Jul 18, 2023 WFAE

Poop scoop: NC State and Zoo researchers find new clues for rhino conservation

To counter that precarious status, a team of scientists from North Carolina State University and the North Carolina Zoo is probing an unexpected source to better understand the link between those gut microbes and fertility: rhino poop. 

Jul 17, 2023 WRAL

Raleigh residents are dealing with tiny, red bugs that leave horrendously itchy bites

A team of researchers from NC State University, including Micheal Roe and UNC-Greensboro, have found that chiggers in North Carolina carry bacteria that can cause the potentially fatal disease scrub typhus. 

Jul 17, 2023 WFXR

How and why do lightning bugs glow?

North Carolina State University says these insects are not flies or bugs; they are actually soft-winged beetles that really produce light, an ability called bioluminescence. The university says this is relatively rare in living organisms. 

Jul 17, 2023 Sci Tech Daily

CRISPR Gene Editing Used To Build a Better Forest Tree for Sustainable Fiber Production

Researchers at North Carolina State University (NC State) have successfully applied CRISPR gene-editing technology to breed poplar trees with reduced levels of lignin, a significant barrier to the sustainable production of wood fibers. The research, which offers potential for more efficient, eco-friendly fiber production, was published in the journal Science. The findings hold promise to make… 

Jul 17, 2023 Yahoo! News

Scientists create genetically modified fruit fly that could save farmers billions of dollars: ‘We’re really excited about this’

Researchers at North Carolina State University have been developing a genetically modified fruit fly to stop these pests from destroying produce. The scientists’ method involves modifying flies to have infertile female offspring and slowly reduce the population of the insect, reported Phys.org. 

Jul 14, 2023 Inverse

Can This Genetically Engineered Tree Help Solve Climate Change?

Scientists like Rodolphe Barrangou and Jack Wang of North Carolina State University (NC State) weren’t looking to reshape a fruit or vegetable. They had their eyes and genetic engineering tools on the trillions of organisms that make up the very fabric of nature: Trees. 

Jul 14, 2023 Popular Science

Genetically modified trees could mean more sustainable wood

To do that, they are delving into trees’ genetic makeup. “I don’t think the general public fully understands or appreciates the impact trees have on our society and in reducing carbon emission. Understanding the genetics of this critical resource is important, especially for producing fibers that’s important in our buying economy,” says Daniel Sulis, a… 

Jul 14, 2023 New Scientist

CRISPR-edited trees reduce the energy and water required to make paper

Making paper is both energy and water intensive, says Jack Wang at North Carolina State University. In 2021, the industry’s global carbon footprint was estimated to be 190 million tonnes – a figure that is expected to rise until 2030, when paper production is projected to peak. One of the biggest energy drains in the… 

Jul 14, 2023 Chemical & Engineering News

Gene editing trees for more sustainable wood fiber production

Rather than just removing lignin from logs, researchers at North Carolina State University sought to lower the proportion of it from the outset. Using the gene-editing tool CRISPR on poplar trees, they modified some of the genes that produce the chemicals that eventually form lignin. Using seven gene-editing strategies, each modifying three to six genes,… 

Jul 13, 2023 USA Today

Dramatic flooding was rare in Vermont’s capital. Expect it more amid climate change.

These big increases in rainfall events, such as those with more than an inch of rainfall, aren’t just happening in the northeast, said Ken Kunkel, an atmospheric sciences professor at North Carolina State University. They’re happening in much of the eastern half of the U.S., as well as in other parts of the world. 

Jul 13, 2023 Huffington Post

4 Ingredients Food Safety Experts Never Order At A Restaurant

Ellen Shumaker, director of outreach and extension for Safe Plates at North Carolina State University, explained of raw milk, “Because it has not been pasteurized, bacteria like salmonella, E. coli, Brucella, Campylobacter and listeria have a high likelihood of being present.” 

Jul 13, 2023 The Tennessean

Honey: Everything you wanted to know about what it’s made of, plus how to use it

“Honey definitely is healthier than other sweeteners, since they contain a lot more than just sugar,” said David Tarpy, North Carolina State University extension apiculturist. It has “antimicrobial properties, among other things, that make honey useful beyond just making things sweet. 

Jul 13, 2023 Technology Networks

AI Provides Most Accurate Estimate of Africa’s Largest Bat Colony Population

Dechmann formed a collaboration with Koger, along with researchers from North Carolina State University and Southeastern Louisiana University, as well as the Kasanka Trust, the organization in charge of management and conservation in Kasanka National Park. They devised a plan to use AI to improve the accuracy and efficiency of quantifying complex bat populations. 

Jul 12, 2023 WRAL

An emerging drug threat: Fighting xylazine and fentanyl

“The problem with the addition to fentanyl is that it can cause serious cardiovascular problems in people, as well as sedation. Cardiovascular problems are related to increase in blood pressure, slow heart rate, and some arrhythmias. Although overdose of fentanyl (or heroin) can be reversed with naloxone (Narcan), xylazine acts on entirely different receptors in… 

Jul 12, 2023 Asheville Citizen-Times

Answer Woman: What happens at NC State Ag center in Mills River? Hint: hops, hemp, apples

Question: North Carolina State University has an agricultural research station near the Sierra Nevada. How many acres do they have there? What do they have planted this season? What types of research are there doing on various crops? How many people are employed there? Are there full-time University faculty and graduate students working at that…