USC Dana and David Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences

Leap seconds have helped keep clocks synchronized with Earth’s rotation, but their time may be over – here’s why

Leap years show that humans may have an odd way of measuring time. Sometimes, timekeepers even have to add extra seconds to ...
USC Dana and David Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences

Columbus’ own writings reveal how tightly religion and conquest were intertwined from the start

Christopher Columbus' actions have been much scrutinized. Less attention has been paid to his writings, and what they reveal about his motivations.
USC Dana and David Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences

In Memoriam: Frederic Clark, classicist who investigated how we divide up time itself

Clark focused on how we came to define historical eras, as well as forgeries and frauds, as part of his research on the ...
dornsife.usc

OLED pioneer Mark Thompson named 2026 Citation Laureate

The bright colors glowing from smartphones and television screens rely in part on molecules developed by USC chemist and University Professor Mark Thompson. That work has now earned Thompson ...
dornsife.usc

Ph.D. Population, Health and Place

Join us Tuesday, October 6, 2026 at 2:00 PM PT to learn about the Ph.D. in Population Health and Place. We’ll cover the curriculum and admissions process, with time for your questions. Attend in ...