Study: Prepare grad students for work beyond academia
Universities need to work more closely with business, nonprofit and government sectors to better prepare graduate students for careers beyond academia, according to a report for a national project that a UC Davis dean helped guide.
The physics of carrying a coffee cup without spilling
UC Santa Barbara fluid dynamics scientists diverted from weightier subjects for a while to publish a paper on 'Walking with coffee: Why does it spill?'
Robots measure flow of Sacramento River
A fleet of 100 robots, developed by UC Berkeley researchers, floated down the Sacramento River to demonstrate their ability to measure the pace of the river's flow and to navigate the delta's water.
Email 'vacations' decrease stress, increase concentration
Being cut off from work email significantly reduces stress and allows employees to focus far better, according to a new study by UC Irvine and U.S. Army researchers.
Scientists drill into Clear Lake to see future
Drilling deeply into ancient sediments, UC Berkeley scientists are seeking vital clues to the future of plant and animal life by investigating how changing climates have altered life in the distant past.
Nano-subs built to grab and move oil spills to collection site
UC San Diego scientists have built a self-propelled 'microsubmarine' that can scoop up oil from contaminated waters and take the droplets to a collection facility.
Faculty elected to National Academy of Sciences
Thirteen UC faculty members have been elected to the National Academy of Sciences. Election to the academy is considered one of the highest honors that can be accorded to a U.S. scientist.
Researchers combat global disease with a cell phone, Google Maps and a lot of ingenuity
UCLA scientists developed a cell phone-based platform that lets health workers accurately read diagnostic tests in the field and chart the spread of diseases worldwide.
Which ads are winners? Your brain knows better than you do
Advertisers and public health officials may be able to access hidden wisdom in the brain to more effectively sell their products and promote health and safety, UCLA neuroscientists report in the first study to use brain data to predict how large populations will respond to advertisements.
Soft drinks: public enemy No 1. in obesity fight?
A UC Davis nutritional biologist found that blood chemistry was out of whack in volunteers who drank a concoction with 500 calories of added sugar.
Researchers offer new ecological model for deep-water oil spills
On the second anniversary of the Deepwater Horizon oil platform blowout, UC Santa Barbara researchers provided new insight into what happened in the disaster, as well as a guide for how to deal with such events in the future.
Researchers decipher 'selective hearing'
A UCSF neurosurgeon and an electrical engineer say they now understand how the 'cocktail party' effect works, a finding that resolves a mystery that has plagued psychologists for more than a century.
Initiative will test HIV prevention pill in California
The California HIV/AIDS Research Program of UC has awarded grants totaling $11.8 million to three teams of investigators to test a potential HIV prevention pill among high-risk HIV-uninfected people in California.
Fusion energy progress by Livermore scientists
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory scientists report that after years of experiments, they have moved closer to reproducing the blazing energy of the sun's interior in the laboratory.
Mom's pregnancy weight may increase risk of autism, developmental disorders
A mother's weight and metabolic conditions during pregnancy are not just potentially harmful to herself. New UC Davis research suggests these factors can play a key role in her child's development as well.
Get rid of dryer, save $6,500
A team of former UC Riverside students has designed a system that consists of a solar-powered attic fan diverting solar thermal heat from a rooftop solar heat collector, and hot air from the attic, to a retrofitted closet that serves as a clothes dryer.
Energy from lasers: Sure shot or dead end?
The National Ignition Facility at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory opened its doors to their control room for CBS 'Sunday Morning' to witness a laser shot for tests that may change how the U.S. may someday get its energy.
Which plants will survive droughts, climate change?
New research by UCLA life scientists could lead to predictions of which plant species will escape extinction from climate change.
New Hopland building integrates nature with function
Woodpecker-friendly siding harvested from a UC-managed forest and posts salvaged from a century-old mill are among the many 'green' features at a new UC facility currently under construction in Mendocino County.
Graduate student's urban art research has global reach
A UC Merced graduate student searches cities for art that appears without the approval of authorities. Few scholars across the globe document and interpret this kind of unsanctioned work, termed 'urban art.'
Chronic stress spawns protein aggregates linked to Alzheimer's
A UC San Diego study in mice may explain strong link between people prone to stress and development of sporadic Alzheimer's disease, which accounts for up to 95 percent of all Alzheimer's cases in humans.
Eating a small amount of chocolate could actually help you lose weight
Although chocolate contains more calories than many other foods, those who eat it regularly have less body fat than those who don't, a UC San Diego study shows.
Mind the gap year
The Blum Center for Developing Economies at UC Berkeley helps impoverished people around the world by bringing together academics and entrepreneurs to develop technological innovations.
Research see link between HIV and abuse among women
Trauma and post-traumatic stress syndrome are closely tied both to the risk of becoming infected with HIV and lower rates of successful treatment, according to two recent UCSF studies.
Researchers discover protein critical for tissue regeneration
UC Merced scientists show that a protein found in humans stops regeneration when disabled in planaria, providing a potential strategy for preventing the growth of cancer cells.
Study uncovers how salmonella avoids the body's immune response
UC Irvine researchers have discovered how salmonella, a bacterium found in contaminated raw foods that causes major gastrointestinal distress in humans, thrives in the digestive tract despite the immune system's best efforts to destroy it.
Using social multimedia for enhanced mapping
A UC Merced researcher has received a prestigious National Science Foundation award to fund work on gathering geographic insight from photos and videos submitted by users.
Sex-deprived male fruit flies drink more
In experiments seeking to understand the root causes of human addiction, UCSF scientists have discovered that male fruit flies turn to alcohol when female flies reject their sexual advances.
Why bilinguals are smarter
A commentary in the New York Times cites a recent study UC San Diego that found that individuals with a higher degree of bilingualism were more resistant than others to the onset of dementia and other symptoms of Alzheimer's disease.
More seniors likely to find that memory doesn't serve
UC Irvine scientists are searching for solutions or modifications to a pending crush of memory impaired seniors.
New nanoglue is thin and supersticky
Engineers at UC Davis have invented a superthin 'nanoglue' that could be used in new generation microchip fabrication.
Students use engineering know-how to help people at home and a world away
A small village in the Philippines will soon be safer from typhoons and earthquakes, thanks to the work of a group of UC San Diego undergraduates who are designing a model home that uses new and sustainable technologies.
Treating neurological disorders with music therapy
PBS NewsHour highlights efforts at UCSF to harness and understand the impact of music therapy on the brain.
Cocoa may help diabetes, heart failure
Patients with advanced heart failure and type 2 diabetes showed improvement after three months of consuming epicatechin enriched cocoa, UC San Diego researchers found.
Three strikes law fails to reduce crime
A UC Riverside study finds that decreased alcohol consumption is responsible for significant drop in crime nationwide, not tougher sentencing policies.
Engineers create cell phone-based sensor for detection of E. coli
UCLA researchers have developed a sensing platform that can detect the presence of the bacterium that causes a large number of hospitalizations and deaths every year.
Fused genes tackle deadly disease in grapevines
A gene fusion research project led by a UC Davis plant scientist targets Pierce's disease, a deadly threat to California's wine industry.
Brain exercises might ward off Alzheimer's
Researchers have long believed that cognitive activity could help strengthen the brain's defenses against the devastating neurological disease. But a new UC Berkeley study shows for the first time how that might work.
Moms with migraines twice as likely to have baby with colic
A UCSF study suggests colic might just be an early sign that a baby will grow up to have migraines.
New studies of air pollution reveal a hidden danger to hearts and lungs
A subset of fine atmospheric particles, which kill an estimated 50,000 Americans each year, may be more dangerous than previously thought, according to a UC Irvine study.
Yosemite's alpine chipmunks take genetic hit from climate change
A UC Berkeley study is one of the first to show a hit to the genetic diversity of a species because of a recent climate induced change in the animals' geographic range.
New brain connections form in clusters during learning
A UC Santa Cruz study reveals details of how brain circuits are rewired during the formation of new motor memories.
Boosting cigarette tax could bolster California economy by $2 billion
A June 5 ballot initiative designed to boost the tax on cigarettes by $1 a pack could create 12,000 new permanent jobs right away and add nearly $2 billion in economic activity in the Golden State annually, according to a UCSF study.
Health care costs decrease over time when low-income uninsured are provided coverage
Enrollment of uninsured patients in a program with benefits comparable to those offered under the Affordable Care Act of 2010 resulted in significant healthcare cost savings, a UC Irvine study finds.
Little chip, big implications
A startup founded by a former UC Irvine doctoral student offers a technology breakthrough with vast market potential.
