A middle school substance-use prevention program led to wide-ranging benefits well into adulthood, including better communication with romantic partners and better-adjusted children. Parents who participated in the program reported lower levels of family conflict and higher levels of family cohesion.
Researchers developed a soft, stretchable antenna that can maintain stable wireless connections even during movement. The antenna's design allows it to compensate for changes in shape and size, enabling wearable devices to track vital signs continuously and reliably.
Researchers at Penn State have created a material memory system where two types of memory coexist and compete. At lower intensities, the mixture retains both directional and amplitude memories. However, as intensity increases, one memory weakens and is eventually erased, while the other becomes dominant.
A study by Penn State researchers found that severe flooding in rural Appalachia can lead to a significant increase in opioid overdose deaths, persisting up to 10 years after the event. The study suggests that decreased access to treatment services, increased trauma, and persistent stigma are key contributing factors.
A Penn State research team found that wealthy taxpayers who take the standard deduction have become less likely to vote for local spending, including repairing or building infrastructure or community services. The study used over 1,500 school district referendum results in California between 2008 and 2022 and found a decline in approva...
A recent study found that patients perceive medical professionals as more credible when AI agrees with their diagnosis. However, disagreement can increase perceptions of medical uncertainty and doctor laziness. The researchers suggest strategies to communicate AI disagreement effectively and reduce patient mistrust.
Researchers at Penn State found that adjusting the atomic arrangement of structural metals in molten salt reactors can significantly affect corrosion rates. The study's findings highlight the importance of material stability and chemical interactions between salts, metals, and mechanical stress.
A six-month study found that regular avocado consumption was associated with a reduced concentration of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) particles in the blood, corresponding to an approximate 4% reduction in heart disease risk. This modest reduction indicates that anyone with obesity could benefit from avocado consumption.
Researchers at Penn State have developed paint-on tattoos that can power sensors and track health data like heart rate and brain waves. The innovative conductive ink can be customized with various colors and designs, providing a comfortable and accurate wearable solution.
A new five-year, $2.5 million grant will support a street medicine program serving unsheltered populations in urban and rural areas of southcentral Pennsylvania. The program aims to break down healthcare barriers and provide primary care within community settings.
Researchers have developed a novel quantum material that can naturally enable the study of non-Hermitian dynamics, a phenomenon where systems exhibit unusual behaviors. The material, a magnetic topological insulator, allows for the creation of electronic networks with direction-dependent connections, enabling the accumulation of states...
A national study found that pediatric mental health treatment patterns rebounded and exceeded pre-pandemic levels, driven by new patients seeking care. Antidepressant prescriptions rose significantly among girls, with a notable increase in the youngest children.
A new study found that women with unmedicated depression may struggle to regulate body temperature in hot weather, but those taking SSRIs respond similarly to healthy individuals. The research suggests that SSRI treatment can help depressed women tolerate heat stress more effectively.
A study by Penn State researchers found that certifying third-party repair services increases repair rates and helps brands retain market share. By signaling the value or 'unused utility' left in broken products, certified brand repair services increased repair leads with a 700% increase.
A new study by Penn State researchers found that employees who feel overqualified perceive assigned tasks as unfair and worthless. Being treated with respect by managers reduces these perceptions and improves work attitude.
Researchers at Penn State simplify black hole mergers by applying thermodynamic principles, achieving accurate predictions of the final remnant's mass and spin. The maximum entropy conjecture shows that the merging black holes' energy and angular momentum map onto those of a sequence of hypothetical remnants, reaching a maximum entropy...
A study published in Crop Science found that some corn plants have longer cells and deeper roots, enabling higher water absorption. This stretch phenotype can help breeders improve drought-tolerant crops. Researchers used computer simulations and microscopy techniques to confirm the trait's effects.
Researchers at Penn State have developed a new measure for entropy that is more closely tied to the black hole's physical properties of spin and energy. This allows them to extend the first and second laws of thermodynamics to dynamic black holes, enabling better understanding of their processes.
A team of Penn State researchers has converted waste polyethylene terephthalate (PET) into highly ordered synthetic graphite, a crystalline form of carbon. The formed graphite exhibited large, well-ordered crystallites, indicating a highly organized crystal structure, which is suitable for high-quality anode materials in battery research.
A team of researchers at Penn State developed a new design approach to reduce the cost of ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC) by optimizing metallic fibers, which currently make up 70% of the material's price. The new design can help produce stronger and more environmentally friendly concrete while reducing costs.
Researchers at Penn State and NIST developed a new way to build tinier, smarter glass sensors filled with highly precise and stable atoms. These sensors can measure high-frequency electromagnetic signals, including millimeter-wave radiation, and offer improved navigation accuracy and reliability.
A new study led by Lisa Posey found that individuals prioritize avoiding losses and regrets over risk-return strategies in monetary decisions. Women are more likely to make decisions to avoid potential losses than men. The results suggest that understanding these biases is crucial for marketing products effectively or regulating financ...
A new study from Penn State researchers found that sending a simple acknowledgment message to customers can boost repeat participation in recycling and reuse programs, making sustainable behavior more sustainable over time. The study showed that acknowledgment emails tripled consumer participation in a dining service's reuse program.
Researchers analyzed TikTok videos discussing food noise, finding it's a relentless preoccupation with eating that affects daily activities. The study aims to bring evidence to differentiate between scientific claims and marketing purposes.
Researchers developed a digital twin framework to predict permafrost degradation in Alaska's thawing permafrost. The framework uses real-time measurements and AI to simulate the physical properties of frozen soil, enabling more accurate predictions of climate change impact.
