Tag: Rutgers

Greenland Melting Likely Increased by Bacteria in Sediment

sarah JonasResearch Results

Bacteria are likely triggering greater melting on the Greenland ice sheet, possibly increasing the island’s contribution to sea-level rise, according to Rutgers scientists. That’s because the microbes cause sunlight-absorbing sediment to clump together and accumulate in the meltwater streams, according to a Rutgers-led study – the first of its kind – in the journal Geophysical Research Letters. The findings can be incorporated in climate models, leading to more accurate predictions of melting, scientists say.

Rutgers Expert Available to Discuss Record Year for Bald Eagles in N.J.

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New Brunswick, N.J. (Jan. 13, 2021) – Rutgers University–New Brunswick ecologist Michael C. Allen is available for interviews on the record year for bald eagles in New Jersey. “The resounding return of bald eagles in North America has been especially strong…

Rutgers Experts Available to Discuss Addressing Climate Change, Environmental Protection in 2021

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New Brunswick, N.J. (Jan. 12, 2021) – Rutgers University–New Brunswick professors Robert E. Kopp and Pamela McElwee are available for interviews on how President-elect Joe Biden and his incoming administration could strengthen efforts to address climate change and protect the environment. Kopp, a professor in…

Big Differences in How Coral Reef Fish Larvae are Dispersed

sarah JonasResearch Results

How the larvae of colorful clownfish that live among coral reefs in the Philippines are dispersed varies widely, depending on the year and seasons – a Rutgers-led finding that could help scientists improve conservation of species. Right after most coral reef fish hatch, they join a swirling sea of plankton as tiny, transparent larvae. Then currents, winds and waves disperse them, frequently to different reefs.

3D-Printed Smart Gel Changes Shape When Exposed to Light

sarah JonasResearch Results

Inspired by the color-changing skin of cuttlefish, octopuses and squids, Rutgers engineers have created a 3D-printed smart gel that changes shape when exposed to light, becomes “artificial muscle” and may lead to new military camouflage, soft robotics and flexible displays. The engineers also developed a 3D-printed stretchy material that can reveal colors when light changes, according to their study in the journal ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces.

How to Identify Heat-Stressed Corals

sarah JonasResearch Results

Researchers have found a novel way to identify heat-stressed corals, which could help scientists pinpoint the coral species that need protection from warming ocean waters linked to climate change, according to a Rutgers-led study.

Antibiotics for C-sections Effective After Umbilical Cord Clamped

sarah JonasResearch Results

Antibiotics for cesarean section births are just as effective when they’re given after the umbilical cord is clamped as before clamping – the current practice – and could benefit newborns’ developing microbiomes, according to Rutgers co-authored research. The study, by far the largest of its kind and published in the journal Antimicrobial Resistance & Infection Control, challenges current recommendations for antibiotic use. Administering antibiotics after clamping does not increase the risk of infection at the site of C-section incisions, the study concludes.

COVID-19 Pandemic had Big Impact on Commercial Fishing in Northeast

sarah JonasResearch Results

With restaurants and supply chains disrupted due to the global coronavirus pandemic, two-fifths of commercial fishermen surveyed from Maine through North Carolina did not go fishing earlier this year, according to a Rutgers study that also documented their resilience and adaptation. Of those who kept fishing, nearly all reported a decline in income compared with previous years, according to the survey of 258 fishers in the Northeast published in the journal PLOS ONE.

Rutgers Experts Can Discuss Expected Snowstorm in N.J.

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New Brunswick, N.J. (Dec. 15, 2020) – Rutgers University–New Brunswick meteorologist Steve Decker and climatologist David A. Robinson are available for interviews on the major snowstorm expected in New Jersey tomorrow and previous notable snowstorms. “This storm is showing some similarities to…

Rutgers Expert Can Discuss Colorful Household Plants for Holiday Season and Year-Round

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New Brunswick, N.J. (Dec. 14, 2020) – Rutgers University–New Brunswick horticultural expert Bruce Crawford is available for interviews on colorful household plants for the holiday season, beyond the standard poinsettia. “Keeping houseplants can improve your mood, work performance and even…

Planning Ahead Protects Fish and Fisheries

sarah JonasResearch Results

Conservation of fish and other marine life migrating from warming ocean waters will be more effective and also protect commercial fisheries if plans are made now to cope with climate change, according to a Rutgers-led study in the journal Science Advances.

