Physical Sciences

The Hunt for More Planets to Call Home
Exterior view of the Kitt Peak National Observatory in Arizona.

Penn State scientists will start using one of two new space-exploration instruments to hunt for nearby planets where liquid water may exist.

Preventing the Spread of Nuclear Weapons
Exterior view of the Boulby mine in England.

Penn State will join a new international collaboration to develop detection hardware and algorithms for remote monitoring of nuclear reactors.

Mechanical Force Controls Speed of Protein Synthesis
Assistant professor of chemistry Edward O'Brien.

Proteins power many of a cell's vital functions, and gaining a better understanding of their synthesis could help fight numerous diseases.

Improving Photonic Technology Used Across Industries
Microscope image of a cross-section of a waveguide array.

Cheaper and more efficient photonic devices, such as lasers, optical fibers, and other light sources, may be possible with confined light.

Finding the proteins that unpack DNA
DNA is typically wrapped tightly around proteins called histones (colored) to form a nucleosome, a structure that condenses DNA strands to fit in a cell’s nucleus. A new method allows scientists to identify specialized proteins called nucleosome-displacing factors that unwrap these nucleosomes, making the usually dense DNA more accessible for gene expression and other functions. Image: Karolin Luger
New era of space research launched by IceCube Observatory and global team of astronomers
A flaring supermassive black hole 3.7 billion light-years from Earth in the constellation Orion is the suspected source of a super-high-energy subatomic particle -- a neutrino -- that has launched a new era of space research. Credit: Nate Follmer, Penn State
Dawson honored with Powe Award
Rebekah Dawson
AstroFest turns twenty! Four Evenings of Astronomy Activities and Stargazing During Arts Festival 2018
Observatory on the roof of Davey Lab. Credit: Penn State
Capturing light in a waveguide array: Confined, insensitive light could improve lasers, solar cells
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