Research and Innovation Home Page

CNN - Earth’s magnetic field almost collapsed 591 million years ago. It may have allowed complex life to thrive - Traditionally, the rise in oxygen during this time has been attributed to photosynthetic organisms such as cyanobacteria, which produced oxygen, allowing it to build up in the water steadily over time, explained study coauthor Shuhai Xiao, a professor of geobiology at Virginia Tech.

NBC News - AI image misinformation has surged, Google researchers find - Cayce Myers, a public relations professor and graduate studies director at Virginia Tech’s School of Communication, said context manipulations can be even harder to detect than AI-generated images because they already look authentic. “In that sense, that’s a much more insidious problem,” Myers, who reviewed the recent findings prior to being interviewed, said.

Fox Business - Why AI Accuracy is Crucial for Road Safety - Fortunately, research institutions are beginning to conduct benchmarking studies to help companies choose providers that can back up their claims. For example, studies by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute and Strategy Analytics show that the Motive AI Dashcam successfully alerts drivers and managers to unsafe driving behavior 3-4x more than competitors.

Associated Press - Ship that struck Baltimore bridge had 4 blackouts before disaster. Here’s what we know - Stefano Brizzolara, a professor of ocean engineering at Virginia Tech, pointed out that the crew switched to a configuration that hadn’t been used for several months, describing it as like putting on a pair of shoes that you haven’t worn in a long time that have become “hard and stiff.” “Every time you switch to electrical components that are not normally used, the risk of failure increases a little bit,” he said.

Business Insider - The best senior dog food in 2024, with advice from veterinarians - Wet dog food has a higher moisture content, typically 75% to 78%, whereas dry dog food contains only about 10% to 12% moisture. This is a perk for pups prone to dehydration or ones with reduced kidney function, which is common in older dogs, says Dr. Mark Freeman, a veterinarian and assistant professor of community practice at Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine.