Oct 15, 2024 Futurity

Tool helps check older dogs’ frailty

“In humans, we classify frailty as a physical or physiological state associated with loss of strength, slow walking speed, weight loss, exhaustion, and reduced activity—which is what happens as your body starts winding down,” says corresponding author Natasha Olby, distinguished chair in gerontology at North Carolina State University. 

Oct 15, 2024 Futurity

‘Forever chemicals’ may last more than 40 years in groundwater

“There’s a huge area of PFAS contaminated groundwater—including residential and agricultural land—which impacts the population in two ways,” says David Genereux, professor of marine, earth, and atmospheric sciences at North Carolina State University and leader of the study. 

Oct 15, 2024 Earth.com

Climate change is destabilizing ant-plant relationships

Led by North Carolina State University, the study focused on the mutualistic relationship between specific ant species and the tropical shrub Cordia nodosa, which provides ants with shelter in exchange for protection from herbivores. The researchers compared how these relationships function in five urban sites and five protected forest areas in South America. A key… 

Oct 15, 2024 AZO Materials

Breakthrough in Light Emission: Layered Hybrid Perovskites

“A quantum well that is two atoms thick has higher energy than a quantum well that is five atoms thick. And in order to get energy to flow efficiently, you want to have quantum wells that are three and four atoms thick between the quantum wells that are two and five atoms thick. You basically… 

Oct 14, 2024 Farm Progress

Powered by AI, new tool helps soybean planting decisions

The free open-source, web-based tool is informed by thousands of data points from North Carolina State University field trials conducted statewide over five years. It will allow the state’s 5,000 soybean growers to pinpoint their region and get site-specific recommendations for planting dates and maturity groups. 

Oct 14, 2024 The News and Observer

‘Nightmarish’ plant with delirium-inducing ‘eyeballs’ prompts warning from park rangers

While the berries and roots are particularly hazardous, the entire plant is poisonous, according to North Carolina State University. Eating the plant is known to cause “severe pain” in the mouth and throat and can be fatal to pets and livestock as well as people. Doll’s-eyes grows across much of the U.S., typically in “forests… 

Oct 14, 2024 The New York TImes

A Tale of Two Hurricanes Finds More That Differs Than Is the Same

Gary Lackmann, a professor of marine, earth and atmospheric sciences at North Carolina State University, said that, unlike in Florida, western North Carolina’s sloped terrain created distinct hazards, such as mud and debris flows and landslides. “If the storms are stronger because of climate change, then they’re more likely to spread farther inland,” Dr. Lackmann… 

Oct 14, 2024 The Coastland Times

You Decide: What does the Fed’s rate cut mean?

Recently the Federal Reserve (the Fed) made headlines by reducing its interest rate for the first time since 2020. Most analysts applauded the cut, and households — especially those looking to borrow money — enjoyed a jolt of optimism. But before you can decide what this means, and whether you should be smiling or frowning,… 

Oct 11, 2024 WRAL

Some railroad tracks are closed indefinitely, could affect deliveries

“That’s not something that can be fixed overnight,” said North Carolina State University professor Brad Ashbaugh. The same is true for the CSX railroad from Spruce Pine to Erwin. The company says it does not know when the track will reopen. Ashbaugh is an industrial engineering professional and an expert in business management. He calls… 

Oct 11, 2024 Science Daily

New tool developed to enhance marine energy project design

Researchers at North Carolina State University have unveiled a new modeling tool designed to support the development of ocean-based hydrokinetic energy projects. This tool is expected to assist in designing more durable marine hydrokinetic technologies and aid in risk assessments required for project financing and regulatory approval. 

Oct 11, 2024 The Washington Post

Why unpasteurized apple cider may carry health risks

“The risk discussion around unpasteurized apple cider is not theoretical,” said Benjamin Chapman, department head of agricultural and human sciences at North Carolina State University. “We’ve had a number of outbreaks linked to unpasteurized apple cider in the past few decades.” 

Oct 11, 2024 The Asheville Citizen-Times

Why did it flood so badly in Western North Carolina? Some scientist point to this weather effect

At its peak, the French Broad River in Fletcher crested at 30.31 feet on Sept. 27 as Helene moved through the area, according to the North Carolina State Climate Office out of North Carolina State University. In Asheville, the French Broad hit 24.67 feet, 1.5 feet above its previous highest crest. Further downstream at Blantyre, the river surpassed its 1916… 

Oct 10, 2024 Pork Business

Purposeful Purchases: How to Decide Which Technology to Invest in Next

When it comes to making the tough purchasing decisions, Suzanne Leonard, assistant professor and Extension specialist at North Carolina State University, recommends producers start by prioritizing. “Decide what problem you would like to tackle first. Maybe it is high prewean mortality, low nursery feed efficiency or a job task that you dislike performing. Determine how… 

Oct 10, 2024 Business Insider

Hurricanes are taking the election by storm. Here’s where Harris and Trump stand on natural disaster policies.

“Disasters are always political,” Thomas Birkland, a political scientist at North Carolina State University who studies the politics of national disasters, told Business Insider. He said that disaster relief is not, however, usually discussed during campaigns. 

Oct 10, 2024 Food & Wine Magazine

Food Safety Experts Warn That Storing Produce in Jars Could Lead to Dangerous Bacterial Growth

There are a few potential things to have on your radar here. “One of the main risks with this trend is storing produce in jars submerged in water, as this can lead to the growth of bacteria that can cause illness,” says food safety expert Ellen Shumaker, Ph.D., director of outreach for the Safe Plates…