New lung cancer test predicts survival
In the two largest clinical studies ever conducted on the molecular genetics of lung cancer, a team led by UCSF scientists has demonstrated a test can predict the likelihood of death from early lung cancer more accurately than conventional methods.
Scientists eavesdrop inside the mind
In a small study that might sound like science fiction, UC Berkeley researchers could predict what people were hearing based on their brain activity.
Tiny amounts of alcohol dramatically extend a worm's life, but why?
The surprising and still inexplicable UCLA study findings have intriguing implications for human longevity, the researchers say.
Library helps 'Red Tails' take flight
Filmmaker George Lucas used the UC Riverside library archive to help tell the dramatic tale of the Tuskegee Airmen of World War II in the film 'Red Tails,' which was released Jan. 20.
UC picks Richmond for Lawrence Berkeley lab campus
Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory has chosen to build its new research facility on the Richmond shoreline, a move that could rank the city with Livermore and Berkeley as a new hub for scientific innovation.
UCSD launches major study of Parkinson's
Scientists at the UC San Diego School of Medicine helped launch a landmark international clinical study to identify early symptoms and better understand the neurodegenerative disease.
Iron intake in teen years can impact brain in later life
UCLA researchers found that in addition to causing cognitive problems, a lack of iron early in life can affect the brain's physical structure as well.
Interactive tools to assess the likelihood of death
UCSF researchers have identified 16 assessment scales with 'moderate' to 'very good' abilities to determine the likelihood of death within six months to five years in various older populations.
Tax on sugary drinks could prevent heart disease
Scientists from UCSF said applying a levy on sweetened beverages would prevent nearly 100,000 cases of heart disease and 8,000 strokes over the next decade. They estimated this would save 26,000 lives.
Sexual satisfaction highest in oldest, youngest women, study says
A woman's sexual satisfaction does not require high levels of sexual desire, and in fact, does not require sexual activity at all, according to a UC San Diego study.
Can robots take over rehab?
At a UC Irvine research center, machines that help people regain use of damage limbs are no longer the stuff of science fiction.
San Diego's algal biofuels research enterprise continues rapid growth
San Diego's research efforts to produce new transportation fuels from algae generated more than double the number of jobs for local workers in 2011 than were available in the region just two years ago.
Robotic surgery with one small incision, U.S. first
A UC San Diego surgeon is the first in the U.S. to remove a diseased gallbladder through a patient's belly button with the aid of a new FDA-approved da Vinci Si Surgical System.
With depression, helping others may in turn help you
Random acts of kindness can snowball into more positive mood overall, according a UC Riverside study.
Astronomers discover rare galaxy at dawn of time
Astronomers, including at UC Riverside, have discovered that one of the most distant galaxies known is churning out stars at a shockingly high rate.
Wasps combat Asian citrus psyllid
UC Riverside researchers released a natural enemy of a bug that has been infesting citrus trees throughout California in hopes of protecting the state's $1.1 billion citrus industry.
Noisy Christmas toys risk damaging toddlers' hearing, report warns
The noise of some of the most popular Christmas toys can be as loud as a chainsaw and risk permanently damaging the hearing of young children, finds a UC Irvine study.
Time's people who mattered: Dr. Robert Grant
A UCSF researcher pushed to test the potential of antiviral drugs as a way to protect healthy, uninfected people from acquiring the virus.
Climate change blamed for dead trees in Africa
Trees are dying in a region in Africa south of the Sahara Desert, and human-caused climate change is to blame, according to a UC Berkeley study.
Major cause of chronic kidney disease-related inflammation is identified
UC Irvine researchers have uncovered an important source of inflammation seen in people with chronic kidney disease, which is increasingly common due to the epidemic of obesity-related diabetes and hypertension.
UC ranks high in earnings from business spinoffs
UC and Stanford continue to be fertile breeding grounds for breakthrough technologies, generating many millions of dollars in annual income for two schools that have played a central role in building Silicon Valley.
Cockrell's bumblebee seen for the first time since 1956
Scientists from UC Riverside recently rediscovered the rarest species of bumblebee in the U.S., last seen 55 years ago living in the White Mountains of south-central New Mexico.
Research could help people with declining sense of smell
UC Berkeley neuroscientists have discovered a genetic trigger that makes the nose renew its smell sensors, providing hope for new therapies for people who have lost their sense of smell due to trauma or old age.
Scientists make advances in neuroscience and vision research
Thanks to a new study of the retina, scientists at UC Santa Barbara have developed a greater understanding of how the nervous system becomes wired during early development.
UC Berkeley gets grant for quake-warning study
With the goal of giving people precious seconds to run for their lives before the Big One hits, three West Coast universities will share a $6 million grant to improve an earthquake early warning system already being tested.
Scientists engineer blood stem cells to fight melanoma
UCLA researchers have demonstrated for the first time that blood stem cells can be engineered to create cancer-killing T-cells that seek out and attack a melanoma.
Bush meat: when conservation and child nutrition collide
A UC Berkeley showed that children in Madagascar who ate more wildlife were less likely to suffer from iron deficiency anemia than other kids.
A how-to guide to slashing California greenhouse gas emissions by 2050
Scientists at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory help analyze the technological steps needed to create a low carbon future for the Golden State.
The immune system has protective memory cells, researchers discover
A UCSF discovery is likely to lead to new strategies for fighting a range of autoimmune diseases, as well as for preventing transplant rejection.
The buzz around beer
Ever wonder why flies are attracted to beer? Entomologists at UC Riverside have an explanation.
Worms reveal secrets of wound healing response
The simple roundworm may be the ideal laboratory model to learn more about the complex processes involved in repairing wounds, according to a UC San Diego study.
San Joaquin Valley residents face high environmental, social hazards
While the San Joaquin Valley is rich in agricultural resources, half of the people who live and work there face elevated levels of air and water pollution coupled with poverty, limited education, language barriers, and racial and ethnic segregation, according to a UC Davis study.
Super memory, obsessive behavior: Do they share brain space?
Memory researchers at UC Irvine are developing a large collection of remarkable research subjects, who themselves maintain a remarkably large collection of memories.
Trojan horse attack on cancer
A UC San Diego researcher is trying to engineer an advance in nanomedicine, an emerging field in which scientists work at the molecular scale to do such things as create drug delivery systems.
UC Davis to start up entrepreneur institute
The campus announced that it is launching a new institute devoted to education, research and outreach in innovation and entrepreneurship.
Looking at new ways to learn math, science
A joint UC San Diego and San Diego State program studies how people learn math and science and then use that research to develop more effective K-12 and college curricula.
Supporting those who serve
With federal funding, UC conducts research that strengthens our military, keeps the troops safe and improves their health. This funding also helps veterans pursue higher education. See brochure that notes programs at all UC campuses.
Scientist to blog from Antarctica as he studies TransAntarctic Mountains
A UC Santa Barbara professor and his research team of graduate students will provide information about their scientific explorations via a blog created just for this trip.
Genome scale network of rice genes to speed the development of biofuel crops
The first genome scale model for predicting the functions of genes and gene networks in a grass species has been developed by an international team of researchers that includes scientists at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
Scripps, USMC collaboration yields award
In an example of how federal research funding helps the military and service members, a portable battlefield weather station developed at UC San Diego Scripps Institution of Oceanography addresses the need for 'environmental intelligence.'
People eat more fast food as income rises
Consumption of fast food becomes more common as earnings increase from low to middle incomes, suggests a UC Davis study.
The zombies with six legs
The human undead have nothing on the creepiness of some insects, which routinely do things too grotesque even for horror movies, writes UC Riverside biologist Marlene Zuk.
Skeptic's own study finds climate change real
A prominent UC Berkeley physicist and skeptic of global warming spent two years trying to find out if mainstream climate scientists were wrong. In the end, he determined they were right: Temperatures really are rising rapidly.
Findings offer new clues into the addicted brain
Neuroscientists at UC Berkeley have pinpointed the exact locations in the brain where calculations are made that can result in addictive and compulsive behavior.
Scientists make strides toward drug therapy for inherited kidney disease
Scientists at UC Santa Barbara have discovered that patients with an inherited kidney disease may be helped by a drug that is currently available for other uses.
Tool clears the air on cloud simulations
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory scientists and international collaborators have developed a new tool that will help scientists better represent the clouds observed in the sky in climate models.
How plants sense low oxygen levels to survive flooding
A breakthrough finding by UC Riverside and University of Nottingham researchers could lead to production of flood-tolerant crops
Steroids given to preemies may harm their brains
Steroids given to premature babies to help them breathe and maintain normal blood pressure may impair the development of a part of their brains, a UCSF study shows.
