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Researchers in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences are making affordable bioplastics.

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Summer heat can take a toll on lawns and plants, especially when rain isn’t in the forecast. Virginia Tech turfgrass experts Mike Goatley and Dan Sandor share tips for keeping a healthy lawn during a drought. What time of day should you water your lawn during extreme sun and heat? “Irrigate early in the morning whenever possible,” Goatley said.

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Ahead of Independence Day on July 4, Virginia Tech experts can speak on a variety of topics, including fireworks safety, economic lessons from eating contests, grilling safety tips, and more. To schedule an interview, please contact the media relations office at [email protected]. Fireworks safety The July 4th holiday brings a dramatic increase in eye injuries each year.

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Incumbent President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump will go head-to-head June 27, 2024 in the first of two presidential debates. Virginia Tech political science expert Karen Hult and communications media expert Cayce Myers delve into what’s expected and unexpected as these embattled political figures face off.

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While heat is the number one weather-related cause of death in the United States, many of these deaths are preventable, says an emergency medicine doctor at the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine. Dr. Stephanie Lareau says it is vital to recognize signs and symptoms of heat-related illness.

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Alzheimer’s disease, a deadly brain disease than can cause loss of memory and mobility, affects millions of lives daily. June marks Alzheimer's and Brain Awareness Month, and Virginia Tech researchers are engaged in research meant to advance treatment for Alzheimer’s disease and assist caregivers of loved ones with dementia.

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The large, brightly colored Joro spider has been sighted recently on social media in many more places than it has ever been seen in the United States, as exaggerated, misleading stories about the arachnid have gone viral. Yet they pose no threat, except perhaps to insects and to other spiders, says Virginia Tech entomologist Theresa Dellinger.

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Virginia Tech entomologist Eric Day discusses the hazards ticks pose and how to reduce one's chance of tick bites.

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Two grants totaling approximately $1 million from the National Institutes of Food and Agriculture will assist in funding the standardization of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) for herbicide spray applications.

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Shopping at a neighborhood farmer’s market boosts the local economy, helps protect the environment, and provides healthy, fresh foods to consumers, says Virginia Tech experts.

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Restricting menthol flavor in cigarettes while making nicotine replacement therapy, such as a skin patch that can help ease withdrawal, more available and affordable has the potential to reduce socioeconomic disparities in tobacco use.

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Virginia Tech entomologist Thomas Kuhar answers questions about Japanese beetles, including sharing advice on how to control them, and an explanation of the back story of these deceptively lovely pests. These insects have no natural predators in the United States, while their voracious appetites can devastate more than 300 species of North American plants, from turfgrass to roses, grapes and hops.

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Undergoing surgery is seldom a pleasant experience, and it can sometimes be highly invasive. Surgical procedures have evolved steadily over the centuries, growing with the knowledge of anatomy and biology.

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Splash a few drops of water on a hot pan and if the pan is hot enough, the water will sizzle and the droplets of water seem to roll and float, hovering above the surface.

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You’re settling down in your patio chair, ready to enjoy a book, a pitcher of lemonade, and the sun-warmed breeze, when a mosquito settles down on your arm. And another lands on your leg, while another buzzes right by your ear. Virginia Tech entomologist Eric Day says that when it comes to controlling mosquitoes, there aren’t easy short cuts.

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It’s visually striking. When fully grown, open wings display showy hind wings with bright red near the abdomen, black spots, and black-and-white bars. But the spotted lanternfly, an invasive insect that came to the United States from its native habitat of Southeast Asia in 2014, is destructive. Despite its name, though, the spotted lanternfly is not a fly.

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As the summer season approaches, lots of people will be planning to host or attend backyard cookouts and potlucks. But before you fire up the grill, Virginia Tech food safety expert Melissa Wright shares tips to protect yourself, your family, and your friends from foodborne illnesses during the warm-weather months. “Safe food handling when eating outdoors is critical,” says Wright.