Read the latest news about research conducted by investigators in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences. Our faculty and students are continually advancing technology, creating solutions and expanding knowledge with new and innovative research.
Past fires may hold key to reducing severity of future wildfires in western US
09/09/2021
09/09/2021
Previous fires may hold the key to predicting and reducing the severity of future wildfires in the western United States as fire activity continues to increase, according to researchers from Penn State and the U.S. Forest Service.
Dual grants totaling $2.25 million help students take a byte out of data science
09/02/2021
09/02/2021
All of the data produced or used in 2020 was estimated to be about 59 zettabytes, each of which equals a billion terabytes. If each terabyte represents a mile, 59 zettabytes would allow for almost 10 full round trips from Earth to Pluto.
Graphene made with lasers for wearable health devices
09/02/2021
09/02/2021
Graphene, hexagonally arranged carbon atoms in a single layer with superior pliability and high conductivity, could advance flexible electronics according to a Penn State-led international research team.
Ferroelectrics everywhere?
08/31/2021
08/31/2021
A new family of materials that could result in improved digital information storage and uses less energy may be possible thanks to a team of Penn State researchers who demonstrated ferroelectricity in magnesium-substituted zinc oxide.
National 2D materials research center wins NSF funding
08/20/2021
08/20/2021
A national research center that brings together university, industry and government partners to develop atom-thin 2D coatings with wide-ranging industrial applications is expanding thanks to a grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF).
Printing circuits on irregular surfaces with pulses of light
08/05/2021
08/05/2021
Printable electronics could cause a proliferation of smart, connected devices, from household appliances that can communicate with each other to medical diagnostic sensors that can be placed on the body to forgo invasive procedures.
Algorithm helps probe connections between stream chemistry and environment
08/02/2021
08/02/2021
Machine learning techniques may help scientists better understand the intricate chemistry of streams and monitor broader environmental conditions, according to a team of researchers.
Historic fire regimes lay groundwork for future forest management in western US
08/02/2021
08/02/2021
Fires in semi-arid forests in the western United States tended to burn periodically and at low severity until the policy of fire suppression put an end to these low-intensity events and created the conditions for the destructive fires seen today.
Finding new types of 2D material defects could enable better electronics
08/02/2021
08/02/2021
Two-dimensional materials are essential for developing new ultra-compact electronic devices, but producing defect-free 2D materials is a challenge.
Novel method of imaging silicon anode degradation may lead to better batteries
07/29/2021
07/29/2021
A novel method of characterizing the structural and chemical evolution of silicon and a thin layer that governs battery stability may help resolve issues that prevent using silicon for high-capacity batteries, according to a group of researchers.