Study suggests annual mammograms unnecessary
More than half of women who are screened annually for breast cancer will get a false positive result within 10 years of their first mammogram, according to a UCSF study that throws more fuel on the controversy over when, and how often, women should be tested.
Funny finding: men win humor test (by a hair)
Men are funnier than women, but only just barely and mostly to other men. So says a UC San Diego psychology study that used New Yorker cartoons to explore gender stereotype.
Transitioning children with autism to school
UC Riverside researchers have started recruiting children for a first-of-its-kind study that will assess how children with autism adapt to the early school years and identify predictors that will lead to a successful transition.
Project in India to measure impact of pollution on cool roofs
With the aid of rooftop instruments, satellite images, an airplane and a balloon, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory scientists are conducting the first-ever study to determine how pollution impacts the efficacy of white roofs in cooling the planet.
Kicking hybrids out of carpool lanes backfires, slowing traffic for all
The end of a California program granting free access to carpool lanes by solo drivers of hybrid cars has unintentionally slowed traffic in all lanes, according to transportation engineers at UC Berkeley.
Slight rise in blood pressure carries risk
A review of studies by UC San Diego scientists suggests that young and middle-aged people with slightly elevated blood pressure are nonetheless at much greater risk for stroke than those in the normal range.
Climate change could mean cloudy future for Lake Tahoe
UC Davis researchers are hot on the trail of an invasive species that may be threatening the lake.
Scientists reveal how natural gas and temperature controlled bacterial response to Deepwater Horizon oil spill
In a new study, UC Santa Barbara scientists explain how they used DNA to identify microbes present in the Gulf of Mexico following the oil spill.
UC Merced gets grant to track Sierra snowpack
Researchers were awarded a $2 million grant from the National Science Foundation to develop a revolutionary network for tracking the Sierra snowpack as the climate warms.
Tobacco companies knew of radiation in cigarettes
Tobacco companies knew that cigarettes contained a substance called polonium-210, but hid that knowledge from the public for over four decades, a UCLA study of historical documents revealed.
Self cleaning cotton breaks down pesticides, bacteria
UC Davis scientists have developed a self-cleaning cotton fabric that can be used potentially in protective clothing for health care, food processing and farmworkers, as well as for military personnel.
Supplement suppresses multiple sclerosis
A UC Irvine study shows that a glucosamine-like dietary supplement may be used as a metabolic therapy for autoimmune disease.
Researchers question learning styles theory
A group of four psychologists, including professors from UC San Diego and UCLA, have reviewed historical data and say there is little scientific evidence to support the learning-styles theory.
Researchers identify enzyme that regulates degradation of damaged proteins
A study by scientists at the UC San Diego and UC Irvine could have important implications for numerous diseases.
UC program to accelerate translational research across state
In partnership with the UC Office of the President, and in cooperation with the Clinical and Translational Science Awards programs at the five UC medical campuses, the UC BRAID initiative capitalizes on the power of collaboration and technology to streamline research in California.
Could taking birth control pills make women's memory more like men's?
A new study by a UC Irvine graduate student in neurobiology and behavior shows that taking birth control pills can affect women's memory.
Biologists discover genes that repair nerves after injury
UC San Diego researchers have identified more than 70 genes that play a role in regenerating nerves after injury, providing a valuable set of genetic leads for use in developing therapies to repair spinal cord injuries and other common kinds of nerve damage such as stroke.
Drivers waste fuel, not cars
UC Riverside researchers are developing a new way to boost fuel efficiency by as much as 30 percent. Their secret? Changing our behavior so we are more attuned to maximizing mileage while behind the wheel.
BPA, methylparaben block breast cancer drugs
The studies funded by the UC-administered California Breast Cancer Research Program looked at the fundamental mechanisms of how normal breast cells behave when exposed to BPA or methylparaben.
Psychologists discover a gene's link to optimism, self-esteem
UCLA scientists have identified for the first time a particular gene's link to critical psychological resources for coping well with stress and depression.
Software used in first global camera trap mammal study
New software developed by UC San Diego researchers was used in a study that emphasized the importance of protected areas to ensure the diversity and survival of a wide range of animals.
Reaching for the stars
In an Los Angeles Times opinion piece, James Bullock, UC Irvine professor of physics and astronomy, notes that the Hubble Space Telescope has helped place the U.S. as a science leader, and if we don't replace it, we'll fall behind other nations in research.
Devastating tree-killing pathogen traced to California
A study by UC Berkeley and Italian researchers may have solved a decades-long mystery behind the source of a tree-killing fungus that affected six of the world's seven continents.
New material shows promise for trapping pollutants
Chemists at UC Santa Cruz have developed a new material that can soak up pollutants from water. The technology could be used in radioactive waste disposal to prevent groundwater contamination
Air quality researchers tackle health implications of ultra-fine particles
UC Davis studies are adding to the growing body of data suggesting that very fine and ultra-fine airborne metal particles are closely linked to serious human health problems, including heart disease.
Doctors, patients assess effectiveness of medical marijuana
Igor Grant of UC San Diego and Donald Abrams are among scientists interviewed by PBS about the therapeutic effects of marijuana.
Lifesaving donor heart arrives 'warm and beating'
UCLA researchers have developed a device that allows donor hearts to continue functioning in a near-physiologic state outside the body during transport. This promising technology could expand and improve the pool of donor hearts.
A fast DNA copy machine
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory researchers have created a device that will dramatically cut time in identifying dangerous diseases using; it could change doctor visits and crime scenes drastically.
Thermal cameras can steal ATM PINs
UC San Diego researchers have uncovered a thermal camera which can be mounted on ATMs and is able to read PINs through heat detection.
Researchers assist IBM is cognitive computer chip design
UC Merced professors helped design a computer chip to emulate perception, action and cognition in the brain. It could lead to processors that use much less power and far less space than those found in computers today.
Researchers solve multiple sclerosis brain cell mystery
UC Davis scientists have found the source of abnormal cells, which damage parts of the brain and impair signaling function in people with multiple sclerosis.
Most Californians unprepared for costs of growing older
The weak economy has voters cutting back on current expenses and largely unable to meet essential future ones, such as the cost of long-term care, according to a new poll from the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research.
A new look below the surface of nanomaterials
Scientists can now look deeper into new materials to study their structure and behavior, thanks to work by an international group of researchers led by UC Davis and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
Fat disrupts sugar sensors causing type 2 diabetes
UC Santa Barbara researchers have identified how a high-fat diet can trigger type 2 diabetes, in experiments on mice and human tissue.
Fungi helped destroy forests during mass extinction 250 million years ago
The demise of forests ages ago likely was accelerated by aggressive tree-killing fungi triggered by global climate change, according a UC Berkeley study. Researchers do not rule out the possibility that changing climate today could cause a similar increase in fungal diseases.
Scientist creates a drivable version of classic video game
A UC Irvine researcher has created a gaming therapy system, which combines an electric golf cart and an arcade-style video game, for people such as quadriplegics.
Agilent joins UC Davis in center to research millimeter waves
A technology company and UC Davis will study high-frequency waves, which are used for whole-body security scanning devices at airports, medical imaging and defense applications.
Big splat may explain the moon mountainous far side
Planetary scientists at UC Santa Cruz have discovered the lunar far side highlands may be the remains of a collision that occurred with a smaller companion moon.
Tracking the mighty microbe
A UC Berkeley scientist studies very, very small things, but her discoveries have implications for space, the human body and nearly everything in between.
Four factors that may shrink your brain
Diabetes, high blood pressure, smoking cigarettes and being overweight or obese were associated with a more rapid decline in brain volume, a UC Davis study found.
Race reemerges in debate over personalized medicine
A UCSF researcher, who studies biological variations among races, weighs in on debate about whether race has scientific validity in modern DNA-based medicine.
Got flow cytometry? All you need is five bucks and a cell phone
UCLA researchers have developed a compact, lightweight platform that integrates imaging cytometry and florescent microscopy and can be attached to a cell phone. The resulting device can be used to rapidly image bodily fluids for cell counts or cell analysis.
Study shows arctic tundra fires could accelerate climate warming
After a 10,000 year absence, wildfires have returned to the Arctic tundra, and a new UC Santa Barbara study shows that their impact could extend far beyond the areas blackened by flames.
Scientists warn that fires could consume Yellowstone forests
Increasing waves of severe fires fed by climate change could shift much of the iconic forests of Yellowstone to scrub or grasslands by the end of this century, UC Merced scientists say.
