Music was form of resistance for women during Civil Rights Movement
Research from Penn State suggests that “freedom songs” could have also helped empower black women to lead others when formal leadership positions were unavailable.
Research
Research
Awareness of product transformation increases recycling rate
7/10/19
A plastic bottle becomes a jacket, an aluminum can a bicycle. When consumers are reminded of the products that their recyclables can be turned into, they are more likely to recycle, according to researchers.
New method helping to find deletions and duplications in the human genome
7/9/19
A new machine-learning method developed by researchers at Penn State accurately identifies regions of the human genome that have been duplicated or deleted — known as copy number variants — that are often associated with autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders.
Microgrids, major changes: Professor leading effort to redesign power grid
7/9/19
When Hurricane Sandy hit the eastern seaboard in 2012, entire city skylines went completely black with the curious exception of a few small areas still emitting light, thanks to their use of combined heat and power systems, a key component to microgrids. Jim Freihaut, professor of architectural engineering in the Penn State College of Engineering, sees these microgrids not as exceptions but as the norm of the future.
Unusual eating behaviors may be a new diagnostic indicator for autism
7/9/19
Atypical eating behaviors may be a sign a child should be screened for autism, according to a new study from Penn State College of Medicine.
Key early steps for origin of life occur under a variety of conditions
7/8/19
Potential precursors to life on Earth form from a variety of complex mixtures, according to a team of scientists who say this could point to the development of building blocks crucial to forming genetic molecules for the origins of life on Earth.
Some green ash trees show some resistance to emerald ash borers
7/3/19
Genes in green ash trees that may confer some resistance to attacks by the emerald ash borer express themselves only once the tree detects the invasive beetle's feeding, according to Penn State researchers.
Cholesterol that is too low may boost risk for hemorrhagic stroke
7/2/19
Current guidelines recommend lowering cholesterol for heart disease risk reduction. New findings from a Penn State-led study indicate that if cholesterol dips too low, it may boost the risk of hemorrhagic stroke, according to researchers.
Using artificial intelligence to better predict severe weather
7/1/19
When forecasting weather, meteorologists use a number of models and data sources to track shapes and movements of clouds that could indicate severe storms. However, with increasingly expanding weather data sets and looming deadlines, it is nearly impossible for them to monitor all storm formations in real time. Now, there is a computer model that can help forecasters recognize potential severe storms more quickly and accurately, thanks to a team of researchers.
Sense of smell, pollution and neurological disease connection explored
7/1/19
A consensus is building that air pollution can cause neurological diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease, but how fine, sooty particles cause problems in the brain is still an unanswered question. Now a team of Penn State researchers, using mice, have found a possible way, but more research is still needed.
Simulated driving study aims to increase trust in technology and road safety
7/1/19
Yiqi Zhang, assistant professor of industrial and manufacturing engineering at Penn State, aims to make the roads a safer place for all drivers by better understanding the interactions between human drivers and autonomous vehicle technologies.
'Planting green' cover-crop strategy may help farmers deal with wet springs
7/1/19
Allowing cover crops to grow two weeks longer in the spring and planting corn and soybean crops into them before termination is a strategy that may help no-till farmers deal with wet springs, according to Penn State researchers.
Penn State part of $4 million National Science Foundation big data grant
7/1/19
Penn State is part of a $4 million multi-institution grant aimed at identifying innovative solutions for societal, scientific and industry challenges through strategic data science partnerships. As part of the Northeast Big Data Innovation Hub, Penn State will continue to collaborate on big data projects that are too large and complex for individual organizations to manage independently.
Though politically divided, Americans remain patriotic
7/1/19
Despite increasing polarization, people across the political spectrum appear to be largely united on what it means to be patriotic, according to new findings from the McCourtney Institute for Democracy’s Mood of the Nation Poll.
Factors that shape facial variation: More than what meets the eye
6/28/19
Mark D. Shriver, professor of anthropology, wants to understand the factors that shape facial variation while accurately representing human diversity. Shriver has partnered with Disney Research for the Anthropometrics, DNA, and the Appearances and Perceptions of Traits 4 (ADAPT4) study, part of the Center for Human Evolution and Diversity’s ADAPT study series.
Game theory shows why stigmatization may not make sense in modern society
6/27/19
Game theory can help researchers understand how stigmatizing infected people affects the spread of the disease. In this study, the researchers found that the availability to modern healthcare now makes stigmatization a less effective strategy for dealing with disease spread.