The Abstract

Sep 26, 2011

Faster than Light?

The possibility that scientists have clocked sub-atomic particles at faster-than-light speeds has the physics world buzzing. If true, the discovery would at the very least open up the possibility of time travel. But are the results likely to be repeatable, or were they just a fluke? We asked NC State physicist Dean Lee to offer his…

Sep 21, 2011

Into Africa, Via the Penguin Conveyor Belt

Dr. Dan Ksepka is an expert on prehistoric penguins. In his latest research, he delves into the origins of several species of now-extinct African penguin to find out whether they all evolved from one common ancestor or whether they were distinct species that arrived at separate times. His conclusion, based upon fossil evidence, is that…

Sep 20, 2011

How People Feel About Diversity And ‘Neighborhood Schools’: It’s Complicated

Editor’s Note: The Wake County Board of Education has been the subject of intense scrutiny in recent years as it debates issues related to diversity and “neighborhood schools,” and voters are preparing for board elections October 11. But researchers from NC State have found that the issues are more complex than media outlets have made them…

Sep 8, 2011

Boxing Up Sub-Atomic Particles

Let’s say you’re a nuclear physicist who – in your quest to learn more about the way the universe works – wants to learn more about the structure and angular momentum, or spin, of an atomic nucleus. However, you can’t just grab a nucleus and stick it under a microscope. What do you do? If…

Sep 8, 2011

Monster Fish Q & A, with Zeb Hogan

Editor’s Note: Dr. Zeb Hogan is an assistant research professor at the University of Nevada-Reno, and host of the National Geographic series “Monster Fish.” Hogan is the keynote speaker at NC State’s Frederick and Joan Barkalow Distinguished Conservationist Lecture, which will be held Sept. 14 from 1:30-2:30 p.m. in David Clark Labs, Room 101. The event…

Sep 7, 2011

Home Field Advantage

It’s football season, that magical time of year when regalia-bedecked fans gather to cheer on the home team and elevate tailgating to an art form. But fans aren’t the only ones who have favorite colors: it turns out that the football fields themselves also have a preference. Why? Because the health of the turf on a football field…

Sep 6, 2011

How Electric Fields Could Change Ceramics

We reported last year on research showing that applying an electric field can result in stronger ceramic materials – and a cheaper, more energy-efficient manufacturing process. A new paper helps us understand why that happens – and what the limitations are. As an added bonus, researchers have also figured out a new, easier way to…

Sep 2, 2011

Teaching A Computer To Have A Conversation Just Got Easier

Researchers have come up with a computer program that improves efficiency for authors creating natural language generation (NLG) systems. In other words, it is now easier for programmers to teach a computer how to write in lay English. NLG systems are used in an enormous number of applications, from video games and online tutorials to…

Aug 31, 2011

Leapin’ Lizards

If you live in the southeastern U.S., you see these little guys (and gals) everywhere – the ubiquitous green or brown Anole lizard known scientifically as Anolis carolinensis. But aside from being cute and able to regenerate part of its tail, this little lizard – and its newly sequenced genome – may help scientists solve…

Aug 31, 2011

Making Refactoring Tools More Attractive For Programmers

Researchers have come up with a new way to give programmers access to refactoring tools, hopefully making the process more intuitive and making it more likely that programmers will use the tools. Refactoring is when you change the structure of a piece of a code without changing what the code actually does – you might…

Aug 30, 2011

Time Machine: See and Hear John Donne Preach (Sort Of)

While the time machine has not yet been invented to transport us back to 17th century England, a researcher named John Wall is attempting to use modern technology to do the next best thing – recreating an important scene involving politics, religion and literary figure John Donne. Best of all, he’s hoping to make it…

Aug 29, 2011

Putting Research-Driven Teaching Tools In Schools – For Free

When John Begeny saw that an aspect of literacy education was getting scant attention in schools, he decided to research it. Then he used that research to develop an effective new tool for teachers, with demonstrated results. Then he decided to give the new program to teachers and parents for free. Cheers to that. As…

Aug 26, 2011

Send In The Ants

Editor’s Note: This guest post was written by David Hunt, of NC State’s News Services. I don’t want to alarm you, but you may have Camponotus americanus crawling around in your backyard. Or Tetramorium caespitum creeping between the cracks in your front walkway. In fact, there are more than 200 species of these critters sharing our…

Aug 25, 2011

Advances In Forensic Anthropology: Creating A Face

Note: This is the third of three posts outlining recent technological advances in forensic science, which were the focus of a workshop held earlier this month at NC State. The workshop, Advances In Forensic Anthropology, was funded by the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) and organized by the National Forensic Science Technology Center. When trying to…

Aug 23, 2011

Advances In Forensic Anthropology: Database For The Unidentified

Note: This is the second of three posts outlining recent technological advances in forensic science, which were the focus of a workshop held earlier this month at NC State. The workshop, Advances In Forensic Anthropology, was funded by the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) and organized by the National Forensic Science Technology Center. When a loved…