display Latest news from Virginia Tech on Newswise en-us Copyright 2025 Newswise 115 31 / /images/newswise-logo-rss.gif /articles/expert-analyzes-what-makes-true-crime-stories-so-captivating/?sc=rsin /articles/expert-analyzes-what-makes-true-crime-stories-so-captivating/?sc=rsin Wed, 09 Apr 2025 18:45:45 EST Fans of the genre known as "true crime" have no shortage of books, television shows, and movies to choose from. Virginia Tech English Department instructor Ingrid Johnson, who is teaching a course on the subject this semester with 500 students enrolled, answered questions about the public's fascination with this genre and the broader societal implications. Virginia Tech /articles/are-tariffs-pushing-the-u-s-toward-recession-virginia-tech-economists-weigh-in/?sc=rsin /articles/are-tariffs-pushing-the-u-s-toward-recession-virginia-tech-economists-weigh-in/?sc=rsin Wed, 09 Apr 2025 10:10:23 EST Global stock markets are volatile as a result of President Donald Trump's widespread tariff announcements. The big question now: Is the United States headed for a recession?  The short answer from Virginia Tech economists and policy experts Jadrian Wooten, David Bieri, and Dimitris Tsarouhas is no, not yet, but we're getting close. Virginia Tech /articles/firefighting-without-pfas-expert-explains/?sc=rsin /articles/firefighting-without-pfas-expert-explains/?sc=rsin Tue, 08 Apr 2025 10:30:34 EST For decades, PFAS, which stands for polyfluoroalkyl substances, have been a staple in firefighting foams because of their ability to smother liquid fuel fires. But as concerns over their environmental and health impacts grow, researchers are racing to find safer alternatives.  Brian Lattimer, head of the Virginia Tech Department of Mechanical Engineering, has been at the forefront of this challenge. Virginia Tech /articles/lilies-and-cats-a-deadly-combination/?sc=rsin /articles/lilies-and-cats-a-deadly-combination/?sc=rsin Tue, 08 Apr 2025 10:15:27 EST Lilies might be beautiful, but for cats, they pose a significant threat that can be deadly. A veterinarian with the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine is urging cat owners to be extra cautious and understand the risks associated with these common household and garden plants, especially with Easter and the spring planting season. Virginia Tech /articles/burying-power-lines-a-costly-but-crucial-solution-to-prevent-outages-and-wildfires/?sc=rsin /articles/burying-power-lines-a-costly-but-crucial-solution-to-prevent-outages-and-wildfires/?sc=rsin Tue, 08 Apr 2025 09:20:15 EST Severe weather events have left millions of people without power for days, sometimes weeks or months, raising questions about whether the United States power infrastructure needs an overhaul. Joseph Vantassel, an assistant professor in the College of Engineering at Virginia Tech, believes moving power lines underground could be a solution. Virginia Tech /articles/experts-weigh-in-on-u-s-infrastructure-woes/?sc=rsin /articles/experts-weigh-in-on-u-s-infrastructure-woes/?sc=rsin Tue, 08 Apr 2025 09:15:58 EST America's infrastructure is cracking, according to the latest report card from the American Society of Civil Engineers. In multiple categories, from aviation to roads to energy, the country's infrastructure is earning Ds, almost-failing grades. Virginia Tech engineering experts can break down what these failing grades mean -- and what needs to happen to rebuild to make our communities safer and better prepared for the future. Virginia Tech /articles/where-have-all-the-butterflies-gone/?sc=rsin /articles/where-have-all-the-butterflies-gone/?sc=rsin Tue, 08 Apr 2025 09:15:36 EST If you've noticed fewer butterflies fluttering around your garden lately, you're not alone. Many insect populations are in decline, and butterflies are no exception. According to Virginia Tech entomologists, they face a variety of challenges, such as habitat destruction, improper use or overuse of pesticides, and climate change. Virginia