News
Mar 02, 2023
Flat, pancake-sized metalens images lunar surface in an engineering first
Astronomers and amateurs alike know the bigger the telescope, the more powerful the imaging capability. To keep the power but streamline one of the bulkier components, a Penn State-led research team created the first ultrathin, compact metalens telescope capable of imaging far-away objects, including the moon.
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Mar 01, 2023
Wasps harness power of pitcher plants in first-ever observed defense strategy
As the saying goes, “When life gives you lemons, turn that tartness into little translucent balls in which to grow your young.”
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Feb 27, 2023
Blood test for brain cancer may be on horizon, new research finds
Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common and deadliest type of brain cancer with a five-year survival rate of only 5%. Researchers at Penn State College of Medicine have identified a biomarker that can be used in blood tests to diagnose GBM, track its progression and guide treatment.
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Feb 27, 2023
New predictive models developed for bacterial diversity of soils
A new set of quantitative models that incorporates pH into the metabolic theory of ecology (MTE) has been developed by an international team that includes Penn State assistant professor of plant science Francisco Dini-Andreote.
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Feb 27, 2023
Rare insect found at Arkansas Walmart sets historic record, prompts mystery
A giant insect plucked from the façade of an Arkansas Walmart has set historic records. The Polystoechotes punctata or giant lacewing is the first of its kind recorded in eastern North America in over 50 years — and the first record of the species ever in the state.
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Feb 24, 2023
Processing, like fermentation and roasting, doesn’t cut cocoa’s health benefits
It is widely believed that when foods undergo processing, their health benefits are reduced. But that is not true for cocoa, according to a Penn State-led team of researchers, who conducted a new study using a mouse model.
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Feb 23, 2023
McGraw elected as a Fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology
Elizabeth "Beth" McGraw, professor and department head of biology and Huck Scholar in Entomology at Penn State, has been elected as a Fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology.
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Feb 23, 2023
Nobel Prize-winning Penn State alumnus Paul Berg dies
Penn State alumnus Paul Berg, who received the 1980 Nobel Prize in chemistry, died Feb. 15 at his home in Stanford, California, surrounded by loved ones. He was 96.
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Feb 22, 2023
Superhydrophobic biosensor could measure sweat vapors on the body
Sweat contains biomarkers that help doctors make health diagnoses. Wearable sensors can be used to monitor a person’s perspiration rate and provide information about the skin, nervous system activity and underlying health conditions.
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Feb 21, 2023
NIH grant allows grad student to study Cuban, Cuban-American health disparities
Growing up in Miami’s Cuban American community, Margarita “Maggie” Hernandez said she often felt “like I wasn’t Cuban enough, but also not American enough.” Today, though, she’s beyond proud of her roots — so much so that she’s made it a hallmark of her research.
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