News

Explore the discoveries and breakthroughs advancing the life sciences

Find By:

Study Shows Drug-Resistant Salmonella Dublin Could Spread Among Cows, Food, and Humans

Ancient DNA shows what really spread the farming revolution

New research by Penn State scientists shows that migration of farming groups was the dominant factor in the spread of agriculture, while cultural adoption by hunter-gatherers only played a minimal role. Pictured are the remains of a house in the Neolithic village of Barnhouse Settlement, Orkney, Scotland.  Credit: Creative Commons. All Rights Reserved.

Ancient DNA reveals farming spread through migration, locals slow to adopt it

Beech Creek, a 170-square-mile watershed in Clinton and Centre counties, has shifted from a thriving trout fishery to waters polluted by acidic mine drainage. Credit: Chris Komlenic. All Rights Reserved.

Research sheds light on Beech Creek’s struggle with abandoned mine drainage

Zinc enrichment and light intensity affect the nutritional composition of radish microgreens, shown here. The researchers found that high light intensity decreased the production of plant-defense compounds while it increased the production of antioxidants. Credit: Penn State. Creative Commons

Fine-tuning zinc supplementation, light exposure to boost microgreens’ nutrition

Hidden messengers tell plants when to eat and breathe

The team's research, conducted on mouse-ear cress — scientific name Arabidopsis thaliana, pictured — and fava beans, or Vicia faba, revealed that sugars, along with maleic acid, a chemical involved in energy production, act as crucial messengers that control how and when plants “breathe” and “eat." Credit: Sarah Assmann / Penn State. Creative Commons

Messenger signals that cue plants to ‘eat’ and ‘breathe’ revealed for first time

Experts warn of Salmonella Dublin: Cattle-born superbug that is spreading to humans

A partnership of CNH, the Penn State Corporate Engagement Center and Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences will advance research and student learning through the use of a New Holland fully methane-powered tractor. The college received the tractor during its Ag Progress Days expo. From left are Paul Heinemann, professor of agricultural and biological engineering and director, Technology in Agriculture and Living Systems Initiative; Pennsylvania Secretary of Agriculture Russell Redding; Troy Ott, dean of the college; Sean Dorosz, CNH medium tractor marketing manager; Russell Howard, CNH Pennsylvania territory sales manager; Beth Gugino, assistant dean for graduate education and associate director of the Pennsylvania Agricultural Experiment Station; John Peterson, director of corporate engagement, Penn State; Philip Eby, CNH hay and forage product manager; Andrew Tarman, CNH haytool hydraulics and driveline test manager; and Samanta Cassinera, CNH combine resource and operations manager.   Credit: Michael Houtz / Penn State. Creative Commons

Natural gas-powered tractor to boost ag science research at Penn State

A mallard, shown here fitted with a GPS unit, can be tracked by researchers. In recent decades, mallards have experienced a range-wide decline of 12% in the U.S. The Integrated Movement Model being developed by researchers could help inform conservation and management of mallards by combining GPS tracking and citizen science reports. Credit: Clayton Holmes. All Rights Reserved.

GPS-outfitted birds and citizen sightings to inform a better migration model

A team led by a researcher at Penn State has developed a sensor that can help diagnose diabetes and prediabetes on-site in a few minutes using just a breath sample.

New sensor is a breath of fresh air for diagnosing diabetes

A crowd gathers to watch a field machinery demonstration Aug. 13 during Ag Progress Days 2025. Credit: Michael Houtz/Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences. All Rights Reserved.

Penn State’s 2025 Ag Progress Days a success in showcasing innovation, impact

Research Professor Cheryl Keller Credit: Penn State. Creative Commons

New director appointed at Huck Institutes Genomics Core

What traits matter when predicting disease emergence in new populations?

What traits matter when predicting disease emergence in new populations?

Study lead author Sophia Kenney, postdoctoral scholar in the Department of Animal Science, samples a maternity pen for Salmonella Dublin. Credit: Penn State. Creative Commons

Bacteria strains infecting cattle and humans in US are highly similar

Lacy Alexander (seated) and Auni Williams recreate one of the experiments from the study, where women submerge their hand in cold water while their blood pressure is monitored. Credit: Aaron Wagner / Penn State. Creative Commons

Endometriosis affects more systems in women’s bodies than previously understood

The team’s sensor is capable of measuring and reporting the chloride ion levels of a subject's sweat in real time with high precision and efficiency. Credit: Caleb Craig/Penn State. All Rights Reserved.

Breaking a sweat: Using chloride in sweat to help diagnose cystic fibrosis

Although the researchers looked far back into time in conducting their study, they suggest the findings may have implications for the future. Credit: Manfred Richter from Pixabay. All Rights Reserved.

Corn root traits evolved with both human-driven, natural environmental changes

Logo of the Eberly College of Science's Science Matters: Spotlight Sessions. Credit: Penn State. Creative Commons

Eberly College introduces Science Matters: Spotlight Sessions outreach events

Penn State’s Roar supercomputer, housed within the Institute for Computational and Data Sciences (ICDS), enables researchers across the University to conduct complex simulations, calculations and analyses on a large scale, something a personal computer is not capable of. Ed O'Brien and Romit Maulik, ICDS co-hires, recently spoke to Penn State News about the need for and benefit of using high-performance computing resources to complete challenging inter- and multi-disciplinary research projects. Credit: ICDS/Ryan Antion / Penn State. All Rights Reserved.

Q&A: Boosting research with supercomputing

The treatment is used to control northern fowl mites, a blood-feeding parasite that can lead to health problems and lower egg production in chickens and other poultry. Credit: Zachariah Smith on Unsplash. All Rights Reserved.

Northern fowl mite treatment tested at Penn State receives FDA approval

The findings provide a better understanding of the viruses that could help lead to better disease control in the future, according to the researchers. Credit: meriç tuna on Unsplash. All Rights Reserved.

Study offers new insight into mixed virus interactions in plants

Microrobots Mimic Nature's Acoustic Communication

Invent Penn State’s NSF I-Corps Short Course is accepting applications for its virtual September cohort. Participant must apply and complete a self-guided I-Corps prep mini-course by Friday, Sept. 5.  Credit: Penn State. Creative Commons

Turn research into impact: Apply now for Penn State NSF I-Corps short course