NSF's public investment in science, engineering, education and technology
helps to create knowledge and sustain prosperity. Read here about the Internet,
microbursts, Web browsers, extrasolar planets, and more... a panoply of discoveries
and innovations that began with NSF support.
![Photo of L. Curtis Hannah, plant molecular biology researcher at the University of Florida.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090507201008im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/hot_crops1_l.jpg) |
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090507201008im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
Heat-tolerant Crops Could Prevent Future Starvation and Help Preserve Biofuels With NSF support, plant molecular biologist L. Curtis Hannah is developing variants of key crops that will produce increased yields under heat stress Released
April 27, 2009
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![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090507201008im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
![Photo of a Louisiana crayfish caught from Lake Liangzi, China, with help from local fishermen.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090507201008im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/crayfish1_l.jpg) |
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Louisiana Crayfish: Good, Bad and Delicious University of Notre Dame graduate students Matthew Barnes and Ashley Baldridge travel to China to better understand why some welcome the introduction of Louisiana crayfish despite the damage the invaders do to native fishes and crops Released
April 15, 2009
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![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090507201008im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
![Photo of particpants climbing a tree.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090507201008im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/legis_aloft1_l.jpg) |
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090507201008im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
Changes in Altitude/Changes in Attitude: Scientists and Policymakers Share Views in the Treetops Excursion to a rainforest canopy creates a communication bridge between scientists and policymakers Released
April 13, 2009
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![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090507201008im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
![Photo of researchers collecting microbial biofilms in the Frasassi cave system, central Italy.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090507201008im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/macalady1_l.jpg) |
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090507201008im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
Caves Reveal Evolution of Ancient Microbes Jenn Macalady's geomicrobiology group is discovering the rules that enable microbes living in dark, oxygen-free environments to adapt and evolve Released
March 27, 2009
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![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090507201008im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
![Photo of Randy Davis discussing his research on Weddell seals.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090507201008im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/outreach1_l.jpg) |
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090507201008im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
More and More Scientists Serve Up Science for Mass Consumption Scientists use innovative, barrier-busting methods to educate the public and decision-makers about cutting-edge science Released
March 16, 2009
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![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090507201008im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
![Eight thumbnail images and 2008 in Review](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090507201008im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/2008_review_l.jpg) |
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2008: Year in Review A look back at some of the NSF-supported advances and activities that made news last year Released
March 13, 2009
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![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090507201008im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
![Photo of rapper C.A.U.T.I.O.N. engaging kids from Washington State exploring the forest environment.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090507201008im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/arboreal_rap1_l.jpg) |
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090507201008im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
Rap Music Brings Science to Urban Youth Evergreen State University researcher Nalini Nadkarni tells how she incorporates rap music in a science outreach program to interest urban youth in forest ecology Released
March 9, 2009
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![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090507201008im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
![Photo of researchers Bret Flanders and Prem Thapa in their laboratory at Kansas State University.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090507201008im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/nanowire_l1.jpg) |
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090507201008im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
Electrical Nanowires Probe Individual Cells Radically new technology for studying and controlling cells at the nanoscale Released
February 20, 2009
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![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090507201008im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
![Photo of a seed trap created by Rogers and her colleagues out of screen and PVC pipe.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090507201008im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/guam_birds1_l1.jpg) |
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090507201008im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
Guam's Birds Gone: Can Forest Survive? With NSF support, a University of Washington graduate student and her colleagues use 'screen door netting and lots of PVC pipe' to study how the loss of birds affects the dispersal of seeds in Guam's forests Released
January 30, 2009
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![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090507201008im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
![Photo of the diatom, <em>Stenopterobia curvula</em>.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090507201008im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/crimes1_l.jpg) |
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090507201008im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
Crimes to Climate History: Tiny Diatoms Offer Big Clues NSF-supported botanist Peter Siver of Connecticut College studies microorganisms that shed light on climate change dating back millions of years Released
January 7, 2009
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![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090507201008im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
![Photo of a jellyfish swarm.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090507201008im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/monty_interview3_l.jpg) |
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090507201008im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
Jellyfish Researcher Explains How and Why Jellyfish Swarms Form Why are large swarms of jellyfish and other gelatinous animals being reported in many of the world's popular fishing and vacation spots? Released
December 16, 2008
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![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090507201008im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
![Photo of Cheryl Hayashi holding a spider.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090507201008im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/spider_silk1_l.jpg) |
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090507201008im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
Unraveling the Wonders of Spider Silk University of California, Riverside researcher Cheryl Hayashi closely studies spiders and spider silk to discover the elusive genetic blueprints for silk making Released
December 9, 2008
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![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090507201008im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
![Illustration of dinosaurs dying amid a volcanic eruption.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090507201008im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/dinosaur_volcano1_l.jpg) |
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090507201008im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
Volcanoes, Not Asteroid, May Have Taken Out the Dinosaurs New theory of dinosaurs’ demise looks to India Released
December 8, 2008
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![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090507201008im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
![Photo of a spiny waterflea.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090507201008im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/great_lakes1_l1.jpg) |
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090507201008im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
Estimating the True Costs Of Invasive Species in the Great Lakes Graduate student John Rothlisberger describes his research to measure losses caused by non-native species that were introduced by ocean-going ships Released
December 1, 2008
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![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090507201008im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
![Photo of Daniel Bond holding Geobacter microbes.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090507201008im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/dbond_l.jpg) |
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090507201008im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
Batteries Made of Bacteria? Researchers believe the energy produced by Geobacter microbes can be harnessed for electrical power, environmental remediation and biosensors Released
November 19, 2008
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![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090507201008im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
