Florida State University researchers are part of an international team whose work reveals that North and South American mammals interacted before the Panamanian land bridge formed about 3 million years ago.

Professor of Geology and Environmental Science Yang Wang and geology doctoral student Chance Hannold are coauthors of a new study that challenges the long-held belief that North and South American mammals did not mix until the continents joined through an isthmus, a narrow strip that connects two larger land masses. Instead, the researchers found evidence of some North American animals clustering in present-day southern Mexico before opportunities arose to move further south beginning about 7 million years ago.

This research was published Thursday in the journal Science.

“Fossils, as well as ancient sediments and soils, provide valuable archives of past life and environmental conditions,” said Wang, who is also a faculty affiliate of the National Science Foundation-funded, FSU-headquartered National High Magnetic Field Laboratory. “By studying these natural archives, we can better understand how mammalian communities responded to past environmental changes and the processes that gave rise to present-day biodiversity patterns. This knowledge, in turn, can help us better anticipate the potential impacts of future environmental perturbations on the biosphere.”

North and South America were once isolated continents home to distinct groups of animals. Until recently, scientists believed those animals moved north and south only after the Isthmus of Panama formed about 3 million years ago. Biologists refer to this as the Great American Biotic Interchange, or GABI.

However, the new research suggests many North American mammals migrated to present-day southern Mexico and remained there in a sort of geographical holding pen until the continents moved just close enough for smaller species, including racoon-like coatis, ringtails and rodents, to travel farther south, likely by island hopping through the Caribbean or rafting on vegetation.

This suggests that intercontinental species migration began at least 4 million years before GABI. For context: At the beginning of that 4-million-year gap, early human ancestors had just genetically separated from chimpanzees, and by the end of it, the Stone Age had begun.

For this research, Wang and Hannold, a fifth-year doctoral student, conducted fieldwork in Mexico in from 2022 to 2024, collecting samples of ancient soil and fossilized tooth enamel.

“Earth’s natural processes, such as volcanism, the formation of the Isthmus of Panama, and the uplift of the Himalayas, have shaped the environments and climates in which animals, including humans, live,” Wang said. “We took our field samples back to the lab at FSU to conduct stable isotope analyses, which help identify when, where and in what conditions these animals lived, providing the environmental context for this study’s collection of fossils.”

Stable isotope analyses found evidence that the early arrival of North American mammals in Mexico was driven by the development of savanna grasslands in the region. The data revealed that C4 grasses — warm-season plants that include corn, sugarcane, switchgrass and Bermuda grass — were present in the area around 10 million years ago and became a dominant component of early horses’ diets by 5 million years ago.

“Yang’s new research is truly interdisciplinary, as it combines geological and biological evidence to investigate how geological processes created one of the great natural ecological mixing experiments of the Cenozoic Era,” said Mike Stukel, chair of the FSU Department of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Science. “It is also fascinating to consider how these results might shed light on the current mixing experiment occurring as humans intentionally and unintentionally spread different species across the planet.”

Wang and Hannold’s work was supported by the National Science Foundation through a portion of more than $500,000 in funding for the project. The broader study was led by principal investigator Jack Tseng, an associate professor at the University of California, Berkeley, and coauthored by researchers from Stanford University, the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, California, and the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, as well as the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México and Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, both located in central Mexico.

To learn more about research conducted in the FSU Department of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Science, visit eoas.fsu.edu.

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Researchers at the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering and Florida State University’s Resilient Infrastructure and Disaster Response Center have identified how hurricane flooding can impact health long after a storm.

In research published in the Journal of Cleaner Production, the researchers identified the factors that are most likely to create hazardous respiratory conditions inside homes after flooding.

Roof age, prevalence of indoor mold spores and maximum flood depth led to the most new respiratory symptoms among people in the homes the researchers studied. Airflow rates in bathroom exhaust fans, how often people opened their window blinds and the airtightness of the building were also important factors.

“We pay a lot of attention to direct impacts immediately after storms, but hazardous conditions can linger after floodwaters recede,” said Assistant Professor Ebrahim Ahmadisharaf, a study co-author. “Although the respiratory health impacts of flooding are indirect and may emerge gradually, timely intervention offers the best chance for supporting health. We wanted to pinpoint which factors were most harmful, because that tells us where intervention can do the most good.”

Understanding post-flooding impact

The researchers examined residential buildings that were damaged after Hurricane Ida, which made landfall near New Orleans in 2021 before moving through the Northeast US, and Hurricane Ian, which passed through South Florida in 2022. They separated their data geographically into three groups: Louisiana, Northeast US and Central and Southern Florida.

