Inflatable dams offer a range of benefits, including flexible flood protection solutions and minimal maintenance requirements. They can be used to control water levels, prevent backflows, and even provide recreational spaces while maintaining flood protection.
Researchers employ phytoremediation approach using poplar trees to remediate contaminated sites, drawing polluted groundwater to their roots where contaminants are rendered harmless. The method's effectiveness and limitations remain areas of study, with ongoing research aiming to improve its applications for environmental cleanup.
Ann Weaver Hart emphasizes the importance of scholarly exchange and interaction in advancing knowledge. She draws on Henry Steele Commager's work, stating that scholars are not isolated but rather dependent on colleagues worldwide, dedicated to a public search for truth.
The Virginia Tech Center for Environmental Applications of Remote Sensing (CEARS) will provide detailed maps and spatial data to support informed development project decisions. CEARS will leverage NASA's resources and expertise to advance remote sensing research, education, and outreach.
Virginia Tech students will design and develop a hybrid vehicle using the new fuel cell, which produces zero emissions. The team aims to make effective use of the fuel cell in combination with a battery pack.
Researchers will study advanced technologies to minimize earthquake damage and losses in critical facilities like hospitals. They will examine retrofitting methods, smart materials systems, and monitoring systems to detect post-earthquake damage.
The agreement between Virginia Tech and Singapore will focus on building a distributed content-management system for bibliographic, multilingual, full-text, image, and video information. The collaboration aims to provide an environment for more efficient and effective learning, with educators acting as facilitators and oracles.
A recent Virginia Tech study reveals that students in technology-enriched courses reported more active engagement with coursework, investing more of their own time. Faculty members also reported a change in their role from one-way information dispensers to facilitators for learning.
A new book by Bonham Richardson examines the economies, environments, and societies of Caribbean islands St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Grenada, and Barbados. The study reveals how working people influenced British decision makers to develop unique adaptations to economic and geophysical stresses.
Researchers discover the San Andreas fault cuts straight through the crust and Moho, affecting stress buildup and earthquake hazard predictions. The study improves understanding of rock boundaries, types, and stress accumulation to better assess seismic risks.
A Virginia Tech project seeks to increase the number of women in science fields by recruiting middle school girls and teachers in five Southwest Virginia counties. The program aims to promote gender equity and provide role models for girls interested in science education.
The Virginia Tech Mathematics Department has received a five-year NSF grant to implement a new math curriculum that focuses on problem-solving and technology integration. The project aims to provide professional development for 174 mathematics teachers in six counties, who will use modern NSF-funded instructional material.
Researchers at Virginia Tech are developing a low-power, high-data-rate wireless communications device that uses a new type of computer-based radio. The Changeable Advanced Radio for Inter-Operable Telecommunications (CHARIOT) will automatically adapt to different standards, enabling seamless communication.
Virginia Tech Professor Doris Teichler Zallen explains the options, limitations, and problems of genetic testing for disorders like Alzheimer's, breast cancer, and muscular dystrophy. She highlights the need for informed consumers to weigh the benefits and risks of testing against their personal values and circumstances.
Research finds that stream biodiversity is slow to recover from long-term agricultural impacts, with diversity greater in forested areas. However, forest regeneration may alleviate some effects, but complete recovery may take years.
Researchers found that Rhododendron maximum restricts the formation of mycorrhizal fungi associations with certain tree species, particularly hemlocks. This limitation combined with resource scarcity hinders young oak seedlings' ability to absorb nutrients, giving Rhododendron an advantage in nutrient competition.
Researchers at Virginia Tech have developed a reinforced polymer composite material with embedded Nitinol fibers, which can dissipate energy to withstand great impacts. The material's most effective use is seen in toughening airplane composite structures and improving protection against mine fragments and vehicular impact.
Researchers at Virginia Tech have developed a supercomputer that can process complex data in real-time, reducing the need for expensive custom signal processing chips. The new platform uses Wormhole RTR to allocate resources and pathways dynamically, allowing streams of data to navigate themselves through the system.
Researchers at Virginia Tech have developed compounds that reduce wear and friction for ceramics and steel, saving up to 99% of wear and 40-50% of friction. The technology has been licensed for further development by Triad Investors Corp.
A study by Virginia Tech researchers found that public support for the death penalty is ambivalent, with many opponents emerging when alternatives to capital punishment are presented. The survey showed that 83% of Virginians initially supported the death penalty, but this number dropped significantly when respondents were given a life ...
Researchers have developed a rapid virus detection technology for drinking water, recreational waters, and groundwater. The test detects the presence or absence of viruses using a specific enzyme released from cells, providing a more accurate indicator of human health risk.
A new bait made of natural substances has been discovered that kills cockroaches by disrupting their uric acid production, a crucial resource for survival. The bait, developed by Dr. Heather Wren, is effective against both resistant and susceptible strains and shows promise in controlling large populations of German cockroaches.