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.
News
Scientists improve process for turning hard-to-recycle plastic waste into fuel
A new study may improve the ability of pyrolysis to process hard-to-recycle mixed plastics — like multilayer food packaging — and generate fuel as a byproduct, the scientists said.
Research links shale gas, legacy energy development to groundwater contamination
Fracking for natural gas in parts of Pennsylvania with a legacy of energy extraction may increase the risk of groundwater contamination, according to a team led by Penn State scientists.
Penn State shares $25M DOE grant to study climate change impacts and adaptation
Penn State was named a collaborating institution in a $66 million U.S. Department of Energy Urban Integrated Field (Urban IFL) Program designed to study the impacts of climate change on American cities.
Grant funds research that could help certification of organic honey bee products
A $1.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture will enable a team of researchers — led by Penn State entomologists — to assess foraging patterns of honey bees on organic farms, with an eye toward creating opportunities for beekeepers to produce certified-organic apiary products.
Novel implantable sensor sniffs out possible signals of osteoarthritis
If smoke indicates a fire, nitric oxide signals inflammation.
Penn State leads project to improve air quality models for state decision makers
Improving states’ ability to address air quality issues is the focus of a new $1 million, Penn State-led project funded by NASA.
New model to help reframe the transition to low-carbon electric power
Governments and societies around the world face increasing urgency in responding to climate change by accelerating the transition to a low-carbon energy system but differing views remain on the combination of energy technologies that will best achieve this goal.
Unique ferroelectric microstructure revealed for first time
A team of researchers have observed and reported for the first time the unique microstructure of a novel ferroelectric material, enabling the development of lead-free piezoelectric materials for electronics, sensors, and energy storage that are safer for human use.
Ceramic material could improve MRIs by enabling faster times, better images
An academic/enterprise partnership that includes Penn State researchers is developing a new dielectric material to enable magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machines with shorter scan times and higher image resolutions, good news for cutting the cost of MRI scans for the hospitals and for patients who struggle with MRI-related anxiety.
New model that examines materials at mesoscale may be bridge to next-gen devices
A newly developed model may serve as a bridge between quantum mechanical calculations at the atomic scale and devices that could enable next-generation quantum technologies, according to a team of Penn State researchers.