Rutgers Expert Can Discuss November and 2020 Warmth, Top Snowfall Seasons in N.J.

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New Brunswick, N.J. (Dec. 9, 2020) – Rutgers University–New Brunswick climatologist David A. Robinson is available for interviews on the extreme warmth in New Jersey in November and 2020 to date, as well as the 10 snowiest and 10 least snowy seasons since…

Rutgers Expert Can Discuss AI Advances Linked to RCSB Protein Data Bank

sarah JonasExpert Pitch

New Brunswick, N.J. (Dec. 3, 2020) – Stephen K. Burley, director of the RCSB Protein Data Bank headquartered at Rutgers University–New Brunswick, is available for interviews on how the bank’s 50 years of data on the 3D biomolecular structures of life and artificial intelligence can lead…

Rutgers Institute for Health Receives $10M to Study Health and Well-Being in New Jersey

sarah JonasAnnouncement

The Rutgers Institute for Health, Health Care Policy and Aging Research has received $10 million in funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Rutgers University to support the New Jersey Population Health Cohort study – the largest study to date to explore factors that influence health and well-being in New Jersey.

Best Region For Life on Mars Was Far Below Surface

sarah JonasResearch Results

The most habitable region for life on Mars would have been up to several miles below its surface, likely due to subsurface melting of thick ice sheets fueled by geothermal heat, a Rutgers-led study concludes. The study, published in the journal Science Advances, may help resolve what’s known as the faint young sun paradox – a lingering key question in Mars science.

Rutgers Expert Available to Discuss Science and Benefits of Handwashing in COVID-19 Era

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New Brunswick, N.J. (Nov. 23, 2020) – Rutgers University–New Brunswick Professor Donald W. Schaffner, a food microbiologist who has also studied handwashing for more than 20 years, is available for interviews on the science and benefits of handwashing during the COVID-19 pandemic and overall.…

Gut Microbiome Manipulation Could Result from Virus Discovery

sarah JonasResearch Results

Scientists have discovered how a common virus in the human gut infects and takes over bacterial cells – a finding that could be used to control the composition of the gut microbiome, which is important for human health. The Rutgers co-authored research, which could aid efforts to engineer beneficial bacteria that produce medicines and fuels and clean up pollutants, is published in the journal Nature.

Genetic Code Evolution and Darwin’s Evolution Theory Should Consider DNA an ‘Energy Code’

sarah JonasResearch Results

Darwin’s theory of evolution should be expanded to include consideration of a DNA stability “energy code” – so-called “molecular Darwinism” – to further account for the long-term survival of species’ characteristics on Earth, according to Rutgers scientists. The iconic genetic code can be viewed as an “energy code” that evolved by following the laws of thermodynamics (flow of energy), causing its evolution to culminate in a nearly singular code for all living species, according to the Rutgers co-authored study in the journal Quarterly Review of Biophysics.

Atmospheric Rivers Help Create Massive Holes in Antarctic Sea Ice

sarah JonasResearch Results

Warm, moist rivers of air in Antarctica play a key role in creating massive holes in sea ice in the Weddell Sea and may influence ocean conditions around the vast continent as well as climate change, according to Rutgers co-authored research. Scientists studied the role of long, intense plumes of warm, moist air – known as atmospheric rivers – in creating enormous openings in sea ice. They focused on the Weddell Sea region of the Southern Ocean near Antarctica, where these sea ice holes (called polynyas) infrequently develop during the winter.

