research news

Jul 9, 2013

Researchers Build 3-D Structures Out of Liquid Metal

Researchers from North Carolina State University have developed three-dimensional (3-D) printing technology and techniques to create free-standing structures made of liquid metal at room temperature. 

Jul 8, 2013

New Metallic Cushioning Material Offers Big Benefits Over Other Protective Materials

Researchers at North Carolina State University have developed a new metallic cushioning material that is lighter, stronger and more flexible than sheet metal and more heat- and chemical-resistant than plastic or other polymer-based cushioning materials. Potential applications include automobile body panels, the wing edges of airplanes, suitcases, helmets and cases for computers and other electronic… 

Jul 3, 2013

Powerful Animal Tracking System Helps Research Take Flight

Call it a bird’s eye view of migration. Scientists are taking a fresh look at animal movement with a big data approach that combines GPS tracking data with satellite weather and terrain information. The new Environmental-Data Automated Track Annotation (Env-DATA) system, featured in the journal Movement Ecology, can handle millions of data points and serve… 

Jul 2, 2013

Companies Look at Wrong Things When Using Facebook to Screen Job Applicants

Employers are increasingly using Facebook to screen job applicants and weed out candidates they think have undesirable traits. But a new study from North Carolina State University shows that those companies may have a fundamental misunderstanding of online behavior and, as a result, may be eliminating desirable job candidates. 

Jul 1, 2013

Teaching a Computer to Play ‘Concentration’ Advances Security, Understanding of the Human Mind

Computer science researchers have programmed a computer to play the game Concentration (also known as Memory). The work could help improve computer security – and improve our understanding of how the human mind works. 

Jun 27, 2013

Researchers Track Facial Expressions to Improve Teaching Software

Research from North Carolina State University shows that software which tracks facial expressions can accurately assess the emotions of students engaged in interactive online learning and predict the effectiveness of online tutoring sessions. 

Jun 25, 2013

Researchers Use Video Game Tech to Steer Roaches on Autopilot

North Carolina State University researchers are using video game technology to remotely control cockroaches on autopilot, with a computer steering the cockroach through a controlled environment. The researchers are using the technology to track how roaches respond to the remote control, with the goal of developing ways that roaches on autopilot can be used to… 

Jun 19, 2013

Bringing Cancer to ‘Heal’ by Studying Dog Genome

Man’s best friend doesn’t just share our living spaces – he also shares some of the most common cancers that afflict humans. A new grant from the American Kennel Club’s Canine Health Foundation and Golden Retriever Foundation will allow researchers to focus on genomic “trouble spots” in golden retrievers that are associated with increased hereditary… 

Jun 17, 2013

Researchers Find Genetic Diversity Key to Survival of Honey Bee Colonies

When it comes to honey bees, more mates is better. A new study from North Carolina State University, the University of Maryland and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) shows that genetic diversity is key to survival in honey bee colonies – a colony is less likely to survive if its queen has had a… 

Jun 13, 2013

Light-Carved ‘Nano-Volcanoes’ Hold Promise for Drug Delivery

Researchers from North Carolina State University have developed a method for creating “nano-volcanoes” by shining various colors of light through a nanoscale “crystal ball” made of a synthetic polymer. These nano-volcanoes can store precise amounts of other materials and hold promise for new drug-delivery technologies. 

Jun 10, 2013

Hairpin Turn: Micro-RNA Plays Role in Wood Formation

For more than a decade, scientists have suspected that hairpin-shaped chains of micro-RNA regulate wood formation inside plant cells. Now, scientists at NC State University have found the first example and mapped out key relationships that control the process. The research, published online in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences the week of June 10, describes… 

Jun 10, 2013

Treatment of Mental Illness Lowers Arrest Rates, Saves Money

Research from North Carolina State University, RTI International (RTI) and the University of South Florida shows that outpatient treatment of mental illness significantly reduces arrest rates for people with mental health problems and saves taxpayers money. 

May 28, 2013

Disease Virulence Evolves in Response to Population Density, Immunity

A unique form of pink eye found in some songbird species has given researchers insight into how disease virulence – or severity of harm to the host – evolves in conjunction with a susceptible population’s density and/or disease resistance. These findings may help scientists understand and predict the impacts of highly contagious human diseases, like… 

May 24, 2013

Fetch, Boy! Study Shows Homes With Dogs Have More Types of Bacteria

New research from North Carolina State University and the University of Colorado shows that households with dogs are home to more types of bacteria – including bacteria that are rarely found in households that do not have dogs. The finding is part of a larger study to improve our understanding of the microscopic life forms… 

May 22, 2013

New Technique May Open Up an Era of Atomic-scale Semiconductor Devices

Researchers at North Carolina State University have developed a new technique for creating high-quality semiconductor thin films at the atomic scale – meaning the films are only one atom thick. The technique can be used to create these thin films on a large scale, sufficient to coat wafers that are two inches wide, or larger.