News
May 27, 2021
Reef-building corals and microscopic algae within their cells evolve together
The microscopic algae that live inside and provide nutrients to their reef-building coral hosts may be evolving in tandem with the corals they inhabit, so each partner is fine-tuned to meet one another’s needs. A new study by Penn State biologists reveals that genetic differences within a species of these microalgal symbionts correspond to the coral species they inhabit, a discovery that could have implications for the conservation of these endangered corals.
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May 24, 2021
Widespread coral-algae symbioses endured historical climate changes
One of the most important and widespread reef-building corals, known as cauliflower coral, exhibits strong partnerships with certain species of symbiotic algae, and these relationships have persisted through periods of intense climate fluctuations over the last 1.5 million years, according to a new study led by researchers at Penn State.
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May 24, 2021
Data 4 Action enriches student experience while documenting pandemic
The Data 4 Action (D4A) project is comprised of dozens of Penn State researchers who are documenting the impacts of COVID-19 in Centre County. While the goal of the project is to assess the biological, psychological and social functioning of Penn State students and community members, the project is also providing new and impactful opportunities for a growing group of students working as research assistants.
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May 18, 2021
Sufficient knowledge but sense of information overload evident early in pandemic
Residents of central Pennsylvania had the information they needed to slow the spread of COVID-19 early on in the pandemic, but were overwhelmed with worries about mixed messages and distrust of some sources, according to Penn State College of Medicine researchers.
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May 17, 2021
Photo Gallery: A New Home for Ancient DNA
Penn State, the College of the Liberal Arts, and the Department of Anthropology are going online with the new Penn State Ancient Biomolecules Research Environment, or PSABRE. The new facility is one of the largest ancient DNA laboratories in the United States and will host a variety of University and international research teams.
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May 14, 2021
Maternal stress during pregnancy may shorten lifespans of male lizard offspring
Mother fence lizards that experience stress during pregnancy give birth to male offspring with shortened telomeres, or bits of non-coding DNA that cap the ends of chromosomes, according to a Penn State-led study.
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May 13, 2021
What makes plant cell walls both strong and extensible?
A plant cell wall’s unique ability to expand without weakening or breaking — a quality required for plant growth — is due to the movement of its cellulose skeleton, according to new research that models the cell wall.
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May 10, 2021
CRISPR/Cas technology could enable early diagnosis of devastating citrus disease
Penn State and U.S. Department of Agriculture scientists have used cutting-edge CRISPR/Cas technology to develop a diagnostic test that could enable early diagnosis of citrus greening, or Huanglongbing, a serious disease that threatens worldwide citrus production.
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May 07, 2021
Pioneering chemist Stephen Benkovic elected Foreign Member of Royal Society 6
Stephen Benkovic, Evan Pugh Professor and Holder of the Eberly Family Chair in Chemistry at Penn State, has been elected a Foreign Member of the Royal Society, the national academy of science in the United Kingdom. The society, founded in 1660, aims to recognize, promote and support excellence in science and to encourage the development and use of science for the benefit of humanity.
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May 05, 2021
Models project COVID-19 cases may spike in May, before sharply declining by July
With lower use of public health measures, such as mask wearing, COVID-19 cases are projected to increase and peak during May 2021, but high vaccination uptake and moderate compliance with public health recommendations could mitigate surges in hospitalizations and deaths in the coming months, according to new model projections.
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