![Photo of Duke University Lemur Center director Anne D. Yoder with a Coquerel's Sifaka.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090507201008im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/yoder1_l.jpg) |
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090507201008im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
Islands: Exquisite Labs of Evolution Anne Yoder, director of the Duke University Lemur Center, and colleagues are using genetic and genomic approaches to unravel the history of lemurs and the primate family tree Released
November 14, 2008
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![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090507201008im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
![Photo of corn damaged by insects.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090507201008im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/bat_impact1_l1.jpg) |
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090507201008im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
Placing a Dollar Value on Services Provided by Bats Advanced imaging and information technology reveals economic and ecological impact of agricultural pest control Released
November 12, 2008
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![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090507201008im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
![Photo of Jonathan Arnold and Heinz-Bernd Schuttler discussing their work on biological clocks.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090507201008im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/bio_clock1_l.jpg) |
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090507201008im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
The Biological Clock's Incredible Influence Revealed University of Georgia researchers find that the number of genes under the control of the biological clock in bread mold is dramatically higher than previously reported Released
November 5, 2008
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![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090507201008im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
![Thermal infrared image of Brazilian free-tailed bats in Texas.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090507201008im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/aeroecology1_l1.jpg) |
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090507201008im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
'Gone Bats' Over Aeroecology New scientific discipline studies bats, birds and other animals in atmosphere closest to Earth's surface Released
October 28, 2008
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![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090507201008im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
![Three-dimensional reconstructions of magnetic resonance images of the rat gastro-intestinal tract.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090507201008im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/gut1_l.jpg) |
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090507201008im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
Gut Reaction: Digestion Revealed in 3-D James Brasseur and his multidisciplinary team image the dynamic mixing of fluids and nutrient exchange in the human digestive system Released
October 17, 2008
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![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090507201008im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
![Photo of basmati rice before harvest.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090507201008im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/rice1_l.jpg) |
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090507201008im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
Using Your Computer to Grow More Nutritious Rice for a Hungry World Computational biologists use a powerful distributed computing network to research rice genome for increased yields of more nourishing rice varieties Released
October 14, 2008
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![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090507201008im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
![Photo of Susannah Gordon-Messer working on the fluorescence microscope used for her research.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090507201008im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/gordon_messer1_l.jpg) |
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090507201008im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
Teaching Is in This Scientist's Genes Doctoral student Susannah Gordon-Messer talks about her research and her science outreach using “bouncy, sticky, slimy chemistry” to educate and inspire young minds Released
October 10, 2008
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![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090507201008im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
![Photo of dung beetle males examined in the study.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090507201008im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/bug_genitalia1_l.jpg) |
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090507201008im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
Size Trade-off: Horns vs. Copulatory Organs Indiana University biologist Armin Moczek explains his findings about the inverse relationship between horn and copulatory organ size in male beetles and how it affects species divergence Released
September 30, 2008
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![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090507201008im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
![Photo of skeletal reconstruction of Majungasaurus, a Late Cretaceous dinosaur from Madagascar.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090507201008im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/mad_fossil1_l.jpg) |
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090507201008im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
The Bizarre Creatures of Madagascar Paleontologist David Krause describes his search for the ancestors of mammals that live in Madagascar today Released
September 24, 2008
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![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090507201008im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
![A computer-generated image showing the "family" of switches and how they are related.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090507201008im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/brainswitch1_l.jpg) |
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090507201008im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
Finding the Switches to Our Cells' 'Computer' Thousands of memory switches inside our cells help them remember and function Released
September 24, 2008
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![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090507201008im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
![Photo of a baby chimp and adult chimps.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090507201008im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/chimp_health1_l.jpg) |
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090507201008im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
Researcher Walks Among Dying Baby Chimps Virginia Tech scientist Taranjit Kaur describes her team's research studying chimpanzees in western Tanzania and the virus that is threatening the chimps’ health Released
September 9, 2008
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![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090507201008im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
![Photo of roots hanging from the roof of a lava tube.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090507201008im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/petrels1_l.jpg) |
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090507201008im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
Bones in Lava Tubes Reveal Hawaii's Natural History Michigan State University's Matthew Cimitile describes a Hawaiian adventure exploring lava tubes in search of bird bones from endangered and extinct species Released
August 22, 2008
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![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090507201008im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
![Light photo of Mycena lucentipes, recently described from Sao Pãulo, Brazil.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090507201008im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/fungi1_l.jpg) |
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090507201008im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
A Thousand Points of Light: Bioluminescent Fungi San Francisco State University Mycologist Dennis Desjardin Takes Readers Along on a Nocturnal Hike in a Brazilian Forest to Find Glowing Mushrooms Released
August 15, 2008
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![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090507201008im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
![Ilustration of a crater formed from the impact of a comet or asteroid in Chesapeake Bay.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090507201008im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/ches_impact1_l.jpg) |
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090507201008im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
Crumbling Walls of Ancient Chesapeake Bay Crater Threaten Regional Groundwater Supplies Saltwater intrusion into collapsing crater also allows microbes to flourish Released
August 12, 2008
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![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090507201008im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
![Illustration of a bioparticle (left) ready to bind antigens (yellow) from tumor cells.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090507201008im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/antigen_l.jpg) |
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090507201008im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
Natural Bio-Army Trained to Fight Cancer Bioengineer Tarek Fahmy and colleagues are engineering new nanoscopic and microscopic biomaterials to stimulate the body’s production of killer T-cells to fight infectious diseases Released
August 8, 2008
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![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090507201008im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
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