news releases

Oct 26, 2009

Study Shows How Nanotubes Affect Lining of Lungs

Tiny carbon nanotubes are being considered for use in everything from sports equipment to medical applications, but a great deal remains unknown about whether these materials cause respiratory or other health problems. Now a collaborative study from North Carolina State University, The Hamner Institutes for Health Sciences, and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences… 

Oct 21, 2009

Alcohol Tolerance Switch Found in Fruit Flies

Researchers at North Carolina State University have found a genetic “switch” in fruit flies that plays an important role in making flies more tolerant to alcohol. This metabolic switch also has implications for the deadly liver disease cirrhosis in humans. A counterpart human gene contributes to a shift from metabolizing alcohol to the formation of… 

Oct 20, 2009

NC State Develops Material That Could Boost Data Storage, Save Energy

North Carolina State University engineers have created a new material that would allow a fingernail-size computer chip to store the equivalent of 20 high-definition DVDs or 250 million pages of text, far exceeding the storage capacities of today’s computer memory systems. 

Oct 8, 2009

CSI in a Virtual World: New Grant Furthers NC State’s Work in Forensic Science

Imagine using the same process that goes into building video games to help investigators solve real-world crimes. Through a new grant, that’s what researchers at North Carolina State University plan to do. Their work will lay the framework for multi-agency collaboration in crime scene investigations (CSI) by creating an unprecedented cyber infrastructure – a virtual… 

Oct 7, 2009

Fill ’er Up – With Algae

Imagine filling up your car with fuel that comes from inexpensive algae that grow quickly, don’t use up freshwater supplies and can be cultivated in areas where they won’t compete with traditional food crops, such as corn or soybeans. Researchers at North Carolina State University are working to make that a reality, with a $2… 

Oct 6, 2009

NC State Holds Open House Oct. 17

What: North Carolina State University’s Open House gives high school students and families, school counselors and teachers an opportunity to visit the campus and learn about academic programs and student life at the state’s largest public university. About 7,000 people attend annually. Visitors can get information about specific majors, admissions, housing, dining, arts, athletics and… 

Oct 6, 2009

How to Lower Costs, Waiting Times for Colonoscopies

Colorectal cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States, leading to over 50,000 fatalities every year. But it can be prevented with early screening using a procedure called a colonoscopy. Now researchers from North Carolina State University, Mayo Clinic and the University of Massachusetts at Amherst (UMass) have created a tool… 

Oct 5, 2009

Solving the Period Problem: Researchers Develop Sanitary Pads from Local, Organic Materials

For most American women, their “time of the month” is seen as a hindrance to daily life. In impoverished and developing countries, however, monthly periods are a major cause for concern among women. The lack of affordable, quality sanitary pads results in females missing up to 50 days of school annually – thereby compromising their… 

Sep 29, 2009

PyroHands: NC State Receives Grant To Develop Next Generation Firefighter Gloves

What is one of the biggest complaints firefighters have about their job? It’s their gloves. While the current gloves are designed to provide protection against extreme temperatures, they are often bulky and inflexible. Through a recent Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grant, researchers at North Carolina State University will attempt to redesign the traditional firefighter… 

Sep 28, 2009

NC State Expert Gives Fall Foliage Forecast

Despite drought conditions in parts of the state for most of the year, there should be plenty of colorful foliage worth seeing across North Carolina this fall, according to a North Carolina State University expert. Dr. Robert Bardon, associate professor of forestry and extension forestry specialist at NC State, says that in areas of the state… 

Sep 24, 2009

DeSimone Receives NIH Pioneer Award

Dr. Joseph M. DeSimone, William R. Kenan Jr. Distinguished Professor of Chemical Engineering at North Carolina State University and Chancellor’s Eminent Professor of Chemistry at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, has been awarded a National Institutes of Health (NIH) Pioneer Award, one of only 18 such honors handed out this year. The… 

Sep 22, 2009

Astronaut Scholarship Awarded to NC State Senior

North Carolina State University senior Brittany Boudreaux has been awarded a $10,000 scholarship from the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation (ASF). The scholarship will be presented to Boudreaux by Apollo 16 astronaut and moonwalker Charlie Duke during a free public ceremony to be held on Wednesday, Sept. 23, at 12:30 p.m. in 210 Park Shops on the… 

Sep 22, 2009

NC State Hosts Janet Cowell for Series Talk

NC State Preview What: In the inaugural session of its new “Conversations with State Leaders” series, North Carolina State University will host a talk by State Treasurer Janet Cowell. Who:  Presented by NC State’s School of Public and International Affairs. When: Thursday, Oct. 1, from 4 to 5 p.m. Where: Caldwell Hall Lounge on the NC State campus.… 

Sep 22, 2009

‘Green Clean:’ Researchers Determining Natural Ways To Clean Contaminated Soil

Researchers at NC State are using a process called phytoremediation – literally a “green” technology – that uses plants and trees to remove pollutants from the environment or render them harmless. 

Sep 16, 2009

Lessons for Obama in Study of Bush Efforts to ‘Frame’ Iraq War

Wartime leaders have long sought to sway public opinion by “framing” bad news from the frontlines. They present inconvenient facts in an altered format in order to generate support for their policies. A new study from North Carolina State University shows that Bush administration attempts to “frame” casualties from the Iraq War bolstered support for…