A new study finds that people value empathy more when they believe it comes from a human—even if the actual response was generated by AI. Across nine studies involving over 6,000 participants, the research reveals that human-attributed responses are perceived as more supportive, more emotionally resonant, and more caring than identical AI-generated responses.

The Hebrew University of Jerusalem is proud to announce that Prof. Eran Meshorer has been elected as a member of EMBO, a prestigious European organization recognizing exceptional research leaders in life sciences across Europe and beyond.

The Hebrew University of Jerusalem announced today (Monday) that Prof. Tamir Sheafer has been elected as its next president. The decision was approved by the University's Executive Committee and Board of Governors. Prof. Sheafer, who currently serves as the university’s rector, will assume the presidency in October 2025, succeeding Prof. Asher Cohen, who will complete two four-year terms in the role.

In the windswept steppe of northeastern Mongolia, archaeologists have unearthed a rare window into daily life along the medieval frontier of the Liao Empire. Excavations at a remote garrison site revealed thousands of animal bones—evidence of herding, hunting, fishing, and a harsh environment—offering a ground-level view of survival far from the imperial centers recorded in history books. The findings challenge traditional accounts by illuminating the lives of soldiers and civilians who lived not in palaces, but along the empire’s long and lonely wall.

New study explores why foreign firms listed in the U.S. choose between IFRS and U.S. GAAP. The research finds that firms strategically weigh the flexibility of financial reporting and the costs of compliance, rather than following the common standards in their listing jurisdiction. These insights help explain the real motivations behind financial disclosure decisions and offer guidance for regulators and investors alike.

Jerusalem, Israel A new study led by scientists from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, NASA, the Florida Institute of Technology, the Barcelona Supercomputing Center, and the University of Oxford has uncovered a connection between solar flares sudden outbursts of radiation from stars and short-term weather patterns on distant Earth-like planets.

The Hebrew University of Jerusalem proudly congratulates three of its esteemed researchers Prof. Dorit Aharonov, Prof. Israel Nelken, and Prof. Tamar Ziegler on being awarded the highly competitive European Research Council (ERC) Advanced Grants.

Today, Argentine President Javier Milei visited the Hebrew University, where he delivered a speech outlining his economic policy and highlighting the strong ties between Argentina and Israel. He was presented with the Jerusalem Crown Bible by University President Prof. Asher Cohen and met with Daniel Lischinsky, father of Yaron Lischinsky z”l, an alumnus murdered in a recent terror attack.

A new study from Hebrew University reveals that paracetamol doesn’t just work in the brain—it also blocks pain at its source by acting on nerve endings in the body. The researchers found that its active metabolite, AM404, shuts down specific sodium channels in pain-sensing neurons, stopping pain signals before they reach the brain. This discovery not only reshapes our understanding of how one of the world’s most common painkillers works, but also opens the door to developing safer, more targeted pain treatments.

A well-meaning environmental tax turned into a cultural flashpoint: a new study shows that Israel’s 2021 tax on single-use plastics caused a sharp and lasting drop in climate support among the ultra-Orthodox community. Driven by a deep sense of political victimization—not financial burden—many saw the tax as an attack on their way of life. Even years after the tax was repealed, the damage to environmental trust still lingers.

The close research cooperation between Prof. Yossi Tam from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem
and Prof. Jürg Gertsch from the University of Bern impressively shows how international
cooperation drives biomedical innovations.

Two researchers from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have been selected as recipients of the 2025 Krill Prize for Excellence in Scientific Research—one of the most prominent and prestigious awards granted to outstanding faculty members and promising researchers in Israeli academia:

•    Dr. Gabriel Stanovsky, Faculty of Engineering and Computer Science
•    Dr. Yiska Weisblum, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics

European Survey Maps Value Diversity Among Tech Workers: Developers stand out as a unique liberal, individual and universalistic elite

In the wake of the tragic events of October 7, 2023—when Hamas launched a deadly and unprecedented assault on southern Israel—scrutiny has intensified over the historical roots of Gaza’s political trajectory. Against this backdrop, a compelling new study by Professor Elie Podeh of the Hebrew University revisits Israel’s 2005 Gaza Disengagement Plan, challenging the widespread perception that the move was a strictly unilateral one.