Latest North Carolina State University Stories
A new study from researchers at North Carolina State University sheds light on how a technique that is commonly used for making single-metal nanoparticles can be extended to create nanoparticles consisting of two metals "“ and that have tunable properties. The study also provides insight into the optical properties of some of these nanoparticles.Tuning the optical properties of nanoparticles is of interest for applications such as security technology, and for use in making chemical...
Researchers from North Carolina State University have developed a sensor that allows engineers to assess the scour potential of soils at various depths and on-site for the first time "“ a technology that will help evaluate the safety of civil infrastructure before and after storm events. Scour, or erosion of soil around structures due to water flow, is responsible for a wide range of critical infrastructure failures "“ from unstable bridges to the levees that gave way in the wake of...
New research from North Carolina State University shows that most online news stories about cancer contain language that likely contributes to public uncertainty about the disease "“ a significant finding, given that at least one-third of Americans seek health information online."Previous studies show that more than 100 million Americans seek health information online, and that their findings affect their health decisions," says Dr. Kami Kosenko, an assistant professor of communication at...
By Mick Kulikowski, North Carolina State UniversityIn a finding that upends decades of scientific theory on reptile reproduction, researchers at North Carolina State University have discovered that female boa constrictors can squeeze out babies without mating.More strikingly, the finding shows that the babies produced from this asexual reproduction have attributes previously believed to be impossible.Large litters of all-female babies produced by the "super mom" boa constrictor show...
Republican claims of political corruption in North Carolina's Democratic Party have made little impact on public opinion among potential voters in the state, according to new polling data analyzed by North Carolina State University researchers. The findings show that highlighting actual corruption is not necessarily an effective electoral strategy."The North Carolina Republican party has tried to brand state Democrats as corrupt, but we don't know whether voters respond to this strategy,"...
By Matt Shipman, North Carolina State UniversityResearchers from North Carolina State University have found a way to optimize the development of DNA self-assembling materials, which hold promise for technologies ranging from drug delivery to molecular sensors. The key to the advance is the discovery of the "Goldilocks" length for DNA strands used in self-assembly "“ not too long, not too short, but just right.DNA strands contain genetic coding that will form bonds with another strand that...
A new study from North Carolina State University finds that fish located near coal-fired power plants have lower levels of mercury than fish that live much further away. The surprising finding appears to be linked to high levels of another chemical, selenium, found near such facilities, which unfortunately poses problems of its own."We found that fish in lakes located at least 30 kilometers (km) from a coal-fired power plant had mercury levels more than three times higher than fish of...
The key to the stability of any building is its foundation, but it is difficult to test some building sites in advance "“ such as those on the moon. New research from North Carolina State University is helping resolve the problem by using computer models that can utilize a small sample of soil to answer fundamental questions about how soil at a building site will interact with foundations."If you are going to build a large structure, you have to run a lot of tests on the building site to...
Researchers from North Carolina State University have identified a "tipping point" for national debt "“ the point at which national debt levels begin to have an adverse effect on economic growth. The findings could influence economic policy discussions globally, and will be distributed at the upcoming meeting of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank Group."If a country's public debt reaches 77 percent of its gross domestic product (GDP), bad things start to happen," says Dr....
Researchers have long held that there are steps that can be taken to make brainstorming sessions more productive. New research from North Carolina State University finds that these recommendations actually do contribute to success when applied in real-world business environments."Previous research has laid out best practices that are conducive to brainstorming, or group decision making, and we wanted to see whether using those practices makes a difference in the real world," says Dr. Joe...
