Science & Technology

FSU art and engineering students collaborate on kid-friendly project for local nonprofit

Published: May 20, 2019 | 11:51 am | Posted in: Arts & Humanities, Science & Technology

From left to right: Owen Paul, Maddie Wishart, Associate Professor Jonathan Clark and Brianna Wylie show off their mechatronic installation. (Patricia Radulovich).

Engineering and art students might have more in common than people think. This spring, Florida State University brought students from the two disciplines together for a Mechatronic Art class, where they collaborated to design interactive stations for a creative play lab at The Sharing Tree, a local nonprofit. Mechatronics is an engineering field that brings […]

New study could improve understanding of how rare species benefit human beings

Published: May 17, 2019 | 10:22 am | Posted in: Science & Technology

Conservationists have long been committed to the preservation of rare plant and animal species — from California’s colossal sequoias to Atlantic bluefin tuna to China’s giant pandas — without having a rigorous system for determining these unique species’ tangible contributions to human well-being. A team of ecologists including Florida State University Assistant Professor Stephanie Pau […]

NASA awards researchers $1.7M grant to develop tools to help Florida water utilities allocate resources

Published: May 15, 2019 | 2:17 pm | Posted in: Science & Technology

Researchers from Florida State University, in partnership with a network of scientists and stakeholders from throughout the state, have been awarded a $1.7 million grant from NASA to develop cutting-edge climate prediction tools that could benefit Florida water supply utilities. Florida State climate experts and their collaborators will use NASA Earth Science satellite and modeling […]

In guppy courtship, the unusual male wins

Published: May 15, 2019 | 9:13 am | Posted in: News, Science & Technology

When it comes to choosing a mate, female guppies often go for the mates with the flashiest, most interesting color patterns. But why is that? Turns out, it’s all about psychology. In a new study, Florida State University researchers found that these tiny, tropical fish often choose a mate that physically stands out from the […]

FSU-developed foam could offer NFL players powerful protection against head injuries

Published: April 24, 2019 | 12:45 pm | Posted in: Science & Technology

A next-generation foam technology developed by engineers at Florida State University could soon be a key component in safer and more effective football helmets, thanks to a new grant from the National Football League’s Play Smart. Play Safe. health and safety initiative. The technology, called auxetic foam, was invented by Changchun Zeng, an associate professor […]

FSU researchers find tissue environment plays important role in tumor formation

Published: April 24, 2019 | 11:25 am | Posted in: Science & Technology

A team of Florida State University researchers used a simple tumor model to show the importance of tissue microenvironment in primary tumor formation. In the journal Developmental Cell, FSU researchers explain how certain signaling pathways define tumor hotspots, tissue microenvironment favorable for tumorigenesis, and show that simple stimulation of a protein can lead directly to […]

On the rise: Six years of scientific success

Published: April 18, 2019 | 11:40 am | Posted in: Science & Technology

Three Energy and Materials Researchers Reflect on Their Remarkable Early-Career Accomplishments at FSU Florida State University researchers Biwu Ma, Kenneth Hanson and Hanwei Gao have a few things in common. Several things, actually. All three are international leaders in the fields of energy and materials research. They were all recruited by Florida State as part […]

A social equation: Engineering researcher uses network science to understand how materials work

Published: April 18, 2019 | 9:29 am | Posted in: Science & Technology

Network science is how mathematicians and software designers construct complicated social networks like Facebook. But a group of Florida State University researchers has found that these equations can tell engineers a lot about the composition of different materials. Using network science — part of a larger mathematical field called graph theory — FAMU-FSU Professor of […]

Report: Red wolves, Mexican gray wolves are distinct species, subspecies

Published: April 1, 2019 | 4:15 pm | Posted in: Science & Technology

A yearlong study chaired by a Florida State University professor indicates the red wolf is a distinct species in the wolf family and the Mexican gray is a distinct subspecies of the gray wolf. These conclusions were published today in the consensus report “Evaluating the Taxonomic Status of the Mexican Gray Wolf and the Red […]

In ancient oceans that resembled our own, oxygen loss triggered mass extinction

Published: March 27, 2019 | 3:34 pm | Posted in: Science & Technology

Roughly 430 million years ago, during the Earth’s Silurian Period, global oceans were experiencing changes that would seem eerily familiar today. Melting polar ice sheets meant sea levels were steadily rising, and ocean oxygen was falling fast around the world. At around the same time, a global die-off known among scientists as the Ireviken extinction […]

Massive earthquakes provide new insight into deep Earth

Published: March 27, 2019 | 9:49 am | Posted in: Science & Technology

In the waning months of 2018, two of the mightiest deep earthquakes ever recorded in human history rattled the Tonga-Fiji region of the South Pacific. In the first-ever study of these deep earthquakes — generally defined as any earthquake occurring 350 kilometers or more below the Earth’s surface — a Florida State University-led research team […]

New computational tool could change how we study pathogens, FSU researchers say

Published: March 22, 2019 | 9:42 am | Posted in: Science & Technology

A sophisticated new analysis tool developed by Florida State University scientists may signal a new era in the study of population genetics. Their model, which incorporates advanced mathematical strategies, could help revolutionize the way researchers investigate the spread and distribution of dangerous, fast-evolving disease vectors. The breakthrough research was an interdisciplinary collaboration between postdoctoral mathematician […]