research news

Jul 20, 2010

New Methodology Improves Winter Climate Forecasting

It’s hot out right now, but new research from North Carolina State University will help us know what to expect when the weather turns cold. Researchers have developed a new methodology that improves the accuracy of winter precipitation and temperature forecasts. The tool should be valuable for government and utility officials, since it provides key… 

Jul 19, 2010

Stormwater Model To Inform Regulators On Future Development Projects

North Carolina State University researchers have developed a computer model that will accurately predict stormwater pollution impacts from proposed real-estate developments – allowing regulators to make informed decisions about which development projects can be approved without endangering water quality. The model could serve as a blueprint for similar efforts across the country. 

Jul 15, 2010

Study: Working Conditions Pose Problems For Workers And Employers

New research from North Carolina State University shows that an increase in professional business practices such as outsourcing, hiring temporary workers and focusing on project-based teams is having a detrimental effect on workers and likely poses long-term problems for employers. 

Jul 12, 2010

New Research Can Spot Cloud Computing Problems Before They Start

Large-scale computer hosting infrastructures offer a variety of services to computer users, including cloud computing – which offers users access to powerful computers and software applications hosted by remote groups of servers. But when these infrastructures run into problems – like bottlenecks that slow their operating speed – it can be costly for both the… 

Jul 8, 2010

Researchers Find ‘Key Ingredient’ That Regulates Termite Caste System

A North Carolina State University entomologist has for the first time shown which specific chemicals are used by some termite queens to prevent other termites in the colony from becoming mommies like themselves. In a study published online this week in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, NC State’s Dr. Ed Vargo and colleagues from… 

Jul 7, 2010

Study Shows Race, Not Experience, Impacts Hiring In Sports World

If you want to get your foot in the door of the sports industry, your race may mean more than your experience. That’s the major result of a new study from North Carolina State University that examined hiring decisions for entry-level sports management positions. “Previous research has shown that management positions in the sports industry… 

Jul 6, 2010

Locker Room Talk: How Male Athletes Portray Female Athletic Trainers

A college quarterback coming into the locker room with a dislocated shoulder wouldn’t care whether the athletic trainer taking care of him is male or female — or would he? A study from North Carolina State University examining male football players’ perceptions of female athletic trainers – and their comfort level in being treated by… 

Jul 6, 2010

Hips Don’t Lie: Researchers Find More Accurate Technique To Determine Sex Of Skeletal Remains

Research from North Carolina State University offers a new means of determining the sex of skeletal human remains – an advance that may have significant impacts in the wake of disasters, the studying of ancient remains and the criminal justice system. 

Jun 30, 2010

New Technique Improves Efficiency Of Biofuel Production

Researchers at North Carolina State University have developed a more efficient technique for producing biofuels from woody plants that significantly reduces the waste that results from conventional biofuel production techniques. The technique is a significant step toward creating a commercially viable new source of biofuels. 

Jun 29, 2010

Study Shows Age Doesn’t Necessarily Affect Decisions

Many people believe that getting older means losing a mental edge, leading to poor decision-making. But a new study from North Carolina State University shows that when it comes to making intuitive decisions – using your “gut instincts” – older adults fare as well as their juniors. 

Jun 28, 2010

More Food From Marginal Lands? Perennial Grains Hold Promise Where Annuals Lag

The world needs more food for its growing population, but risks overtaxing the croplands where much of the world’s food is grown. How then to provide more food while keeping a fragile ecosystem safe? A “Policy Forum” paper in the June 25 edition of the journal Science, co-authored by a crop scientist from North Carolina… 

Jun 15, 2010

Video Study Finds Risky Food-Safety Behavior More Common Than Thought

How safe is the food we get from restaurants, cafeterias and other food-service providers? A new study from North Carolina State University — the first study to place video cameras in commercial kitchens to see how precisely food handlers followed food-safety guidelines —  discovered that risky practices can happen more often than previously thought. 

Jun 14, 2010

Tequila And Cheese Offer Lessons For Rural Economies In Developing World

Tequila and cheese may sound like the makings of an awkward cocktail party, but new research shows that they have a lot to tell us about efforts to boost rural economies around the world. 

Jun 9, 2010

On A Roll: Designing The Next Rover To Explore Mars

The concept of a wind-powered vehicle that can be used to explore the surface of Mars – a so-called “tumbleweed rover” that would roll over the surface of Mars like a tumbleweed – has been around for more than 10 years, but so far there has been no consensus on exactly what that vehicle should… 

Jun 3, 2010

NC State, International Researchers Receive Grant to Examine Why Fido – and His Owner – Get Cancer

Golden retrievers are highly susceptible to cancers arising in the blood, lymphatic and vascular systems. Now, canine cancer scientists at North Carolina State University, the University of Minnesota, the Broad Institute in Massachusetts and Uppsala University in Sweden are teaming up with two animal-health foundations to find out why. Their findings may benefit humans as…