Earth and Mineral Sciences

College of Earth and Mineral Sciences

In a mountainous part of western Uganda ravaged by floods and other disasters, Penn State faculty and students are working with community members on environmental strategies.

Uganda community collaboration targets climate hazards with reforestation | Penn State University

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In a mountainous part of western Uganda ravaged by floods and other disasters, Penn State faculty and students are working with community members on environmental strategies.

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Research

Uganda community collaboration targets climate hazards with reforestation

In this video, join President Neeli Bendapudi as she visits students in the College of Agricultural Sciences to learn about an experiential learning experience that is connecting students with a hands-on opportunity in sustainable farming.&nbsp;Watch the video for a behind-the-scenes look at this unique student opportunity.&nbsp;

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A Note from Neeli: Learning in the field with cutting-edge ag tech | Penn State University

In this video, join President Neeli Bendapudi as she visits students in the College of Agricultural Sciences to learn about an experiential learning experience that is connecting students with a hands-on opportunity in sustainable farming. Watch the video for a behind-the-scenes look at this unique student opportunity. 

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Administration

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A Note from Neeli: Learning in the field with cutting-edge ag tech

Since the Nittany Lion was first conceptualized in 1904, just 54 individuals have had the privilege of serving as Penn State’s official mascot. Unlike most Division I schools that divide mascot responsibilities among multiple students, Penn State’s official mascot is portrayed by one student at a time. Here, the outgoing mascot and several of his predecessors give a behind-the-scenes glimpse of their shared experience of upholding the Nittany Lion as a continuous spirit that brings joy, comfort and connection to thousands of Penn Staters, community members and fans around the world.&nbsp;

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Hail to the Lion: Penn State mascot’s spirit, legacy kept alive by a select few | Penn State University

Since the Nittany Lion was first conceptualized in 1904, just 54 individuals have had the privilege of serving as Penn State’s official mascot. Unlike most Division I schools that divide mascot responsibilities among multiple students, Penn State’s official mascot is portrayed by one student at a time. Here, the outgoing mascot and several of his predecessors give a behind-the-scenes glimpse of their shared experience of upholding the Nittany Lion as a continuous spirit that brings joy, comfort and connection to thousands of Penn Staters, community members and fans around the world. 

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Campus Life

Hail to the Lion: Penn State mascot’s spirit, legacy kept alive by a select few 

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A team led by researchers at Penn State have developed a test that can accurately differentiate active HIV infection from vaccine-induced false positives — a major roadblock in the development and testing of an HIV vaccine, according to Professor Dipanjan Pan.

New test distinguishes vaccine-induced false positives from active HIV infection | Penn State University

A team led by researchers at Penn State have developed a test that can accurately differentiate active HIV infection from vaccine-induced false positives — a major roadblock in the development and testing of an HIV vaccine, according to Professor Dipanjan Pan.

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New test distinguishes vaccine-induced false positives from active HIV infection

To help apple growers achieve such precise management, researchers at Penn State are developing an automated, robotic weed-management system.&nbsp;

Eyes for an agricultural robot: AI system identifies weeds in apple orchards | Penn State University

To help apple growers achieve such precise management, researchers at Penn State are developing an automated, robotic weed-management system. 

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Eyes for an agricultural robot: AI system identifies weeds in apple orchards

Researchers from Penn State College of Medicine developed a new method that better maps genetic variants that can lead to brain diseases. The approach identified 75% more relevant genes and uncovered new therapeutic targets for conditions like Alzheimer’s and ALS.

New technique maps genetic variants driving neurodegenerative disease risk | Penn State University

Researchers from Penn State College of Medicine developed a new method that better maps genetic variants that can lead to brain diseases. The approach identified 75% more relevant genes and uncovered new therapeutic targets for conditions like Alzheimer’s and ALS.

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New technique maps genetic variants driving neurodegenerative disease risk

Featured Research

Penn State President Neeli Bendapudi was featured in a CEO Magazine interview highlighting her belief in the transformative power of higher education and her efforts to expand access, advance ethical innovation, and strengthen the university’s educational, research, and economic impact.

President of PSU is redefining the power of education to transform lives

A new study led by researchers at Penn State found melanoma case rates tracking higher in counties with higher areas of cultivated land, where the use of chemical herbicides and pesticides can be higher.

Penn State study finds higher incidence of skin cancers in Pa.’s Farm Belt

In a significant advancement for materials science, scientists have successfully created niobium sulfide metallic nanotubes with stable, predictable properties for the first time. An international team, including Penn State researchers, achieved the long-sought feat using an unexpected ingredient—common table salt. According to researchers, the discovery could pave the way for faster electronics, efficient superconducting wires, and future quantum technologies.