Digital tools help uncover the past
Mark Aldenderfer, dean of the School of Social Sciences, Humanities and Arts at UC Merced is creating what could be called high tech history and archeology.
Study links male infertility to a missing protein
UC Davis scientists have found a potential cause for a number of otherwise unexplained cases of male infertility: the absence of a protein that coats sperm and allows them to reach an egg more easily.
Solar panels provide cool extra benefit
A UC San Diego professor says he found using thermal imaging that a building ceiling could be cooler during the day under solar panels, and at night the panels help hold in heat..
Loss of large predators has caused widespread disruption of ecosystems
The decline of large predators at the top of the food chain has disrupted ecosystems all over the planet, according to an international team of scientists, including from UC Santa Cruz, Berkeley, Davis and San Diego.
UC Riverside physicists discover new way to produce antimatter atom
A new method allows positronium to be produced for the first time at a wide range of temperatures and in a controllable way.
Scientists fight a deadly oak tree disease
UC Berkeley researchers are part of the largest experiment ever conducted in the wild on a promising preventive treatment for sudden oak death.
In search of a robot more like us
UC Berkeley laundry-folding robot is cited prominently in this piece about development of highly intelligent robots.
Future of electric cars hinges on better batteries
The Bay Area, home to Tesla Motors, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and two dozen battery startups, has emerged as one of the leading hubs of battery innovation in the nation.
Old life capable of revealing new tricks after all
The energy-storage capacity of an ancient microorganism could lead to a power source for synthetic cells.
Cap-and-trade trumps carbon taxes for clean tech adoption
UC Merced researchers find that a tradable permit system could more effectively trigger use of clean technologies, while volatility of permit pricing could lead to earlier action by energy providers.
New study shows surprising cause for autism
Environmental factors play a more important role in causing autism than previously assumed and, surprisingly, an even larger role than genetics, according to a new study out of UCSF and Stanford.
Study finds plastic in nine percent of 'garbage patch' fishes
The first scientific results from an ambitious voyage led by a group of graduate students from Scripps Institution of Oceanography offer a stark view of human pollution and its infiltration of the ocean.
Salton Sea poses earthquake threat to Southern California
The sea east of San Diego is a deceptively dangerous backwater, hiding faults that repeatedly produce powerful earthquakes that jolt all of Southern California, says a new study by the Scripps Institution of Oceanography.
E.coli seen spawning biofuel in five years
The bacteria behind food poisoning, the mighty E.coli, could be turned into a commercially available biofuel in five years, said Jay Keasling of UC Berkeley and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
Stem cell gamble
After years of controversy, a therapy based on human embryonic stem cells is finally being tested in humans, and Hans Keirstead of UC Irvine follows the clinical trial closely.
Taking stock of the California Current
Scientists from Scripps Institution of Oceanography have been methodically measuring the southern waters of the current for 62 years, and their data series is touted as the most extensive of its kind in the world.
The periodic table expands once again
A Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory chemist was part of a team that discovered two new elements.
A clinical drug trial via phone, computer
UCSF researchers oversee a study in which patients participate from their homes using computers and smartphones rather than visiting a clinic.
Groundwater depletion detected from space
Research at UC Irvine is redefining the field of hydrology, which has grown more critical as climate change and population growth draw down fresh water supplies.
Cosmic distance record broken
A UC Berkeley observation of an explosion of a huge star near the edge of the observable universe may be the most distant single object yet spied by a telescope.
Magma ocean found inside Jupiter moon
Magma sloshes beneath the crust of Jupiter's moon Io, and that's why active volcanoes erupt all over its surface, a UCLA study suggests.
Month child conceived, autism risk linked
A UC Davis study of 6.6 million California children found children conceived in winter had a greater risk of autism.
Blood test offers clues to longevity
Tests made possible by Nobel Prize-winning UC researchers also open debate about what genetic tests should be offered to the public.
Plastic trash altering ocean habitats, study shows
A 100-fold upsurge in human-produced plastic garbage in the ocean is altering habitats in the marine environment, according to a new study led by a graduate student researcher at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego.
Water crisis documentary features UC Irvine hydrologist
UC Irvine global water specialist Jay Famiglietti is the unlikely star of a new documentary, 'Last Call at the Oasis,' directed by Academy Award winner Jessica Yu.
Software will ID long-dead people in paintings
Art historians at the UC Riverside hope to identify people portrayed in 15th-century paintings using the same software used to spot terrorists in a crowd.
UC Merced innovations all seen as a big win
Solar-powered farm equipment, almond byproducts as biofuels and new valves to improve blood flow for newborns were just some of the projects unveiled by UC Merced engineering and management students at the Innovate to Grow competition.
Experiments do not adequately predict plant responses to global climate change, researchers say
Plants may be reacting to climate change more than we think, and the uncertainty could leave us ill-prepared for the future effects of global warming, say UC Santa Barbara scientists.
Entomologist gains notice with online answer to question bugging humans
'Should I kill it and put it out of its misery?' This question about insects garnered a burst of celebrity for a UC Davis graduate student.
Cardiovascular safety concerns over smoking-cessation drug misleading
A UCSF study, funded by UC's Tobacco-Related Diseases Research Program, challenges an earlier report and finds that a popular antismoking drug may be safe after all.
Scientists identify brain circuitry associated with addictive, depressive behaviors
UCSF researchers have determined how specific circuitry in the brain controls not only body movement, but also motivation and learning, providing new insight into neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson's disease and psychiatric disorders such as addiction and depression.
Hospital bills for appendix removal may range from cost of a refrigerator to cost of house
A UCSF study found huge disparities in patients' bills. Researchers say the results aren't unique to California and illustrate a broken system.
Researcher's waste-to-energy technology moves from the lab to the marketplace
Technology invented by a UC Davis researcher that converts solid waste into renewable energy debuted as the first commercially available, high-solid anaerobic digestion system in the U.S.
Marijuana use higher in young adult smokers than previously reported
Half of young adult tobacco smokers also have smoked marijuana in the last 30 days, according to a UCSF study, indicating a greater prevalence of marijuana and tobacco co-use among smokers age 18-25 than previously reported.
Crowd-sourcing expands power of brain research
UCLA scientists are part of the largest collaborative study of the brain to date. Using imaging technology at more than 100 centers worldwide, they have for the first time zeroed in on genes play a role in intelligence and memory.
Professor uses physics to get out of $400 ticket
A UC San Diego physicist was able to argue his way out of a traffic ticket by producing a four page paper arguing that it was physically impossible for him to violate the law.
'Time Machine' to study distant galaxies
A team of UCLA researchers are building an advanced scientific instrument unlike any other ever built before, with the aim to study some of the oldest galaxies in the universe.
International team uncovers new genes that shape brain size, intelligence
A UCLA-launched partnership identifies genes that boost or lessen the risk of brain atrophy, mental illness and Alzheimer's disease.
Learning algebra too early may harm some students, study says
Learning about all those x's, y's and quadratic equations too early in life may do more harm than good for some students, finds a UC Davis study.
UC Berkeley tackles big data
A UC Berkeley team working to advance data science is awarded $10 million by the National Science Foundation.
What 23 years of e-mail may say about you
Larry Smarr, a computer science professor at UC San Diego, who also directs the California Institute for Telecommunications and Information Technology, wears one wireless sensor to monitor the calories he burns and another to see how well he sleeps.
Kepler Explorer app puts distant planets at your fingertips
An innovative app for iPads and iPhones, developed by a UC Santa Cruz team, provides interactive displays of newly discovered planetary systems based on Kepler data.
The sweet smell of success
A UC Irvine graduate student has won a Public Impact Fellowship for her sage scrub restoration efforts.
International drilling expedition to probe Japanese fault zone
UC Santa Cruz scientists are involved in an ambitious project to measure properties of the fault that caused the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami.
Is sugar toxic?
A UCSF pediatric endocrinologist believes the high amount of sugar in the American diet, much of it in processed foods, is killing us.
Tobacco plants turn into living vaccine factories
A UC Davis graduate student has formed a startup to turn tobacco plants into cheap biological factories for churning out bioengineered proteins for human or animal vaccines.
Social butterflies find safety in numbers
A UC Irvine study finds when butterflies roost together, they are better at fending off predators.
Making it easier to access data
UCSF researchers have created a network and service to accelerate the use of large, public data sets in conducting studies of health and health care.
Alzheimer's disease spreads through linked nerve cells, brain imaging studies suggest
A UCSF finding raises hopes to use MRI to predict progression of Alzheimer's and forms of dementia.
