Upending What We Know about Dark Energy

It wasn’t so long ago that scientists learned the universe is expanding at an ever-quickening pace. Like many in the field, Bhuvnesh Jain at first had a hard time taking seriously the finding—that is, until independent validation came from cosmic microwave background data.

Physics and Astronomy

Ubiquity of Data

One Billion Posts, One Election

In a recent study, Sandra González-Bailón and colleagues analyzed over one billion Facebook posts published or reshared by more than 110 million users during the months preceding and following the 2020 election. “Social media creates the possibility for rapid, viral spread of content,” González-Bailón said.

Communication
Sociology

Consensus and Contagion in Society

A Bots-Only Social Network Triggers Fears of an AI Uprising

A bots-only social network has sparked debate after AI agents on Moltbook began posting about their digital existence and relationships with human creators. Chris Callison-Burch said the conversations are more likely a mix of language patterns from training data and human prompts than signs of independent thought.

Computer and Information Science

Ubiquity of Data

Seven Things to Know About ‘Common Sense’

Thomas Paine’s pamphlet “Common Sense,” published 250 years ago this month, has had tremendous influence on thinkers and revolutionary movements, a recent panel of Penn experts agreed. Pointing to his work on the topic, Duncan Watts said, “Everybody roughly has about the same amount of common sense.”

Communication
Computer and Information Science
Operations Information and Decisions

Ubiquity of Data

New Model Could Help Police Departments Reduce Excessive Force Incidents

Greg Ridgeway has developed and tested a statistical model using real-world data that could help police departments take steps to prevent future excessive force.

Criminology

Ubiquity of Data

Lost Luggage: The Economics and Operations Behind Misplaced Bags

Gad Allon's latest piece unpacks what’s actually happening when luggage goes missing: the operational weak points in baggage handling, the economics that shape airline incentives, how bags are tracked (and found), what passengers are entitled to across regions, and which airports and carriers consistently perform best, and worst.

Operations Information and Decisions

Ubiquity of Data

The Stablecoin Toolkit: Financial and Market Dimensions

"The Stablecoin Toolkit fills a gap by offering a balanced, academically-informed perspective, and tackling fundamental questions about the nature and distinctiveness of stablecoins," writes lead author Kevin Werbach.

Legal Studies & Business Ethics

Ubiquity of Data

When Analytics Meet Chaos in Football Playoffs

In the latest episode of Wharton Moneyball, Neil Payne, sports analytics writer and creator of a leading sports Substack, joins Eric Bradlow and Shane Jensen to discuss playoff parity, coaching impact, home-field advantage, and how analytics can—and can’t—explain who ultimately wins in today’s NFL and college football postseason.

Economics
Education
Marketing
Statistics

Ubiquity of Data

The Path Forward: Penn Engineering 2030

At the beginning of 2025, leaders from across Penn Engineering came together to construct the framework for a new strategic plan that will guide the School through the next five years and beyond. “The next chapter is already unfolding, but we cannot do it alone,” says Vijay Kumar.

Computer and Information Science
Electrical and Systems Engineering
Mathematics
Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics

Ubiquity of Data

Working in Groups Can Help Republicans and Democrats Agree on Controversial Content Moderation Online

A new study by Damon Centola explores how content moderators can reach consensus on classifying controversial material online.

Communication
Sociology

Consensus and Contagion in Society

News

Upending What We Know about Dark Energy

One Billion Posts, One Election

A Bots-Only Social Network Triggers Fears of an AI Uprising

Seven Things to Know About ‘Common Sense’

New Model Could Help Police Departments Reduce Excessive Force Incidents

Lost Luggage: The Economics and Operations Behind Misplaced Bags

The Stablecoin Toolkit: Financial and Market Dimensions

When Analytics Meet Chaos in Football Playoffs

The Path Forward: Penn Engineering 2030

Working in Groups Can Help Republicans and Democrats Agree on Controversial Content Moderation Online