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WISE Chart

WISE Satellite finds no evidence for Planet X in survey of the sky

3/7/14

After searching hundreds of millions of objects across the sky, NASA's Wide-Field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) has turned up no evidence of the hypothesized celestial body in our solar system commonly called "Planet X," according to published scientific papers including a new study in The Astrophysical Journal authored by Kevin Luhman of the Center for Exoplanets and Habitable Worlds at Penn State University.

multilayer ceramic capacitor

New center expands materials research partnerships with industry

3/6/14

A new Center for Dielectrics and Piezoelectrics, supported by the National Science Foundation and co-located at Penn State and North Carolina State University, will build on and expand the research capabilities of Penn State's long-running Center for Dielectrics Studies.

teddy bear on floor

Experiential avoidance increases PTSD risk following child maltreatment

3/5/14

Child abuse is a reliable predictor of post-traumatic stress disorder, but not all maltreated children suffer from it, according to Chad Shenk, assistant professor of human development and family studies, Penn State, who examined why some maltreated children develop PTSD and some do not.

Eric Barron posing with students

Earth and Environmental Systems Institute continues to evolve

3/4/14

In 1987, Eric Barron, then a newly hired associate professor at Penn State was head of the Earth System Science Center in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences. Now, nearly 27 years later, Barron is returning to Penn State, and faculty and researchers continue the tradition of pioneering research.

Old Main in the snow

Penn State to auction intellectual property licenses

3/4/14

Penn State plans to auction some good ideas. From March 31 through April 11, the University will conduct what is expected to be the first of many auction-style events to license intellectual property in a variety of categories. Winning bidders in this first auction will obtain licensing rights to patents derived from faculty research in the College of Engineering.

Dr. Joongyeup Lee

Criminologist: Police find it difficult to apply one law to all cases

2/28/14

Police officers use discretion in handling incidents, despite the presence of mandated rules and regulations governing how officers are supposed to respond, according to a Penn State researcher. Joongyeup Lee, assistant professor of criminal justice in the Penn State Harrisburg School of Public Affairs, analyzed domestic violence cases handled by the Houston police department.

mouse skulls

3-D imaging sheds light on Apert Syndrome development

2/28/14

Three-dimensional imaging of two different mouse models of Apert Syndrome shows that cranial deformation begins before birth and continues, worsening with time, according to a team of researchers who studied mice to better understand and treat the disorder in humans.

marmorated stink bugs on green leaf

Characterization of stink bug saliva proteins opens door to controlling pests

2/26/14

Brown marmorated stink bugs cause millions of dollars in crop losses across the United States because of the damage their saliva does to plant tissues. Researchers at Penn State have developed methods to extract the insect saliva and identify the major protein components, which could lead to new pest control approaches.

Attitude during pregnancy affects weight gain

2/26/14

Overweight or obese women with the mentality that they are "eating for two" are more likely to experience excessive weight gain while pregnant, according to researchers at Penn State College of Medicine.

a father looking at a laptop screen with his son at the keyboard

Probing Question: Do cyber charter schools help or hurt the educational system?

2/25/14

When charter schools were first created in the early 1990s, they were viewed as alternative learning environments for a small number of students. The ideal model was to unhitch these schools from many of the state laws and district regulations governing traditional public schools, and allow them to tailor the education to families looking for an option outside the conventional system. "In the beginning, because there were so few students, the drain on the host school districts' coffers was hardly a drip," says Ali Carr-Chellman, Penn State professor of education. "But with the proliferation of charter schools and even more notably, cyber charter schools, that drip has turned into a significant stream."

aerial view Hurricane Sandy

Real-time forecast of Hurricane Sandy had track and intensity accuracy

2/25/14

A real-time hurricane analysis and prediction system that effectively incorporates airborne Doppler radar information may accurately track the path, intensity and wind force in a hurricane, according to Penn State meteorologists. This system also can identify the sources of forecast uncertainty.

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