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The study's findings could be used to help inform precision agriculture approaches to help conservation efforts, the researchers said. Credit: Freestocks/Unsplash. All Rights Reserved.

Jun 25, 2025

Warmer spots within fields have more blooms and more bees

Climate can vary across large areas of land, but it also can vary within much smaller areas such as farms. A new study by researchers at Penn State examined whether these microclimates — the climate of a very small or restricted area — affect pollination by both wild and managed bees and resulting wild blueberry yields.

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Queen bees emit a pheromone that attracts worker bees — the queen's daughters — to her side. Credit: Sean Bresnahan. All Rights Reserved.

Jun 20, 2025

How a genetic tug-of-war decides the fate of a honey bee

Despite having identical genetic instructions, female honey bee larvae can develop into either long-lived reproductive queens or short-lived sterile workers who help rear their sisters rather than laying their own eggs. Now, an interdisciplinary team led by researchers at Penn State has uncovered the molecular mechanisms that control how the conflict between genes inherited from the father and the mother determine the larva’s fate.

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The arc of health frameworks grew over time from one that siloed human, agricultural and environmental ecosystems from each other to a One Health structure that focused on pathogen spillovers shaping the risk of disease across ecosystems. An expanded vision of One Health microbiome sciences from Penn State incorporates the ecology of all microbes. It emphasizes that the flow of both disease-causing and health-promoting microbes links humans, environment and agriculture together to shape the sustainability of ecosystem wellness and resilience. This One Health framework intentionally unifies the microbiome sciences to advance core disciplinary theories and principles with cross-system validation and comparative studies, according to the researchers. Credit: Provided by the researchers. All Rights Reserved.

Jun 11, 2025

Q&A: Unifying the microbiome sciences for global health and sustainability

Recently, members of Penn State's One Health Microbiome Center published an article in the American Society for Microbiology’s flagship journal, mBio. In this Q&A, a few of the paper’s authors discussed how the center is leading the charge to breakdown traditional disciplinary silos and expand the One Health focus to include more than just pathogenic microbial threats.

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Credit: Dan Lesher. All Rights Reserved.

May 29, 2025

Biology professor, Huck associate operations director to retire

After a decade of service to the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences and a distinguished academic career spanning four decades, James Marden, professor of biology and associate director of operations, will retire from Penn State at the end of June.

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The research team for "Assessing Climate Futures through Environmental Data Analytics," led by Professor Erica Smithwick (middle). Credit: Erica Smithwick. All Rights Reserved.

May 14, 2025

Second round of Penn State-Auckland seed grant recipients complete projects

The 18-month term for the 2023-24 seed grant-funded projects recently concluded, with the teams submitting their final reports.

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A printed prototype using the current version of the custom extrusion system for in-place 3D concrete printing. This iteration demonstrates the successful integration of continuous reinforcement with concrete deposition, marking a key step in the ongoing development toward structural-scale applications. Credit: Ali Baghi. All Rights Reserved.

May 12, 2025

Manufacturing PA Innovation Program funds two Stuckeman-led research projects

Two projects led by Stuckeman School architecture researchers have garnered grants through the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development’s Manufacturing PA Innovation Program

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The results of this study strongly suggest that Native Americans did, indeed, extensively use fire to manage their environment and both directly and indirectly promoted fire-adapted trees such as oak and beech. Credit: Penn State. Creative Commons

May 08, 2025

Cultural burning by Indigenous peoples increased oak in forests near settlements

New study shows fire-tolerant trees were more abundant around historic Native American villages in southern New England

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Apr 30, 2025

Celebrating James Marden: A Decade of Impact and a Lifetime of Achievement

After a decade of exceptional service to the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences and a distinguished academic career spanning four decades, James Marden, professor of biology and associate director of operations, will retire from Penn State at the end of June 2025.

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The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine recently appointed Christina Grozinger, Publius Vergilius Maro Professor of Entomology and director of the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences at Penn State, to an 18-member study committee to examine the status of insects in North America. Credit: Christina Grozinger / Penn State. Creative Commons

Apr 24, 2025

Grozinger appointed to National Academies committee on insect declines

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine recently appointed Christina Grozinger, Publius Vergilius Maro Professor of Entomology and director of the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences at Penn State, to an 18-member study committee to examine the status of insects in North America.

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The study found that increased salt content in tomato plants reduces fruitworm caterpillar feeding and limits the number of eggs that moths lay on these plants. Credit: Sahil Pawar. All Rights Reserved.

Apr 16, 2025

Feeling salty? Increased salt stress reduces tomato pest activity

Increased soil salinity can reduce damage from prominent tomato pests such as the tomato fruitworm, according to researchers at Penn State. They published their findings in the Journal of Plant, Cell and Environment.

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