Working with public health researchers, they surveyed people whose homes had been impacted by the two hurricanes. Because flood-related mold exposures and respiratory health effects can persist after major storms, researchers conducted health surveys and mold sampling five to seven months after the hurricanes impacted the study area.

The team combined survey results with home inspections, lab analyses of indoor and outdoor mold spores and flood modeling to develop a comprehensive building-scale database for analyzing the connection between post-hurricane environmental factors and respiratory health. The database contained information for each building with a wide range of potential factors that affect respiratory health, including building properties, human indoor activities, indoor and outdoor mold and flood characteristics.

Why it matters

Although researchers have long known that mold leads to respiratory problems, this study presented a systematic examination of how conditions after flooding can exacerbate the growth of hazardous mold using a more detailed database than previous research.

 “Knowing the factors that are most likely to affect health gives us a guide for how to intervene before health problems begin,” said Professor Yassir AbdelRazig, a study co-author. “We know that resources for investment — for property owners and for outside agencies — are limited. This study gives a framework for what interventions can have the greatest impact.”

The research could help homeowners, health officials, insurance companies and emergency managers understand where health risks are greatest and develop strategies to minimize issues.

Future directions

Although the researchers examined conditions after hurricanes, the same problems can manifest after storms that don’t make headlines. Nuisance flooding, which doesn’t pose a threat to life or cause major property damage, can still lead to water intrusion at homes and prime conditions for mold growth.

Future research could add to the buildings surveyed, offering more robust analyses of the factors that affect respiratory health. A project using a control building without residents could examine the gradual effects of water intrusion over time and give researchers an understanding of how mold develops and affects indoor air quality, Ahmadisharaf said.

“Engineering has a major role to play in improving human health,” he said. “The indoor environments where we spend many hours of our lives are huge drivers of health. This research is about understanding that environment to help improve it.”

Doctoral alumna Maryam Pakdehi and doctoral student Ahmed Suliman were the lead author and co-author on this research, respectively. This study was supported by the National Science Foundation, the Danfoss Faculty and Graduate Student Fellows program, and an Early-Career Research Fellowship from the Gulf Research Program of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.

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The license agreement formalizes rights to patented multi-domain drone payload technology for aerospace and defense applications

The Florida State University Research Foundation and NorthStrive Defense Tech have signed an exclusive patent license agreement covering new multi-domain drone technology that can transport payloads across air and water.

The technology enables an unmanned aerial drone to transport a cable-suspended payload through water while maintaining flight above the surface, leveraging buoyancy-assisted transport to potentially improve payload efficiency compared to traditional air-only drone systems.

Unmanned systems are increasingly being developed to operate across maritime, aerial and payload-delivery missions. The United States, United Kingdom and Australia are advancing underwater drone technologies through the AUKUS defense partnership, and the U.S. Navy is pursuing the development of unmanned surface vessels capable of carrying large payloads over long distances in support of manned warships. These developments underscore a broader defense market shift toward unmanned platforms that can operate with flexibility in a variety of missions and environments.

“Florida State University faculty produce game-changing research in areas of defense challenges, and this licensing agreement expands the reach of that work through development and translation through this new start-up,” said Valerie McDevitt, associate vice president of Strategic Partnerships and Innovation.

NorthStrive Defense Tech has obtained an exclusive, worldwide, sublicensable license within the aerospace and defense technologies field to make, have made, use, sell, have sold, sublicense, and import licensed products covered by U.S. Patent No. 12,291,334 and associated know-how. NorthStrive Defense Tech LLC, a startup formed for the licensing of FSU technology, is focused on identifying, acquiring, licensing, developing, and commercializing advanced defense technologies, with an emphasis on drone, autonomous systems, aerospace, and dual-use applications.

In connection with the license, NorthStrive Defense Tech entered into a sponsored research agreement with the FSU Research Foundation to fund and collaborate on additional research and development activities intended to advance the technology toward a working prototype and potential commercial-grade units. That sponsored research program remains ongoing.

About NorthStrive Defense Tech

NorthStrive Defense Tech LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of PMGC Holdings Inc. focused on identifying, acquiring, licensing, developing, and commercializing advanced defense technologies, with an emphasis on drone, autonomous systems, aerospace, and dual-use applications. Read more about this licensing agreement in the original NorthStrive Defense Tech press release.

About PMGC Holdings Inc.

PMGC Holdings Inc. is a diversified public holding company focused on building, acquiring, and supporting operating businesses and strategic assets across high-growth sectors.

