News

Oct 16, 2014

Climate change not responsible for altering forest tree composition

Change in disturbance regimes -- rather than a change in climate -- is largely responsible for altering the composition of Eastern forests, according to researcher Marc Abrams.

Full Article

Oct 14, 2014

Video profile: Matt Ferrari

Ecology faculty member and Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics researcher Dr. Matt Ferrari studies long-term trends in childhood infectious diseases.

Full Article

Aug 24, 2014

Zombie ant fungi 'know' brains of their hosts

A parasitic fungus that reproduces by manipulating the behavior of ants emits a cocktail of behavior-controlling chemicals when encountering the brain of its natural target host, but not when infecting other ant species, a new study shows.

Full Article

Jun 30, 2014

Malaria parasite manipulates host's scent

Malaria parasites alter the chemical odor signal of their hosts to attract mosquitos and better spread their offspring, according to researchers including Mark Mescher, Consuelo De Moraes, and Andrew Read, who believe this scent change could be used as a diagnostic tool.

Full Article

Jun 12, 2014

Can fish feel pain?

On BBC's Newsnight, Victoria Braithwaite discusses science, business, and ethics in commercial fish harvesting.

Full Article

Jun 09, 2014

Until death do us part: genetics reveal that threatened reef corals and their symbiotic algae live together but evolve independently

New research reveals that Caribbean corals and the algae that inhabit them form a remarkably stable relationship new knowledge that can serve as an important tool in preserving and restoring vital reef-building corals.

Full Article

Dec 19, 2013

Corn pest decline may save farmers money

Populations of European corn borer (ECB), a major corn crop pest, have declined significantly in the eastern United States, according to Penn State researchers including Huck Institutes affiliate John Tooker.

Full Article

Dec 03, 2013

Three Huck Institutes affiliates named Fellows of AAAS

Ottar Bjornstad, Squire Booker, and James Broach are among seven Penn State faculty members named Fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).

Full Article

Nov 07, 2013

Male lizards prefer more-feminine lizards to "bearded ladies," new research finds

Which females do male lizards find to be the sexiest? Huck Institutes affiliate Tracy Langkilde and Lindsey Swierk, a graduate student in Langkilde's lab, tackle this question by examining the mating behavior and blue-color patterns of fence lizards in Arkansas, Alabama, and Mississippi.

Full Article

Nov 06, 2013

Professor leads project to breed beans resistant to climate stresses

With support from a $5 million grant from the U.S. Agency for International Development, an international team led by Huck Institutes affiliate Jonathan Lynch will establish the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Climate-Resilient Beans.

Full Article