Research Press Release Archive

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A multi-page list of all research press releases since 1997

Getting to the Bottom of the Zombie Ant Phenomenon: 23 May 2013 — While unraveling a dramatic case of mind control, biologist David Hughes is taking calls from Hollywood—and gaining new insights into the role behavior plays in spreading disease.
Record-Breaking High-Energy Particles from Space Detected by Telescope Buried in the Antarctic Ice: 17 May 2013 — A massive telescope buried in the Antarctic ice has detected 28 extremely high-energy neutrinos -- elementary particles that likely originate outside our solar system. Two of these neutrinos had energies many thousands of times higher than the highest-energy neutrino that any man-made particle accelerator has ever produced, according to a team of IceCube Neutrino Observatory researchers that includes Penn State scientists. These new record-breaking neutrinos had energies greater than 1,000,000,000,000,000 volts or, as the scientists say, 1 peta-electron volt (PeV).
Probing Question: Do Women Dominate the Field of Forensic Science?: 8 May 2013 — Exhuming corpses, analyzing bloodstained clothing, collecting "crime scene insects" (yes, maggots)...these are some of the grittier realities of life as a forensic scientist. Yet defying the stereotype that females tend to be squeamish about such things, an entire generation of young women have become entranced by the profession, inspired in part by characters such as Abby Sciuto on the television drama NCIS. In fact, they've pursued this career in such numbers that—unlike almost every other scientific discipline—one could argue that the booming field of forensic science is a female domain. Has forensic science, in fact, become a woman's field?
Gene Offers Clues to New Treatments for a Harmful Blood Clotting Disorder: 7 May 2013 — A gene associated with both protection against bacterial infection and excessive blood clotting could offer new insights into treatment strategies for deep-vein thrombosis -- the formation of a harmful clot in a deep vein. The gene produces an enzyme that, if inhibited via a specific drug therapy, could offer hope to patients prone to deep-vein clots, such as those that sometimes form in the legs during lengthy airplane flights or during recuperation after major surgery.
AMON: An Eye on the Universe: 6 May 2013 — AMON stands for Astrophysical Multimessenger Observatory Network. Its mission is to form a network of high-energy observatories across the globe that will search for previously unseen astrophysical signals and send alerts to more traditional telescopes in order to corroborate the possible celestial events.
Scientists Make Strides Toward Restoring Bighorn Sheep in the American West: 2 May 2013 — As pneumonia continues to limit recovery of the once nearly extinct bighorn sheep population in the western United States, a research team including three Penn State biologists has made key discoveries that lead to a better understanding of the disease and how it might be more effectively controlled.
Probing Question: Are We Running Out of Helium?: 25 April 2013 — Party planners, take note: the atmosphere may become a little deflated at gala events in the future. Some scientists are sounding the alarm about the wastefulness of using helium -- a rare, non-renewable gas -- to fill party balloons. Why? As an essential resource in technologies such as medical imaging, rocket engines, and surveillance devices, it turns out that helium does a lot more than give our balloons a lift. And despite being the second most abundant element in the universe, most of our supply in the Earth’s atmosphere simply floats off into space and is lost.
White-Dwarf Star, Blown Apart in 1604, Now Reveals New Secrets: 8 April 2013 — Remnants of an exploded star have been discovered in our Milky Way galaxy by a team of scientists including astronomers at Penn State University. The "supernova remnant" was discovered during an extensive X-ray survey of our galaxy's central regions with NASA's Swift satellite, for which science and flight operations are controlled by Penn State from the Mission Operations Center on the University Park campus. A paper describing the team's findings will be published in an upcoming edition of The Astrophysical Journal.
On Twitter, Anti-Vaccination Sentiments Spread More Easily than Pro-Vaccination Sentiments: 4 April 2013 — On Twitter, a popular microblogging and social-networking service, statements about vaccines may have unexpected effects -- positive messages may backfire, according to a team of Penn State University researchers led by Marcel Salathé, an assistant professor of biology. The team tracked the pro-vaccine and anti-vaccine messages to which Twitter users were exposed and then observed how those users expressed their own sentiments about a new vaccine for combating influenza H1N1 -- a virus strain responsible for swine flu.