PMGC Holdings Inc and NorthStrive Defense Tech undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statements, except as required by law.

About the Florida State University Research Foundation

The Florida State University Research Foundation (FSURF) is a not-for-profit corporation, and a direct-support organization of Florida State University as provided for in Section 1004.28, Florida Statutes. FSURF was formally established by the Florida Board of Regents in September 1993.

FSURF serves as the principal conduit for the Office of Commercialization, whereby the products of university research are made available to the marketplace. FSURF is the assignee of the University’s Intellectual Property (IP), and therefore, is the fiscal agent for all activities with respect to the commercialization of the IP.

FSURF promotes and encourages, and provides assistance to, the research and training activities of faculty, staff and students at FSU.

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Florida State University will lead four major projects as part of the U.S. Department of Energy’s highly coveted Genesis Mission, showcasing the university’s strengths in advanced technological innovation.

These landmark projects, led by FSU’s world-class faculty, utilize artificial intelligence and machine learning to tackle some of the nation’s most complex challenges, spanning high-temperature superconductors for fusion energy, quantum error correction, particle physics, and nuclear reaction modeling.

“These awards further affirm Florida State University’s emergence as a national leader at the frontiers of discovery, innovation and national service,” said FSU President Richard McCullough. “To secure four projects through the Department of Energy’s Genesis Mission is a defining achievement for our institution and a powerful recognition of the caliber of our faculty. FSU is helping shape the scientific agenda for the nation’s future by advancing the artificial intelligence, quantum and energy frameworks that will strengthen our national infrastructure, accelerate American innovation and reinforce U.S. technological leadership.”

The Genesis Mission represents a major federal investment to unite DOE national labs, industry and academia to accelerate breakthroughs in energy dominance, physical sciences and national security. It has drawn comparisons to the Manhattan Project or Apollo mission. The Department of Energy awarded 278 awards across 26 identified science and technology challenges to accelerate U.S. innovation and scientific leadership during a summit in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, July 22.

FSU secured four awards and the FSU-headquartered National High Magnetic Field Laboratory is partnering on a fifth award led by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Three of the FSU awards stem from the Department of Physics, and the other is from the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering.

The awards are for an initial phase one that is nine months. However, researchers who received the awards are invited to show initial results of their work and apply for a second phase of funding that will likely be announced next year.

FSU Vice President for Research Stacey S. Patterson emphasized the strategic alignment of these projects with FSU’s mission to deliver solutions to critical global challenges.

“FSU has strategically positioned itself at the intersection of artificial intelligence and physical sciences to address some of the most critical vulnerabilities our country faces,” Patterson said. “From rebuilding a secure domestic supply chain for high-performance fusion magnets to paving the way for unbreakable, fault-tolerant quantum computers, these projects are highly practical solutions to real-world national security challenges. We are incredibly proud of our faculty for securing these historic awards, which will inspire next-generation breakthroughs and solidify FSU’s role as a trusted partner in federal scientific leadership.”

FSU researchers are leading the following Genesis projects:

AI-Powered Manufacturing of High Temperature Superconductors for Fusion Energy

Challenge Area: Reenvisioning Advanced Manufacturing and Industrial Productivity

Led by Associate Professor Fumitake Kametani, this project uses AI to transform how high temperature superconducting tapes are made for fusion energy magnets. Manufacturing these highly engineered tapes involves subtle, hard-to-detect variations that limit performance uniformity and thus drive up costs of magnets, so the team is building an AI “digital twin”, which is a predictive computer model of the production line. This model learns how manufacturing conditions shape tape quality, helping rebuild a US-owned supply chain of this critically important technology for US energy security. FSU leads the project with the US manufacturer High Temperature Superconductors, Inc., and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Sanghyun Lee, associate professor of Mathematics, and National High Magnetic Field Laboratory researchers Aixia Xu, Yan Xin, Jeseok Bang, and Chris Segal, will also play key roles in executing the project, as well as MagLab Chief Materials Scientist David Larbalestier.

Teaching AI to Fix Quantum Errors

Challenge Area: Realizing Quantum Systems for Discovery

Led by Professor of Physics Nicholas Bonesteel, this project develops AI that acts as a real-time diagnostic system for quantum computers. Quantum computers are extraordinarily sensitive to noise, and keeping a quantum computation on track requires rapidly interpreting streams of indirect error signals. For today’s leading quantum codes, efficient classical algorithms handle this task — but they break down for the richer, more powerful codes expected to follow. The team is training neural networks to decode these signals for this next generation of quantum codes — essential groundwork for quantum computers that work at full scale. Co-Principal Investigators on this award include Assistant Professor of Physics Yanzhu Chen, Professor of Computer Science Xiuwen Liu, and FAMU-FSU College of Engineering Professor William Oates.

