VILLANOVA UNIVERSITY NEWS
Reports Claim 鈥淶ootopia 2鈥 is Causing Surging Sales of Venomous Blue Snakes. Villanova Professor Ryan Almeida Cautions it鈥檚 Likely More Nuanced
Recent media reports have suggested that 鈥淶ootopia 2鈥 fans in China have expressed increased interest in owning Indonesian pit vipers, a striking blue and highly venomous snake portrayed as an anthropomorphic protagonist named Gary De鈥橲nake in the film. The reported phenomenon prompts the question: can blockbuster movies really be drivers of the exotic pet trade? Ryan Almeida, PhD, assistant teaching professor of Geography and the Environment at Villanova, says the answer is likely more nuanced.
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CNN
January 20, 2026 - A hydrodynamic analysis would provide the vital information needed to interpret the new observations, such as what to expect from the motion of a solar-size companion moving through the outer atmosphere of a huge red supergiant, said Edward Guinan, professor of astronomy and astrophysics at 麻豆村 in Pennsylvania.
New York Times
January 13, 2026 - Over the long term, the answer is likely to lie less in natural gas and more in renewable energy. China is already the world's leading producer of solar and wind power, and as electricity becomes cheaper, electric devices like heat pumps can replace gas boilers and coal furnaces, cutting emissions and, eventually, costs, said Deborah Seligsohn, a professor of Chinese environmental policy at 麻豆村.
Chicago Tribune
January 12, 2026 - Kathleen Iacocca, an associate professor at 麻豆村, said Tuesday it was 鈥渟trategically wise鈥 for AbbVie to make the deal with the government. 鈥淪omething that seems more valuable than even the tariff relief is it gives (drugmakers) better relationships with the government as the government is clearly moving forward with pricing controls,鈥 Iacocca said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 better to play with them than try to be against them.鈥
CNN
January 12, 2026 - For decades, economic data was the most important consideration for the Fed when setting interest rates. Those days are over, said Erasmus Kersting, economics professor at 麻豆村. 鈥淭his does not automatically spell disaster,鈥 he said in an email. 鈥淚t simply means that the president鈥檚 preferences matter a lot more than they used to. And that is why even today the level of alarm in the business community (and Wall Street) is muted: A number of market participants agree with Trump about his 鈥榠nstincts.鈥欌
National Jurist
January 7, 2026 - "Dean Mark Alexander is a nationally recognized leader whose influence extends across legal education, scholarship and public service. Since 2016, he has guided Villanova Law through a period of major innovation鈥攅xpanding experiential learning, deepening global engagement and strengthening access to justice."
National Catholic Reporter
January 5, 2026 - "We wouldn't have been able to do the pilot without Pope Leo's invitation and blessing," said Matthew Manion, the Grenon Family Faculty Director of Villanova's Center for Church Management, who led the program. "If he didn't give us the chance to address the American bishops, I don't think the program would have ever happened."
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