From Sap to Sustainability: Inside MSU’s Forestry Innovation Center
On a crisp spring morning in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, a web of tubing threads through a stand of maples. Clear sap drips into collection lines, destined not only for syrup but for research that could reshape medicine, food safety and even the whiskey industry.
Shoreline Armoring of Michigan’s Lake Michigan Coast Increased Fivefold During the Latest Period of High Water
As Lake Michigan’s water levels surged between 2014 and 2020, coastal erosion drove a dramatic rise in shoreline armoring—offering protection for property owners but raising new concerns for the lake’s ecosystems.
Using Crystals and Light, Scientists Unlock New Ways to Grow Materials On-Demand
Researchers at Michigan State University have discovered how to "draw" on demand the crystals used in many crucial technologies, from solar panels and LED lighting to medical imaging. Appearing in the journal ACS Nano, the breakthrough was achieved by striking gold nanoparticles with a single laser pulse.
Seeds of Hope
College of Natural Science plant researchers are racing to build climate-resilient crops before global food systems reach a breaking point.
Fuel for the Finish Line: How Sperm Achieve ‘Overdrive’
Michigan State University scientists have pinpointed the molecular “switch” that supercharges sperm for their final sprint to an egg — a breakthrough that could reshape infertility treatments and pave the way for safe, nonhormonal male contraceptives.
Researchers Lead $3.7M Study to Shed Light on Perimenopause and Psychosis
For decades, women’s midlife experiences have been largely overlooked by medical research. Despite previous assumptions about midlife mental health risks, relatively little research has systematically investigated the connections between hormonal fluctuations and psychological symptoms.
Precision Agriculture: Soil Mapping and Measuring With a Data-Driven Approach
Digital tools make it easier to visualize how soil properties vary across our fields. Recent research suggests that using management zones to highlight these spatial patterns can help us understand field variations and how to better manage them.
Spartan Scientists Contribute to Global Examination of Pollinator Habitat
Michigan State University Distinguished Professor Rufus Isaacs and CANR alumna Gabriela Quinlan (Ph.D. ’20), now an Assistant Professor at the University of North Carolina-Greensboro, collaborated with researchers from 19 countries to develop a framework for informing conservation policies to increase the quantity and enhance the quality of pollinator habitat in agricultural landscapes.
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