EVANSTON, Illinois, July 27 -- Northwestern University posted the following news release: * * * 'Bone-ified muscles' could be robots' next flex * * A new soft actuator moves and stiffens like biological muscle * The muscles, or actuators, are constructed from low-cost, 3D-printed rubbers * Engineers integrated three actuators as 'muscles' into a human-sized robotic leg with 3D-printed rigid 'bones' and elastic 'tendons' * The high-force, electrically driven actuators enabled kickin more PR

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pennsylvania, July 28 -- Pennsylvania State University posted the following news: * * * A bolt is born! Atmospheric events underpinning lightning strikes explained * UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Though scientists have long understood how lightning strikes, the precise atmospheric events that trigger it within thunderclouds remained a perplexing mystery. The mystery may be solved, thanks to a team of researchers led by Victor Pasko, professor of electrical engineering in the Penn  more PR

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina, July 28 -- Wake Forest University posted the following news: * * * As classic film "Sunset Boulevard" celebrates its 75th, WFU expert's new book garners national attention. * In "Sunset Boulevard " (1950), Gloria Swanson plays a faded star of the silent screen, Norma Desmond, who lives in her decaying mansion in Los Angeles. Norma sees an opportunity to make her return to the big screen, with tragedy to follow. Professor Emeritus of Art History David M. Lubin more PR

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pennsylvania, July 28 -- Pennsylvania State University posted the following news: * * * College of Ag Sciences names first cohort of Land Grant Research Impact Fellows * UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences has launched the Land Grant Research Impact Fellows program. This new initiative recognizes and supports faculty whose research addresses pressing challenges in Pennsylvania and beyond. Four faculty members were selected as the inaugural more PR

ITHACA, New York, July 28 -- Cornell University posted the following news: * * * Cornell-led initiative boosts access to healthy cassava seed in Tanzania * A $4.8 million gift will allow Cornell and partners to expand a project to improve Tanzania's cassava seed system. The work is led by Cornell's Equitable Agricultural Research Lab ( EQUAL Lab) in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS). The funding will support Muhogo Bora, which means "Better Cassava for All" in Swahili,  more PR

ITHACA, New York, July 28 -- Cornell University posted the following news: * * * Dam removal restores aquatic ecosystem within three years * The ecology of an upstate New York stream rebounded to its natural state within three years after a small dam was removed, highlighting how quickly aquatic ecosystems can recover, according to a new study. Water resource managers are increasingly investigating removing dams to restore connectivity and improve aquatic habitats, water quality and fish p more PR

CAMBRIDGE, Massachusetts, July 28 -- The Massachusetts Institute of Technology issued the following news: * * * Famous double-slit experiment holds up when stripped to its quantum essentials * MIT physicists have performed an idealized version of one of the most famous experiments in quantum physics. Their findings demonstrate, with atomic-level precision, the dual yet evasive nature of light. They also happen to confirm that Albert Einstein was wrong about this particular quantum scenario.  more PR

ITHACA, New York, July 28 -- Cornell University posted the following news: * * * Food technology students triumph at national competition * Nearly every year, Cornell dominates at the Institute of Food Technologists Student Association product development competition, an annual event where student teams develop a new food idea and carry the concept through to marketing and production. This year was a record-setting performance. Multiple food science student teams walked away with top honor more PR

SYRACUSE, New York, July 28 -- Syracuse University posted the following news: * * * Inspiring the Next Generation of STEM Enthusiasts * Kasey Laurent gives a lesson to students using a wind tunnel during the annual STEM Trekkers summer program. (Photo by Alex Dunbar) A friendly competition is brewing in the corner of a basement classroom in Link Hall during the annual STEM Trekkers summer program, where students are participating in a time-honored ritual: seeing who can build a paper airpl more PR

CAMBRIDGE, Massachusetts, July 28 -- The Massachusetts Institute of Technology issued the following news: * * * New system dramatically speeds the search for polymer materials * Scientists often seek new materials derived from polymers. Rather than starting a polymer search from scratch, they save time and money by blending existing polymers to achieve desired properties. But identifying the best blend is a thorny problem. Not only is there a practically limitless number of potential combi more PR

STILLWATER, Oklahoma, July 28 -- Oklahoma State University posted the following news: * * * OSU graduate named Phi Kappa Phi fellow * Media Contact: Jessica Sullins | Director, Office of Scholar Development and Undergraduate Research | 405-744-7313 | jessica.sullins@okstate.edu Recent Oklahoma State University graduate Lauren Chaney has been awarded a Phi Kappa Phi Fellowship. Established in 1932, the Phi Kappa Phi Fellowship annually provides funding to first-year graduate students who  more PR

HOUSTON, Texas, July 28 -- Rice University posted the following news release: * * * Rice's Philip Bedient to testify before Texas Legislative Committees on flood preparedness and response * Philip Bedient, director of Rice University's Severe Storm Prediction, Education and Evacuation from Disasters (SSPEED) Center, will testify before a joint hearing of the Texas Senate Select Committee on Disaster Preparedness and Flooding and the Texas House Committee on Disaster Preparedness and Flooding more PR

MADISON, Wisconsin, July 28 -- The University of Wisconsin Madison campus posted the following news: * * * UW-Madison launching new hub to accelerate entrepreneurship * The University of Wisconsin-Madison is executing its campus entrepreneurship plan with the formation of a new entity, the Wisconsin Entrepreneurship Hub. The Hub, aimed at strengthening entrepreneurial pathways, was approved by campus governance in May, and a search for its first executive director is underway. In October 2 more PR

RALEIGH, North Carolina, July 29 -- The Wake Technical Community College issued the following news on July 28, 2025: * * * College Launches BioMechatronics Apprenticeship Program Is First Of Its Kind in U.S. * RALEIGH, N.C. (July 28, 2025) - Wake Tech is excited to launch a distinctive apprenticeship program in partnership with life sciences leaders CSL Seqirus, FUJIFILM Biotechnologies and Eli Lilly and Company. The eight-month biomechatronics training program will prepare advanced mainten more PR

CAMBRIDGE, Massachusetts, July 28 -- The Massachusetts Institute of Technology issued the following news: * * * Why animals are a critical part of forest carbon absorption * A lot of attention has been paid to how climate change can drive biodiversity loss. Now, MIT researchers have shown the reverse is also true: Reductions in biodiversity can jeopardize one of Earth's most powerful levers for mitigating climate change. In a paper published in PNAS, the researchers showed that following d more PR