Recent News

Low-bandwidth radar technology provides improved detection of objects

Radar technologies were originally designed to identify and track airborne military targets. Today they’re more often used to detect motor vehicles, weather formations and geological terrain. Until now, scientists have believed that radar accuracy and resolution are related to the range of frequencies or radio bandwidth used by the devices. But a new Tel Aviv… Read More

Be nice to your doctor — you may receive better care

The good news: A new Tel Aviv University study published in Pediatrics on March 7 finds that positive interactions with patients drive improved medical team performance under most conditions. The bad news: Positive interactions with superiors had no significant effect. Moreover, a second in-press study by the same researcher to be published in Human Relations… Read More

Lightning’s electromagnetic fields may have protective properties

Lightning was the main electromagnetic presence in the Earth’s atmosphere long before the invention of electricity. There are some 2,000 thunderstorms active at any given time, so humans and other organisms have been bathed in extremely low frequency (ELF) electromagnetic fields for billions of years. These electromagnetic fields — the result of global lightning activity… Read More

Microplastics and plastic additives discovered in ascidians all along Israel’s coastline

A new Tel Aviv University study finds that microplastics — tiny pieces of plastic ingested by aquatic life — are present in solitary ascidians all along the Israeli coastline. Ascidians are sac-like marine invertebrate filter feeders. The research also confirmed the presence of plastic additives, i.e. “plasticizers,” in ascidians. Plasticizers are substances added to plastics… Read More

Sustainable “plastics” are on the horizon

A new Tel Aviv University study describes a process to make bioplastic polymers that don’t require land or fresh water — resources that are scarce in much of the world. The polymer is derived from microorganisms that feed on seaweed. It is biodegradable, produces zero toxic waste and recycles into organic waste. The invention was… Read More

The tactics behind “taking to the streets”

Public protests are a vital, common tool for expressing grievances and creating communities. The political and social aspects of protests have been extensively studied, but little attention has been paid to the physical spaces in which they take place. The Design of Protest, a new book by Prof. Tali Hatuka of Tel Aviv University, addresses… Read More