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West Virginia University expert Simon Haeder says the massive increases in food recall over the last five years-- 92.7 percent for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and 83.4 percent for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (according to a study by the Stericycle Recall Index)-- could be attributed to alterations in agency regulations. Another WVU expert, Jacek Jaczynski, said it’s simple to avoid illness by washing hands and thoroughly cooking food.

With new and compelling evidence for water existing beneath the south pole of Mars, a West Virginia University professor says this underground lake is likely to be extremely salty and more acidic than battery acid. Life forms that can survive in extreme physical and geochemical conditions are found in abundance in acid salt lakes such as those in Chile and western Australia, she said.

West Virginia’s population loss, driven by more people moving out of state than moving in and a negative birth-to-death rate, could be helped by an improving economy, according to a West Virginia University economics expert; however, he said, the state has to have “fundamental economic reform” to reverse the trend. According to the Pew Charitable Trust, West Virginia was one of only two states to see a population decrease (18,000 or 1 percent) between 2007 and 2017.

Every year, approximately 2,500 animal bites and other potential rabies encounters are reported across the state. In 2018, at least three animals have tested positive for rabies in West Virginia, as well as a number of animals in the bordering counties of neighboring states. Though this viral disease should not be taken lightly, according to West Virginia University Extension Service wildlife specialist Sheldon Owen, you can greatly reduce your risk of coming in contact with a rabid animal by taking a few simple precautions.

The Statler College will host two Engineering Challenge Camps the week of July 23. Engineering the Grand Challenges will immerse middle school campers in activities related to the National Academy of Engineering’s Grand Challenges. Highlights include activities related to infrastructure, cybersecurity and virtual reality. Move and Improve, a camp for elementary school students, will feature activities ranging from building composite bones to constructing and assembling module houses.

Next week, 125 high school juniors from 26 counties across West Virginia will attend a Health Sciences Technology Academy Biomedical Summer Institute camp at the West Virginia University Health Sciences Center to learn about early-childhood obesity, healthy diets and best practices in physical activity. They will also devise their own research projects related to childhood obesity and its prevention. In the fall, they will carry out their projects in local after-school programs for preschoolers.

West Virginia University School of Medicine students can compete for a spot in the new Mountaineer Accelerated Track to Enter Residency, or MATTER program, which provides a fast-track curriculum option— allowing students to graduate earlier and with less debt. Beginning with the Class of 2022, entering in August, medical students can shave one semester off the four-year program. The program is aimed at getting medical professionals into patient care sooner to meet the state’s health needs and to help minimize student loan debt.

The Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources at West Virginia University will host two Engineering Challenge Camps the week of July 15.

The 2018 Northeast Agricultural and Biological Engineering Conference brings together scientists and educators dedicated to the advancement of agricultural, food and biological systems engineering.

The West Virginia Water Research Institute, WVU Energy Institute and National Research Center for Coal and Energy Brief remarks on the research objectives, potential results and impending commercialization impact will be delivered by director of the WVU Energy Institute Brian Anderson, WVU President Gordon Gee, U.S. Department of Energy’s Assistant Secretary for Fossil Energy Steven Winberg, and Paul J. McRoberts, regional industry mining, metals and cement manager at Rockwell Automation, Inc. Representatives from the National Energy Technology Laboratory will also attend.