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.
No shortcuts: New approach may help extract more heat from geothermal reservoirs
09/19/2023
09/19/2023
A new technique proposed by Penn State scientists may help prevent “short-circuits” that can cause geothermal power plants to halt production, potentially improving the efficiency of geothermal power, the researchers said.
A new glass for the future: Taking LionGlass out of the lab and into the market
09/06/2023
09/06/2023
One of the few things scientists know for certain about glass is that its atomic structure is chaos. Neither liquid nor solid, glass is its own phase — a material somewhere between these two states of matter — that owes its existence to the way it is formed.
Penn State receives $3M grant to address insect biodiversity crisis
08/28/2023
08/28/2023
A team of Penn State researchers has received a $3 million grant from the National Science Foundation to spearhead a new initiative to create novel monitoring systems for insect populations, many of which are experiencing dramatic changes across the globe due to changes in land use, pollution and climate change.
Ears to the ice: Icequakes in Antarctica linked to ocean tides
08/25/2023
08/25/2023
When the ground rumbles in Antarctica, it may be an icequake — like an earthquake but caused by the movement of ice, not rock. A new study by Penn State researchers found that these seismic events are driven by ocean tides at a major ice stream in West Antarctica.
Thicker, denser, better: New electrodes may hold key to advanced batteries
08/16/2023
08/16/2023
The demand for high-performance batteries, especially for use in electric vehicles, is surging as the world shifts its energy consumption to a more electric-powered system, reducing reliance on fossil fuels and prioritizing climate remediation efforts.
Fresher AIr: AI and mobility data may improve air pollution exposure models
08/15/2023
08/15/2023
Americans in the northeast paid greater attention to air quality alerts this summer as wildfire smoke thickened skies with an orange-tinted haze.
Cell protector: Bio-inspired solar devices boost stability, efficiency
08/11/2023
08/11/2023
Borrowing from cell membranes, the protective barriers around cells in all living organisms, Penn State scientists have developed a new, cost-effective method for creating bio-inspired solar devices that could improve the performance of next-generation solar technology.
Zentropy and the art of creating new ferroelectric materials
08/09/2023
08/09/2023
Systems in the Universe trend toward disorder, with only applied energy keeping the chaos at bay. The concept is called entropy, and examples can be found everywhere: ice melting, campfire burning, water boiling. Zentropy theory, however, adds another level to the mix.
Mirror, mirror, who is the most efficient semiconductor of them all?
08/03/2023
08/03/2023
The next generation of 2D semiconductor materials doesn’t like what it sees when it looks in the mirror.
North Atlantic Oscillation contributes to ‘cold blob' in Atlantic Ocean
07/28/2023
07/28/2023
The "cold blob" — has been linked to changes in ocean circulation, but a new study found changes in large-scale atmospheric patterns may play an equally important role, according to an international research team led by Penn State.