Autism Linked to Increased Genetic Change in Regions of Genome Instability: 2 April 2013 — Children with autism have increased levels of genetic change in regions of the genome prone to DNA rearrangements, so called "hotspots," according to a research discovery to be published in the print edition of the journal Human Molecular Genetics. The research indicates that these genetic changes come in the form of an excess of duplicated DNA segments in hotspot regions and may affect the chances that a child will develop autism -- a behavioral disorder that affects about 1 of every 88 children in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
Crucial Step in Human DNA Replication Observed Using Fluorescent Tags: 1 April 2013 — For the first time, an elusive step in the process of human DNA replication has been demystified by scientists at Penn State University. According to senior author Stephen J. Benkovic, an Evan Pugh Professor of Chemistry and Holder of the Eberly Family Chair in Chemistry at Penn State, the scientists "discovered how a key step in human DNA replication is performed." The results of the research will be published in the journal eLife on 2 April 2013.
Penn State researching ways to improve computer speed, efficiency: 31 March 2013 — This article, written by Barbara Kennedy and featuring the work of Penn State physicists, originally appeared in the Centre Daily Times (CDT) on 31 March 2013 in the bimonthly "Focus on Research" column, which highlights different research projects being conducted at Penn State.
Endangered Lemurs' Complete Genomes are Sequenced and Analyzed for Conservation Efforts: 25 March 2013 — For the first time, the complete genomes of three separate populations of aye-ayes -- a type of lemur -- have been sequenced and analyzed in an effort to help guide conservation efforts. The results of the genome-sequence analyses will be published in an early edition of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences online during the week of 25 March 2013.
Remnants of a Shattered Star Discovered in Milky Way: 15 March 2013 — Remnants of an exploded star have been discovered in our Milky Way galaxy by a team of scientists including astronomers at Penn State University. The "supernova remnant" was discovered during an extensive X-ray survey of our galaxy's central regions with NASA's Swift satellite, for which science and flight operations are controlled by Penn State from the Mission Operations Center on the University Park campus. A paper describing the team's findings will be published in an upcoming edition of The Astrophysical Journal.
Penn State Researchers Part of $194 Million National Semiconductor Research Effort: 14 March 2013 — A group of Penn State researchers are part of a five-year, $194 million research effort recently announced by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and the Semiconductor Research Corporation (SRC) to support continued growth and leadership in the U.S. semiconductor industry.
The Closest Star System Found in a Century: 11 March 2013 — A pair of newly discovered stars is the third-closest star system to the Sun, according to a paper that will be published in Astrophysical Journal Letters. The duo is the closest star system discovered since 1916. The discovery was made by Kevin Luhman, an associate professor of astronomy and astrophysics at Penn State University and a researcher in Penn State's Center for Exoplanets and Habitable Worlds.
Oldest Known Star Gets a Birthdate Update: 7 March 2013 — A team of astronomers using NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has taken an important step closer to finding the birth certificate of a star that's been around for a very long time.
Climate Change Effect on Plant Communities Is Buffered By Large Herbivores, New Research Suggests: 19 February 2013 — Can existing ecological communities persist intact as temperatures rise? This is a question of increasing relevance in the field of climate change and is the focus of a new study to be published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society of London on 20 February. The study suggests that the answer to this question may have as much to do with the biological interactions that shape communities as with the effects of climate change itself.
Microbes Team Up To Boost Plants' Stress Tolerance: 18 February 2013 — While most farmers consider viruses and fungi potential threats to their crops, these microbes can help wild plants adapt to extreme conditions, according to a Penn State virologist. Discovering how microbes collaborate to improve the hardiness of plants is a key to sustainable agriculture that can help meet increasing food demands, in addition to avoiding possible conflicts over scare resources, said Marilyn Roossinck, professor of plant pathology and environmental microbiology, and biology.
Statistics Help Clear Fog for Better Climate Change Picture: 18 February 2013 — Statistics is an important tool in sorting through information on how human activities are affecting the climate system, as well as how climate change affects natural and human systems, according to a Penn State statistician. "One key aspect of climate change is risk," said Murali Haran, associate professor of statistics. "Without the language of statistics and probability, you can't talk about risk."