Rutgers Expert Available to Discuss Record November Heat in New Jersey

sarah JonasExpert Pitch

New Brunswick, N.J. (Nov. 10, 2020) – Rutgers University–New Brunswick climatologist David A. Robinson is available for interviews on the recent record heat in New Jersey, including four consecutive days of record high temperatures in New Brunswick. “Today marks the sixth consecutive day…

Marine Fisheries Will Not Offset Farm Losses after Nuclear War

sarah JonasResearch Results

After a nuclear war, wild-catch marine fisheries will not offset the loss of food grown on land, especially if widespread overfishing continues, according to a Rutgers co-authored study. But effective pre-war fisheries management would greatly boost the oceans’ potential contribution of protein and nutrients during a global food emergency, according to the study in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The study for the first time explored the effects of nuclear war on wild-catch marine fisheries.

Rutgers Expert Available to Discuss Stress Reduction Benefits of Exercise and Being Outdoors Following Election

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New Brunswick, N.J. (Nov. 6, 2020) – Rutgers University–New Brunswick Professor Brandon L. Alderman is available for interviews on how being outdoors and exercise can reduce stress following the 2020 election and during the COVID-19 pandemic. “Time spent outdoors and…

Rutgers Expert Available to Discuss Record Snow Cover in October 2020

sarah JonasExpert Pitch

Media contact: Todd Bates, [email protected], 848-932-0550. New Brunswick, N.J. (Nov. 5, 2020) – Rutgers University–New Brunswick climatologist David A. Robinson is available for interviews on the record high snow cover over North America in October 2020. Robinson oversees the Rutgers…

Rutgers Experts Available to Discuss Paris Climate Agreement Following 2020 Election

sarah JonasExpert Pitch

New Brunswick, N.J. (Nov. 4, 2020) – Rutgers University–New Brunswick professors Robert E. Kopp and Pamela McElwee are available for interviews on the Paris climate agreement following the 2020 election. In 2017, President Trump announced that the United States will withdraw from the agreement, and…

Rutgers Expert Available to Discuss Habitats, Living on Moon’s Surface

sarah JonasExpert Pitch

New Brunswick, N.J. (Oct. 27, 2020) – Rutgers University–New Brunswick Professor Haym Benaroya is available for interviews on placing habitats for long-term living on the moon’s surface in light of new evidence of water on Earth’s satellite. Benaroya, a Distinguished Professor in the…

Rutgers Experts Available to Discuss N.J.’s Vulnerability Eight Years after Sandy

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New Brunswick, N.J. (Oct. 27, 2020) – Rutgers University–New Brunswick experts are available to discuss the busy 2020 Atlantic hurricane season and New Jersey’s vulnerability to coastal storms and flooding eight years after Superstorm Sandy, along with how to boost resilience.…

Rutgers Expert Available to Discuss Risk Perception in COVID-19 Era

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New Brunswick, N.J. (Oct. 26, 2020) – Rutgers University–New Brunswick Professor William Hallman is available for interviews on the science of risk perception and its practical implications in the COVID-19 era – a time of fear and anxiety among millions of…

Rutgers Expert Available to Discuss Coronavirus Risk from Surfaces, Groceries, Food, Airborne Exposures

sarah JonasExpert Pitch

New Brunswick, N.J. (Oct. 26, 2020) – Rutgers University–New Brunswick Professor Donald W. Schaffner is available for interviews on the likelihood of getting infected by the SARS-CoV-2  coronavirus via surfaces, groceries, eating food and airborne/aerosol transmission. “Current evidence still indicates that risk from surfaces remains…

Rutgers Expert Available to Discuss Vietnam’s Vulnerability to Floods

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New Brunswick, N.J. (Oct. 23, 2020) – Rutgers Professor Pamela McElwee, an expert on Vietnam environmental issues, is available for interviews on the devastating flooding in that country this month and the flood threat posed by Typhoon Saudel. McElwee, who has done research…

Rutgers Bat Researcher Can Discuss Iconic Halloween Animals

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New Brunswick, N.J. (Oct. 20, 2020) – Evan Drake, a bat researcher and doctoral student at Rutgers University–New Brunswick, is available for interviews on iconic Halloween animals and misunderstood wildlife, as well as bats and COVID-19. Halloween is known for…

Education is Key to Reducing Sudden Unexplained Infant Deaths

sarah JonasAnnouncement

New Jersey’s rate of Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SUID) is the third lowest in the United States according to information issued this month by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The state’s rate has been consistently one of the lowest for well over a decade due to the statewide programs of the SIDS Center of New Jersey that educate parents, caregivers and health professionals and many other providers on how to reduce the risk of sudden unexpected death in infants.

