2026-08-06 Environment360

For America’s Rarest Wildlife, Survival May Hinge on a Single Word

On a crisp day in October 1995, Jay Carter and Kerry Brust, researchers from North Carolina State University, led me to a tall longleaf pine in the Sandhills area of North Carolina.

2026-08-06 Fox Wilmington

Pender County schools could add 6,500 students by 2035, officials say

The forecast from NC State University’s Institute for Transportation Research and Education projects that district enrollment will grow from 10,892 students in the 2025-26 school year to 17,407 students by 2035-36.

2026-08-06 Chemical & Engineering News

Fluffy meshes clean up microplastics big and small

Now researchers have developed a porous mesh with a fuzzy surface that traps microplastics and nanoplastics from water. Lab tests suggest that you can drop the meshes in an aquifer and then scoop them up along with the plastic bits, says Orlin Velev, a chemical engineer at North Carolina State University.

2026-08-06 Earth.com

Natural sounds help people feel more connected to the areas in which they live

“The biggest takeaway from this is that soundscapes matter to sense of place, to how attached we feel to spaces,” said study lead author Caren Cooper, a professor at North Carolina State University.

2026-08-06 CBS 17

NC health officials still looking to find the source of cyclosporiasis outbreak; cases continue to rise

Lee-Ann Jaykus, a professor at NC State University, calls cyclospora a shape shifter. She adds that the contamination cycle begins when a person eats food or drinks water containing the parasite.

2026-08-06 WXII NBC 12

Why do water mains keep breaking across the Piedmont-Triad?

At NC State University, engineers are working to incorporate more pressure monitoring into new pipe systems and replacements to detect and isolate leaks faster. "I would expect something like that probably should have been replaced a little bit earlier. But I think different utilities have different plans," said Kumar Mahinthakumar, a civil engineering professor at NC State.

2026-08-06 ABC 11

Mosquitos harder to control as some developing resistance to common insecticide, NC researcher says

Tiger mosquitoes in Wake County are developing resistance to pyrethroids, a common insecticide used in residential and commercial mosquito control programs, according to researchers at North Carolina State University.

2026-08-05 ABC11

Registration opens for Christina Koch’s NC State homecoming

Registration opens Wednesday for a special homecoming celebration welcoming astronaut Christina Koch back to NC State University. Koch, a three-time NC State graduate, will return to campus on Aug. 24 following her historic role as a mission specialist on NASA's Artemis II mission earlier this year. The mission marked a major milestone for space exploration, with Koch becoming the first woman to travel around the moon. NC State is planning a campus celebration to recognize Koch's accomplishments and her connection to the university. The event is expected to draw alumni, students, faculty and community members eager to celebrate one of the school's most notable graduates. Koch earned multiple degrees from NC State before going on to a career with NASA that has included record-setting spaceflight missions and now a place in lunar exploration history.

2026-08-05 Interesting Engineering

Seaweed-inspired mesh captures microplastics from 5 mm down to tens of nanometers

The new material was designed by researchers at North Carolina State University. It can work in both freshwater and saltwater, and addresses one of the biggest challenges in removing plastic pollution from aquatic environments.

2026-08-05 Yahoo! News

Listening to bird songs reduces stress and boosts mood, study finds

Recently, researchers at North Carolina State University studied how different sounds and surroundings affect people's emotions and stress levels.

2026-08-05 Southern Living

These Popular Mosquito Remedies Don’t Actually Work, Experts Say

The use of commercial traps alone, which employ some sort of attractant to lure the female in for capture or kill, also won’t solve your problems. “I don’t know of any peer-reviewed research about these products,” says Chris Hayes, PhD, extension associate professor of structural pest management at North Carolina State University. “Also, it’s not clear how many you would need to cover an area. For example, if you live near a heavily wooded area, is one trap sufficient? In general, trapping is not the gold standard for controlling mosquitoes.”

2026-08-04 The Assembly

The Commerce Secretary and the Unprecedented Revolt Against Data Centers

The state has rarely seen this kind of economic development debate; even new prisons and jails have generally been welcomed in rural areas. “This is unique in my almost 50 years living in North Carolina,” said Michael Walden, a longtime economist at North Carolina State University.

2026-08-04 Great Lakes Now

How scientists can predict Lake Erie’s harmful algal blooms months before they appear

“You can always make a prediction,” said Dan Obenour, a professor in the Department of Civil Construction and Environmental Engineering at North Carolina State University focusing on water quality dynamics. “As you go further and further out in the future, the uncertainty increases. At some point, the forecast becomes useless.”

2026-08-04 WRAL

To the Moon and Pack: NASA astronaut Christina Koch to receive homecoming celebration at NC State

North Carolina State University on Tuesday announced it will hold a special homecoming celebration for NASA astronaut Christina Koch.

2026-08-04 North American Clean Energy

Researchers Improve Day-Ahead Solar Forecasting for Energy Sector

Researchers from North Carolina State University have demonstrated techniques that can improve day-ahead solar forecasts by up to 13% over the most consistently performing individual model.