A study by Penn State researchers found that coaching parents of preschool children improved their child's skills through seventh grade, resulting in fewer conduct problems and higher cognitive skills. The program, REDI, provided play-based instructional aids to support parent-child interactions.
A new study led by Penn State researchers found that just four minutes of daily strengthening exercise can significantly improve key factors in quality of life for aging adults. The study showed that strength and mobility improved dramatically in adults aged 65 and older, leading to better independence and reduced fall risk.
A pilot study by Penn State researchers found that wearing a cooling cap for 30 minutes can improve a person's sense of well-being and reduce depressive symptoms. The study also showed an increase in alpha brain waves, indicating a calming effect.
Researchers at Penn State developed photomemristors that adjust sensitivity based on light levels, like the human eye. These devices can process light data faster and more accurately than traditional systems in mixed lighting environments.
Researchers highlight five contexts – duration, time of day, purpose of use, interactivity, and content structure – to determine whether screen time is healthy or harmful. By examining these factors, individuals can protect themselves and their children from unhealthy screen behavior and create healthier digital environments.
Participants trusted AI more for large-scale scanning tasks like identifying red flags in social media posts, while trusting humans for nuanced fact-checking requiring piecing together evidence. The findings suggest that effective fact-checking tools should provide accurate results and explain how they're reached.
A study found that passive AI use can lead to a decline in outcome satisfaction of 21% compared to manual writing, while collaborative AI use showed similar scores. Passive AI use also reduced feelings of ownership and perceived meaningfulness by nearly 20%.
Couradeau will investigate how biocrust microbiomes adapt to thermal fluctuations, with implications for soil stability, fertility, and ecosystem services. Her research project includes novel components such as mesocosm experiments, global survey datasets, and citizen-science education.
Scientists discovered a massive wildfire in the Rwenzori Mountains that shifted the region's ecology and altered plant life over 2,000 years ago. The study suggests that rising temperatures may be altering ecosystems once safeguarded by extreme alpine conditions.
A team of researchers from Penn State and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee has been awarded a five-year, $3.2 million grant to study the biological mechanisms behind post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and exaggerated fear responses. The research aims to better understand how traumatic events lead to long-lasting changes in the ...
Researchers at Penn State found that fungicide seed treatments have modest yield gains but often do not offset their costs. Financial benefits are likely only when treatment costs are low and soybean prices are high.
Researchers developed a sustainability index to assess tourism's impact on counties' well-being, finding mixed results with some positive economic and environmental gains but also concerns around housing affordability and violent crime. The tool provides insights for policymakers and destination managers to establish baselines, compare...
A new study shows AI can generate hundreds of convincing finance research papers efficiently, but also raises concerns about the potential impact on academic community and meaning of scientific discovery. The study demonstrates how AI can accelerate research paper production while highlighting areas for improvement in peer-review systems.
A recent study found that AI-powered chatbots can provide accurate information in 76.2% of healthcare-related questions, with specialties like obstetrics and gynecology performing best. However, internal medicine, neurology, and dermatology saw lower accuracy rates, with risks of harm associated with incorrect responses.
A novel biogel solves hair-related issues with EEG systems, maintaining stable performance across different hair types for multiple days. The biogel enables objective measurements of brain responses to touch, potentially revolutionizing virtual reality and human-computer interfaces.
A new study reveals that worker bumble bees play a crucial role in determining the sex of baby bees, with juvenile hormone being the key trigger. The researchers found that when workers were treated with the hormone, they passed it to larvae through food, making them more likely to become queens.
Researchers discovered that overproduction of a DNA repair protein creates DNA damage mimicking BRCA mutations, which may respond to targeted treatments. Tumors with high levels of EXO1 protein exhibit characteristics similar to BRCA-mutant cells, suggesting personalized therapies could be effective.
A team of researchers at Penn State designed a system that can manipulate sound waves to produce high-quality audio in a precise, private area. The 3D-printed speaker cover uses acoustic metasurfaces to focus sound into a tight 'bubble' that is only audible within a small space.
Researchers use NASA's James Webb Space Telescope to analyze light passing through a distant, temperate gas giant planet's atmosphere, revealing methane and potentially other gases. The study provides insights into planetary formation and evolution, and could improve understanding of Earth's atmosphere.
Researchers found that portfolios considering company headquarter location and housing market trends can produce returns three times higher than those focused on growth stocks. This is because companies in more expensive areas have higher labor and infrastructure costs, reducing investor returns.
A new study found that switching to a nicotine e-cigarette reduces toxicant exposure and improves quitting rates, with the nicotine group having a higher chance of quitting entirely. The study's results suggest that nicotine e-cigarettes could serve as an effective off-ramp for smokers seeking to reduce their tobacco use.
Researchers developed a new class of stretchy bioelectronics that can stick to biological tissue and relieve hypertension while causing less damage to surrounding tissue. The CaroFlex device uses gentle electrical frequencies to modulate the baroreceptor reflex, providing effective treatment for drug-resistant hypertension.
A new reactor design efficiently converts carbon dioxide into methane using microbial electrosynthesis systems, achieving high energy efficiency and scalability. The system produces nearly two gallons of methane per liter of reactor volume per day, making it a potential pathway for converting CO2 into a storable fuel.
A new reactor design produced up to 6.9 liters of methane per liter of reactor volume per day, achieving coulombic efficiencies above 95% in laboratory tests. The system efficiently converts carbon dioxide and renewable electricity into methane through a hydrogen-mediated pathway.
A new study found that physically or psychologically aggressive parenting can disrupt a child's ability to regulate stress, leading to more external regulation as they age. Researchers observed 129 mother-child pairs and used heart rate monitoring to measure physiological regulation.