Tech /articles/economic-expert-on-auto-tariffs-motives-and-consequences/?sc=rsin /articles/economic-expert-on-auto-tariffs-motives-and-consequences/?sc=rsin Fri, 04 Apr 2025 19:50:42 EST President Donald Trump has announced plans to impose 25 percent tariffs on imported passenger vehicles, light trucks, and parts such and engines and transmissions. Virginia Tech global finance expert David Bieri answered questions about potential positive and negative effects of the tariffs for the auto industry, auto workers, and consumers. Virginia Tech /articles/elon-musk-retains-power-influence-despite-wisconsin-loss-expert-explains/?sc=rsin /articles/elon-musk-retains-power-influence-despite-wisconsin-loss-expert-explains/?sc=rsin Fri, 04 Apr 2025 19:45:32 EST Even though Elon Musk's financial resources failed to sway the results of the 2025 Wisconsin Supreme Court race, he remains a powerful figure on the Republican side that Democrats should not take lightly. Virginia Tech political communications expert Cayce Myers explains. Virginia Tech /articles/expert-explains-consequences-of-tariffs-for-virginia-agriculture/?sc=rsin /articles/expert-explains-consequences-of-tariffs-for-virginia-agriculture/?sc=rsin Wed, 26 Mar 2025 21:15:52 EST Virginia farms could face economic consequences because of tariffs imposed by the United States on imports from Canada, Mexico, and China, and because of tariffs imposed on U.S. goods by those countries in return. Virginia Tech agricultural trade policy analyst Xi He shared an overview of the challenges that the commonwealth's agricultural industry might have to anticipate and navigate. Virginia Tech /articles/experts-explain-signal-cybersecurity-and-how-a-journalist-was-sent-high-level-military-intelligence/?sc=rsin /articles/experts-explain-signal-cybersecurity-and-how-a-journalist-was-sent-high-level-military-intelligence/?sc=rsin Tue, 25 Mar 2025 20:55:08 EST A journalist was inadvertently added to a group chat on the encrypted app Signal between high-level U.S government officials planning a military operation. Virginia Tech cybersecurity and social platform experts France Belanger, Aaron Brantly, Jimmy Ivory and Anthony Vance explain what Signal is, how it works, and how such a breach of national security could happen. Virginia Tech /articles/experts-explain-u-s-fascination-with-st-patrick-s-day-dyeing-rivers/?sc=rsin /articles/experts-explain-u-s-fascination-with-st-patrick-s-day-dyeing-rivers/?sc=rsin Thu, 13 Mar 2025 21:00:53 EST The world's largest St. Patrick's Day celebration isn't in Ireland. It's in the U.S. It's no secret that Americans have an affinity for the holiday. Many Americans -- even those with no Irish descent -- choose to celebrate by wearing green clothing, drinking green beer, and eating dishes like corned beef and cabbage. Some major cities, like Chicago, even dye their rivers green for the day. Virginia Tech /articles/measles-resurgence-q-amp-a-epidemiologist-explains-why-cases-are-surging-and-how-to-stop-the-spread/?sc=rsin /articles/measles-resurgence-q-amp-a-epidemiologist-explains-why-cases-are-surging-and-how-to-stop-the-spread/?sc=rsin Thu, 13 Mar 2025 20:55:58 EST Virginia Tech infectious disease epidemiologist Lisa M. Lee explains why new measles cases are being reported around the country, not just in Texas, despite the illness being declared eliminated in the U.S. in the early 2000s due to rigorous vaccine uptake. What factors have contributed to the recent measles outbreak, and why is it spreading so quickly? "Measles is back because of falling vaccination rates. Virginia Tech /articles/expert-explains-latest-spacex-starship-explosion-debris-progress/?sc=rsin /articles/expert-explains-latest-spacex-starship-explosion-debris-progress/?sc=rsin Fri, 07 Mar 2025 19:05:55 EST On the evening of Thursday, March 6, a SpaceX Starship test ended when the upper stage rocket failed and exploded, raining down debris over parts of the Caribbean. Virginia Tech aerospace engineer Ella Atkins