Professor sheds light on groundhogs' shadowy behavior

This post is dedicated to Dan and Adam:

Professor sheds light on groundhogs' shadowy behavior

It began as a Northern European pagan holiday brought to Pennsylvania by German immigrants. Ever
since the earliest settlers arrived, they have anxiously looked to the groundhog in early February
to forecast the weather. According to legend, if he sees his shadow, there will be six more weeks
of winter weather; if not, an early spring is predicted. Scientists have always been skeptical that
groundhogs are emerging from hibernation to help us forecast the weather. But then why do they rouse
at this time of year, a month before mating season and before there is anything around for them to
eat? The fact is that the dates of hibernation are variable based on latitude. The time for
groundhog emergence in the spring depends on where you live, according to Stam Zervanos, Emeritus
Professor of Biology at Penn State Berks. As a physiological ecologist, Zervanos studies how
animals adapt physiologically to their environments. He has been studying the hibernation patterns
of groundhogs since 1996.

Read the full story on Live: http://live.psu.edu/story/28273?nw=1

Penn State touches every one in two households in PA

Penn State touches every one in two households in Pennsylvania, according to survey

In a recent survey, 47 percent of a representative sample of Pennsylvanians said they been touched by Penn State. This indicates that Penn State is providing essential services, information and support to more than 2 million households in Pennsylvania each year, accounting for approximately one of every two households in the Commonwealth.

Read the full story on Live: http://live.psu.edu/story/28218?nw=1