Eberly College of Science

A team of researchers from Penn State and Baylor College of Medicine found that the Zika virus builds tiny tunnels, called tunneling nanotubes, to stealthily transport material needed to infect nearby cells, including in placental cells — which is one way the virus transmits from mother to fetus during pregnancy. The team also demonstrated, for the first time, that one specific Zika protein is responsible for the formation of the nanotubes.

Tunnel-building virus: How Zika transmits from mother to fetus | Penn State University

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A team of researchers from Penn State and Baylor College of Medicine found that the Zika virus builds tiny tunnels, called tunneling nanotubes, to stealthily transport material needed to infect nearby cells, including in placental cells — which is one way the virus transmits from mother to fetus during pregnancy. The team also demonstrated, for the first time, that one specific Zika protein is responsible for the formation of the nanotubes.

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Research

Tunnel-building virus: How Zika transmits from mother to fetus

Jainendra K. Jain, Evan Pugh University Professor and Erwin W. Müller Professor of Physics and holder of the Eberly Family Chair in the Penn State Eberly College of Science, has been awarded, along with two others, the 2025 Wolf Prize in Physics for “groundbreaking contributions to quantum matter and its topological potential” that revolutionized “our understanding of two-dimensional electron systems in strong magnetic fields.”

Jainendra Jain named 2025 Wolf Prize laureate in physics | Penn State University

Jainendra K. Jain, Evan Pugh University Professor and Erwin W. Müller Professor of Physics and holder of the Eberly Family Chair in the Penn State Eberly College of Science, has been awarded, along with two others, the 2025 Wolf Prize in Physics for “groundbreaking contributions to quantum matter and its topological potential” that revolutionized “our understanding of two-dimensional electron systems in strong magnetic fields.”

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Jainendra Jain named 2025 Wolf Prize laureate in physics

Over 50,000 submissions are made for images on U.S. stamps every year, and out of those, about 40 are turned into real stamps. For Kevin Luhman, professor of astronomy and astrophysics at Penn State, seeing an image he took with the James Webb Space Telescope on a U.S. stamp has become a reality.

Q&A: The story behind the cosmic image on a new US stamp | Penn State University

Over 50,000 submissions are made for images on U.S. stamps every year, and out of those, about 40 are turned into real stamps. For Kevin Luhman, professor of astronomy and astrophysics at Penn State, seeing an image he took with the James Webb Space Telescope on a U.S. stamp has become a reality. 

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Q&A: The story behind the cosmic image on a new US stamp

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Around Campus

More research news

Agricultural Sciences

College of Agricultural Sciences

A new method of examining gene expression patterns called landscape transcriptomics may help pinpoint what causes bumble bees stress and could eventually give insight into why bee populations are declining overall, according to a study led by researchers at Penn State.

Analyzing genetic ‘signatures’ may give insight into what stresses wild bees | Penn State University

A new method of examining gene expression patterns called landscape transcriptomics may help pinpoint what causes bumble bees stress and could eventually give insight into why bee populations are declining overall, according to a study led by researchers at Penn State.

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Analyzing genetic ‘signatures’ may give insight into what stresses wild bees

Earth and Mineral Sciences

College of Earth and Mineral Sciences

Moving from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources like wind and solar will require better ways to store energy for use when the sun is not shining or the wind is not blowing. A new study by researchers at Penn State found that taking advantage of natural geothermal heat in depleted oil and gas wells can improve the efficiency of one proposed energy storage solution: compressed-air energy storage.

Reusing old oil and gas wells may offer green energy storage solution | Penn State University

Moving from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources like wind and solar will require better ways to store energy for use when the sun is not shining or the wind is not blowing. A new study by researchers at Penn State found that taking advantage of natural geothermal heat in depleted oil and gas wells can improve the efficiency of one proposed energy storage solution: compressed-air energy storage.

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Reusing old oil and gas wells may offer green energy storage solution

Brook trout may have a genetic trick up their scales when it comes to adapting, with limitations, to heatwaves that threaten their existence. A novel study led by researchers at Penn State suggests that brook trout — an iconic coldwater fish species native to streams and lakes in the eastern United States and Canada — are capable of mounting a protective genetic response to thermal stress that can be passed on from one generation to the next.

Threatened by warming waters, brook trout may be able to adapt to hotter weather | Penn State University

Brook trout may have a genetic trick up their scales when it comes to adapting, with limitations, to heatwaves that threaten their existence. A novel study led by researchers at Penn State suggests that brook trout — an iconic coldwater fish species native to streams and lakes in the eastern United States and Canada — are capable of mounting a protective genetic response to thermal stress that can be passed on from one generation to the next. 

