Read the latest news about research conducted by investigators in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences. Our faculty and students are continually advancing technology, creating solutions and expanding knowledge with new and innovative research.
New Argentine fossils uncover history of celebrated conifer group
Newly unearthed, surprisingly well-preserved conifer fossils from Patagonia, Argentina, show that an endangered and celebrated group of tropical West Pacific trees has roots in the ancient supercontinent that once comprised Australia, Antarctica and South America, according to an international team of researchers.
Self-assembling, biomimetic composites possess unusual electrical properties
Sometimes, breaking rules is not a bad thing. Especially when the rules are apparent laws of nature that apply in bulk material, but other forces appear in the nanoscale.
Killing coronavirus with handheld ultraviolet light device may be feasible
A personal, handheld device emitting high-intensity ultraviolet light to disinfect areas by killing the novel coronavirus is now feasible, according to researchers at Penn State, the University of Minnesota and two Japanese universities.
Warming Midwest conditions may result in corn, soybean production moving north
If warming continues unabated in the Midwest, in 50 years we can expect the best conditions for corn and soybean production to have shifted from Iowa and Illinois to Minnesota and the Dakotas, according to Penn State researchers.
Reducing greenhouse gas emissions using microwave plasma technology
A multi-disciplinary collaborative relationship, developed between Penn State EMS Energy Institute researchers and a Pittsburgh-based start-up company, may hold the answer to reducing global greenhouse gas emissions while also paving the way to disrupt the chemical and material industries.
'Gargantuan' hail in Argentina may have smashed world record
A supercell thunderstorm pelted a city center in Argentina a few years ago with hailstones so large scientists suggested a new category to describe them — gargantuan hail.
Hurricanes twist evolution in island lizards
A good grip can mean the difference between life and death for lizards in a hurricane, causing populations hit more frequently by hurricanes to have larger toepads, according to researchers from Washington University and Penn State.
Proposals being accepted for ecology research funding
The Ecology Institute announced a call for proposals for its Flower Grant program to support ecology research focused across the institute’s five core themes: resilience and adaptation; provision of ecosystem goods and services; ecology at the interface; rapid evolutionary change; and ecological foundations.
Scientists tap unused energy source to power smart sensor networks
Scientists have developed a new mechanism capable of harvesting wasted magnetic field energy and converting it into enough electricity to power next-generation sensor networks for smart buildings and factories.
3M and Penn State strike three-year deal to drive research
As Penn State Materials Research Institute prepared for its 2019 Materials Day event – held Oct. 29-30 – 3M was busy reinforcing its relationship with Penn State to advance research activities with a new $900,000 commitment over the next three years.