastern University·JournalCognition & Emotion·DateMar 4, 2014

A walk along an interface yields its mobility

Researchers at Colorado School of Mines and Northeastern University report a new computational methodology to quantify interface mobility, overcoming limitations of past studies. The method efficiently addresses the effect of impurities, revealing a more severe impact on interface motion than previously thought.

SourceNortheastern University·JournalScience·DateNov 2, 2006

NU researcher finds missing atmospheric carbon dioxide

A new study by Northeastern University researcher Kevin G. Harrison found that soil carbon levels increased by an average of 14% under elevated CO2 levels. This discovery has the potential to improve global warming forecast models, which have been hindered by slower-than-expected increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide.

SourceNortheastern University·JournalEarth Interactions·DateDec 1, 2004

Moving out and moving in

The Northeast region experienced slow population growth during the 1990s, primarily due to high levels of domestic out-migration. New foreign immigration played a crucial role in offsetting this trend, with nearly 3.1 million new immigrants arriving in the region, accounting for over 100% of population growth.

Improving golf scores

A Northeastern University study reveals a significant decline in average scores of top golfers at the Masters Tournament from the 1930s to 2001, indicating rapid improvement and increased competition. The study also found that Tiger Woods' level of dominance is comparable to Jack Nicklaus' record-breaking performance in 1965.

SourceNortheastern University·JournalJournal of Applied Statistics·DateApr 11, 2002

New study examines patterns of women and power

Researchers found that women form hierarchies among themselves in a more democratic style, waiting to establish relationships before forming structures. This challenges the notion that women are uncomfortable with hierarchical environments and instead highlights their ability to gather power slowly and carefully.

SourceNortheastern University·JournalPersonality and Social Psychology Bulletin·DateJan 15, 2002

The second great in-migration

The report reveals that foreign immigration played a significant role in driving growth in the nation's population and labor force between 1990 and 2000. Massachusetts and New York were among the top states for dependence on immigrants, with all labor force growth in the state attributed to foreign immigration.