Accelerating Cosmic Discovery in Particle Physics

Challenge Area: Unifying Physics from Quarks to Cosmos

Led by Wyatt-Green Chair of Physics Mayly Sanchez and Robert O. Lawton Professor of Physics Harrison B. Prosper, this project uses AI to help scientists figure out one of the biggest mysteries in the universe: why everything around us is made of matter instead of antimatter. A massive U.S. experiment called DUNE will shoot invisible particles called neutrinos 800 miles through the Earth to find out, but physicists can only interpret what they see by comparing it against computer simulations that aren’t yet accurate enough. Today, improving those simulations is slow, hand-guided work that can take years. The FSU team is training an AI on millions of recorded neutrino collisions to find every place the simulation disagrees with reality at once, then compress what it learned into compact equations physicists can read. The team will transfer what the AI learns from one experiment directly to DUNE, opening the way to a system that unites the world’s neutrino data into a single shared model of how neutrinos interact with matter.

AI and Quantum Computing for the Next Generation of Nuclear Science

Challenge Area: Delivery of Fusion Energy

A multi-institutional team led by FSU will combine artificial intelligence with next-generation quantum-computing methods to improve understanding of atomic nuclei and other quantum systems. By combining AI-driven data analysis with advanced quantum-information methods, the researchers will address longstanding challenges in interpreting the vast amounts of experimental nuclear data collected over decades. Their work aims to produce predictive models that reveal how quantum systems interact, evolve, decay, and respond to external influences. Beyond advancing fundamental science, these developments could contribute to progress in quantum technologies, clean energy, and national security. The project brings together principal investigator Alexander Volya, Hitesh Changlani, and Yanzhu Chen of FSU; co-principal investigator Grigory Rogachev of Texas A&M University; Richard J. deBoer of the University of Notre Dame; collaborators at Quantinuum; and participating students and researchers across the institutions.

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Florida State University Vice President for Research Stacey S. Patterson this summer was officially inducted into the National Academy of Inventors, the highest professional distinction awarded to academic inventors.

“Being named a Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors is an incredible honor,” Patterson said when she learned the news this past spring. “I firmly believe that our responsibility as academic innovators extends beyond discovery — we must actively translate the knowledge and breakthroughs developed within our universities into real-world solutions to help improve lives. This part of our mission inspires me daily, driving my passion to ensure that our researchers and ideas create meaningful, lasting benefits for society.”

Patterson, who has served as FSU’s vice president for Research since 2022, has a long record of translating academic research into commercial applications. She holds several U.S. patents that focus on novel detection platforms and engineered cell lines used to accelerate drug discovery and toxicity testing. Her work also led to 490 BioTech, a Knoxville-based startup company, where she was one of four co-founders. 490 BioTech was highlighted as one of the top ten innovations in 2013 by The Scientist Magazine.

Since arriving at FSU, Patterson has led the launch of several initiatives aimed at accelerating research translation, entrepreneurship and innovation. Here are three ways Patterson and the Division of Research are championing a culture of innovation at FSU.

• Expanding research translation through IGNITE-FSU Program: Patterson secured $6M from the National Science Foundation’s Accelerating Research Translation (ART) program to kickstart FSU’s efforts. Known as IGNITE-FSU, this program provides faculty with targeted funding, institutional infrastructure and coordinated support across research, commercialization and entrepreneurial support teams to take discoveries from university labs and fast-track them into tangible societal and economic solutions.
• Opening the IGNITE Tallahassee incubator facility: The IGNITE Tallahassee facility provides space and resources for technology-based start-ups. Its regional focus enables the support of university spinouts as well as the recruitment to the Tallahassee region of deep technology companies seeking to partner with the unique assets and faculty at FSU, Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, and Tallahassee State College. Located in Innovation Park, the 40,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art hard science incubator bridges the gap between campus labs and commercial markets. It is purpose-built for deep-tech and life-science startups, featuring wet and dry labs, tissue and bio-culture facilities and prototyping space. Backed by the IGNITE Entrepreneurial Support team, founders work closely with experts to grow their venture.
• Moving technologies forward: Through FSU Health, FSU awarded $250,000 to five teams comprising research and local health providers pursuing healthcare innovations. Patterson launched the Clinical Catalyst program last year to bring together teams to address health challenges affecting patients in the community. Through IGNITE-FSU, eight researchers spearheaded seed translational research projects to move targeted projects toward practical application. These include a web-based tool for photo-based chemical analysis, a digital ADHD treatment for children, a test for colorectal cancer and others.

