The Cornell Chronicle is reporting that a faculty-led committee has offered its vision for fortifying Cornell University's long-term future in the face of unprecedented challenges. It said the report, titled "Future of the American University," charts a bold path forward.
The Chronicle said Cornell researcher Kirsten Workman explains how manure, described as a valuable nutrient package when it stays put, becomes a public health hazard when it does not. It said the work examines how manure reaches water supplies.
The Chronicle also reported that Sara B. Pritchard describes a spike in the amount of nighttime artificial light, with light pollution increasing by nearly 10 percent annually between 2011 and 2022. It said the "transformation of night" requires prompt action.
Separately, the Chronicle said Cornell research shows the drug interferon can benefit patients with certain blood cancers by forcing mutant blood stem cells to become shorter-lived white blood cells.
In other news, the Chronicle reported that CBS News cited Ayham Boucher of Cornell Bowers, who said a swarm of AI agents could plan and execute an attack against an organization much faster than cybersecurity can react to stop it. It also said Martha Stewart cited Jonathan Russell-Anelli of Cornell's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, who said chocolate-based cocoa shell mulch will likely decompose in about a year and should nicely amend the soil below.