Exploration

Early-stage research happening at NC State

Jul 7, 2025

‘Ice in a Volcano’ Reveals Age of Gas Cloud at Milky Way’s Center

Researchers find clouds of cold gas embedded deep within larger, superheated gas clouds – or Fermi bubbles – at the Milky Way’s center.

illustration shows a line drawing of circuits arranged in the shape of a brain

Jul 7, 2025

Researchers Found a Better Way to Teach Large Language Models New Skills

The new technique improves AI performance over previous techniques in tasks including commonsense reasoning, arithmetic reasoning, instruction following, code generation, and visual recognition.

a pair of eyeglasses rests on a desk in front of a computer screen that is running code

Jul 1, 2025

New Attack Can Make AI ‘See’ Whatever You Want

A new way of attacking AI vision systems controls what the AI “sees,” and is effective at manipulating the most widely used computer vision systems.

sunlight reflects off the water on a large lake

Jun 24, 2025

Why The Sun Is So Good At Evaporating Water

The key factor turns out to be the oscillating electric field inherent to sunlight itself.

Jun 19, 2025

Climate Change-Driven Fires Could Double Soluble Iron in Northern Oceans

Increasing wildfires in the Northern Hemisphere are projected to almost double the amount of nutrients such as iron in the atmosphere - with effects on CO2 storage and ocean productivity.

Jun 18, 2025

Human development outside protected areas may harm biodiversity within

Designating areas as protected spaces for wildlife is a common strategy for preserving biodiversity, but heavy human development around those areas may largely counteract the benefit of those protections. This phenomenon is described in a new study using camera-trap data to evaluate the effectiveness of hundreds of protected areas across China. Co-author Roland Kays, research…

aerial view of a wastewater treatment plant

Jun 11, 2025

Researchers Create New Way to Remove Phosphorus from Contaminated Water

Researchers have created an inexpensive material that can filter phosphorus from contaminated surface waters, drinking water supplies or wastewater streams and reuse the phosphorus for agricultural applications.

May 29, 2025

Laser Technique Revolutionizes Ultra-High Temperature Ceramic Manufacturing for Space, Defense Applications

The new technique uses lasers to create ceramics that can withstand ultra-high temperatures, with applications ranging from nuclear power technologies to spacecraft and jet exhaust systems.

diagram illustrates physical forces that allow users to concentrate particles in liquid using ultrasound

May 21, 2025

Physics Advance Details New Way to Control Solid Objects in Liquid

The discovery will allow researchers to engineer technologies that make use of the technique to develop applications in fields such as biomedical testing and drug development.

diagram shows how material 'squeezes' infrared light

May 19, 2025

Advances Bring Us Closer to New ‘Light-Squeezing’ Technologies

Researchers have improved upon techniques that use thin films to compress infrared light, demonstrating three advantages that make the films more useful for practical applications.

illustration shows an aerial tramcar next to a soft robot that can also ascend and descend along a track

Apr 28, 2025

High-Wire Act: Soft Robot Can Carry Cargo Up and Down Steep Aerial Wires

Researchers have created a light-powered soft robot that can carry loads through the air along established tracks, similar to cable cars or aerial trams.

a stylized graphic shows three robots conducting chemistry experiments while four humans look at computer screens. there is a globe representing earth in the background

Apr 24, 2025

Could Self-Driving Labs Lead to a New Era of Scientific Research?

How a new approach to research could expedite work on sustainable energy, emerging diseases and other global challenges.

aerial view of a football field in a stadium. all distinguishing features, such as logos, have been removed from the field and stadium

Apr 14, 2025

How Blockchain Could Change the NFL Draft

NFL draft trade deals are complex, fast-paced and rely on a clear understanding between the teams involved. Researchers say this is where blockchain smart contracts could be useful.

Campus gateway sign reading NC State University

Mar 24, 2025

Novel Material Holds Promise for Tech to Convert CO2 Into Fuel

Researchers have developed a novel combination of materials that have organic and inorganic properties, with the goal of using them in technologies that convert carbon dioxide from the atmosphere into a liquid fuel.

Mar 17, 2025

Researchers Demonstrate New Technique for Boosting Plant Growth with Bacteria

The work paves the way for crop applications that make use of these beneficial bacteria in conjunction with agrochemicals.