Features

Scientists have long known that bacteria come in many shapes and sizes, but understanding what those differences mean has remained a major challenge, especially for species that can’t be grown in the lab. Now, a new study led by Nina Wale introduces a groundbreaking method that could change how researchers study bacterial diversity.

From after-school tutoring to STEM projects and community service, Michigan’s 21st Century Learning Centers give thousands of students a safe place to grow. A new $2.6M grant empowers MSU researchers to continue ensuring these programs truly make a difference.

A new international study has revealed chemical evidence of life in rocks more than 3.3 billion years old, indicating that oxygen-producing photosynthesis may have emerged nearly one billion years earlier than previously understood.

Each year, the world produces roughly 100 million tons of flexible multilayer plastic packaging — materials that keep food fresh and pharmaceuticals safe from moisture and oxygen. Yet most of these plastics are nearly impossible to recycle due to their complex, chemically incompatible layers. Michigan State University scientists have developed a new kind of plastic film that could change that.

In a new paper published in Current Biology, MSU Research Foundation Professor Seung Yon “Sue” Rhee and Research Specialist Karine Prado report that T. oblongifolia grows faster in Death Valley’s summer conditions by rapidly adjusting its photosynthetic system to withstand the heat.