Latest North Carolina State University Stories

Research from North Carolina State University offers a new means of determining the sex of skeletal human remains "“ an advance that may have significant impacts in the wake of disasters, the studying of ancient remains and the criminal justice system.Historically, forensic scientists have been able to determine the sex of skeletal remains by visually evaluating the size and shape of the pelvis, or os coxa. "This technique is accurate, but is not without its limitations," says Dr. Ann Ross,...

Researchers at North Carolina State University have developed a more efficient technique for producing biofuels from woody plants that significantly reduces the waste that results from conventional biofuel production techniques. The technique is a significant step toward creating a commercially viable new source of biofuels."This technique makes the process more efficient and less expensive," says Dr. Ratna Sharma-Shivappa, associate professor of biological and agricultural engineering at NC...

Many people believe that getting older means losing a mental edge, leading to poor decision-making. But a new study from North Carolina State University shows that when it comes to making intuitive decisions "“ using your "gut instincts" "“ older adults fare as well as their juniors.The researchers tested groups of young adults (aged 17-28) and community-dwelling older adults (aged 60-86) "“ meaning they live in the community, rather than in a nursing home "“ to see how they fared...

CHAPEL HILL, N.C., June 29 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Institute for Defense and Business (IDB) will be conducting the fourth offering of its Life Cycle Executive Leadership Program (LCELP) July 18-23 in Chapel Hill, NC. The IDB partnered with the Schools of Industrial and Systems Engineering at North Carolina State University (NCSU) and North Carolina A&T State University (NC A&T) to develop this course focused on the business aspects of managing products and system life cycles....

How safe is the food we get from restaurants, cafeterias and other food-service providers? A new study from North Carolina State University "” the first study to place video cameras in commercial kitchens to see how precisely food handlers followed food-safety guidelines "“  discovered that risky practices can happen more often than previously thought."Meals prepared outside the home have been implicated in up to 70 percent of food poisoning outbreaks, making them a vital focus area...

The concept of a wind-powered vehicle that can be used to explore the surface of Mars "“ a so-called "tumbleweed rover" that would roll over the surface of Mars like a tumbleweed "“ has been around for more than 10 years, but so far there has been no consensus on exactly what that vehicle should look like. Now researchers from North Carolina State University have developed a computer model that allows engineers to test the attributes of different vehicle designs. This will allow...

Researchers from North Carolina State University have found that applying a small electric field results in faster formation of ceramic products during manufacture at lower temperatures, and enhances the strength of the ceramic itself.At issue is a process called sintering, which is how most ceramic products are made. The process involves taking fine ceramic powder, compressing it into the desired shape of the final product, and heating it. Under high heat, the atoms of the powder material...

The rubber boots that emergency personnel wear when responding to situations where hazardous materials (HazMat) are present may be functional, but they're not very comfortable. New research coming out of North Carolina State University hopes to provide a next generation HazMat boot that meets both criteria."We've learned from firefighters and other first responders that the current rubber boots are slippery and uncomfortable; they'd prefer a leather boot similar to ones they wear during...

A team led by researchers from North Carolina State University has developed two new approaches for incorporating antimicrobial properties into microneedles "“ vanishingly thin needles that hold great promise for use in portable medical devices. Researchers expect the findings to spur development of new medical applications using microneedles.Microneedles cause less pain, tissue damage and skin inflammation for patients, and could be a significant component of portable medical devices for...

Today's computers rely on powerful graphics processing units (GPUs) to create the spectacular graphics in video games. In fact, these GPUs are now more powerful than the traditional central processing units (CPUs) "“ or brains of the computer. As a result, computer developers are trying to tap into the power of these GPUs. Now a research team from North Carolina State University has developed software that could make it easier for traditional software programs to take advantage of the...