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Children learning their “ABCs” or high school students studying the periodic table can turn to songs to help remember foundational educational concepts. A Florida State University professor is applying the method to chemistry class, using artificial intelligence to create new musical learning aids that help students succeed.

Oliver Steinbock, Cottrell Family Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, has previously used AI in his laboratory research to identify chemical compositions of dried salts from images. He is now exploring educational endeavors with the technology through AI-generated songs that explain core chemistry concepts, like thermodynamics and compression, and break down dense equations such as the van der Waals equation.

“I created these chemistry songs as a resource to teach concepts in a different way and create some new interest in the subject matter,” Steinbock said. “These songs can be used by students as at-home study tools, or lecturers could ask students to make their own songs about a topic as an in-class activity and have the students fact-check their songs. It’s just one tool in the toolbox of teaching.”

Steinbock’s 16-song playlist focuses on thermodynamics — the branch of physical chemistry covering interactions among heat, work, temperature and energy — and is available on Suno, a generative AI platform that creates songs based on user prompts. Through different musical genres, Steinbock’s songs teach the laws of thermodynamics, the essential rules of nature that define how energy operates in the universe, which are key foundations for physics and chemistry research.

“Physical chemistry is known as one of the hardest chemistry subjects to learn,” said Wei Yang, chair of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and a professor of biochemistry. “Many students have a love-hate relationship with thermodynamics due to many key equations and concepts that they must comprehend and memorize.”

In addition to serving as mnemonic devices that aid memorization through rhythm and repetition, learning songs helps students of all levels feel more comfortable in the classroom and reduce anxiety, according to research from the University of Washington published by the American Society for Cell Biology.

“These songs can have huge benefits for students with different learning styles, especially those who want to reinforce key concepts in their free time,” said Andrew Fredericks, a student in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and an undergraduate researcher in Steinbock’s laboratory. “Many people are curious — and maybe a little nervous — about how AI will continue to impact education and society, but it’s exciting to see technology being used in creative ways to help students learn.”

The country-inspired song “Temperature” helps students understand how temperature is affected by the first law of thermodynamics, which states that energy cannot be created or destroyed, while the K-pop inspired song “Z One” teaches the ideal gas law by describing the relationship among pressure, volume, temperature and amount of a substance in a gas.

To develop these songs, Steinbock input sections of his own research papers into large-language models like ChatGPT and Claude and turned the text into lyrics. He then checked the lyrics for factual errors and adjusted prompts as needed before putting the final lyrics and choice of musical genre into Suno. The result was a series of short, catchy songs highlighting core concepts that students sometimes struggle to learn through traditional lectures and reading.

“This project is a really cool example of how AI can be used in education,” Fredericks said. “By combining the chemistry content with music, the songs make the material feel more approachable and enjoyable.”

Steinbock hopes his students use these songs as an additional learning aid to support their studies while highlighting the importance of ethical and responsible AI use.

“In a project like this, I had to check the facts while also considering how much freedom the AI can take to stretch the concepts or mix in cheesy words,” Steinbock said. “AI has the potential to be a useful learning tool, but it still makes mistakes. We must learn to use it safely and constructively.”

Visit the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry website to learn more about Steinbock’s work and research in the department.

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Florida State University’s Center for Advanced Power Systems (CAPS) has secured an $88 million contract from the U.S. Navy to develop advanced modeling, simulation and testing capabilities for the next generation of shipboard power and energy systems through 2031.

“FSU’s Center for Advanced Power Systems is a national leader in highly specialized research and development that supports the U.S. Navy’s most advanced technology needs,” said FSU President Richard McCullough. “This major award reflects the Navy’s confidence in FSU’s expertise and underscores the important role our university plays in advancing power systems research with real-world impact.”

CAPS is led by Interim Director Sastry Pamidi, a professor in the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering. CAPS research faculty members Harsha Ravindra and James Langston are leading the new effort.

The contract, awarded by Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA), will support a broad research and development effort for the Navy.

Through the project, CAPS will develop digital models and architectures for advanced ship systems and evaluate next-generation electrical power and energy systems before they are implemented on physical vessels.

