Joey Pitchford

Dec 12, 2024

Machine learning and satellite imagery could help protect the world’s most important crops

A new North Carolina State University study combines satellite imagery with machine learning technology to help model rice crop productivity faster and more accurately. The tool could help decision-makers around the world better assess how and where to plant rice, which is the primary source of energy for more than half of the world’s population.… 

Dec 11, 2024

How “thirsty” trees may make forests more vulnerable to climate change

A new study suggests that increased maple populations may leave forests in western North Carolina more vulnerable to extreme weather conditions like flooding and drought.   The southern Appalachian Mountains feature large, intact forests with frequent precipitation. This kind of area would not typically be a place to look for the effects of climate change, but… 

Nov 25, 2024

“Biodiversity is not a luxury”: study explores the connection between wealth and ecosystem health

A new study suggests that a more complex understanding of how wealth and biodiversity are linked may help communities with little wealth achieve the levels of diversity typically associated with more affluent areas. Researchers have long understood that areas with more wealth tend to have higher biodiversity, a phenomenon known as the “luxury effect.” However,… 

Oct 31, 2024

Satellite imagery may help protect coastal forests from climate change

Sea-level rise caused by climate change poses a serious and often unpredictable threat to coastal forests, and new tools are needed to help mitigate damage and allocate conservation resources.   A new study from North Carolina State University and the United States Geological Survey (USGS) details how satellite imagery may help identify forested areas that… 

Aug 9, 2024

Russian invasion of Ukraine could have lasting impacts on global economy, environment

As the Russian invasion of Ukraine stretches into its third year, international trade has felt the effects as sanctions on Russian exports have expanded. Now researchers have found that the invasion may not only have significant short-term impacts on the global timber markets but may leave lasting effects on the global economy and the environment.… 

Jul 31, 2024

New model uses satellite imagery, machine learning to map flooding in urban environments

As climate change causes storms to intensify, new tools are needed to map where flooding occurs in under-studied areas. A new mapping tool from North Carolina State University uses machine learning and open-source satellite imagery to model flooding in urban environments. The new model could create maps that predict urban area flooding, which traditionally have… 

Jul 26, 2024

Climate is most important factor in where mammals choose to live, study finds

While human activity has had a massive effect on the natural world, a new study from North Carolina State University finds that climate is still the most influential factor in determining where mammals can thrive. The work sheds light on how climate change will affect wildlife populations. Roland Kays, lead author of a paper on… 

Jul 22, 2024

Science, Social Studies classes can help young English-learning students learn to read and write in English

A new study finds that science and social studies classes may also help young students learn English, even when those classes include difficult and technical vocabulary. The study, which observed first- and second-grade students in 30 elementary schools in North Carolina, encouraged teachers to keep their English-learning students in class during science and social studies… 

Jul 15, 2024

Apparel Industry Leaks Millions of Tons of Plastic Into Environment Each Year, Study Finds

A new study finds that waste from the global apparel industry is leaking millions of tons of plastic into the environment each year – an overlooked pollution source which may be getting worse over time. The findings are detailed in a recent study from North Carolina State University researchers, which found that global apparel consumption… 

May 9, 2024

North Carolina Schools Have Lost Significant Progress in Racial Integration

A study of North Carolina public schools finds that even as enrollment becomes more racially diverse, schools are more segregated now than they were in the late 1980s. The report, “Can Our Schools Capture the Educational Gains of Diversity? North Carolina School Segregation, Alternatives, and Possible Gains,” found that racial diversity gains in North Carolina… 

May 3, 2024

Birdwatching can help students improve mental health, reduce distress

A new study finds people who have nature-based experiences report better well-being and lower psychological distress than those who do not. Birdwatching in particular yielded promising results, with higher gains in subjective well-being and more reduction in distress than more generic nature exposure, such as walks. Because birdwatching is an easily accessible activity, the results… 

Apr 26, 2024

Mammals on ‘Sky Islands’ May Be Threatened By Climate Change, Human Development

A new study sheds light on how climate change and human development threaten mammal species living in isolated biodiversity hotspots known as “sky islands.” Researchers placed camera traps throughout Mt. Kenya National Park in East Africa, following the same route up the mountain used by Theodore Roosevelt during his expedition there in 1909. By comparing… 

Apr 17, 2024

NC State Researchers Use Machine Learning To Create a Fabric-Based Touch Sensor

A new study from NC State University combines three-dimensional embroidery techniques with machine learning to create a fabric-based sensor that can control electronic devices through touch.  As the field of wearable electronics gains more interest and new functions are added to clothing, an embroidery-based sensor or “button” capable of controlling those functions becomes increasingly important. Integrated… 

Mar 22, 2024

Camera traps help researchers explain animal behavior during global COVID-19 lockdowns

A new collaborative study using thousands of cameras around the world reveals how animal behavior changed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, the study sheds light on how animal behavior was influenced by changes in human behavior during pandemic lockdowns. Led by the University of British Columbia, the study used data from over 5,000 camera traps… 

Mar 8, 2024

Educators Can Help Foster Interpartisan Friendships on College Campuses

As American society continues to divide along political lines, higher education and educators have unique potential to help foster interpartisan friendships, according to a new study from North Carolina State University. The findings are based on data from the Interfaith Diversity Experiences and Attitudes Longitudinal Survey (IDEALS), a study that included 5,762 college students from…