May 2014

May 21, 2014

Dam Removal Improves Shad Spawning Grounds, May Boost Survival Rate

Research from North Carolina State University finds that dam removal improves spawning grounds for American shad and seems likely to improve survival rates for adult fish, juveniles and eggs – but for different reasons. 

May 20, 2014

Researchers Sequence Genome of Primitive Termite

North Carolina State University entomologists are part of a research team that has for the first time sequenced the genome of a member of the termite order, the dampwood termite (Zootermopsis nevadensis). A paper reports the findings today in Nature Communications. The findings on the genetic blueprint of the dampwood termite, one of the world’s… 

May 20, 2014

Researchers Test Distributed Computing as Defense Against Cyberattacks on Power Grids

Imagine a cyberattack that does serious damage to the U.S. power grid. The results wouldn’t be pretty. The power grid is complicated, divided up into sections that cover everything from a single municipal area (like New York City) to large regions (like the entire state of California). But each of those sections is controlled by… 

May 19, 2014

This Is What Science Looks Like at NC State: Golsa Naderi

Editor’s note: This post comes from Golsa Naderi, a Ph.D. student in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at NC State. The post is part of an ongoing series that we hope will highlight the diversity of researchers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The series is inspired by the This Is What A Scientist… 

May 19, 2014

Engineers Find Way to Lower Risk of Midair Collisions for Small Aircraft

Researchers at North Carolina State University have developed new modifications for technology that helps pilots of small aircraft avoid midair collisions. The modified tools significantly improved pilot response times in making decisions to avert crashes. 

May 16, 2014

How Can I Wash All the Pesticides off My Food?

Note: This post is part of an ongoing series in which we try to answer questions about the science behind food – from farm to fork. If you have a food-related question, please let me know at matt_shipman@ncsu.edu. What is the best way to wash all the pesticides off your food? The bad news: you… 

May 15, 2014

Lonnie Poole Hosts NCAA Regional

NC State's world-class golf course on Centennial Campus takes center stage this weekend as top college players vie to advance to the NCAA Championship. 

May 15, 2014

Small Number of Genes Have Big Impact on Fish Egg Quality

NC State researchers have taken a big step toward solving a puzzle that has long vexed vertebrates – predicting egg quality, or the viability of embryos in eggs. Using gene expression data and computer modeling, the researchers examined farmed striped bass (Morone saxatilis) and showed that the coordinated interactions of less than 2 percent of the… 

May 14, 2014

May 2014 Commencement

More than 5,200 NC State students became alumni on Saturday, May 10. See how they celebrated. 

May 14, 2014

Work on Rhetorical Boundaries Honored

A journal article penned by a communication professor and two of his Ph.D. students has been named the best research article on rhetoric, writing studies or discourse studies by the Canadian Association for Studies in Discourse and Writing. 

May 14, 2014

Library Banishes Tell-Tale Heat

Perhaps there's poetic justice in the D.H. Hill Library's newest sustainability project. Thanks to a special window coating, they'll nevermore have to worry about sun damage and big utility bills in the summer. 

May 12, 2014

This Is What Science Looks Like at NC State: Yasmin Cardoza

Editor’s note: This post comes from Yasmin Cardoza, an associate professor of entomology at NC State. The post is part of an an ongoing series that we hope will highlight the diversity of researchers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The series is inspired by the This Is What A Scientist Looks Like site. I was… 

May 12, 2014

Dopamine Turns Worker Ants Into Warrior Queens

The ritualized fighting behavior of one ant species is linked to increases in dopamine levels that trigger dramatic physical changes in the ants without affecting their DNA, according to research from North Carolina State University, Arizona State University and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. 

May 9, 2014

Bee Biodiversity Boosts Blueberry Crop Yields

Research from North Carolina State University shows that blueberries produce more seeds and larger berries if they are visited by more diverse bee species, allowing farmers to harvest significantly more pounds of fruit per acre. 

May 9, 2014

New Method Sneaks Drugs Into Cancer Cells Before Triggering Release

Biomedical engineering researchers have developed an anti-cancer drug delivery method that essentially smuggles the drug into a cancer cell before triggering its release. The method can be likened to keeping a cancer-killing bomb and its detonator separate until they are inside a cancer cell, where they then combine to destroy the cell.