explains both the progress and fallout from the incident. Virginia Tech /articles/tariffs-could-have-significant-impact-on-packaging-says-expert/?sc=rsin /articles/tariffs-could-have-significant-impact-on-packaging-says-expert/?sc=rsin Thu, 06 Mar 2025 09:55:40 EST Walk into any store, and nearly everything -- except produce -- comes in some sort of package. Bottled water, cheese, electronics, even large appliances are wrapped in protective material to ensure that items are not damaged in transit. Changes, such as tariffs in the global marketplace, have a ripple effect on packaging, says Laszlo Horvath, an associate professor in the College of Natural Resources and Environment at Virginia Tech and director of the Center for Packaging and Unit Load Design in the Department of Sustainable Biomaterials. Virginia Tech /articles/experts-offer-insight-on-u-s-ukraine-deal-european-relations/?sc=rsin /articles/experts-offer-insight-on-u-s-ukraine-deal-european-relations/?sc=rsin Thu, 06 Mar 2025 09:40:31 EST From the U.S. halting military support to Ukraine to America's role in the NATO, questions have arisen about how the United States' role on the international stage might be changing. Virginia Tech foreign relations experts Dimitris Tsarouhas, visiting professor of political science, and Yannis Stivachtis, professor and director of the Center for European and Transatlantic Studies, share their insights on the country's handling of foreign affairs. Virginia Tech /articles/don-t-leave-all-your-airport-security-to-tsa-cybersecurity-expert-says/?sc=rsin /articles/don-t-leave-all-your-airport-security-to-tsa-cybersecurity-expert-says/?sc=rsin Thu, 06 Mar 2025 09:40:21 EST Whether they're planning to snorkel a barrier reef or just walks on the beach, all travelers face risks -- starting when they connect to the internet via airport Wi-Fi. Fraudsters troll free airport Wi-Fi signals and even impersonate those networks to get access to sensitive information such as credit card numbers and banking passwords transmitted through passengers' laptops, tablets, and smartphones. Virginia Tech /articles/expert-analyzes-trump-s-address-to-congress/?sc=rsin /articles/expert-analyzes-trump-s-address-to-congress/?sc=rsin Wed, 05 Mar 2025 18:45:27 EST President Donald Trump's first address to Congress during his second term celebrated his administration's swift actions during its first six weeks. Virginia Tech political communications expert Cayce Myers shares his analysis of the significance of the president's speech and the Democratic Party's response. Virginia Tech /articles/health-researcher-daylight-saving-time-messes-with-our-biological-clocks/?sc=rsin /articles/health-researcher-daylight-saving-time-messes-with-our-biological-clocks/?sc=rsin Wed, 05 Mar 2025 11:55:12 EST As clocks spring forward for daylight saving time this weekend, a Virginia Tech expert warns that the time change can have serious health consequences. "Research shows that daylight saving time messes with our biological clocks by reducing morning sunlight exposure, which pushes our sleep schedules later and can have negative effects on health," says Carla Finkielstein, a professor at Virginia Tech's Fralin Biomedical Research Institute and an expert in circadian clocks and cancer biology. Virginia Tech /articles/novel-research-reveals-how-adversity-shapes-the-developing-brain-and-its-connection-to-future-health-risks/?sc=rsin /articles/novel-research-reveals-how-adversity-shapes-the-developing-brain-and-its-connection-to-future-health-risks/?sc=rsin Mon, 24 Feb 2025 18:00:58 EST While researchers have long spotlighted the role childhood abuse, poverty, and substance use play in human development, Virginia Tech's Jungmeen Kim-Spoon is pulling back the curtain on what actually happens inside the brains of the young adults affected.  For the past 10 years, Kim-Spoon and her colleague Brooks Casas have co-led a research team that has tracked the brain function of teens. Virginia Tech