college of sciences

Jun 18, 2014

Trap-Jaw Ants Spreading in Southeastern United States

Trap-jaw ant species are active hunters with venomous stings and jaws powerful enough to fling themselves through the air. According to new research, they are also spreading into new territory in the southeastern United States. The research was done by scientists at North Carolina State University, the Mississippi Entomological Museum, the University of California, Davis… 

Jun 11, 2014

Rissman to Lead Biological Sciences

Emilie Rissman has been named head of the new Department of Biological Sciences, effective Nov. 1. 

May 12, 2014

Dopamine Turns Worker Ants Into Warrior Queens

The ritualized fighting behavior of one ant species is linked to increases in dopamine levels that trigger dramatic physical changes in the ants without affecting their DNA, according to research from North Carolina State University, Arizona State University and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. 

May 7, 2014

NC State’s Standout Scholars

From charting the evolution of galaxies to building the next generation of synthetic molecules, NC State's undergraduate researchers tackle some of the most complex challenges facing society. Meet four of the university's most accomplished young scholars. 

Apr 28, 2014

Urbanization, Higher Temperatures Can Influence Butterfly Emergence Patterns

An international team of researchers has found that a subset of common butterfly species are emerging later than usual in urban areas located in warmer regions, raising questions about how the insects respond to significant increases in temperature. 

Apr 16, 2014

Expect Relatively Quiet Hurricane Season, NC State Researchers Say

The 2014 Atlantic hurricane season will be less active than in the past 20 years, but still in line with overall averages from 1950 to the present, according to researchers at North Carolina State University. Eight to 11 named storms should form in 2014 in the Atlantic basin, which includes the entire Atlantic Ocean, the… 

Apr 13, 2014

Finding the Switch: Researchers Create Roadmap for Gene Expression

In a new study, researchers from North Carolina State University, UNC-Chapel Hill and other institutions have taken the first steps toward creating a roadmap that may help scientists narrow down the genetic cause of numerous diseases. Their work also sheds new light on how heredity and environment can affect gene expression. Pinpointing the genetic causes… 

Apr 10, 2014

Enzyme ‘Wrench’ Could Be Key to Stronger, More Effective Antibiotics

Builders and factory workers know that getting a job done right requires precision and specialized tools. The same is true when you’re building antibiotic compounds at the molecular level. New findings from North Carolina State University may turn an enzyme that acts as a specialized “wrench” in antibiotic assembly into a set of wrenches that… 

Apr 10, 2014

Tyson Shows Star Power

Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson talks about science literacy, creationism and alien abductions during a whirlwind day on campus. Probe the mind behind the hit TV show, "Cosmos." 

Apr 8, 2014

The Space Solution

Astrophysicist Neil DeGrasse Tyson discusses science education, the big-bang theory -- and "The Big Bang Theory." 

Apr 7, 2014

Organic Solar Cells More Efficient With Molecules Face-to-Face

New research from North Carolina State University and UNC-Chapel Hill reveals that energy is transferred more efficiently inside of complex, three-dimensional organic solar cells when the donor molecules align face-on, rather than edge-on, relative to the acceptor. This finding may aid in the design and manufacture of more efficient and economically viable organic solar cell… 

Mar 28, 2014

Finding the Mix: Solar Cell Efficiency a Delicate Balance

Research from North Carolina State University reveals that solar cell efficiency is based upon a delicate balance between the size and purity of the interior layers, or domains. These findings may lead to better designs and improved performance in organic solar cells. Polymer-based solar cells are intended to have two domains, consisting of an electron… 

Mar 26, 2014

Nobel-Winning Physicist to Speak

Nobel Prize-winning astrophysicist John Mather will deliver the physics department's 2014 L.H. Thomas Lecture on April 10. 

Mar 13, 2014

Researchers Describe Oxygen’s Different Shapes

Oxygen-16, one of the key elements of life on earth, is produced by a series of reactions inside of red giant stars. Now a team of physicists, including one from North Carolina State University, has revealed how the element’s nuclear shape changes depending on its state, even though other attributes such as spin and parity… 

Mar 12, 2014

Three Elected to Inventors Academy

Three NC State faculty members have been elected fellows of the National Academy of Inventors, a nonprofit organization that encourages academic innovation.