“Modern naval vessels are essentially moving microgrids, facing energy demands that were unimaginable a few decades ago,” Ravindra said. “This partnership with NAVSEA allows us to push the boundaries of what’s possible in modeling and simulation (M&S) as well as testing of advanced power system components in controller- and power- hardware-in-the-loop environment for shipboard electrical design, rapid prototyping and deployment on ships. The expertise provided by CAPS supports the Navy in design and risk reduction of ships that are faster, more resilient, and exponentially more energy efficient.”

The work is expected to be completed by June 9, 2031, with options that could provide the university an additional $11.5 million in funding for a cumulative $99.5 million award. CAPS also will collaborate with its extensive national network of partners on individual projects that support the broader research agenda.

“Collaborating with leading institutions and industry partners across the country requires a deeply integrated approach,” Langston said. “CAPS has the unique infrastructure, expertise and computational power to serve as the anchor for this nationwide research effort. It’s incredibly rewarding to lead a project that tackles real-world engineering challenges that directly impact national security.”

CAPS and the Navy have a long-standing history of collaboration.

Established in 2000 with support from the Office of Naval Research, CAPS has spent more than 25 years advancing power systems technology. During that time, the center has secured hundreds of millions in grants, trained more than 100 doctoral students who have gone on to careers in academia and industry and pioneered more than 60 patented technologies.

In 2016, CAPS became the first university test site accredited by the U.S. Navy to perform power hardware-in-the-loop simulation testing of megawatt-scale power equipment for surface combatants.

Vice President for Research Stacey S. Patterson said the award reflects the caliber of CAPS researchers and the center’s world-class capabilities.

“We are incredibly proud of Dr. Ravindra, Dr. Langston, Dr. Pamidi and the entire CAPS team for their leadership and hard work,” Patterson said. “Through this partnership with NAVSEA, FSU is helping shape the future of naval power systems, advancing national security innovation and demonstrating how our researchers translate groundbreaking ideas into real-world solutions.”

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A Florida State University paleoclimatologist led the creation of a global database hosting thousands of seawater isotope measurements collected over almost 50 years that will aid scientists in generating more accurate climate reconstructions and predictions.

Associate Professor of Oceanography and Meteorology Alyssa Atwood led the Past Global Changes, or PAGES, project that created the new PAGES CoralHydro2k Seawater δ¹⁸O Database, a publicly accessible archive hosted by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Centers for Environmental Information.

The database, presented in a recent publication by Earth System Science Data, reports the ratio of the heavy to light stable isotopes of oxygen, expressed as delta-oxygen-18 (d¹⁸O), and hydrogen, expressed as delta-hydrogen-2 (d²H), in seawater. It includes nearly 19,000 seawater isotope measurements.

Isotopes are variations of elements that differ based on the number of neutrons in the nucleus. Water molecules that contain heavier isotopes behave slightly differently than water molecules that contain lighter isotopes. Because of these tiny mass differences, the isotopes become unevenly distributed among the ocean, atmosphere and land, helping scientists to track the global water cycle.

“Water isotope ratios record how water moves among the ocean, atmosphere and land,” Atwood said. “In the ocean, water isotope measurements can track precipitation, evaporation, freshwater runoff from rivers and ice sheets, and ocean circulation patterns, which serve as powerful tracers of Earth’s modern water cycle. Because the hydrological cycle intensifies as global warming accelerates, seawater isotopes also provide important insights into how the global water cycle is changing as the planet warms. This database provides a robust observational framework to track these changes with unprecedented coverage.”

In addition to seawater isotope data, the database includes measurements of ocean hydrology, salinity, temperature and hydrogen isotope ratios where available. It also incorporates extensive metadata that describes sampling locations, depths, data collection and analysis methods and data quality, which are essential for proper quality control, inter-comparison and interpretability across datasets.

“As the team compiled these datasets, we also documented their strengths and weaknesses to provide a set of best reporting and data standardization practices to the community for the future,” Atwood said. “We’ve only scratched the surface in identifying how this data can help us understand how the ocean and global hydrological cycle are currently changing, how they’ve changed in the past, and what we can expect for the future. This database gets us one step closer to realizing that potential.”

Reconstructing historical climate data

The database also supports the development of past climate reconstructions. Seawater isotope data helps refine paleoclimate records based on the oxygen isotope composition of marine organisms such as corals, single-celled amoeba called foraminifera, and mollusks, a type of invertebrate. This allows scientists to make better estimates of past climate conditions and how they have changed over time.

“In this way, the database can help scientists to extend climate records back into the preindustrial era, contextualize modern climate change and improve future climate projections,” Atwood said.

