All posts by Tori Indivero

Earth & Environment, Science & Technology

Polar Day showcases cool research & art

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Spring is coming earlier in the year than it used to, according to the Arctic.

Well, the Arctic can’t talk — but according to data that ecologist Eric Post and his team have gathered in that region, spring is arriving about two to three weeks earlier than it did in 2002.

We learned about this and more at the fourth annual Polar Day, hosted by Penn State’s Polar Center on Tuesday, March 22. A variety of activities and presentations throughout the day highlighted several aspects of polar exploration and research. Presentations ranged from an ROV — remotely operated vehicle — demonstration to photography to musical interpretations of data from polar regions.  Continue reading Polar Day showcases cool research & art →

Society & Culture

Focus on research: Will the Every Child Succeeds Act allow for less qualified teachers?

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By Gail L. Boldt and Bernard J. Badiali

Editor’s note: This article originally appeared on The Conversation.

On December 9, Congress passed the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, called the Every Child Succeeds Act. A replacement for the much criticized No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, the reauthorization gained support from groups as diverse as The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, the National Education Association, the National Parent Teacher Association, The National School Boards Association, the National Governors Association and Fairtest, an organization that addresses issues related to fairness and accuracy in testing.

With such overwhelming support, it could well be argued that it must be a sound legislation. But, is it?  Continue reading Focus on research: Will the Every Child Succeeds Act allow for less qualified teachers? →

Health & Medicine

8 things to know about colorectal cancer

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Editor’s note: This article originally appeared as a Medical Minute feature on Penn State News.

March is colorectal cancer awareness month — a great time to test your knowledge about the disease and how it can be prevented and treated. Two doctors from Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center highlight eight things you may not have known about colorectal cancer.

1. Colorectal cancer is the only type of cancer that doctors can prevent by screening for it. “Unlike most of the time, when you are trying to find early stages of cancer, we can prevent this disease from even happening by removing polyps,” said Dr. Thomas McGarrity, chief of the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology.  Continue reading 8 things to know about colorectal cancer →

Earth & Environment

Focus on research: Does your Easter chocolate have palm oil in it?

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By Gregory R. Ziegler

Editor’s note: This article originally appeared on The Conversation.

It may come as no surprise that fats and oils are part of any piece of chocolate we eat. But the push to cut trans fats from food for health reasons has created demand for palm oil, an ingredient with significant environmental impacts.

The rapid expansion of palm oil production for food and biofuels in the past 25 years in Indonesia and Malaysia has been blamed for loss of biodiversity and land-use changes that increase carbon emissions. About 80% of palm oil production goes into food, according to a web site sponsored by the Malaysian Palm Oil Board.

Palm oil is used in many candies with chocolate, although a number of confectionery producers do not use it or have started to use certified sustainable palm oil. The El Paso Zoo is just one of the organizations that lists candy products with palm oil, including goodies for a palm oil-free Easter basket filler.  Continue reading Focus on research: Does your Easter chocolate have palm oil in it? →

Earth & Environment, Science & Technology

Chill out & learn at Polar Day

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Penn State’s Polar Center is home to world-renowned researchers who study “the unique beauty and increasingly urgent scientific and cultural value of the Arctic and Antarctic.”

The Polar Center has hosted Polar Day for several years, and this year it will be held on Tuesday, March 22, on Penn State’s University Park campus. The event is free and open to the public and features performances, lectures, and other events celebrating the natural and cultural value of the world’s polar regions.  Continue reading Chill out & learn at Polar Day →