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Threatened by warming waters, brook trout may be able to adapt to hotter weather

Featured Research

Scientists, including researchers at Penn State, have discovered the perfect vacation spot: it's sun-soaked, has sandy beaches, sports gentle waves lapping rhythmically on the shore. But hold off on grabbing the sun lotion, because there's a catch—it's on ancient Mars.

Ancient mars once boasted 'vacation-style' beaches, study finds

Vaccine refrigeration — which can be expensive and logistically challenging, but still needed — could become unnecessary, thanks to research from a Penn State team.

Vaccine refrigeration could become optional, thanks to Penn State team

Dairy isn’t the only food that’s good for bone health. Prunes may also protect bone structure and strength in postmenopausal women, according to a new study led by Penn State researchers

Penn State researchers find prunes may protect your bones

A research team has discovered that by using a new method of "atomic spray painting," they can tweak the atomic structure of lead-free potassium niobate in order to enhance its ferroelectric properties.The study, created by a team led by Penn State researchers, explains how molecular beam epitaxy can be employed to deposit atomic layers onto a substrate to create thin films.

Penn State scientists make breakthrough discovery after 'atomic spray painting' experiment

New insights into bee movements and life cycles have been uncovered after Penn State researchers tracked the insects using tiny QR codes glued onto their backs.

Tiny QR codes help Penn State scientists track bee movements

Geese appear to understand when and where hunting takes place but are willing to risk the danger to stay close to resources and their primary habitats, according to a new study led by researchers at Penn State.

Nerves of steel: Canada geese don’t flee far from hunters, study finds

Researchers at the Penn State Extraterrestrial Intelligence (PSETI) Center have been awarded a three-year, $480,000 grant under the NASA Exoplanets Research Program to search for radio and laser signals from alien civilizations.

Penn State center awarded NASA grant to search for alien civilizations

Richard Alley, the Evan Pugh University Professor of Geosciences at Penn State, was one of 23 individuals and two organizations that received this year’s National Medal of Science award for his work studying historical climate change patterns.

Penn State professor receives National Medal of Science for climate research

State College community members and Penn State students are creating a paw-sitive impact on the lives of people with disabilities through service dog training. Roar for More, the State College chapter of Susquehanna Service Dogs, is celebrating 10 years of helping students and community members train puppies to be service dogs.

Service dog training group Roar For More celebrates 10 years of paw-sitivity

For the first time, researchers at Penn State and Columbia University have observed a type of quasiparticle that behaves in an unusual way. In one direction, it acts like it has no mass, zipping around as if it were made of pure energy. But turning another way, it carries mass, slowing down and resisting motion. This mysterious entity, called a semi-Dirac fermion, had appeared in theory about 16 years ago but had never been seen inside a real material.

Study: "Quasiparticle" that only has mass moving in one direction seen for the first time

Spanish explorers may have brought the first peach pits to North America, but Indigenous communities helped the ubiquitous summer fruit really take root, according to a study led by a researcher at Penn State.

Research explains how peaches spread across North America and the world

In an analysis of more than 35 million public posts containing links that were shared extensively on the social media platform between 2017 and 2020, Penn State researchers found that around 75% of the shares were made without the posters clicking the link first. Of these, political content from both ends of the spectrum was shared without clicking more often than politically neutral content.

Study: Reading beyond headline is rare for most on social media

For years, the medical community has stressed that being active makes you happier and healthier. But new research out of Penn State University suggests that even daily tasks, like walking regularly and doing chores, could help keep you—and your brain—young.

Walking could make your brain years younger, PSU study finds

New research led by Penn State shows that children who stick to a regular bedtime, falling asleep and waking up at the same time each day, have better control over their behavior and emotions, particularly during stressful situations or while collaborating with others.

Irregular bedtimes disrupt the well-being and behavior of children, researchers say

Microplastics have been found in some of the world’s most remote environments, from the snow-capped peaks of Mount Everest to the ocean depths of the Mariana Trench, infiltrating ecosystems and even human bodies. Now, new research led by scientists at Penn State University reveals that these tiny plastic particles may also be affecting the atmosphere and climate.

Study: Microplastics trigger cloud formation and alter weather patterns

Penn State researchers have isolated a protein in a bacterium that naturally separates rare earth elements, which might help mining go green. Rare earth elements are key components used in everything from modern tech to gasoline production.