Updating and centralizing seawater isotope data

This initiative began after an earlier CoralHydro2k project discovered that previous compilations of seawater isotope data were out of date. While significant advances in analytical techniques over the past few decades have led to a rapid increase in the quantity and quality of seawater delta-oxygen-18 measurements, much of this data wasn’t publicly available or easily accessible.

“Despite the wide-ranging applications of this data across oceanography, atmospheric science and paleoclimatology, there was no single, actively maintained place where scientists could find and use seawater isotope data,” Atwood said. “We sought to fill this gap by creating a comprehensive, up-to-date, global database of seawater isotope data.”

In the new database, more than half the data compiled comes from “hidden” datasets found in student theses, supplemental tables of journal articles, cruise reports and private research archives.

“The centralization of global seawater isotope data provides an unprecedented resource for improving large-scale synthesis efforts in oceanographic and paleoclimate research by making them more accurate and reliable,” said Michael Stukel, chair of FSU’s Department of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Science.

The database also has a submission portal through the EarthChem Library, allowing researchers to submit new datasets and continue to grow the database, facilitating future research discoveries.

The project team consisted of volunteer scientists from all academic levels, including graduate and undergraduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and early career to senior-level scientists from academic and research institutions in the U.S., Germany, France and Portugal. The study was supported by the PAGES project, the U.S. National Science Foundation, the U.S. Department of the Interior, the Louisiana Board of Regents and the German Research Foundation.

Visit the FSU Department of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Science website for more information about research conducted in the department.

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An interdisciplinary team from Florida State University’s Department of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Science has uncovered new evidence about processes that may have contributed to ancient mass-extinction events, some of the most dramatic ecosystem reorganizations in Earth’s history.

Assistant professor of meteorology Michael Diamond, assistant professor of geology Emily Stewart, and geology doctoral student Lindsi Allman combined deep-earth geochemistry and atmospheric science to show that natural sulfur and carbon released from metamorphic rocks affects the environment in similar ways to emissions from volcanic eruptions, long considered the primary drivers of mass-extinction events.

The study, “Metamorphic sulfur release as a driver of sustained cooling and mass extinction,” was published today in Science Advances.

“Evidence shows that the process that wipes out species is a climate swing, or an oscillation back and forth between hot and cold climates,” said Stewart, who researches the effects of metamorphic fluids on Earth’s cycles and long-term habitability. “Some extinctions are correlated with the timing of eruptions in large igneous provinces, which are massive magmatic areas that have seen lots of volcanic eruptions and lava spewing out of Earth’s surface. As long as geology as a field has existed, scientists have believed that volcanic eruptions and their emissions were the primary trigger for rapid global cooling and climate swings. We found another process that contributes to these events: metamorphism.”

How it works

Metamorphic processes occur when rock under Earth’s surface is exposed to extreme heat, like when rock in large igneous provinces, such as the Ferrar large igneous province in Antarctica or the Siberian Traps in Russia, is heated by magma. If that rock contains sulfur and carbon, the heating process results in sulfur and carbon emissions, which allow them to seep out at the ground level as gases.

Sulfur emissions become sulfate particles in the atmosphere that act like tiny mirrors, reflecting some of the sun’s energy back into space. The Earth then absorbs less energy from the sun, leading to cooling spikes. Sulfates also act as “cloud seeds,” attracting water vapor to form clouds with liquid droplets that disperse water more efficiently and reflect more sunlight, also contributing to cooling spikes.

“Cooling spikes are the result of sulfur, which doesn’t stay in the atmosphere for more than a few days before dissipating,” said Diamond, who investigates how Earth’s climate is affected by cloud interactions with aerosols. “The opposite warming effect is due to carbon, which is also released in the metamorphic process but doesn’t react with other particles. Carbon remains in the atmosphere for hundreds, thousands or even millions of years. Even after sulfate-driven cooling spikes, the atmosphere is several degrees warmer than before due to carbon gas continually warming while sulfur aerosols cool and eventually disappear from the system.”

Ancient extinctions that may have been influenced by these emissions include the end of the Ordovician Period around 440 million years ago, when up to 85 percent of shallow marine species died, including many trilobites and corals. Another occurred at the end of the Devonian Period around 370 million years ago, when many marine species, especially reef-building corals and bony-armored fish like the Dunkleosteus, died out.

The end of the Permian Period, or the “Great Dying,” occurred around 252 million years ago and wiped out up to 96 percent of marine species and 70 percent of land species. Around 201 million years ago, the end of the Triassic Period eliminated many groups of giant reptiles that dominated land, sea and sky, making way for the rise of dinosaurs.