Rutgers Astronomer Receives Packard Fellowship for Innovative Young Scientists

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New Brunswick, N.J. (Oct. 15, 2020) – Blakesley Burkhart’s childhood days spent volunteering at a science museum and watching the Discovery Channel and sci-fi shows sparked her love of science and fascination with the stars. “These were the beginning years…

Rutgers Expert Can Discuss 10 Ways to Adapt to Coastal Flooding

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New Brunswick, N.J. (Oct. 14, 2020) – Rutgers coastal expert Vanessa Dornisch is available for interviews on 10 steps residents can take to prepare for sea-level rise and adapt to increased coastal flooding. Dornisch, coastal training program coordinator at the…

Rutgers, RWJBarnabas Health Host Global Neurosurgery Symposium

sarah JonasFeature

At 3 a.m. in early September, when most people were still in their beds, more than 400 viewers in China were logged in to a special broadcast, translated in Chinese, focused on neuro-tech and global neurosurgery issues. They were among the thousands of neurosurgeons, residents, medical students and other professionals who tuned in each day to a massive, three-day Global Neurosurgery symposium in September, “Global Neurosurgery: Ask Not for Whom the Bell Tolls.”

Most Nations Failing to Protect Nature in COVID-19 Pandemic Recovery Plans

sarah JonasResearch Results

The COVID-19 pandemic provides an opportunity to reset the global economy and reverse decades of ecosystem and species losses, but most countries are failing to invest in nature-related economic reforms or investments, according to a Rutgers-led paper.

The Future of Precision Medicine

sarah JonasFeature Expert

Precision medicine is a rapidly growing approach to health care that focuses on finding treatments and interventions that work for people based on their genetic makeup, rather than their symptoms.

Zeeshan Ahmed, director of the new Ahmed Lab at Rutgers Institute for Health, Health Care Policy and Aging Research, discusses the future of precision medicine, what needs to be done to successfully analyze the data necessary to develop individualized treatments and the role genetics play during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Rutgers Expert Can Discuss How to Avoid Wildlife-Vehicle Collisions

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New Brunswick, N.J. (Oct. 7, 2020) – With deer breeding season underway, Kathleen Kerwin, a wildlife expert at Rutgers University–New Brunswick, is available for interviews on defensive driving to avoid wildlife-vehicle collisions, what to do if you see wildlife crossing…

Plant-Based Spray Could be Used in N95 Masks and Energy Devices

sarah JonasResearch Results

Engineers have invented a way to spray extremely thin wires made of a plant-based material that could be used in N95 mask filters, devices that harvest energy for electricity, and potentially the creation of human organs. The method involves spraying methylcellulose, a renewable plastic material derived from plant cellulose, on 3D-printed and other objects ranging from electronics to plants, according to a Rutgers-led study in the journal Materials Horizons.

5G Wireless May Lead to Inaccurate Weather Forecasts

sarah JonasResearch Results

Upcoming 5G wireless networks that will provide faster cell phone service may lead to inaccurate weather forecasts, according to a Rutgers study on a controversial issue that has created anxiety among meteorologists.

Rutgers Experts Can Discuss Fall Foliage Outlook in N.J.

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New Brunswick, N.J. (Sept. 23, 2020) – Rutgers University–New Brunswick climatologist David A. Robinson and tree expert Jason Grabosky are available for interviews on the outlook for the fall foliage season in the Garden State. “Seasonable temperatures, including some cool nights, and adequate rainfall during…

How to Get a Handle on Carbon Dioxide Uptake by Plants

sarah JonasResearch Results

How much carbon dioxide, a pivotal greenhouse gas behind global warming, is absorbed by plants on land? It’s a deceptively complicated question, so a Rutgers-led group of scientists recommends combining two cutting-edge tools to help answer the crucial climate change-related question.

