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.
![Illustration showing advanced chips](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090506071553im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/adv_tech_l.jpg) |
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In Industrial Manufacturing, Efficiency Falls as Technology Advances A comprehensive study of old and new manufacturing processes, from machining metal to making carbon nanofibers, shows that the more advanced technologies are less efficient in their use of energy and materials per kilogram of output Released
May 1, 2009
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![Photo of a transmission tower that failed.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090506071553im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/tornado1_l2.jpg) |
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Students Venture Into the Hearts of Violent Storms Texas Tech grad student and IGERT trainee Tanya Brown describes conducting research amid thunderstorms and hurricanes Released
April 22, 2009
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![Photo of particpants climbing a tree.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090506071553im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/legis_aloft1_l.jpg) |
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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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![Photo of researchers collecting microbial biofilms in the Frasassi cave system, central Italy.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090506071553im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/macalady1_l.jpg) |
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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/web/20090506071553im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
![Photo of Michael Loranty wiring one of many sap flow sensors in the aspen stand.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090506071553im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/forest_water1_l.jpg) |
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Taking the Pulse of the Forest Michael Loranty describes 'wiring' a forest for research to determine how much water the trees use Released
March 18, 2009
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![Photo of Randy Davis discussing his research on Weddell seals.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090506071553im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/outreach1_l.jpg) |
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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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![Eight thumbnail images and 2008 in Review](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090506071553im_/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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![Photo of Joshua Atwood removing an invasive plant from Manoa Valley on the island of O'ahu.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090506071553im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/hi_invasives1_l.jpg) |
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Saving Hawaii From Alien Plants Graduate student Joshua Atwood talks about analyzing state environmental policies and participating in surveys to detect non-native plant species on O’ahu during his NSF-supported internship Released
February 13, 2009
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![Photo of the twisting road, Mauna Loa's lava fields and clouds.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090506071553im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/global_water1_l.jpg) |
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Water Plays Surprising Role in Climate Change From Hawaii's Mauna Loa, climate scientists measure oxygen and hydrogen isotopes in water vapor to better understand changes in the water cycle Released
February 6, 2009
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![Photo of logs that were from cut from the Amazonian rainforest.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090506071553im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/deforestation1_l.jpg) |
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Amazon Deforestation: Earth's Heart and Lungs Dismembered NSF-supported researchers explore the links between globalization, deforestation of Brazil’s Amazon region and the country’s dynamic cattle economy Released
January 23, 2009
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![Photo of the diatom, <em>Stenopterobia curvula</em>.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090506071553im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/crimes1_l.jpg) |
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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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![Photo of a jellyfish swarm.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090506071553im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/monty_interview3_l.jpg) |
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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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![Illustration of dinosaurs dying amid a volcanic eruption.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090506071553im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/dinosaur_volcano1_l.jpg) |
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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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![Photo of corn damaged by insects.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090506071553im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/bat_impact1_l1.jpg) |
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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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![Thermal infrared image of Brazilian free-tailed bats in Texas.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090506071553im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/aeroecology1_l1.jpg) |
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'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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![Photo of skeletal reconstruction of Majungasaurus, a Late Cretaceous dinosaur from Madagascar.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090506071553im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/mad_fossil1_l.jpg) |
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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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![Photo of the researchers' field camp in Greenland.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090506071553im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/glacial_move1_l1.jpg) |
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Glacier Movement Limits How Fast Sea Level Can Rise Study finds 3 to 6 feet by 2100 possible Released
September 18, 2008
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![Photo of roots hanging from the roof of a lava tube.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090506071553im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/petrels1_l.jpg) |
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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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![Ilustration of a crater formed from the impact of a comet or asteroid in Chesapeake Bay.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090506071553im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/ches_impact1_l.jpg) |
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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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![John Chmiola holds an electrochemical capacitor's electrode.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090506071553im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/chmiola_electrode_l.jpg) |
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Supercapacitors Could Be Key to a Green Energy Future John Chmiola, a doctoral student at Drexel University, is doing groundbreaking work on supercapacitors Released
July 30, 2008
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![Photo of lionfish and other fish.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090506071553im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/lionfish_l.jpg) |
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Atlantic Coral Reefs Are No Match for This Lion Scientists detail the extensive damage to coral reefs in the Atlantic Ocean caused by invasive lionfish species, warn of potential catastrophe Released
July 29, 2008
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![A conceptual view of a new pathway for methane production in the oceans.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090506071553im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/cmore_l.jpg) |
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Methane Formation in the Oceans: New Pathway Discovered Significant importance for study of greenhouse gas production on Earth Released
July 10, 2008
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![Photo of rural China showing agricultural development and fragmented forests.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090506071553im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/china_conserve_l.jpg) |
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Environmental Programs in China Successful, Study Finds Key reforms could turn them into world models Released
July 10, 2008
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![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090506071553im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
![Photo of mountains in China that flank the Min River near the epicenter of the Wenchuan quake.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090506071553im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/china_quake_l.jpg) |
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Long Wait Before Next China Quake? May 12 earthquake rare and unexpected, geologists discover Released
July 10, 2008
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![Striped fossil feather and recent woodpecker feather show melanosomes in dark, but not light, areas.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090506071553im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/fossil_feather_l.jpg) |
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Fossil Feathers Preserve Evidence of Color Organic material reveals remnants of color pigments Released
July 10, 2008
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![Photo of the research vessel Pacific Storm.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090506071553im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/squid1_l.jpg) |
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Scientists See Squid Attack Squid Oregon State oceanographer Kelly Benoit-Bird and colleagues succeed in using sonar to track Humboldt squid Released
June 27, 2008
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![Photo of a pile of coal in Gansu province, China.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090506071553im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/china_coal1_l.jpg) |
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My Research: I Burn Stuff U.S. graduate student Abigail Watrous on her research studying energy technologies and seeking practical and affordable alternatives to help developing communities reduce pollution Released
June 5, 2008
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![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090506071553im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
![Photo of insect mine on a 53 million-year-old fossil from Wyoming's Bighorn Basin.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090506071553im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/bighorn_basin1_l2.jpg) |
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Hunt for Fossils Finds Warning for Warming Earth Graduate student Ellen Currano provides a glimpse of paleontological fieldwork, describing how she collects fossil leaves for research studying the effects of climate change on plants and insect herbivores Released
May 27, 2008
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![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090506071553im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
![Photo of the CTD/rosette that contains sampling bottles and instruments.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090506071553im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/desert_dust1_l.jpg) |
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How Desert Dust Feeds the World's Oceans Scientists sample dust and trace metals in seawater to learn more about climatic change Released
May 9, 2008
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![Photo of the view from the driver's seat, or the "bridge," on the R/V Roger Revelle.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090506071553im_/http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/ocean_connected1_l.jpg) |
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090506071553im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/x.gif) |
For Better or Worse, Modern Ocean Explorers Stay Connected Improvements in shipboard communications mean scientists can keep in constant touch, even when their research takes them to remote locations Released
April 28, 2008
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