From Fossils To New Tech: Research Highlights From 2010

From prehistoric penguins, which help us understand the mysteries of evolution, to “artificial leaves” that could change the face of solar energy, 2010 was a fascinating year of research at North Carolina State University. As we prepare for 2011, we thought we’d take a look back at some of the interesting research stories to come out of NC State over the past year (including links to more information, if you’re curious).

Artificial Leaves:真叶有什么问题？没有。但NC国家研究人员表明，基于水凝胶的太阳能器件 - “人造叶子” - 可以像太阳能电池一样生产电力。结果证明了一种制造太阳能电池更密切模仿性质的概念。它们还具有比目前的标准承载：基于硅的太阳能电池更便宜且更环保的潜力。

Fatherless Boas:Bad news for dads. In a finding that upended decades of scientific theory on reptile reproduction, NC State researchers discovered that female boa constrictors can squeeze out babies without mating. More strikingly, the finding showed that the babies produced from this asexual reproduction have attributes previously believed to be impossible.

The Bigfoot of the Ant World:Sasquatch这不是。一个NC州立研究生发现了蚂蚁的大脚，而不是因为它的大小而不是因为它的难以捉摸的性质，拍照 - 并迅速丢失了它。

Big Help For Small Towns:NC State researchers are finding ways to reach students in rural areas at a time in their lives when research has shown they are most likely to consider careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Their goal is to help kids learn what it takes to be a rocket scientist or video-game programmer.

Tracking Invasive Species:Tracking invasive pests is a dirty job, but someone has to do it. NC State researchers are partnering with scientists and analysts from around the globe to determine recommendations to improve pest-risk mapping to better inform decision makers on where and how to best combat pests.

保护消防员从头开始：应急人员在响应危险材料（HAZMAT）存在的情况时橡胶靴可能是功能性的，但它们并不是很舒服。从NC状态的研究希望提供符合两个标准的下一代Hazmat启动。

Ribbit Radio:Frogs don’t have the same charisma that, say, dolphins do. But tracking amphibian populations is important because these animals are sensitive to changes in their environment and can serve as “canaries in the coal mine” to give researchers early warnings about pollution or other ecological problems. Research from NC State used “Ribbit Radio” to show that data from the largest amphibian monitoring program in the country may have flaws that, if uncorrected, could result in overestimates of frog populations.

Putting A Radar In Your Shoe:Paging Maxwell Smart! The prevalence of global positioning system (GPS) devices in everything from cars to cell phones has almost made getting lost a thing of the past. But what do you do when your GPS isn’t working? New research from NC State has led to a shoe-embedded radar system that may help you find your way.

Tequila and Cheese:他们可能听起来像一个尴尬的鸡尾酒会的批发，但NC国家的研究表明，龙舌兰酒和奶酪有很多东西要告诉我们努力在世界各地提高农村经济。

摧毁生物膜：Kryptonite for superbugs? Researchers from NC State found a chemical compound that, when used in conjunction with conventional antibiotics, is effective in destroying biofilms produced by antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria such as the Staphylococcus strain MRSA and Acinetobacter. The compound also re-sensitizes those bacteria to antibiotics.

干细胞和癌症：NC State researchers found that the overproduction of a key protein in stem cells causes those stem cells to form cancerous tumors. Their work may lead to new treatments for a variety of cancers.

Giant Prehistoric Penguins:一个NC国家研究员是一个团队的一部分，从一只巨型企鹅发现僵化的羽毛，超过3600万多年前住在赤道附近。这些羽毛化石揭示了古代灭绝的企鹅物种中的颜色模式，并提供了现代企鹅羽毛如何进化的线索。

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