Matt Shipman

Jul 6, 2010

Hips Don’t Lie: Researchers Find More Accurate Technique To Determine Sex Of Skeletal Remains

Research from North Carolina State University offers a new means of determining the sex of skeletal human remains – an advance that may have significant impacts in the wake of disasters, the studying of ancient remains and the criminal justice system. 

Jun 30, 2010

Hunting For (Software) Bugs

If you know how to type, you’ve probably made a typo at some point. Normally it’s no big deal. But imagine you’re a computer programmer, churning out line after line of code. That’s when a simple typo can create a “bug” – or defect – with significant repercussions. But researchers from Microsoft Research and North… 

Jun 30, 2010

New Technique Improves Efficiency Of Biofuel Production

Researchers at North Carolina State University have developed a more efficient technique for producing biofuels from woody plants that significantly reduces the waste that results from conventional biofuel production techniques. The technique is a significant step toward creating a commercially viable new source of biofuels. 

Jun 29, 2010

Study Shows Age Doesn’t Necessarily Affect Decisions

Many people believe that getting older means losing a mental edge, leading to poor decision-making. But a new study from North Carolina State University shows that when it comes to making intuitive decisions – using your “gut instincts” – older adults fare as well as their juniors. 

Jun 18, 2010

Welcome to the Deepwater Horizon MC252 Incident

Editor’s Note: This is a guest post by Dr. Greg Massey, DVM, DABVP, a postdoctoral research associate at NC State who is currently using his expertise to help wildlife – particularly birds – who have been affected by the oil spill on the Gulf Coast. He will be writing about his experiences periodically on The Abstract.… 

Jun 17, 2010

Dare I Sequence A Peach?

Note: This is a guest piece written by David Caldwell, a science writer with NC State University’s College of Agriculture & Life Sciences. I only posted it. And added the awful pun of a headline. The genetic makeup of the peach could yield tantalizing clues for scientists working with many related plants. While you might expect… 

Jun 15, 2010

Video Study Finds Risky Food-Safety Behavior More Common Than Thought

How safe is the food we get from restaurants, cafeterias and other food-service providers? A new study from North Carolina State University — the first study to place video cameras in commercial kitchens to see how precisely food handlers followed food-safety guidelines —  discovered that risky practices can happen more often than previously thought. 

Jun 14, 2010

Tequila And Cheese Offer Lessons For Rural Economies In Developing World

Tequila and cheese may sound like the makings of an awkward cocktail party, but new research shows that they have a lot to tell us about efforts to boost rural economies around the world. 

Jun 9, 2010

On A Roll: Designing The Next Rover To Explore Mars

The concept of a wind-powered vehicle that can be used to explore the surface of Mars – a so-called “tumbleweed rover” that would roll over the surface of Mars like a tumbleweed – has been around for more than 10 years, but so far there has been no consensus on exactly what that vehicle should… 

Jun 8, 2010

Too Many Cooks (Are Making Food Safety Mistakes)

I have a friend who is very wary of food safety practices at restaurants – religiously checking the sanitation scores of restaurants before going out to eat. New research shows that she’s probably right to be chary. Researchers, including NC State food scientist Ben Chapman, for the first time used video cameras to track food safety… 

Jun 1, 2010

NC State To Play Key Role In DOE Team On Nuclear Energy Innovation

Experimenting with new designs and operation techniques for nuclear power plants is a tricky business, since even small changes can pose significant safety and financial risks. But the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is funding a major research initiative that will use computer models to develop innovative new approaches to nuclear power that will result… 

Jun 1, 2010

Thunderstruck: AC/DC Rocks Sintering

When I say ceramics, you think of bowls and plates, right? But ceramics are also used in body armor, fuel cells, spark plugs, nuclear rods, space shuttles, superconductors and hundreds of other things you probably didn’t know about and would think are really important. New research is now showing that manufacturers can make and shape… 

Jun 1, 2010

Research: Electric Fields Make Ceramic Production Quicker, Cheaper

Researchers from North Carolina State University have found that applying a small electric field results in faster formation of ceramic products during manufacture at lower temperatures, and enhances the strength of the ceramic itself. 

May 20, 2010

To The Point

Those things that look like artillery shells are actually biodegradable microneedles. These needles are much smaller than conventional hypodermic needles, and cause less pain, tissue damage and skin inflammation for patients. Because they are biodegradable, they dissolve on the skin surface and can be used for single-use drug delivery situations such as vaccine delivery. 

May 19, 2010

New Microneedle Antimicrobial Techniques May Foster Medical Tech Innovation

A team led by researchers from North Carolina State University has developed two new approaches for incorporating antimicrobial properties into microneedles – vanishingly thin needles that hold great promise for use in portable medical devices. Researchers expect the findings to spur development of new medical applications using microneedles.