2026-10-08 Interesting Engineering

Feather star-inspired robot moves underwater with just two actuators

Researchers at North Carolina State University have developed a soft underwater robot inspired by feather stars, a type of marine invertebrate.

2026-10-08 Gizmodo

Do Cats Really Love Us?

We all want to believe that our feline friends love us. Indeed, we know it in our whiskered hearts! However, this question continues to plague people as cartoons and articles describe cats as aloof, asocial, or uncaring about their people’s plights. The good news is that science backs up what feline lovers believe—cats do seem to return our affection. Margaret Gruen is a veterinary behaviorist and associate professor of behavioral medicine at North Carolina State University.

2026-10-07 Flatwater Free Press

Immigration enforcement is rare at Nebraska’s ag worksites. Why?

Food production is a national security issue, and unexpected mass deportation of the industry’s workers would probably drive up grocery prices, said Alejandro Gutierrez-Li, a labor economist at North Carolina State University.

2026-10-07 Futurity

Eggshells Help Make Stronger, Lighter Metal Alloys

“For example, calcium carbonate and calcium oxide are important materials for manufacturing metal alloys,” says Bharat Gwalani, corresponding author of a paper on the work and an assistant professor of materials science and engineering at North Carolina State University.

2026-10-07 Electronics Online

Plasma beam antenna transmits radio waves with lasers

“The plasma beam antenna looks like a lightsabre and is tuneable, meaning we should be able to transmit across a broad range of frequencies,” said Prya Darshni, corresponding author of a journal article on the work and a PhD student at North Carolina State University.

2026-10-07 Healthcare in Europe

How C. diff spreads in a hospital oncology ward

“Physicians have singled out antimicrobial resistance as a big issue for improvement in cancer patients,” says Cristina Lanzas, professor of infectious disease at North Carolina State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine and corresponding author of the research.

2026-10-06 Charlotte Observer

Imported meat could help lower beef prices in NC. But is it safe to eat?

Despite the uncertainty surrounding the new beef imports, consumers should not assume the meat is unsafe, said Dana Hanson, an associate professor and meat science specialist at N.C. State University.

2026-10-06 ChemEurope

Researchers use eggshells (yes, eggshells) to make stronger, lighter metal alloys

“For example, calcium carbonate and calcium oxide are important materials for manufacturing metal alloys,” says Bharat Gwalani, corresponding author of a paper on the work and an assistant professor of materials science and engineering at North Carolina State University.

2026-10-06 National Geographic

A Pacific ‘Blob’ is Pulsing Up the West Coast. Here’s What’s to Expect.

This is the biggest Kelvin wave of the year, says Dillon Amaya, an assistant professor in the Department of marine, earth, and atmospheric sciences at North Carolina State University. "I expect another three to four of these over the course of El Niño, throughout the winter,” he adds.

2026-10-06 Inc.

Sam Altman’s Publicist Interrupted a Tough Question. A PR Expert Says That Created a Second Problem

Alice Cheng, a communications professor at North Carolina State University, told Inc. that publicists tend to step into an interview for legitimate reasons, including time constraints, legal concerns, privacy, or the sensitivity of the topic. However, she said this recent interruption, from a credibility standpoint, likely hurt more than it helped.

2026-10-06 Gadget Review

Scientists Just Built a Lightsaber-Like Antenna That Uses Laser-Ionized Air

Fire a laser through open air, and you get a thin, glowing column of ionized atmosphere. Researchers at North Carolina State University, Texas A&M University, and Princeton University have demonstrated that this plasma filament can transmit a radio-frequency signal, producing a 2.5-times increase in received signal strength, equivalent to a 150% gain, at 30 MHz.

2026-10-06 The Microbiologist

Model traces C. diff spread in hospital oncology units

“Physicians have singled out antimicrobial resistance as a big issue for improvement in cancer patients,” says Cristina Lanzas, professor of infectious disease at North Carolina State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine and corresponding author of the research.

2026-10-05 Medical Xpress

C. diff carriers without symptoms fuel most transmission in cancer wards, model finds

"Physicians have singled out antimicrobial resistance as a big issue for improvement in cancer patients," says Cristina Lanzas, professor of infectious disease at North Carolina State University's College of Veterinary Medicine and corresponding author of the research.

2026-10-03 PBS Newshour

What to know about the Kelvin wave raising the sea level along the West Coast

Kelvin waves are a "fact of life" during an El Niño, a naturally occurring climate pattern involving the warming ocean waters, said Dillon Amaya, an assistant professor in the Department of Marine, Earth, and Atmospheric Sciences at North Carolina State University.

2026-10-02 Interesting Engineering

US scientists turn 95% calcium-rich eggshell waste into stronger magnesium alloys

“For example, calcium carbonate and calcium oxide are important materials for manufacturing metal alloys,” said Bharat Gwalani, corresponding author of the paper and an assistant professor of materials science and engineering at North Carolina State University. “But producing those calcium materials relies on a complex process making use of mined materials. We’ve demonstrated a technique that allows us to skip a step,” he added.