Tobacco smoke affects early human embryonic development
UCSF scientists have gained insight into how second-hand tobacco smoke damages the earliest stages of human embryonic development.
Researchers develop graphene supercapacitor holding promise for portable electronics
UCLA researchers demonstrate high-performance grapheme-based electrochemical capacitors that maintain excellent electrochemical attributes under high mechanical stress.
A new species in New York was croaking in plain sight
Genetic analysis to identify a new species of leopard frog was conducted in the UC Davis lab of H. Bradley Shaffer, who is now at UCLA.
Study endorses maximum-security inmates in lower-level California prisons
An 18 month study by researchers at UC Berkeley, Davis and Irvine comes as a new state law sends thousands of lower-level offenders to local jails instead of state prisons.
Turning cartilage to bone could replace grafts
UCSF scientists aren't only studying techniques for improving bone grafting, they're looking at ways to replace bone grafts with cartilage transplants.
Oldest organism with skeleton discovered in Australia
A finding by UC Riverside paleontologists provides insight into the evolution of life, and it also can help scientists recognize life elsewhere in the universe.
Are rich people more unethical?
A UC Berkeley study suggests that people who are socially and financially better off are more likely to lie, cheat, and otherwise behave unethically compared to individuals who occupy lower rungs of the socioeconomic ladder.
Scientists scavenge for hyena money
Scientists and UC Berkeley administrators are scrambling for money to keep a colony of 19 spotted hyenas which they have studied in the Berkeley hills for the last 27 years, or they could end up in zoos.
Berkeley gears up for new era of enterprise with Skydeck incubator
A startup incubator, which houses a mix of ventures founded by UC Berkeley faculty, students and alumni, heralds a dynamic effort to foster a new generation of young entrepreneurs and forge a hotbed of collaborative innovation and enterprise.
Ecologist simulates climate change with infrared heaters
A UC Merced scientist is studying how trees in the mountains of Colorado will adapt to climate change.
Anticipation of stressful situations accelerates cellular aging
The ability to anticipate future events allows us to plan and exert control over our lives, but it may also contribute to stress related increased risk for the diseases of aging, according to a UCSF study.
New study reveals gene expression networks underlying age-related macular degeneration
A UC Santa Barbara study can identify people with one of the leading causes of blindness worldwide.
Go on, count your blessings
Sonja Lyubomirsky of UC Riverside has identified some key attributes in the inherently happy and well adjusted, and finds that imparting those approaches to others can help even some depressed people.
Pounding pavement in search of a smoother drive
The UC Pavement Research Center in Davis works on creating longer lasting, quieter and more fuel efficient pavement.
Babies' colic linked to mothers' migraines
A UCSF study has shown that mothers who suffer migraine headaches are more than twice as likely to have babies with colic than mothers without a history of migraines.
Team seeks to learn how humans adapt to high places
Mark Aldenderfer, dean of the UC School of Social Sciences, Humanities and Arts, is part of a research group that will depart to the Himalayas this summer.
UC Berkeley, Lawrence Berkeley Lab part of White House poverty push
Part of the program calls for UC Berkeley to use a 'pre-negotiated' license term sheet for technology and ideas that can be used by nonprofits in helping poor countries.
Breakthrough in designing cheaper, more efficient catalysts for fuel cells
UC Berkeley chemists are reimagining catalysts in ways that could have a profound impact on the chemical industry as well as on the growing market for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.
UC research resource center to serve San Joaquin Valley
A new UC Merced center aims to improve the lives of the San Joaquin Valley's most underserved residents by empowering them to engage in research that supports their community's issues.
Want to understand the fluid dynamics of the oceans and atmosphere?
A film created by UCLA physicists with film students and alumni is believed to be the first comprehensive elementary video on the topic.
Tax and regulate sugar like alcohol and tobacco, urge scientists
Sugar is as toxic to the liver as alcohol and is at the root of obesity and certain types of liver disease, say a group of UCSF researchers.
New master's program to foster biomedical, clinical research
The UC Irvine School of Medicine has kicked off an innovative program that will prepare emerging doctors and scientists to turn basic and clinical research into improved patient care.
Faint 'satellite galaxy' discovered
A satellite galaxy 10 billion light years from Earth is the lowest mass object ever detected at such a distance, say a UC Davis scientist, who aided in the satellite's discovery.
Teardrops could enable early detection of cancer
UC Irvine scientists have established the existence of a disease fighting protein in human teardrops.
Scientists sound alarm for state research funding
UC's 10 campuses were included in a new study from the National Science Board revealing that spending on the nation's top 101 public research institutions plunged an average of 20 percent between 2002 and 2010.
Keeping electronics cool
A UC Riverside engineering professor and a team of researchers have made a breakthrough discovery with graphene, a material that could play a major role in keeping laptops and other electronic devices from overheating.
'Open-source' robotic surgery platform going to top medical research labs
Robotics experts at UC Santa Cruz and the University of Washington have completed a set of seven advanced robotic surgery systems for use by major medical research laboratories throughout the U.S.
Research bought, then paid for
A UC Berkeley professor argues in a New York Times piece that the government should require free access to all published scientific results that were obtained with funds from taxpayers. A bill before Congress would prevent the NIH from requiring that all publications be freely available through the National Library of Medicine website.
New swine, drug-resistant flu strains tracked
UCSF infectious disease experts are on the alert for new strains of the virus, including another swine flu that's popped up in parts of the United States and a drug-resistant flu circulating in the Southern Hemisphere.
Leaping lizards and dinosaurs inspire robot design
UC Berkeley scientists and students looked at how lizards use their tails when leaping. What they found can help design robots that are more stable on uneven terrain and after unexpected falls, which is critical to successful search and rescue operations.
Tobacco company misrepresented danger from cigarettes, study finds
A new UCSF study shows that Philip Morris USA manipulated data on the effects of additives in cigarettes, obscuring actual toxicity levels and increasing the risk of heart, cancer and other diseases for smokers.
Whale-sized computer debuts at UCSD
A $20 million machine called Gordon was built at the San Diego Supercomputer Center to enable scholars from across the nation to rapidly store and analyze some of the largest databases ever created.
Scientist at work
A UC Riverside biologist writes from the tropical dry forest near Alamos, Mexico, where she is studying Callipepla quail.
Rising stars of science
Five UC graduate students and postdoctoral researchers were among innovators named 'Rising Stars of Science: The Forbes 30 under 30.'
Modern dogs are more Asian fusions than Euro pups
A new study led by UC Davis wildlife genetics researchers provides a surprising glimpse into the global heritage of both wild and domestic dogs.
Turning bacteria into 'blinking light bulbs'
UC San Diego scientists, exploring how to program cells to perform machine-like tasks such as monitoring the environment, found a way to make lowly bacteria glow, blink in unison and spell out the school's initials.
Researchers study Pacific fishers, want your socks
UC Berkeley scientists are looking for donations of used socks to help them study a rare mammal.
Universities' solar future illuminated
A group of UC researchers met recently at UC Merced to talk about some of the latest solar research and its potential impact.
Wine grapevines and native plants make a fine blend
Vineyards that include a mixture of grapevines and native vegetation provide more environmental benefits than do just vines, according to a UC Davis study.
Diamonds and dust for better cement
Structural studies at Lawrence Berkeley Lab's Advanced Light Source could point to reduced carbon emissions and stronger cements.
Can 'carbon ranching' offset emissions in California?
A UC Berkeley scientist measures greenhouse gases coming up out of the peat-rich soil. She is looking for ways to reduce those gases, and that could create offsets that farmers and ranchers could sell to businesses trying to reduce their carbon footprint.
Pot, narcotics OK to treat pain, study finds
Inhaled marijuana appears to be a safe and effective treatment for chronic pain when used in addition to narcotics like morphine and oxycodone, according to a UCSF study that is the first to look at the combined effects of the two classes of drugs in humans.
Researchers suggest unconventional approach to control HIV epidemics
Surprisingly, new programs that use HIV drugs to prevent infection can actually help reduce drug resistance when implemented properly, UCLA researchers say.
Beer or sugar water? For flies, the choice is pale ale
Scientists at UC Riverside think they have figured out why flies like beer. That may sound a bit trivial, but in fact it could lead to new ways of combating plant and animal pests.
Livermore and Russian scientists propose new names for elements 114 and 116
More than 10 years after discovering new elements, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory scientists and their Russian collaborators proposed the names as Flerovium and Livermorium.
