By Carrie Lewis UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Genetics play a key role in knee pain sensitivity, according to a team of researchers studying knee osteoarthritis patients. "This work was part of a larger study focused on the daily lives of…

National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) researchers are seeing the light, but in an altogether different way. And how they are doing it just might be the semiconductor industry's ticket for extending its use of optical microscopes to measure…

By Walt Mills UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- The development of a reusable microfluidic device for sorting and manipulating cells and other micro/nano meter scale objects will make biomedical diagnosis of diseases cheaper and more convenient in regions where medical facilities…

By Mindy Krause UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Motor proteins that pause at the ends of microtubules and produce pushing forces can also stimulate their growth, according to researchers at Penn State. The proteins' function could be a critical component in…

Rebekka Coakley Cloaking devices have had a major role in many science fiction narratives, but Xingjie Ni, an assistant professor of electrical engineering at Penn State, is working to make them a reality. Ni joined the School of Electrical Engineering…

Research to focus on improved prediction of tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, snow NOAA has awarded $5.7 million in cooperative research agreements and grants to improve the forecasting of hazardous and extreme weather including tornadoes, hurricanes, heavy rainfall, floods and snowstorms. “These…

Pamela Krewson Wertz UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- One of the major challenges that manufacturers face is securing a part and holding it in place against the forces of machining. Workholding is the term used when referring to any device that…

By A'ndrea Elyse Messer UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- A drop of water self-heals a multiphase polymer derived from the genetic code of squid ring teeth, which may someday extend the life of medical implants, fiber-optic cables and other hard to…

By Walt Mills UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa -- The leaves of the lotus flower, and other natural surfaces that repel water and dirt, have been the model for many types of engineered liquid-repelling surfaces. As slippery as these surfaces are, however,…

By Matt Carroll UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Albedo modification, an emerging technology with the potential to offset some aspects of climate change, shouldn’t be counted on as a short-term solution to stop rising global sea levels, according to a new…

By A'ndrea Elyse Messer UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- For any computer, being able to manipulate information is essential, but for quantum computing, singling out one data location without influencing any of the surrounding locations is difficult. Now, a team of…