K-State in the news

Recent news highlights

Read some of today's top stories mentioning Kansas State University. Download an Excel file (xlsx) with all of the day's news stories.

See more K-State faculty, staff and students in the news in the clip archives.

Monday, Aug. 17, 2026

National/International

Bringing space down to earth
8/16/2026 Europe Says, Hutch Post and Salina Post
Orbiting hundreds of miles above Earth, the International Space Station feels worlds away. But for seven Kansas State University Salina seniors, an ambitious capstone project brought the microgravity laboratory to America's heartland for youth to experience. As part of the students' senior capstone project, they collaborated to design, develop and build an immersive experience through computer coding, virtual reality, or VR, and augmented reality, or AR. The game is called "ISS: Rupture," an interactive game that simulates fixing micro air leaks — a complex, real-life scenario that astronauts aboard the International Space Station, or ISS, may encounter.

What To Do If You Find A Bat In Your Attic
8/14/2026 HouseDigest
Usually, if you find bats during their most active season, which for most areas runs from spring to August, your only option is to wait, as physical removal is both illegal and not very practical even if you wanted to do it. "If the bats are in the attic, or they're living in the upper portion of the house, it's really hard to go in there and actually find all of those bats, catch them effectively, and try to take them back outside the house," said Kansas State University wildlife expert Drew Ricketts.

State/Regional

Lawn stressed? September is time for relief
8/14/2026 High Plains Journal
The state's high temperatures – 100 degrees and higher in many parts – and sporadic rainfall often cause cool-season varieties to become thin by summer's end. September typically signals a good time to replenish those stands, said Kansas State University horticulture expert Matt McKernan. "When overseeding, start by mowing the grass short (1 to 1 ½ inches) and removing the clippings," he said. "This will make it easier to achieve good seed-soil contact and increase the amount of light that will reach the young seedlings."