Rutgers Expert Available to Discuss Communicating About COVID-19 Vaccine

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New Brunswick, N.J. (Sept. 17, 2020) – Rutgers University–New Brunswick Professor William Hallman is available for interviews on how to communicate with the public about a potential COVID-19 vaccine. “For a COVID-19 vaccine to be embraced by the public, officials can’t…

FDA Guidance Fails to Ensure Security of 3D-Printed Masks and PPE

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New Brunswick, N.J. (Sept. 16, 2020) – FDA guidelines for making 3D-printed masks, face shields and other personal protective equipment (PPE) in the COVID-19 era fail to defend against cyberattacks, according to Rutgers and Georgia Tech engineers. Due to the…

Rutgers Scholar Available to Discuss Concerning Trends of Suicidal Behavior Before and During COVID-19

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Rutgers psychologist Edward Selby is available to comment on the need for greater awareness and prevention of suicidal behavior during COVID-19 pandemic. “Suicidal behavior has been escalating in the United States over the last 20 years, and we saw a…

Ocean Algae Get “Coup de Grace” from Viruses

sarah JonasResearch Results

Scientists have long believed that ocean viruses always quickly kill algae, but Rutgers-led research shows they live in harmony with algae and viruses provide a “coup de grace” only when blooms of algae are already stressed and dying. The study, published in the journal Nature Communications, will likely change how scientists view viral infections of algae, also known as phytoplankton – especially the impact of viruses on ecosystem processes like algal bloom formation (and decline) and the cycling of carbon and other chemicals on Earth.

Rutgers-Led Project Will Buy 76,000 Oysters From Farmers Struggling During COVID-19 Pandemic

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New Brunswick, N.J. (Sept. 10, 2020) – A Rutgers-led project will buy 76,000 oysters from New Jersey oyster farmers who are struggling to sell the shellfish following the shutdown of restaurants and indoor dining as a result of the COVID-19…

Bat Tick Found for the First Time in New Jersey

sarah JonasResearch Results

A tick species associated with bats has been reported for the first time in New Jersey and could pose health risks to people, pets and livestock, according to a Rutgers-led study in the Journal of Medical Entomology. This species (Carios kelleyi) is a “soft” tick. Deer ticks, which carry Lyme disease, are an example of “hard” ticks.

Land Development in New Jersey Continues to Slow

sarah JonasResearch Results

Land development in New Jersey has slowed dramatically since the 2008 Great Recession, but it’s unclear how the COVID-19 pandemic and efforts to fight societal and housing inequality will affect future trends, according to a Rutgers co-authored report. Between 2012 and 2015, 10,392 acres in the Garden State became urban land. That’s 3,464 acres a year – far lower than the 16,852 acres per year in the late 1990s and continuing the trend of decreasing urban development that began in the 2008 Great Recession.

Galaxy Simulations Could Help Reveal Origins of Milky Way

sarah JonasResearch Results

Rutgers astronomers have produced the most advanced galaxy simulations of their kind, which could help reveal the origins of the Milky Way and dozens of small neighboring dwarf galaxies. Their research also could aid the decades-old search for dark matter, which fills an estimated 27 percent of the universe. And the computer simulations of “ultra-faint” dwarf galaxies could help shed light on how the first stars formed in the universe.

New Device Can Measure Toxic Lead Within Minutes

sarah JonasResearch Results

Rutgers researchers have created a miniature device for measuring trace levels of toxic lead in sediments at the bottom of harbors, rivers and other waterways within minutes – far faster than currently available laboratory-based tests, which take days. The affordable lab-on-a-chip device could also allow municipalities, water companies, universities, K-12 schools, daycares and homeowners to easily and swiftly test their water supplies. The research is published in the IEEE Sensors Journal.