The Abstract | Page 73 | NC State News

Nov 19, 2010

Hey, Dit Dots! A Coastal N.C. Vocabulary Quiz

It has been said that England and the U.S. are two nations divided by a common language. But you don’t have to travel overseas to find English words and phrases that are virtually impossible to decipher to outsiders. The coastal region of North Carolina is home to a host of terms that make littlesense…

Nov 18, 2010

It’s the End of the Male As We Know Him (And Boas Feel Fine)

If the end of men is upon us, as asserted by a summer cover story in The Atlantic, you can add boa constrictors to the list of those sticking their tongues out at males as they slide to irrelevance. Boa constrictor females, it turns out, don’t need males to get involved in the birthingprocess.…

Nov 17, 2010

Thanksgiving Science: Tryptophacts and Tryptophantasies

I was looking for an excuse to write about Thanksgiving science when a friend posed this question: “Can tryptophan be extracted from a turkey and then be injected directly into a human vein via syringe?” Answer: no. But that raised some other interesting questions, like, what is tryptophan? And if tryptophan doesn’t make ussleepy…

Nov 10, 2010

Sci/Med Writers: Are We Part Of The Problem?

Research is an incremental process, and there are precious few “Eureka!” moments when an idea springs forth fully formed, unfettered by qualifiers and questions that muddy the waters. As a result, those of us who write about science and medicine often take pains to ensure that we do not overstate research results. We useour…

Nov 9, 2010

Discussing Sci/Tech Risks Hurts Consensus Efforts

Thomas Jefferson once wrote to John Adams that, “Truth between candid minds can never do harm.” But times have changed, and new research shows that discussion of the risks and benefits associated with emerging science and technology actually hurts efforts to build consensus on those issues. A paper published this month by Risk Analysisfinds…

Sep 29, 2010

GDP: What’s Debt Got To Do With It?

Have you had the sneaking suspicion that a nation’s debt can be a dead weight on the nation’s gross domestic product (GDP)? You’re right! New economic research can tell you exactly how much debt a country can handle before that debt begins to hurt its economy. Good news for the U.S. and other developednations…

Sep 28, 2010

Research: Welcome To The Real World

A new study shows that social-science research done by “ivory tower” academics does have utility in the real world, specifically in the business community. And, even more specifically, it could help catch the next corporate fraud. The accounting firms tasked with auditing corporations and identifying fraud are required to have brainstorming sessions as partof…

Sep 15, 2010

Science Communication Breakdown (I Got Something I Think You Oughtta Know)

I used to work as a cook. And, as “Top Chef” aficionados know, teamwork is essential to cooking a good meal and getting it out on time. You can imagine how much more important teamwork is in today’s world of multi-institution, interdisciplinary research initiatives targeting complex scientific questions. Luckily, a new field of studyis…

Aug 30, 2010

This Old DNA Of Mine (Is Weak For Surveys)

I have a friend who HATES taking surveys. I’ve always found that irrational, but a new study shows that her dislike of surveys may have a genetic basis. A forthcoming paper shows that some people are genetically predisposed to not take surveys (and that some people are genetically predisposed TO take surveys). The researchersused…

Aug 26, 2010

Education Reform: Racing to the Top

Education reform in North Carolina received a boost from the federal government this week, thanks to a partnership between the state and North Carolina State University. The U.S. Department of Education’s Race to the Top program will provide $400 million in funding for innovative initiatives that address specific state needs in four areas ofeducation…

Aug 19, 2010

你要打电话给谁?Beebusters ! ?

Don’t let bee experts fool you – they can help with more than just honey-makin’. Earlier in the week, a Wake County master deputy was called to respond to 50,000 honeybees swarming a disabled tractor trailer. However, upon seeing the police vehicle, the bees found a new place to swarm… and quickly covered thecruiser,…

Aug 17, 2010

You Say It’s Your Birthday…Squirrel!

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a serious matter. So it is worth paying attention when researchers find that many kids are apparently being misdiagnosed with ADHD because of their birthdays. A study from NC State, Notre Dame and Minnesota finds that children who are born just before the cut-off date for kindergarten enrollment are25…

Aug 4, 2010

Keep On Playing Those Mind Games

Video games aren’t just kid stuff any more. It is a multibillion dollar industry that has branched out from entertainment into areas such as educational software. Now researchers are working on ways that video games might be used to boost memory and thinking skills in the elderly – and some people aren’t crazy aboutthat.…

Jul 14, 2010

It Doesn’t Matter if You’re Black or White. Unless You Want a Job in Sports.

Maybe it’s just me, but you’d think that the sports industry would be one of the most diverse industries in the world. That might be true for the players – but it’s certainly not true for people in management. NC State’s Heidi Grappendorf recently presented a study showing that race trumps experience in the sportsindustry.…

Jul 13, 2010

It’s Not You: Work IS Getting Worse

If you watch sitcoms from the 1950s, you’ll note that Ward Cleaver and the rest of the gang always seemed so pleased with themselves when they came home from work. Does that mean that being at work is less fun than it used to be? Answer: yes. A new study shows that modern businesspractices…