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Developing batteries for electric cars

Scientists and engineers are making good progress in the search for quick-charging batteries for electric vehicles. Some of the exciting news comes from close to home. A team of mechanical engineers from Penn State, working with EC Power, a State College-based battery technology company, recently announced a breakthrough that brings down to 10 minutes the time required to charge a typical EV battery. They report their findings in an article in the journal Nature. The title of their article is “Fast Charging of Energy-Dense Lithium-ion Batteries.” This is important ...

Modern news, social media lack civility

I remember the day that news broadcasts started to become opinion broadcasts. It was Feb. 27, 1968. At the end of his CBS Evening News broadcast, the respected and revered Walter Cronkite stepped away from journalism’s standard of five Ws + H and proffered his opinion of the Vietnam War. While views differ on the effect of his opinion, one thing is certain — broadcasting and journalism were changed forever. Prior to that night, going back to the writings of Aristotle, investigative inquiry was based on the five Ws + H: the Who, What, Where, When, Why and How of an event ...

Advanced practice providers shape future

Advanced Practice Provider (APP) week is set aside to celebrate and highlight the countless positive contributions APPs make as they improve the health of patients. This week, which is celebrated Nov. 7-11, is about increasing the awareness of the APP role, honoring APPs who are making a critical difference in the lives of their patients and removing barriers that impede patients’ access to care. The worldwide COVID-19 pandemic has elevated awareness of how APPs are essential to our healthcare system. Choosing the right health care provider is an important first step in ...

In competition for jobs, PA can’t wait

By David N. Taylor The bad news is that Pennsylvania’s chronic economic underperformance has robbed us of prosperity that should have been ours. The good news is that we can set things right if our leaders in Harrisburg choose to embrace a pro-growth, pro-production, pro-jobs agenda – and stick to it. Year after year, decade after decade, Pennsylvania’s economy has grown more slowly than the national average. Faster-growing states have benefited from greater private-sector investment, leading to more and better jobs, more residents, and a growing local tax base. In ...

Time to lower drug prices for seniors

We are paying more for nearly everything today — from groceries to gas to housing. As inflation reaches its highest in 40 years — rising 7% last year alone — Americans are asking what Congress can do to help them pay for the essentials they need. For seniors, the problem of inflation is only made worse by the ever-increasing price of prescription drugs. For years, prescription drug price increases have dwarfed even the highest rates of general inflation. If consumer prices had risen as fast as drug prices over the last 15 years, gas would now cost $12.20 a gallon, and ...

Senate Bill 106 gives voice to people

Over the past few weeks, my Senate colleagues have had to continually correct false and misleading statements regarding the recently passed Senate Bill 106. Sadly, the misrepresentations have continued, and it has become increasingly necessary for me, as a sponsor of one of the bill’s amendments, to join them in their efforts. Senate Bill 106 consists of five different amendments to the Pennsylvania constitution with the subjects being the election of the lieutenant governor, legislative disapproval of regulations, voter ID, auditing of elections by the auditor general and ...