News

Nov 28, 2023

Researchers predict climate change-driven reduction in beneficial plant microbes

Bacteria that benefit plants are thought to be a critical contributor to crops and other ecosystems, but climate change may reduce their numbers, according to a new study by an international team of researchers. They published their findings in Nature Food.

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Nov 28, 2023

Q&A: Modeling measles amidst a global disruption in vaccine supplies

According to a new report by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published Nov. 17 in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, a drop in vaccination coverage led to a 72% increase in reported measles cases and a 43% increase in measles deaths during 2021-22.

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Nov 28, 2023

NASA awards multi-institutional team $1M grant to inform US forest management

A research team led by a Penn State ecologist has received a $1 million grant from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to integrate satellite data into predictive modeling to anticipate change in recruitment — the process by which new trees emerge — within forests across the eastern United States.

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Oct 06, 2023

Ruffed grouse population more resilient than expected, genetic study finds

Despite decades of decline, a genetic analysis of ruffed grouse reveals that Pennsylvania’s state bird harbors more genetic diversity and connectivity than expected.

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Aug 28, 2023

Penn State receives $3M grant to address insect biodiversity crisis

Penn State researchers have received a $3 million grant from the National Science Foundation to spearhead a new initiative to create novel monitoring systems for insect populations.

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Apr 13, 2023

Penn State announces 2023 University-wide faculty and staff awards

Each spring, Penn State recognizes outstanding faculty and staff with annual awards in teaching and excellence. These awards highlight many of the University's faculty and staff who go above and beyond in their work at Penn State.

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Oct 19, 2022

Eating fire ants could prepare lizards for future fire ant attack

Eating fire ants might prepare a lizard’s immune system to be stung by the ants, according to a new study by researchers at Penn State. The study comprehensively assessed how the immune system responds to lizards eating and being stung by these ants and might help researchers understand how other native species respond and adapt to the invasive insects.

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Oct 07, 2022

Rabbit virus has evolved to become more deadly, new research finds

A common misconception is that viruses become milder over time as they become endemic within a population. Yet new research, led by Penn State and the University of Sydney, reveals that a virus — called myxoma —that affects rabbits has become more deadly over time

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Sep 27, 2022

Penn State awarded grant to help dairy farmers develop climate-smart commodities

Funding of up to $25 million from the U.S. Department of Agriculture will support a new Penn State-led collaboration with dairy industry associations and producers to develop and implement climate-smart practices on Pennsylvania dairy farms.

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Aug 23, 2022

Graduate students in entomology and ecology win prestigious fellowships

Two graduate students who work in the laboratory of an entomology faculty member in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences recently received prestigious fellowships to further their graduate education and research.

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