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.
Computer games may be a key to ecological learning, study says
10/11/2022
10/11/2022
Computer games are an effective way to teach ecological issues and build pro-environment policy support, according to published research by an interdisciplinary group of Penn State scholars.
Saltier sea water may predict heavy summer rains in the U.S. corn belt
10/10/2022
10/10/2022
Farmers in the Midwest should care about the saltiness of ocean water thousands of miles from their fields, according to a team of scientists.
Corning honored as Penn State’s Corporate Partner of the Year
10/05/2022
10/05/2022
Penn State has named Corning Inc., one of the world's leading innovators in materials science, as its 2022 Corporate Partner of the Year.
Scientists improve process for turning hard-to-recycle plastic waste into fuel
09/28/2022
09/28/2022
Turning plastic waste into useful products through chemical recycling is one strategy for addressing Earth's growing plastic pollution problem. A new study may improve the ability of one method, called pyrolysis, to process hard-to-recycle mixed plastics — like multilayer food packaging — and generate fuel as a byproduct, the scientists said.
Lack of naloxone led to increased overdose deaths in rural Pa., study finds
09/28/2022
09/28/2022
Pennsylvania has one of the highest rates of opioid overdose in the nation, and, according to Penn State researchers, one’s chances of surviving that overdose can depend on where the person lives.
New grant continues Arctic research addressing climate change and communities
09/21/2022
09/21/2022
Climate change in the Arctic is evident as temperatures rise and Alaskan coastal Indigenous communities face severe, urgent, and complex social and infrastructural challenges. A collection of Penn State research in the region, being driven by social sciences and in collaboration with engineering and natural sciences, will address these challenges.
Research links shale gas, legacy energy development to groundwater contamination
09/20/2022
09/20/2022
Fracking for natural gas in parts of Pennsylvania with a legacy of energy extraction may increase the risk of groundwater contamination, according to a team led by Penn State scientists.
Materials faculty part of two new DOE Energy Frontier Research Centers
09/20/2022
09/20/2022
Five faculty in Penn State’s Department of Materials Science and Engineering (MatSE) are members of research teams selected for two recently funded Energy Frontier Research Centers.
Penn State shares $25M DOE grant to study climate change impacts and adaptation
09/19/2022
09/19/2022
Penn State was named a collaborating institution in a $66 million U.S. Department of Energy Urban Integrated Field (Urban IFL) Program designed to study the impacts of climate change on American cities.
Grant funds research that could help certification of organic honey bee products
09/16/2022
09/16/2022
A $1.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture will enable a team of researchers — led by Penn State entomologists — to assess foraging patterns of honey bees on organic farms, with an eye toward creating opportunities for beekeepers to produce certified-organic apiary products.