E. coli bacteria engineered to eat switchgrass and make transportation fuels
UC researchers at the Joint BioEnergy Institute reached a milestone on their road to developing advanced biofuels that can replace gasoline, diesel and jet fuels with a domestically produced clean, green, renewable alternative.
Dream sleep takes sting out of painful memories
UC Berkeley researchers have found that during the dream phase of sleep our stress chemistry shuts down and the brain processes emotional experiences and takes the edge off difficult memories.
They call it guppy love
UCLA biologists solve an evolution mystery and discover what female guppies value in a mate.
Experts advise on revolutionary wind-powered skyscraper
A San Francisco building will use a design developed with the help of UC Davis engineering professors, paving the way for a new market for energy-generating wind turbines in new structures.
UC gets 4,584-acre forestland donation
A land donation will allow UC to nearly double its research forests, conserving a swath of the Northern California watershed and offering academics an expanded laboratory to explore forest ecosystems.
Babies may benefit from moms' lasting melancholy
Infants generally thrive physically and mentally if the emotional condition of their mothers, whether healthy or depressed, remains stable before and after birth, say UC Irvine researchers.
New mouthwash targets harmful bacteria
A new mouthwash developed by a microbiologist at the UCLA School of Dentistry is highly successful in targeting the principal cause of tooth decay and cavities.
Scientists discover mechanism for tamoxifen resistance
In the last three decades, thousands of women with breast cancer have taken the drug tamoxifen, only to discover that the therapy does not work. Now, UCSF researchers have found a potential way to defeat it tamoxifen resistance.
Geron to halt stem cell work
A leading UCSF stem cell scientist comments on a significant setback, particularly to patients who are hoping for the rapid translation of stem cell research into therapies.
Hummingbirds shake their heads to deal with rain
UC Berkeley researchers studied slow motion footage of the extraordinary head movements of hummingbirds. Their findings could help engineers develop micro air vehicles that could cope with unsettled weather or even washing machines with an improved drying spin.
Biologists slow the aging process in fruit flies
UCLA scientists, working with fruit flies, activated a gene that increases the activity of tiny power generators in cells that control cell growth and tell cells when to live and die.
Ancient lunar dynamo may explain magnetized moon rocks
A team, including scientists from UC Santa Cruz, has proposed a novel mechanism that could have generated a magnetic field on the moon early in its history.
Researchers identify brain cells responsible for keeping us awake
UCLA scientists have identified the group of neurons that mediates whether light arouses us, or not.
Mulling the second life of an E.V. battery
Researchers at UC San Diego, Davis and Berkeley are partners in an experiment to get the most out of electric vehicle batteries.
Embarrassment seen as a sign of many virtues
People who tend to be easily embarrassed are perceived by others as more generous, cooperative and trustworthy, according to a study by a UC Berkeley doctoral student in psychology.
Scripps videos bizarre marine life in deep ocean
Scientists at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego dropped untethered cameras into the western Pacific to videotape large numbers of bizarre amoeba appearing to thrive 6.6 miles beneath the surface in the Mariana Trench, the deepest waters on Earth.
Breast cancer research program honored
The California Breast Cancer Research Program, which is administered by the UC Office of the President, is honored by a leading national advocacy organization for its innovative research and community collaborations.
Fighting violent gang crime with math
UCLA mathematicians working with the Los Angeles Police Department to analyze crime patterns have designed a mathematical algorithm to identify street gangs involved in unsolved violent crimes. Their research is the first scholarly study of gang violence of its kind.
Science pushed out of California elementary schools
Elementary schools spend too little time teaching science, according to a study by researchers with the Lawrence Hall of Science at UC Berkeley. More than four-fifths of teachers surveyed think the emphasis on English and math has hampered science teaching.
UC Santa Cruz gets $2.6 million federal grant
UC Santa Cruz received a major grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to promote research into organic agriculture.
Grad student finds inspiration in the clouds
A UC Berkeley graduate student may have his head in the clouds, but he is firmly grounded in the reality of global warming and the danger it poses to the Central American cloud forests he loves. He developed an elementary school curriculum as a way to help save them.
QB3 signs agreement to accelerate
The California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences (QB3) has signed an agreement with the Johnson & Johnson Corporate Office of Science and Technology to fund UC proof-of-concept research that brings innovative science to market.
Vitamin E no panacea for prostate cancer
UC San Diego researchers discuss a study that found supplements actually boost risk of disease, although the reasons are unclear.
Solar suitcase saves lives in poor nations
An obstetrician and UC Berkeley doctoral student developed a solar suitcase for health practitioners in rural areas where there is no electricity.
Computer games help people with Parkinson disease
Playing computer-based physical therapy games can help people with the disease improve their gait and balance, according to a new pilot study led by the UCSF School of Nursing and a California serious games developer.
New method helps zero in on drugs that can kill brain cancer stem cells
UCLA researchers have developed a new screening approach to identify chemical compounds that can target and kill the stem cells responsible for creating deadly brain tumors.
International team crafts plan for feeding the world while protecting the planet
A UC Santa Barbara graduate student is part of team that has created a recipe for globally sustainable agriculture.
Brave thinkers
UC Berkeley physicist Richard Muller: A scientist, suspicious of manipulated climate-change data, bucks expectations and presents the evidence for man-made global warming.
Air pollution tied to premature births
Pregnant women who live in areas with high levels of air pollution caused by heavy traffic could be at increased risk for premature births, according to a UCLA study.
UC Davis gets grant to create poverty research center
UC Davis has received $4 million from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to establish a Center for Poverty Research, one of only three such centers nationwide designated to study the causes and effects of and policies aimed at addressing poverty in the country.
Longer trips to the ER, especially for minorities and poor
Closures of hospital trauma centers are disproportionately affecting poor, uninsured and African American populations, and nearly a fourth of Americans are now forced to travel farther than they once did, according to a UCSF study.
The more flustered you are, the more faithful, study finds
Instead of being ashamed of cringeworthy moments, embrace your embarrassment; it’s a sign you are more trustworthy and more generous, according to a UC Berkeley study.
Scientists map out the universe
UC Santa Cruz have harnessed the power of a NASA supercomputer to create a detailed vision of galaxies like our Milky Way forming under the mysterious forces of dark matter and dark energy.
Flight patterns reveal how mosquitoes find hosts to transmit deadly diseases
Experiments by UC Riverside entomologists demonstrate mosquitoes are attracted first to carbon dioxide, then to skin odors. The findings could lead to more effective mosquito traps.
Can smartphones get attuned to your moods?
A UC San Diego engineering professor is researching how to use sensors to select songs that match your state of mind.
UCTV Seminars website live and accepting submissions
UC researchers can record and submit presentations and share them with peers via a new web portal that is easy to use and navigate.
Assessing California earthquake forecasts
UC Davis scientists compared seven different earthquake forecasts, including their own, and their findings should help researchers develop better earthquake forecasts and improve their tools for assessing those forecasts.
Scientists testing earthquake early warning
UC researchers are among those hoping to build a public warning system similar to the Japanese that has been credited with saving lives last March.
UCSF scientist named MacArthur Fellow
UCSF neurologist William Seeley, whose work is advancing understanding of neurodegenerative diseases, has been named a 2011 MacArthur Fellow, one of the highest honors bestowed on an individual in the U.S.
Crowd mentality
UC Irvine cognitive scientists are aggregating opinions of people to forecast the future.
Student has no trouble visualizing a doctorate in chemistry
UC Davis graduate student Henry Wedler, blind from birth, sees complex chemical structures in his mind and occasionally with his hands.
Many reluctant to tell docs about depression
A UC Davis study of more than 1,000 California adults found that 43 percent had at least some misgivings about telling their primary care doctor about any depression symptoms.
Milky Way spiral arms are the product of an intergalactic collision course
UC Irvine astronomers have shown how the Milky Way galaxy iconic spiral arms form.
Invasive forest insects cost homeowners, taxpayers billions
One negative of international trade: Homeowners and taxpayers are picking up most of a $1.7 billion tab for damages caused by invasive tree-feeding insects that are inadvertently imported along with packing materials, live plants and other goods, report UC Riverside researchers.
Heart failure program has reduced readmissions by 30 percent
A UCSF program gives patients plenty of information and support to help them after they are discharged. Originally for heart failure patients 65 and older, the program is being expanded to all cardiology patients as well as to neurology patients.
Fetal tissue plays pivotal role in formation of insulin-producing cells
A discovery made by UCSF scientists in mysterious soft tissue found in the fetus during early development in the womb may lead to new ways of addressing diabetes.
