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.
The Vikings abandoned Greenland due in part to sea-level rise, study finds
04/17/2023
04/17/2023
Why did the Vikings disappear from Greenland 400 years after settling there? New research led by Harvard University and Penn State using geologic and climate records found that sea-level rise likely contributed to the Viking’s disappearance from the island in the 15th century.
NSF grant to investigate the role of macrobiota in carbon cycling in estuaries
04/11/2023
04/11/2023
A Penn State-led interdisciplinary team of researchers across six institutions was awarded a $3.5 million grant from the National Science Foundation to investigate the role that macrobiota, such as clams, salt marshes and seagrasses, play in carbon cycling in estuaries.
Wetlands, water quality in Chesapeake Bay focus of Van Meter NSF CAREER Award
04/05/2023
04/05/2023
From improving water quality to providing a haven for endangered species, wetlands are the unsung heroes of our planet.
Geosciences student reviews climate misinformation literature as class project
04/03/2023
04/03/2023
Enrolling in Geoscience 435 in fall 2021, fourth-year Penn State student Alysha Ulrich did not expect to end the course with a literature review on-track to be published in a peer-reviewed academic journal.
Climate-related projects awarded seed grant funding through RISE support
03/30/2023
03/30/2023
Two climate-related projects received seed grant funding through high-performance computing support and consultation.
EarthTalks lecture to focus on habitability of planets beyond our solar system
03/29/2023
03/29/2023
Bradford Foley, associate professor of geosciences at Penn State, will discuss habitability conditions of exoplanets at 4 p.m. Monday, April 3, in 112 Walker Building at University Park and on Zoom.
Q&A: What is glass and how is it shaping our world?
03/27/2023
03/27/2023
From fiber optic cables to smartphones, glass is playing a major role in emerging technology.
Geography Coffee Hour talk to explore microorganisms and their impact on life
03/27/2023
03/27/2023
Seth Bordenstein, Dorothy Foehr Huck and J. Lloyd Huck Endowed Chair in Microbiome Sciences and professor of biology and entomology at Penn State, will offer insights into his research on microbiomes and their impact on the world in his talk, “Why We Look Down (To the Microbes) For Wonder, Impact and Discovery,” on March 31.
Trio of Penn State researchers tapped to lead AGU’s natural hazards section
03/20/2023
03/20/2023
As Guido Cervone takes the reins as president of the natural hazards section of the American Geophysical Union (AGU) he brings with him decades of experience in using machine learning, remote sensing and increasing representation to forecast, respond and mitigate dangers from natural hazards.
Researcher to image lab earthquake formation, precursory signals with ultrasound
03/15/2023
03/15/2023
Earthquakes are notoriously hard to predict, and scientists currently rely on seismic hazard maps to predict the likelihood of an earthquake to strike a particular region.