Still Life

Firefighters battled a controlled blaze on the tarmac at Penn State's University Park Airport on May 23 during a full-scale emergency exercise. The exercise was designed to provide real-time training and recertification for emergency response personnel from around the Centre Region.

University Park Airport Emergency Response Exercise

A moment of levity: Penn State Lehigh Valley graduates celebrated with the Nittany Lion after commencement ceremonies, held May 5 at Stabler Arena in Bethlehem, Pa.

Commencement across Penn State: Spring 2012

New graduates of Penn State's Eberly College of Science listened to the commencement address provided by United States Secretary of Energy Steven Chu during spring 2012 graduation ceremonies held May 5 at the Bryce Jordan Center on the University Park campus.

Spring commencement 2012 under way

A Moroccan farmer taught Penn State students about the properties of vetiver grass, including its ability to clean wastewater. The grass could be used as part of a solution to water-quality problems being experienced in Assoul, Morocco, where students spent time recently.

Penn State, Moroccan students problem-solve together

Anjelica Fortunato, left, and Jeffrey Lu reviewed for their Anatomy 129 final exam on May 1 on the HUB-Robeson Center Lawn on Penn State's University Park campus. Penn State students are preparing for and taking final exams throughout the week as spring semester 2012 comes to a close.

Finals Week Spring Semester 2012

Featured Video

Painting the Lines at Beaver Stadium

Painting the Lines at Beaver Stadium

Did They Get It Right? - RedTails

Did They Get It Right? - RedTails

Iconic Penn State elm taken down over spring break 2012

Iconic Penn State elm taken down over spring break 2012

We ... are Penn State (December 19, 2011)

We ... are Penn State (December 19, 2011)

Disease stricken matching elm tree slated for removal

Disease stricken matching elm tree slated for removal

Penn State's creamery, from the cow to the cone

Penn State's creamery, from the cow to the cone

Updates:
Penn State Promise

Board of Trustees launches new website

Faculty Senate recaps 2011-12 activity for Board of Trustees

Frazier provides update on Special Investigations Task Force

Board of Trustees meeting to be streamed live

Penn State donates more than $2.6 million to abuse prevention efforts

aphidsaphids Feed

Virus pulls bait-and-switch on insect vectors

Wingless aphids on a squash plant. For more photos, click on the image above.
Monday, February 01, 2010

A common plant virus lures aphids to infected plants by making the plants more attractive, but when the insects taste the plant, they quickly leave for tastier, healthier ones. In the process, the insects rapidly transmit the disease, according to Penn State entomologists. This type of host alteration has implications beyond agriculture. If pathogens can alter hosts to make transmission more efficient, they may be doing it in insect-transmitted human diseases, such as malaria or dengue fever. (more)

'Natural' nitrogen-fixing bacteria protect soybeans from aphids

Soybean aphids are a recently introduced pest to the U.S., causing yield losses and increased insecticide sprays. The aphids feed on the sap of soybean plants.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009

An invasion of soybean aphids poses a problem for soybean farmers requiring application of pesticides, but a team of Penn State entomologists thinks a careful choice of nitrogen-fixing bacteria may provide protection against the sucking insects. (more)