A remnant from algae in malaria parasite may prove its weakness
UCSF scientists may have found a critical weakness in the parasite that causes malaria. The discovery provides a promising target for new therapies.
Good sex equals good living
A satisfying sex life is closely linked with a high quality of life all the way into our 80s, according to researchers at UC San Diego.
Waste not, want not
UC Irvine scientists have created a fuel cell generator that converts gas in wastewater digesters to hydrogen for zero-emission vehicle fuel, electricity and heat in a highly efficient manner.
Once in a generation supernova discovered
UC Santa Barbara scientists caught with their telescopes a supernova within hours of its explosion, a rare feat that has energized the astronomical community.
Mitchel Berger, UCSF brain surgeon, tops in nation
A neurosurgeon who first dreamed of becoming a professional football player, is a pioneer in brain mapping, a technique that saves the lives and health of brain tumor patients.
Scientists chart long shrouded glacial reaches of Antartica
Using data from an international network of space agencies, UC Irvine researchers for the first time charted huge rivers of ice flowing from the deep interior of the continent. The findings will be critical to tracking future sea rise from climate change.
Lessons learned from the two worst oils spills in U.S. history
Scientists at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory found that oil-degrading microorganisms played a huge role in reducing the damage to the environment from the past two oil spills.
Rapid evolution within single crop season increases insect pest numbers
New research by scientists at UC Riverside could help prevent crop loss and pest outbreaks.
Radiation from Japan spiked on west coast in March
A spike in radioactive sulfur from the damaged Japanese nuclear plant was detected in California in late March, but UC San Diego researchers say it posed no threat to health.
Homosexual zebra finches form long bond
Same-sex pairs of monogamous birds are just as attached and faithful to each other as those paired with a member of the opposite sex, according to a UC Berkeley study.
Sleep apnea linked to increased risk of dementia in elderly women
Elderly women who suffer from sleep apnea are about twice as likely to develop dementia in the next five years as those without the condition, according to a UCSF study.
New MO for CT, MRI and PET
Mathematicians have developed a new method that could save 90 percent of the data needed to make lifesaving medical images. The new methods are less expensive and less harmful to the body.
How child care strengthens California economy
A UC Berkeley study shows that the childcare industry provides over 200,000 jobs for California residents as well as increases the demand of child care suppliers, such as grocery stores, health care centers and local businesses.
Tweens aim for fame above all
A UCLA study shows that kids between the ages of 9 to 11 see fame as their number one value. Researchers say a major shift is needed to avoid a negative impact on the future goals and successes of youth.
What steers vampires to blood
UCSF researchers have discovered the secret of wild vampire bats: a sensitive, heat-detecting molecule covering nerve endings on their noses. And companies are working on developing new pain medications that target similar molecules.
UC Riverside part of expanded innovation hub
A hub expanded from San Diego County will create public and private partnerships to foster innovation as a job creation and community building tool.
Mom pregnancy stress might make your cells age faster
A UC Irvine study discovered that children born to mothers who are stressed during pregnancy may become adults with prematurely aged cells.
A graphene sandwich for better batteries
Lawrence Berkeley Lab researchers have built a high-capacity energy storage device for lithium ion batteries by constructing a unique nanoscale sandwich of graphene and tin. The device is engineered to improve electrochemical cycling of the battery, which reduces charging time and allows repeated recharging without degrading battery performance.
New device reduces seizures, no surgery required
An experimental device that delivers electrical pulses to the forehead can help control epileptic seizures, say UCLA scientists.
Students to try to fly balloon across the U.S.
UC San Diego is trying to become the first university to send a zero-pressure balloon across the country, propelled only by the jet stream. It is part of a program to get students to do hands-on projects so that they can see that engineering is more than equations.
Sex on six legs is focus of book by biologist
In a book geared for a general audience, UC Riverside evolutionary biologist Marlene Zuk covers a variety of insect behavior, including homosexuality, gender differences, personality and mind control.
Butterfly study sheds light on convergent evolution
An international team, led by UC Irvine researchers, finds that a single gene controls mimicry across different species.
SynapSense raises $16M for data center energy monitoring
A startup, cofounded by a UC Davis researcher, develops sensors that help data centers monitor and cut down energy usage. It raised another round of funds from VCs to expand
When the ringing won't stop, clear your mind
A UCSF study tested the effectiveness of meditation for tinnitus sufferers. Previous studies of the technique with those with chronic pain have documented significant improvements in quality of life.
Study points to new approach to influenza's antiviral resistance
Researchers from UC Irvine, with assistance from the San Diego Supercomputer Center at UC San Diego, have found a new approach to create customized therapies for virulent flu strains that resist current antiviral drugs.
UCLA launches program to provide face, hand and abdominal wall transplants
UCLA has established a pioneering program to use a new transplantation approach to treat patients whose tissue loss cannot be remedied through conventional techniques.
Novel virus jumped from monkeys to humans
A novel version of a virus responsible for many illnesses in humans and animals has managed to jump from one species and spark infection in another, according to UCSF researchers.
QB3 spotlights UC science, American Idol-style
Students and post-doctoral fellows from the three UC campuses covered by QB3 will vote online, just like American Idol, for the biotech project they believe does the most public good.
An affliction of the cornea gets a closer look
A corneal transplant by UCLA surgeons has allowed a teenager to easily read, drive and see detail well enough to pursue her new passion: photography.
Gray whales likely survived the Ice Ages by changing their diets
The whales survived many cycles of global cooling and warming over the past few million years, likely by exploiting a more varied diet than they do today, according to UC Berkeley researchers.
Natural marijuana-like chemicals make fatty foods hard to resist
A UC Irvine study helps explain why potato chips and french fries are complicit in weight gain.
Magnetic memory and logic could achieve ultimate energy efficiency
Future computers may rely on magnetic microprocessors that consume the least amount of energy allowed by the laws of physics, according to UC Berkeley electrical engineers.
California next nightmare
UC researchers predict that there is a 64 percent chance of a catastrophic levee failure in the delta in the next 50 years.
Anti-oxidants ease Gulf War Syndrome, study finds
A UC San Diego study is the first research that offers potential relief for the tens of thousands sufferers of Gulf War illness.
Scientists warn chemicals may be altering breast development
Exposure to chemicals early in life may raise the risks of breast cancer and lactation problems later in life, according to studies funded by the California Breast Cancer Research Program, which is administered by UC.
Flying ants use legs, butts to steer
A UC Berkeley researcher has been lugging specially designed wind tunnels into the Amazonian rain forest to capture the movements of ants that can fly.
What if a president served 42 years?
A UC Berkeley doctoral student in sociology and demography has published a chart on CNN Opinion showing the number of years world leaders have been in power.
In heart of Amazon, a natural lab to study diseases
Amy Morrison of UC Davis leads a medical research unit studying the spread of dengue fever, a mosquito-borne disease.
Drifting pesticides may endanger people in nearby workplaces
People who work near fields sprayed with pesticides face an increased risk for Parkinson's disease, a UCLA study has found.
Drugs show promise slowing advanced melanoma
UCLA researchers tested and helped develop two new drugs that have been found to prolong the lives of people with the deadly skin cancer.
For water researchers, an atmosphere full of questions
A UC San Diego scientist is part of the CalWater project to determine why some clouds give up their moisture and others don't.
Giant leap for treating spinal cord injuries
A man paralyzed from the waist down has regained several abilities as a result of an experimental treatment developed at UCLA and the University of Louisville.
Doctors' use of telemedicine researched by UC Merced students
A top concern for physicians about telemedicine is the risk of jeopardizing the quality of patients' care, the students found.
Social Security: fixing the glaring gap for women
Women typically receive less from Social Security than men, with millions of widows and women of color falling into poverty in old age, according to a UCSF study presented at a Congressional briefing.
Biodiversity loss ranks with climate change and pollution in terms of impacts to environment
A study published by an international research team at UC Santa Barbara has found that loss of biodiversity impacts the environment as significantly as climate change and pollution.
Many kids exposed to smoke despite parents' claims
More than half of kids who were part of a UCSF study tested positive for secondhand smoke exposure, even though only a handful of their parents admitted to lighting up.
Game on! Researchers use online crowd-sourcing to diagnose malaria
UCLA researchers have created a crowd-sourced online gaming system in which players distinguish malaria-infected red blood cells from healthy ones by viewing digital images obtained from microscopes.
California chosen as home for computing institute
The Simons Foundation, which specializes in science and math research, has chosen UC Berkeley as host for an ambitious new center for computer science.
