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Research Press Release Archive

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

White dwarf planet remnants survive long enough to ‘tune in’ to their radio waves: 15 August 2019 — Signals from mostly destroyed planets can be heard millions of years later on Earth, providing important information about how solar systems age.
How many Earth-like planets are around sun-like stars?: 14 August 2019
Evidence found for cloaked black hole in early universe: 08 August 2019 — A group of astronomers, including Penn State scientists, has announced the likely discovery of a highly obscured black hole existing only 850 million years after the Big Bang, using NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory. This is the first evidence for a cloaked black hole at such an early time.
How to restore a coral reef: New guidelines for helping corals adapt to changing environment: 23 July 2019 — New guidelines drafted by a consortium of concerned experts could enable corals to adapt to changing environments and help restore declining populations in the Caribbean. The guidelines provide a definitive plan for collecting, raising, and replanting corals that maximizes their potential for adaptation.
Maintaining shelf-stable drugs: New model describes phase separation that spoils antibody solutions: 22 July 2019 — A new mathematical model describes how highly concentrated antibody solutions separate into different phases, similar to an oil and water mixture, which can reduce the stability and shelf-life of some drugs.
Parasitic plants use stolen genes to make them better parasites: 22 July 2019 — Some parasitic plants steal genetic material from their host plants and use the stolen genes to more effectively siphon off the host’s nutrients, according to a new study led by researchers at Penn State and Virginia Tech.
NSF mid-scale award sets off the first extension of IceCube: 16 July 2019 — The IceCube Neutrino Observatory, the Antarctic detector that identified the first likely source of high-energy neutrinos and cosmic rays, is getting an upgrade.
Finding deletions and duplications in the human genome: Machine learning for diagnosis of genetic variations: 08 July 2019 — A new machine-learning method accurately identifies regions of the human genome that have been duplicated or deleted—known as copy number variants—that are often associated with autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders.
Game theory shows why stigmatization may not make sense in modern society: 27 June 2019 — Game theory can help researchers understand how stigmatizing infected people affects the spread of the disease. In this study, the researchers found that the availability to modern healthcare now makes stigmatization a less effective strategy for dealing with disease spread.
Linking health and population patterns via satellite: 18 June 2019 — For many remote communities around the world, diseases like measles are still a very real concern. But as Penn State Assistant Professor of Biology Nita Bharti has found, the answer to providing accessible health care in these areas might lie in satellite imagery.
Ants maintain essential interactions despite environmental flux: 12 June 2019 — Ants adjust their social interactions to accommodate changes in population density, according to researchers at Penn State and Georgetown University. The findings suggest that ant colonies are capable of maintaining their sophisticated social organization despite potentially drastic changes in their environments.
Adding a carbon atom transforms 2D semiconducting material: 24 May 2019 — A technique that introduces carbon-hydrogen molecules into a single atomic layer of the semiconducting material tungsten disulfide dramatically changes the electronic properties of the material, according to Penn State researchers who say they can create new types of components for energy-efficient photoelectric devices and electronic circuits with this material.
New drug could help treat neonatal seizures: 15 May 2019 — A new drug that inhibits neonatal seizures in rodent models could open up new avenues for the treatment of epilepsy in human newborns.
Gravitational forces in protoplanetary disks may push super-Earths close to their stars: 09 May 2019 — New research led by Penn State astronomers improves understanding of why very large planets called super-Earths with small, quick orbits form so close to their host stars.
LIGO and Virgo Detect Neutron Star Smash-Ups: 02 May 2019 — LIGO and Virgo observe five probable gravitational waves in the first month after the observatories were upgraded, including one believed to originate in a never-before-seen neutron star-black hole merger.
How the bumble bee got its stripes: 01 May 2019 — Researchers have discovered a gene that drives color differences within a species of bumble bees, helping to explain how mimicry—individuals in an area adopting similar color patterns—evolves.
NIH grant funds research to pinpoint natural selection’s influence on genomes: 30 April 2019 — A $1.7 million grant through the National Institutes of Health is helping researchers led by Michael DeGiorgio, assistant professor of biology, understand how much influence natural selection has had on humans' evolutionary path.
Unlocking the mystery behind blood clots: 25 April 2019 — New research demonstrates how proteins called “integrins” form an intermediate state between their active and inactive forms that promotes the aggregation of platelets, the blood cells that form clots.
New research shows promise for success of underrepresented scholars in STEM: 25 April 2019 — New evidence shows positive effects of undergraduate programs at Penn State and other institutions aimed at increasing retention and academic performance of historically underrepresented undergraduates in science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields.
New sensor detects rare metals used in smartphones: 23 April 2019 — A more efficient and cost-effective way to detect lanthanides, the rare earth metals used in smartphones and other technologies, could be possible with a new protein-based sensor that changes its fluorescence when it binds to these metals.