2026-07-14 The Packer

How NC State Researchers Use AI and Genomics to Fight Devastating Strawberry Disease

Neopestalotiopsis (NeoP) has become a devastating disease in strawberries, and a research team at North Carolina State University seeks to understand more about it and how the state’s growers can better understand and detect the pathogen. First identified in Florida commercial fields in 2017, NeoP was discovered in North Carolina in 2022.

2026-07-14 WSOC-FM

Blue-Glowing Firefly Found in Mecklenburg County Could Be New Species

Two teachers at a Mecklenburg County park stumbled upon a blue-glowing firefly. It might be a completely new species. An expert at N.C. State University is examining the bug to determine whether it's a known species in a new location or something science hasn't seen before.

2026-07-14 Phys.org

AI helps scientists improve prediction of which DNA sequences bind to each other

"We often think about binding as a very simple relationship—Molecule A binds to Molecule B," says Albert Keung, co-corresponding author of the study in Nature Communications and an associate professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering at North Carolina State University. "But in biological systems, it's far from simple. Molecule A may bind to dozens of other molecules, to varying degrees.

2026-07-13 Successful Farming

Why Saving Historic Seed Varieties Matters More Than Ever for Farmers

“Most of the maize hybrids in the United States have been developed off [around] six original populations,” said Jordan Cummings, a PhD student studying genetics and genomics at North Carolina State University.

2026-07-13 Accounting Times

Greater numeric tax disclosure conducive to better information environment, research finds

In her research paper, Tax numbers and ETR forecasting, North Carolina State University assistant professor Carly Burd analysed a sample of 7,944 firm-year observations in 2,099 unique firms between fiscal years 2012 and 2019, and found that numeric tax disclosure improves transparency in a way that narrative tax disclosure does not.

2026-07-13 Yahoo!

Where did all the fireflies go?

Researchers estimate that roughly one in three assessed North American firefly species is at risk of extinction. As such, I'd worried that nights full of fireflies were a thing of the past. Yet in that valley, they'd been abundant. Was I just looking in the wrong places? To find out, I talked to Clyde Sorenson, an entomologist, wildlife biologist and distinguished professor at NC State University, about current firefly populations. While many species of lightning bug are in major decline, he says that "in North Carolina, for instance, we have 35 or so species of fireflies. Many of those species are doing quite well in habitats that are intact."

2026-07-13 Newsweek

How Worried Should Americans Be About Cyclosporiasis? Experts Weigh In

“Cyclospora is almost always associated with consumption of fresh vegetables, herbs, and a few fruits, particularly berries,” Lee-Ann Jaykus, the William Neal Reynolds Distinguished Professor of Emerita in food, bioprocessing and nutrition sciences at NC State University, told Newsweek. “Larger outbreaks are often linked to widely distributed multi-component foods, such as salad mixes or vegetable trays, making it difficult to determine which ingredient was contaminated.”

2026-07-13 WRAL

NC State scientists solve mystery behind beetle damaging North Carolina blueberry farms

For years, some North Carolina blueberry growers knew something was destroying their bushes from below ground. By the time plants showed obvious signs of trouble, it was often too late. Now, researchers at North Carolina State University say they've identified the culprit: a native longhorn beetle whose larvae can spend years feeding on blueberry roots before the damage becomes visible. "We need to know exactly which species we're dealing with because that's going to help us determine what tools to use," said Lorena Lopez, an assistant extension professor in NC State's Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology. "We also want to answer why blueberries are being infested only here in North Carolina so far."

2026-07-09 Public Radio East

Rescuers help return rehabilitated sea turtle to the Atlantic

North Carolina State University Ph.D. candidate Lindsay Curl first spotted the distressed turtle back in April while conducting fieldwork near Harkers Island. Alongside fellow researchers and technicians from the Center for Marine Sciences and Technology, Curl rescued the animal and brought it to their facility.

2026-07-09 Yahoo! Life

Heavy rain can sweep snakes into SC backyards. Here’s how to deal with them

NC State Extension, the educational outreach branch of NC State University, provided tips for homeowners who may have to take care of snakes after a bad storm.

2026-07-09 AOL

New World screwworm cases on the rise in U.S. Are they in NC?

A report updated June 28 from N.C. State University stated that there are no confirmed New World screwworm cases in North Carolina, and the current risk is very low.

2026-07-09 Farms.com

Could Duckweed Solve One of Hog Farming’s Biggest Challenges?

North Carolina is the nation’s third-largest hog-producing state, and a big challenge hog farmers face is lagoon overflow on their farms. A new approach by an NC State University professor aims to make animal producers’ waste management practices more sustainable and less stressful. Ryan Sartor’s idea involves leveraging domesticated duckweed (Lemna) varieties in wastewater lagoons to prevent overflows on farms and harvesting the duckweed as a by-product.

2026-07-08 DVM 360

Shorter front-limb stride length flags cognitive decline in aging dogs

Cognitive decline in aging dogs shows up in how they walk—specifically, in a shortening of the stride in their front limbs, according to a new longitudinal study out of North Carolina State University.1 The finding gives clinicians a potential objective, low-tech marker to fold into the geriatric workup, complementing the owner questionnaires that currently do much of the heavy lifting in canine cognitive assessment.

2026-07-08 Chemical & Engineering News

This new stretchable battery harvests water from air

“We wanted to avoid toxic electrolytes, and we wanted to have very safe and nonflammable electrolytes,” says Rajaram Kaveti, a materials scientist at North Carolina State University and first author of the study. “The best case is water.” Previous designs of liquid activated batteries include versions powered by sweat or manually added water. But instead of relying on an external liquid source, the new battery scavenges water vapor from the surrounding air to activate itself, even in relative humidities as low as 10%. If sealed, the dry battery remains inactive until exposed to the atmosphere.

2026-07-08 Inc.

If You’re in These 8 States, Check Your Freezer: Popular Frozen Berry Recalled After 12 People Sickened by E. Coli

Candice Christian, an extension associate in consumer and retail food safety at North Carolina State University, told Inc. that consumers should check the product packaging to determine whether their blueberries are included in the recall. If the product matches the recalled item, she said, customers should throw it away or return it to the store.