Knowledge & Discovery

Research in space yields clues to treating muscle loss back on Earth

Iowa State researcher Khaled Kamal is mapping how microgravity conditions during spaceflight accelerate musculoskeletal decline in the human body, work that could influence NASA’s long‑duration missions and help develop emerging therapies for muscular dystrophy, age-related sarcopenia, immobilization due to injury or long hospital stays, and even health conditions related to sedentary lifestyles here on Earth. Read More

Jun 24, 2026

Cotton’s roots trace to Yucatan Peninsula, where wild gene pool runs deepest

A research team led by Iowa State University botanists confirmed cotton was domesticated from a diverse population native to Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, a potentially fruitful target for finding genetic traits that could strengthen the world’s most important fiber crop. Read More

Jun 16, 2026

Writing with AI demands more thought from students, not less

In a new study, an Iowa State researcher upends the idea that AI simplifies writing, showing instead that it raises the cognitive stakes for students. The study identifies three key thresholds that reveal why using AI well takes more judgment, experimentation and agency than many students expect. Read More

Jun 15, 2026

Hydrogen from deep under Iowa? State universities can help build a hydrogen economy

As companies search for geologic hydrogen deep below Iowa's farms, towns and cities, university scientists are starting to discuss how they could help the state develop a hydrogen economy. Read More

Jun 10, 2026

Preparing future math teachers to teach data science

Future math teachers may be the key to bringing data science into high‑school classrooms, and curriculum designed by researchers from Iowa State University and the University of Northern Iowa is helping pre-service teachers build their data‑science skills by tapping into the math they already know. Read More

Jun 4, 2026

Integrating ‘citizen science’ with experimental data helps uncover how plants adapt

A research team led in part by an Iowa State University agronomy professor combined public data with designed experiments to discover how different variants of switchgrass adapt to their environment, causing the plant to flower earlier in northern latitudes. Read More

Jun 3, 2026

Cameras and sensors bringing digital-farm transformation to hog barns

May 28, 2026

America’s last-mile delivery divide

More than a decade of shopping data shows a clear divide in how Americans get their goods, an Iowa State researcher and co-authors report in a new study examining how demand for last-mile fulfillment services has evolved over time. This split can inform decisions such as where stores stay open and how companies prioritize investments in last-mile delivery. Read More

May 19, 2026

New study aims to map how menopause shapes the aging brain

Iowa State researchers are studying whether menopause sets off small but important changes in the brain and blood vessels that could help explain why women face higher risks of stroke and Alzheimer’s disease as they age. Their goal is to identify these shifts early enough to intervene. Read More

May 13, 2026

Researchers find when retailers wait to reveal prices, shoppers fill in the blanks

An Iowa State researcher is part of a team that recently set out to investigate a longstanding question among retailers: Is it better to show prices upfront or reveal them later in the buying process? Read More

May 11, 2026