Introducing innovative new products and ideas to the marketplace can be a tricky proposition. Sometimes they take off immediately (like the iPod) and sometimes they can take a while to garner consumer confidence (like the Segway). A troubled economy can make it more difficult to convince consumers to take a leap on a new product. But new research from North Carolina State University finds that targeted marketing to opinion leaders makes it more likely that consumers will buy into innovative products and ideas. Continue Reading »
Wildfires can be deadly, as well as causing millions of dollars worth of damage to homes, businesses and natural resources. Efforts to control wildfires often include a staggering array of federal, state and local government agencies. New research from North Carolina State University is shedding light on how these agencies can better communicate with each other in order to respond more efficiently and effectively to wildfire disasters. Continue Reading »
North Carolina State University researchers have developed a computer model that will accurately predict stormwater pollution impacts from proposed real-estate developments – allowing regulators to make informed decisions about which development projects can be approved without endangering water quality. The model could serve as a blueprint for similar efforts across the country. Continue Reading »
Large-scale computer hosting infrastructures offer a variety of services to computer users, including cloud computing – which offers users access to powerful computers and software applications hosted by remote groups of servers. But when these infrastructures run into problems – like bottlenecks that slow their operating speed – it can be costly for both the infrastructure provider and the user. New research from North Carolina State University will allow these infrastructure providers to more accurately predict such anomalies, and address them before they become a major problem. Continue Reading »
A North Carolina State University entomologist has for the first time shown which specific chemicals are used by some termite queens to prevent other termites in the colony from becoming mommies like themselves.
In a study published online this week in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, NC State’s Dr. Ed Vargo and colleagues from Japan and Switzerland show that a combination of two chemical compounds in a pheromone perfume emitted by egg-laying females known as secondary queens can inhibit other termites from developing into new queens. Moreover, the study shows that termite eggs also produce the caste-altering chemicals. Continue Reading »