Study: Common salt helps create nanomaterial for high-speed electronics

Researchers at Penn State have proposed a novel design for a lithium-ion (Li) battery.&nbsp;It could address the long-standing performance and stability issues of standard Li batteries in extreme temperatures. The design, dubbed the All-Climate Battery (ACB), was developed to fix a core flaw in standard Li batteries.

‘All-Climate Battery’ developed at Penn State could keep EVs running in extreme heat, cold

The discovery of a possible “super-Earth” less than 20 light-years from our own planet is offering scientists new hope in the hunt for other worlds that could harbor life, according to an international team including researchers from Penn State. They dubbed the exoplanet, named GJ 251 c, a “super-Earth” as data suggest it is almost four times as massive as the Earth and likely to be rocky planet.

Newly discovered ‘super-Earth’ offers prime target in search for alien life

A "super-Earth" exoplanet in the habitable zone of its star has been detected by an international team, including Penn State researchers, less than 20 light-years away, putting it near the top of the list for best places to look for life beyond our solar system.

'Super-Earth' less than 20 light-years away is an exciting lead in the search for life

Organic beekeeping can support healthy and productive honey bee colonies, and a new study led by researchers at Penn State found that adopting organic honey bee colony management is not only profitable, but in some cases, it can be even more profitable than conventional management.&nbsp;The research couldn't come at a more opportune time, as a separate study&nbsp;found that 2025 marked the largest-ever&nbsp;honey bee colony losses&nbsp;in the United States, citing viruses spread by parasitic mites as the culprit.&nbsp;

Researchers discover solution to major issue in beekeeping

Electric vehicles (EVs) can have&nbsp;lower fuel costs and reduce emissions&nbsp;relative to cars that use gasoline, but they are only a practical option if drivers have convenient ways to charge them. For people who live in multi-unit dwellings or in urban areas, access to charging infrastructure may be particularly limited, which in turn limits EV adoption. To address this issue, a team of researchers at Penn State created a scalable framework to develop, analyze and evaluate using streetlights as a low-cost, equitable EV charging option.&nbsp;

Streetlights could power the future of EV charging, researchers find

Electric space heating systems and appliances like water heaters can help American homeowners reduce their energy use, and possibly their utility bills, according to a team led by researchers at Penn State.

Want lower utility bills? Study reveals how to cut back energy consumption

An ancient society near the southern shores of Lake Titicaca in modern-day Bolivia was once one of the continent’s most powerful civilizations. Known as Tiwanaku, the ancient society is widely considered by archaeologists to be one of the earliest examples of civilization in the Andes and a precursor of the Inca empire, but it mysteriously disappeared about a thousand years ago. Now, a team led by scientists at Penn State and in Bolivia have discovered a Tiwanaku temple, shedding new light on what the society looked like in its prime.

Hidden temple discovered that could rewrite the history of an ancient empire

The violent collision and merger of two black holes emits gravitational waves — ripples in spacetime — that can cause the resulting newborn black hole to recoil and rapidly move, sometimes escaping its own galaxy. Now, an international team that includes a Penn State researcher has measured the direction of this recoil for the first time, as well as its speed.&nbsp;

 Scientists detect strange signal in gravitational waves

Tiny red objects spotted by NASA's James Webb Space Telescope are offering an international team of scientists, including researchers at Penn State, new insights into the origins of galaxies in the universe — and may represent an entirely new class of celestial object: a black hole swallowing massive amounts of matter and spitting out light.

Study: Strange red dots in the early universe may be new kind of space object

Broken bones often heal naturally with time, a cast, or a brace. But when fractures are complex or severe, doctors rely on implants or surgical devices. Now, researchers at Penn State say they have created a biodegradable scaffold that could speed recovery while reducing complications.

Study: Broken bones regrow quickly with help of biodegradable implant

Floods are some of the most devastating natural disasters communities in the United States face, causing billions of dollars of damage annually, according to the&nbsp;National Weather Service. A group, including several researchers at Penn State, recently developed a computational model to streamline flood prediction in the continental United States.

Researchers develop intelligent tech that predicts future disasters

A research team led by&nbsp;Penn State has developed a sensor that can help diagnose diabetes and prediabetes on-site in a few minutes using just a breath sample.&nbsp;Previous diagnostic methods often used glucose found in blood or sweat, but this sensor detects acetone levels in the breath.

Breath test that can help diagnose diabetes developed at Penn State

Plants appear still, yet inside they are alive with communication. They must continuously balance how to capture energy without losing too much water. For decades, scientists suspected there were internal messengers guiding this process, but the exact molecules remained unidentified.&nbsp;A new study led by&nbsp;Penn State&nbsp;researchers finally reveals the nature of these signals. This work not only solves a long-standing mystery but also suggests new directions for&nbsp;agriculture&nbsp;and plant resilience research.