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.
A wearable gas sensor for health and environmental monitoring
A highly sensitive, wearable gas sensor for environmental and human health monitoring may soon become commercially available, according to researchers at Penn State and Northeastern University.
Transparency discovered in crystals with ultrahigh piezoelectricity
Use of an AC rather than a DC electric field can improve the piezoelectric response of a crystal. Now, an international team of researchers say that cycles of AC fields also make the internal crystal domains in some materials bigger and the crystal transparent.
Visiting South African scholar wants to rehabilitate old mines
Is there a way to turn waste into a useful resource and at the same time reduce environmental degradation from closed mines? That’s what visiting South African scholar Nemapate Ndivhuwo wants to find out.
Atlantic and Pacific oscillations lost in the noise
The Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO) and the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) do not appear to exist, according to a team of meteorologists who believe this has implications for both the validity of previous studies attributing past trends to these hypothetical natural oscillations and for the prospects of decade-scale climate predictability.
A fast and inexpensive device to capture and identify viruses
A device to quickly capture and identify various strains of virus has been developed, according to researchers at Penn State and New York University.
Student energy, environmental research funding available
A student seed grant competition is now accepting proposals for funding that will support energy and environmental laboratory research.
Undergraduates showcase research, communication skills at symposium
Students brought two semesters of work to life at the recent WISER/MURE/FURP undergraduate research symposium, where they presented their research and answered questions from other students, staff and faculty, many from outside of their fields.
Fiber-optic cables capture thunderquake rumbles
Underground fiber-optic cables, like those that connect the world through phone and internet service, hold untapped potential for monitoring severe weather, according to scientists at Penn State.
New, slippery toilet coating provides cleaner flushing, saves water
Every day, more than 141 billion liters of water are used solely to flush toilets. With millions of global citizens experiencing water scarcity, what if that amount could be reduced by 50%?
Individual climate models may not provide the complete picture
Equilibrium climate sensitivity — how sensitive the Earth's climate is to changes in atmospheric carbon dioxide — may be underestimated in individual climate models, according to a team of climate scientists.