2026-07-02 Interesting Engineering

New air-powered battery includes built-in self-destruct for sensitive devices

Researchers at Rice University and North Carolina State University have developed a stretchable battery that draws moisture from the air to generate electricity, eliminating the need for conventional liquid electrolytes while powering wearable and Internet of Things (IoT) devices.

2026-07-02 Earth.com

A battery powered by humid air matches commercial cells, and a spy version self-destructs when opened

The work comes from the lab of Amay J. Bandodkar, an engineering professor at North Carolina State University, with collaborators at Rice University. Their cell pairs a magnesium anode with a silver chloride cathode, both common in medical devices.

2026-07-01 WRAL

Too hot! Here’s how to stay safe, stay cool as temperatures reach near 100 degrees

Keeping pets healthy during the heat The Veterinary Teaching Hospital at North Carolina State University offers these tips to help keep your pets healthy in the hot summertime. General heat safety tips Limit your pet's exercise on hot and humid days to early morning and evening. When exercising your pet, remember that asphalt becomes very hot, which can burn tender foot pads. Keep fresh water handy, and ensure that cooling shade is always nearby. Never leave a pet in a parked car. Even with the windows rolled down, it only takes a few minutes for a dangerous level of heat to build within the interior of a car. Dehydration, heat stroke and even brain damage to the dog or cat can occur. While all dogs and cats are at risk, older or very young pets, overweight pets, pets with heavy coats, and short-nosed dogs might need extra care.

2026-07-01 Health Day

A Dog’s Stride Could Be An Early Sign Of Dementia, Study Says

“Here we show that the length of front leg stride taken by dogs decreases with age, but even more importantly, decreases with a cognitive impairment,” said lead researcher Dr. Natasha Olby, a professor of veterinary neurology and neurosurgery at North Carolina State University in Raleigh.

2026-06-30 Bay News 9

AI-driven app aims to help farmers cut costs and pick the best blueberries

Jing Zhang, an assistant professor of translational plant phenomics at NCSU, is working to develop the app, called the Berry Detector. “I work with plant breeders, and they wanted to characterize when the fruit is ripe, how many flowers and fruit they are on the plant. So we just started with that, developing a model. Then we see we really need handle to the model so the breeders can use it,” Zhang said. Working with computer science students, the N.C. Plant Sciences Initiative and N.C. Cooperative Extension Office agents, she has been able to develop her relationship with farmers and growers in the state and gather data for the app.

2026-06-30 AARP

9 Things You Contaminate While You Cook (Without Realizing It)

Use a stand to keep your phone hands-free while you cook — and make it a rule not to touch it right after handling raw meat without washing up first, says Ellen Shumaker, director of outreach for Safe Plates in the Department of Agricultural and Human Sciences at North Carolina State University. When you're done cooking, wipe down the screen with an antibacterial wipe containing at least 70 percent alcohol. It sounds like overkill until you think about where your hands have been.

2026-06-30 CBS17

Teen CEO of sustainable beachwear company partners with NC State for wolfpack-themed gear

Jennifer Gilmore, the director of marketing and communication for Campus Enterprises at NC State, said the university appreciates Coastal Cool’s focus on sustainability. “We’re all about young people and young people’s dreams, so his dreams were important to us as well, she said. “But most importantly, because he’s local, he’s a part of the North Carolina economy; he’s doing cool stuff, so we’re excited to support his endeavors,” she explained.

2026-06-30 Occupational Health & Safety

Tech Tools Show Promise in Preventing Workplace Injuries

Several university studies yielded significant technological breakthroughs during the recent research cycle. North Carolina State University created an augmented reality program allowing workers to view ergonomic reach limits in real time, while Oregon State University successfully utilized smartphone video and machine learning to calculate lower-back injury risks.

2026-06-29 VICE

A Subtle Walking Change Could Be an Early Sign of Dog Dementia, Study Finds

Senior dogs slow down. Everyone knows that. The graying muzzle, the creaky joints, the nap that used to last an hour now lasting all afternoon—most owners chalk it up to age and leave it at that. A new study out of North Carolina State University suggests paying closer attention.

2026-06-29 Drugs.com

A Dog’s Stride Could Be An Early Sign Of Dementia, Study Says

“Here we show that the length of front leg stride taken by dogs decreases with age, but even more importantly, decreases with a cognitive impairment,” said lead researcher Dr. Natasha Olby, a professor of veterinary neurology and neurosurgery at North Carolina State University in Raleigh. “In fact, we found that the effect of cognitive decline is larger than the effect of age by itself,” Olby said in a news release.

2026-06-29 WXII

Blueberry season begins in the Triad; Here’s 4 things you should know

North Carolina State University has warned blueberry farmers about pests like spotted lanternfly nymphs and longhorn beetle larvae that are causing damage to many berry patches, but Sprinkle said so far this year, that has not been a worry.

2026-06-29 Phys.org

This tiny organism contracts 200 times faster than we can blink—here’s how

"The difference between what Spirostomum can do and what we can do comes down to what is powering the contraction, and what the machinery behind it looks like," says Mary Elting, associate professor of biophysics at North Carolina State University. "If we can understand those processes, it could help us build synthetic systems that mimic the speed and power of this single-celled organism."

2026-06-29 The Carolina Journal

What a Raleigh MLB bid would cost, and who would pay for it

Mike Walden, an economist at North Carolina State University, has estimated that an MLB franchise in Raleigh or Charlotte could create 2,000 to 2,500 permanent jobs, generate more than $300 million in annual economic activity in the host county, and produce roughly $12 million a year in new public revenue for state and local governments.

2026-06-26 WDC-TV

Why do fireflies glow? It’s more than butt goo.

Growing up, Clyde Sorenson loved catching bugs, especially fireflies. But even as a kid, the budding entomologist saw that there was a lot more to these soft-bodied insects than most people realized. “I noticed that I had a pretty significant diversity of fireflies in my own yard,” says Sorenson, “so I started trying to understand that diversity.” Sorenson, now a professor of entomology at North Carolina State University, has spent many years studying these magnificent creatures (he even helped uncover a distinct population of fireflies in North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains). One thing that has always continued to fascinate him is just why these little creatures illuminate. It’s a question that many of us ponder. The answer, according to Sorenson, is surprisingly complex.

2026-06-26 Vox

Why is everyone suddenly obsessed with toxins?

For each of us as individuals, Gerald LeBlanc, a biologist at North Carolina State University and author of Everyday Chemicals: Understanding the Risks, emphasized that there is a difference between a substance being hazardous (meaning it could potentially cause harmful health effects) and it actually doing harm. The distinction is in how much of said substance you’re actually exposed to.