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.
News
EarthTalks: How Pennsylvania’s industrial past can support tech, energy
Maureen Feineman: “A Critical Legacy: Rare Earth Elements in Waste Products from Historical Mining and Smelting in PA,” at 4 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 22.
'Forging the future of steel' is theme for 2025 Nelson W. Taylor Lecture Series
The 2025 Nelson W. Taylor Lecture in Materials will be held on September 26, in the HUB-Robeson Center’s Heritage Hall.
Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences names 2025-26 seed grant recipients
The Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences has selected eight research teams to receive 2025-26 seed grant funding, included two from EMS.
Tidal marshes trap microplastics, raising risks for ecosystems and people
Freshwater tidal marshes, critical for wildlife and coastal protection, are now serving as microplastic catch basins, according to a team of researchers at Penn State.
Ancient DNA reveals mastodons migrated, evolved in response to shifting climate
A team of researchers including Penn State scientists provided the new evidence that significantly revises the prior understanding of mastodon's evolutionary history.
Geography Coffee Hour to host NBA analyst, alumnus Kirk Goldsberry
Kirk Goldsberry, NBA analyst, author and Penn State alumnus, will deliver a talk titled “Mapping the Modern NBA: How Cartography Helped Change Basketball Forever” on Friday, Sept. 26.
Q&A: Dating fossils from hotbed period of early human evolution
Erin DiMaggio was part of the international team of that recently discovered fossils belonging to our genus Homo and a new, yet identified, species of Australopithecus from a site in Ethiopia.
Research sheds light on Beech Creek’s struggle with abandoned mine drainage
Mobashsira Tasnim, a dual degree graduate student in geography and the Transdisciplinary Research on Environment and Society participated in research to restore Beech Creek.
Unified theory may reveal more superconducting materials
Zi-Kui Liu and his team have found a new way to identify types of materials known as superconductors that allow power to travel without any resistance, meaning no energy is lost.
More efficient approach to shale wells could boost oil output, store emissions
To help maximize oil production, a team of researchers at Penn State developed a new workflow that may improve recovery up to an additional 15% while providing long-term storage for carbon dioxide emissions.