Purim is one of the most joyous, chaotic, and even absurd holidays on the Jewish calendar. It is the one time a year when rabbinic law encourages unrestrained laughter, playful mockery, and even drinking until one "can’t tell the difference between Haman and Mordechai." But beneath the costumes, noise, and merriment lies something deeper—an ancient Jewish strategy for resilience: humor as survival.

Throughout history, women in STEM have defied societal norms, challenged conventions, and made groundbreaking discoveries that transformed our understanding of the world. As we celebrate International Women’s Day, let’s honor some of the most influential women scientists—pioneers who paved the way for future generations of researchers and innovators in STEM fields.

While women make up the majority of undergraduate and master's students, their numbers dwindle as they climb the academic ladder. Prof. Orna Sasson-Levy explains why women in academia still face unique challenges, suggests ways to promote gender equity, and shares her vision for a future where gender equality is no longer a topic of discussion.

For over three decades, Bar-Ilan University’s School of Optometry and Vision Sciences has been shaping the future of eye health, vision research, and optometry education. From training expert optometrists to pioneering ophthalmic research and collaborating with the high-tech industry, the school is leading advancements in clinical optometry, visual neuroscience, and ocular technology.

Dr. Einat Zalckvar, a leading expert in genetic disorders at Bar-Ilan University, explains how a chance encounter with one family changed her biomedical research and why rare disease awareness should matter to everyone.

Rare Diseases: A Hidden Global Health Crisis

Pioneering the Future of Computing

The project, which aims to revolutionize how AI computations are performed, is a combined effort of BIU with partners across Europe. At the heart of this innovation is a technology called spintronics, which could overcome the limitations that currently hold back AI development.

Why Open Access Matters

A medical researcher in Tel Aviv is on the brink of a breakthrough but needs one crucial dataset to complete her study. Across the world, a scientist in Tokyo has already conducted a similar experiment and published his results—but they’re locked behind a paywall. Meanwhile, in Brazil, an environmental scientist is struggling to access climate data that could help predict the next major drought.