Science & Technology

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

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

The FSU researchers' new model allows for increased variation in simulations designed to identify the origins of genetic differences. The graph shows the many different environments that can change the potential of an ancestor to produce offspring.

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 […]

FSU investment in high-performance microscope will take research to next level

Published: March 19, 2019 | 3:13 pm | Posted in: Science & Technology

The FIB microscope will allow materials science researchers to slice through minuscule material samples and collect images of their structures.

Florida State University is the new owner of a sophisticated ion beam microscope that will allow materials science researchers to conduct a variety of experiments on the tiniest materials. The purchase of the focused ion beam microscope — also known as a FIB — is a strategic investment in the university’s materials and nanomanufacturing research […]

FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, Air Force Research Laboratory celebrate new partnership

Published: March 18, 2019 | 4:57 pm | Posted in: Science & Technology

The FAMU-FSU College of Engineering and researchers and engineers from Eglin Air Force Base celebrated the beginning of a new partnership Monday to train undergraduate students in areas critical to the U.S. Air Force. From left: (L to R): David Lambert, AFRL; Maurice Edington, FAMU provost; Dean Murray Gibson; Charles Weatherford, FAMU; Sally McRorie, FSU provost; Col. Garry Haase, AFRL Directorate; Gary Ostrander, FSU Vice President for Research.

Multiyear Grant Will Support STEM Education The FAMU-FSU College of Engineering and researchers and engineers from Eglin Air Force Base celebrated the beginning of a new partnership Monday to train undergraduate students in areas critical to the U.S. Air Force. The Air Force Research Laboratory at Eglin will fund a $400,000 grant to create the […]

No lie! FSU researcher developing world’s first online polygraph

Published: March 15, 2019 | 2:30 pm | Posted in: Science & Technology

Associate Professor Shuyuan Ho envisions lots of potential applications for her idea. "This could have wide-ranging uses for online communities, social networks and online dating environments." (FSU Photography Services)

Can you spot a liar? It’s tricky enough in face-to-face conversations that offer facial expressions, gestures and tone of voice because those physical cues add context. Spotting a liar gets even tougher in blind computer conversations. Florida State University researcher Shuyuan Ho wants to shed those blinders by creating a revolutionary online polygraph. “The future […]

Why fly the coop? With shortage of mates, some birds choose to help others raise offspring

Published: March 14, 2019 | 9:55 am | Posted in: Science & Technology

Researchers from Florida State University and the Tallahassee-based Tall Timbers Research Station found that when fewer mates were available for brown-headed nuthatches, these small pine-forest birds opted to stay home and help their parents or other adults raise their offspring. (Photo: Tara Tanaka)

It’s not uncommon for young adults to pitch in and help out with the care of younger siblings. But it turns out that sometimes birds choose to become avian au pairs rather than raise their own brood. After a five-year experiment, researchers from Florida State University and the Tallahassee-based Tall Timbers Research Station found that […]

Research team discovers link between sodium and migraines before pain occurs

Published: March 13, 2019 | 9:59 am | Posted in: Science & Technology

FAMU-FSU College of Engineering Associate Professor Sam Grant worked with Dr. Michael Harrington from Huntington Medical Research Institutes to show how sodium distribution is disturbed in the brain using high-powered magnets at the FSU-based National High Magnetic Field Laboratory.

A Florida State University engineer and a team of researchers have found a link between migraines and how sodium is distributed through the brain, a finding that could be a key to future research on treatments for migraine sufferers. Sam Grant, an associate professor in the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, and Dr. Michael Harrington, director […]

FSU researchers discover a novel protein degradation pathway

Published: March 12, 2019 | 9:33 am | Posted in: Science & Technology

Bailey Koch is a doctoral student in the lab of Associate Professor Hong-Guo Yu.

Findings May Lead To Better Understanding of Muscular Dystrophy, Other Diseases The nucleus is a treasure trove of biological information that keeps the cell — and thus living organisms — ticking. But many processes within the nucleus remain a mystery to scientists. A Florida State University research team has uncovered one such mystery — how […]

When coral reefs change, researchers and local communities may not see eye to eye

Published: March 7, 2019 | 9:17 am | Posted in: Science & Technology

Study author and Florida State Assistant Professor Andrew Rassweiler evaluating fish abundances on the reef. (Credit: Sarah Lester)

Disturbances in coral reefs can trigger significant ecosystem shifts, but ecologists and local fishing populations may perceive those shifts in fundamentally different ways, according to a study from Florida State University researchers. This apparent disconnect between data-driven scientists and experience-driven fishing communities could have major implications for the management and resilience of coral reefs and […]

Red tide rolling: Harmful algae found to flourish in both high-, low-CO2 environments

Published: March 4, 2019 | 10:56 am | Posted in: Science & Technology

Researchers found that a Florida-specific strain of the red tide-causing algae is able to thrive in a variety of CO2 concentrations. Credit: Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission.

The algae responsible for Florida’s toxic red tides may be more resilient to shifting ocean chemistry than scientists previously realized, according to research from Florida State University oceanographers. A new study has revealed that the red tide-causing species that has menaced Florida’s coastal environments and tourism-based economies is able to efficiently utilize carbon dioxide (CO2) […]

Climbing high: FSU robotics researchers look to cockroaches to understand what it means to run up walls

Published: February 26, 2019 | 12:46 pm | Posted in: Science & Technology

FAMU-FSU College of Engineering Associate Professor Jonathan Clark and doctoral student Jason Brown examined whether moving rapidly up a wall or other vertical surface equates to a slow run or fast walk.

The way animals walk, jump, run and climb is an endless source of fascination for researchers. That includes robotics researchers who are taking inspiration from biology to build some of the fastest, most efficient robots — ones that could climb a 100-foot building in under a minute. Researchers from the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering Jonathan […]

FSU receives $8 million to revive Apalachicola Bay

Published: February 25, 2019 | 1:33 pm | Posted in: Science & Technology

The logistical hub of the Apalachicola Bay Systems Initiative will be the Florida Coastal and Marine Lab in St. Teresa, Fla.

Initiative Funded By Economic Damages Recovered After BP Oil Spill Florida State University has been awarded nearly $8 million from Triumph Gulf Coast as part of a major 10-year initiative to restore Apalachicola Bay and revive the region’s imperiled oyster industry. The project — the Apalachicola Bay Systems Initiative — will be funded by a […]

Ancient rocks provide clues about Earth’s early history

Published: February 25, 2019 | 11:28 am | Posted in: Science & Technology

Earth’s vast oceans started becoming oxygenated on large scales and great depths long before scientists previously recognized, according to new research from Arizona State University, Florida State University, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and The University of Waterloo. Oxygen in the form of the oxygen molecule (O2), produced by plants and vital for animals, is thankfully […]