Students from Two Rivers Community School and Kinderwood School in Boone, participated in the annual National History Day competition in March. The competition has students in grades 6 to 12 conduct extensive historical research on a selected theme, then present their findings to a panel of judges. Andrea Burns, associate professor in App State’s Department of History, made a push for Watauga County students to compete in the event for the first time, offering research assistance to participating students.

A recent viral Facebook post claims that mushroom DNA is closer to humans than plants. Experts, including John Walker, professor in App State's Department of Biology, confirm that this is true. In this article, Walker highlights the major overlapping characteristics shared by fungi and animals that plants do not have.

Dr. Marketa Zimova, assistant professor of biology at App State, explores how climate change has negatively impacted mountain hares in the Scottish Highlands. Zimova explains that mountain hares have turncoat capabilities — changing from a brown coat to a white coat during winter months to blend in with the snow — but with less snow each year, they are becoming more easily exposed to predators.

Michael Reddish, assistant professor in App State’s Department of Chemistry and Fermentation Sciences, is responsible for the university’s biggest ever National Institutes of Health grant. With $1.6 million in funding, including a $20,000 NCBiotech Flash Grant and a $250,000 National Science Foundation grant, Reddish is researching human enzymes in an effort that could lead to new therapies for treating cancer and other serious diseases. Reddish’s team is made up of App State undergraduate students.

Arati Prabhakar, director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, toured the Science and Technologies for Phosphorus Sustainability (STEPS) Center, headquartered at N.C. State, in February 2023. App State is one of nine institutions across the U.S. that are partners in the center, which aims to facilitate a 25% reduction in human dependence on mined phosphates and a 25% reduction in phosphorus losses to soils and water resources within 25 years.

Dr. David Nieman, professor in App State’s Department of Biology, explains how eating almonds can help athletes boost metabolism and reduce inflammation after a workout. Nieman is the director of App State’s Human Performance Lab at the North Carolina Research Campus in Kannapolis.