Why it matters

Although these events occurred millions of years ago, they provide natural experiments for investigating interactions and cycles among the solid Earth, atmosphere, oceans and biosphere. Understanding their causes helps scientists better understand the sensitivity of Earth systems to large-scale environmental change.

“Earth’s systems are deeply interconnected, and major environmental changes rarely result from a single isolated process,” said EOAS department chair Mike Stukel. “Scientific progress often comes from integrating geological observations, geochemical evidence, climate perspectives, and biological implications into a unified framework. This research demonstrates the value of bringing together expertise from multiple fields to better understand Earth’s past and its future, and it highlights why our department is such a special place.”

This work was funded by the American Chemical Society Petroleum Research Fund and several programs within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Climate Program Office.

“The more we study mass-extinction events, the more we see that they’re much more complex than we realized,” Stewart said. “In geology, we thought the question of what could drive ancient mass-extinction events was solved. The only way we broke this misunderstanding was by bringing in perspectives from another field, which pointed us to evidence that hadn’t been considered before.”

Visit the Department of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Science website to learn more about research conducted in the department.

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This summer, Florida State University’s Learning Systems Institute (LSI) hosted its third cohort of fellows through the BridgeUSA Ukraine Program for Resilience and Reconstruction (UPRR), further strengthening research partnerships between U.S. and Ukrainian scholars. 

The fellows, Dmytro Diadin, an associate professor at O.M. Beketov National University of Urban Economy in Kharkiv, and Oleksandra Hrytstna, associate professor and vice dean at the National University of Water and Environmental Engineering in Rivne, spent four weeks at FSU collaborating with faculty across campus. They conducted research, observed classes, developed course materials and explored the policies and culture that shape American higher education.   

This marks the third cohort of BridgeUSA UPRR fellows hosted by FSU’s Ukraine Task Force (UTF), housed within LSI. Vilma Fuentes, director of the UTF, coordinated the visit.  

“While staying here, we were really in good hands,” Diadin said. “We are very grateful to FSU’s UTF for hosting us because this ensures that we will go to Ukraine with really tangible outcomes, tangible results.” 

Hrytstna’s research focuses on water and wastewater management to support sustainable urban environments. His work also explores the potential of wastewater energy recovery as a tool for decarbonization. Diadin specializes in hydrology, water monitoring and environmental impact assessment, with extensive expertise studying groundwater and surface water systems in Eastern Ukraine.  

During their visit, the fellows worked alongside scientists at the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory (MagLab) to analyze groundwater samples from Ukraine and examine how the ongoing Russian invasion has affected the country’s water resources.  

“The most exciting and the most useful part for me was taking samples (of Ukrainian groundwater) and using the magnificent capabilities of the MagLab to analyze this water,” Diadin said. “This is actually the first time ever that Ukrainian water was analyzed on such magnetic instruments. So, this is the only place in the world where we can do it with such precision.” 

The collaboration also created opportunities for long-term research partnerships. Florida’s unique geology, particularly North Florida’s more than 300 documented freshwater springs, provides valuable opportunities for comparative water research.  

“I see a beautiful harmony here,” Hrytstna said. “It is a unique ecosystem in Florida, in Tallahassee. How FSU built a world-class academic campus right inside this natural paradise shows me that progress and nature can live together.” 

Both fellows said the visit strengthened relationships with FSU researchers and opened the door to future joint projects. 

“I see that we will have further cooperation on water quality and just in general water studies because in Florida you have really unique conditions of groundwater formation, groundwater pollution and groundwater use,” Diadin said. “In Ukraine we have different conditions but the impacts, the anthropogenic inputs to water and the necessity of water preservation, to ensure water quality, water safety. This is in our common tasks. So, I really see that we will cooperate on these water issues with the FSU.” 

The BridgeUSA Ukraine Program for Resilience and Reconstruction is funded by the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv, with additional funding from U.S. host institutions, and administered by American Councils for International Education. The program equips professionals with the skills and expertise needed to support Ukraine’s recovery and resilience. 

“BridgeUSA provides an opportunity to meet face-to-face,” Hrytstna said. “It is important because you see your partner, your scientist colleagues and you have eye contact. In a face-to-face meeting, we can better understand each other. For me, it is a two-way bridge. It is not only the U.S. to Ukraine. It is also Ukraine to the U.S.” 

ABOUT LSI

LSI strives to lead the way in creating innovative educational solutions that seamlessly connect theory with practice. Through advanced research, we develop industry-leading methods and implementation strategies to enhance systematic learning at all levels and in all environments. For more than five decades, LSI has been committed to driving measurable improvements in the performance of both individuals and organizations. 

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