Cancer genome data center raises hope for cures
UC Santa Cruz researchers unveiled a major weapon in the war against cancer: the nation's first catalog of cancer genomes, which hold the clues to the disease's deadly secrets.
Study finds big benefits for students, taxpayers and state from funding of higher education
UC Berkeley researchers conclude that graduates of UC and California State University systems provide ongoing returns to the state that average $12 billion a year.
New avocado rootstocks are high-performing and disease-tolerant
Rootstocks can help control Hytophthora root rot, UC Riverside scientists found.
College students admit to distracted driving
Almost 80 percent of college students admit to using a cell phone while driving, and about half send or receive text messages, according to a UC San Diego study.
IceCube experiment gives insight into origin of cosmic rays
A UC Berkeley physicist and eight students and post-docs are part a collaboration conducting cosmic ray research at the South Pole.
Modest alcohol use lowers risk and severity of some liver disease
People with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease who consume alcohol in modest amounts are half as likely to develop hepatitis as non-drinkers with the same condition, report UC San Diego scientists.
California to test HIV-prevention pill
The California HIV-AIDS Research Program at the UC Office of the President awarded $11.8 million in grants for prevention pill studies and efforts to get about 3,000 HIV-infected people in Southern California into treatment and keep them there.
UC Riverside recognized for environmental efforts
The new School of Medicine Research Building at UC Riverside has received LEED Gold Certification by the U.S. Green Building Council.
'Text therapy' may ease isolation
Text messaging often gets a bad rap for contributing to poor spelling and high-risk behavior such as reckless driving. But a UC Berkeley study has found an upside to texting, especially for people who feel stressed out, isolated, and alone.
UCSF artificial kidney project tapped for accelerated FDA program
An effort to create an implantable artificial kidney for dialysis patients has been selected as one of the first projects to undergo more timely and collaborative review at the FDA.
Researchers detect 'hypervirulent'' salmonella bacteria
A recent discovery has given UC Santa Barbara researchers a means to potentially prevent food poisoning outbreaks from powerful salmonella bacteria strains.
'Robosquirrel' deployed to research relationship with rattlesnakes
A lifelike robot, built by a team from UC Davis, can replicate two behaviors squirrels display when confronted by a rattlesnake. It joins a growing list of robot creatures created by the campus.
UC Berkeley leads $4 million program to train slum health researchers
With a $4 million NIH award, UC Berkeley and three partner institutions are establishing a new program to train researchers who can tackle global health challenges specific to slum dwellings.
Engineering researchers use electricity to generate alternative fuel
A UCLA team has demonstrated for the first time a method for converting carbon dioxide into liquid fuel isobutanol using electricity.
Meditation improves emotional behaviors in teachers, study finds
A novel UCSF study, in collaboration with Buddhists, found that schoolteachers who underwent a short but intensive program of meditation were less depressed, anxious or stressed and more compassionate and aware of others' feelings.
Autism: scientist zero in on rare chromosome defect
A UCSF study is one of the first in which autism researchers are narrowing their focus into one of the few known causes of the disorder.
Coastal California fog carries toxic mercury, study finds
New research out of UC Santa Cruz shows that the moist fog air carries methylmercury, an especially toxic form of the heavy metal mercury.
Study finds genes possibly linked to autism
UC San Diego researchers inched closer to the root causes of autism, identifying genes that appear to go haywire before a child is born, preventing the brain from developing normally.
Rise in childhood obesity rates in California is slowing, study finds
A UC Davis study has found that the rise in childhood obesity rates in California is slowing, which researchers think may be the outcome of improved nutrition and physical fitness programs in the state's public schools.
Introducing birth control in mosquitoes
A grant to a UC Riverside scientist can greatly help control population of disease spreading mosquitoes.
Data from spacecraft reveals new insights on planet Mercury
Thanks to the MESSENGER spacecraft, UC Santa Barbara research and a mission that took more than 10 years to complete, scientists now have a good picture of the solar system's innermost planet.
More trans fat consumption linked to greater aggression
Might the 'Twinkie defense' have a scientific foundation after all? UC San Diego researchers have shown that consumption of dietary trans fatty acids is associated with irritability and aggression.
Report: nitrate contamination spreading
Nitrate contamination of drinking water is a pervasive problem in California's agricultural heartland and is bound to intensify in the coming years, according to a UC Davis study.
California cellphone ban reduced traffic related deaths, injuries, study finds
California's nearly four-year-old ban on drivers using handheld cellphones is saving lives, according to a UC Berkeley.
A U.S. recovery, but only for the 1 percent
A UC Berkeley economist is a shy data jock who does most of his communicating by marshaling vast pools of statistics.
Portal facilitates tech licensing
Companies looking to license technology created by the University of California now can search on a new online portal, which UC's Innovation Alliances and Services office helped develop.
Teaching fat cells to burn calories
In the war against obesity, one's own fat cells may seem an unlikely ally, but new research from the UCSF suggests ordinary fat cells can be reengineered to burn calories.
A bold plan to reshape the Central Valley flood plain
A UC Davis graduate student leads an experiment that conservationists and government officials hope will provide scientific data to help guide a sweeping transformation of riverfront lands throughout the Central Valley.
When uncontrolled anger becomes a soldier's enemy
A UC Irvine professor's assessment tool could aid psychological adjustment of combat veterans.
UC San Diego among first in nation to treat brain cancer with novel viral vector
A directly injected viral vector is designed to spread through brain cancer cells and kill them while leaving healthy cells unharmed.
Gases drawn into smog particles stay there, study reveals
A finding by UC Irvine researchers could explain why air pollution models underestimate organic aerosols.
Center pinpoints cancer therapies
The UC Davis Cancer Center has a pioneering program that works with genetically designed mice to test drugs individually for each patient.
Researchers develop injectable hydrogel for cardiac tissue repair
UC San Diego scientists developed and tested a new hyydrogel meant to repair tissue damage after a heart attack.
Graphene-based composites could cool electronics
UC Riverside researchers have developed a material that could efficiently remove unwanted heat from electronic components such as computer chips or light emitting diodes.
Study posits a theory of moral behavior
Sociologists at UC Riverside have developed a theory of the moral self that may help explain the ethical lapses in the banking, investment and mortgage lending industries that nearly ruined the U.S. economy.
Electric shocks to brain may boost memory
Ever wish you could give yourself memory a jolt? A UCLA study shows it may be possible.
UC Berkeley intellectual property has started 146 companies in 20 years
Some prolific UC professors have started plenty of companies, including one Berkeley chemist who has helped start 15 businesses, with five of them directly based on his laboratory's breakthroughs.
Tax check-off for cancer research
Supporting cancer research is easy, especially if you're about to complete your California tax form.
Couples in the same place emotionally stay together, study says
Despite life's ups and downs, couples whose feelings are in sync consistently over time are more likely to stay together, finds a UC Davis study.
Stock values rise when companies disclose 'green' information, study finds
It pays to be green, as companies that are open about their greenhouse gas emissions and carbon reduction strategies see stock values rise, according to a UC Davis study.
Does antimatter weigh more than matter?
UC Riverside physicists have launched a lab experiment to find out the answer.
Group encourages farming efficiency
Hoping to encourage the use of conservation practices, UC has launched an organization that could potentially save farmers time and money, and reduce their impact on the environment.
Lifelong brain-stimulating habits linked to lower Alzheimer's protein levels
A new study led by UC Berkeley researchers provides even more reason for people to read a book or do a puzzle, and to make such activities a lifetime habit.
Team uncovers how immune cells move against invaders
A UCSF discovery offers insights that could lead to strategies for treating conditions from spinal cord injury to cancer.
Stem cell study may show advance
A treatment for eye diseases that is derived from human embryonic stem cells might have improved the vision of two patients, bolstering the beleaguered field, UCLA researchers reported.
How the brain routes traffic for maximum alertness
A new UC Davis study shows how the brain reconfigures its connections to minimize distractions and take best advantage of our knowledge of situations.
Hubble pinpoints farthest protocluster of galaxies ever seen
An UC Santa Barbara astrophysicist contributed to the discovery of a cluster of galaxies in the initial stages of construction. It is the most distant such grouping ever observed in the early universe.
Endorphin study may help refine alcohol treatment
UCSF and UC Berkeley scientists have for the first time found evidence that liquor triggers the release of pleasure inducing endorphins in the brain, and heavy drinkers are especially influenced by those endorphins.
Comprehensive primary care reduces death risk
High quality primary care that centers on the patient and offers extended hours reduces the risk of death, according to a new national study conducted at UC Davis.
Traumatic stress linked to biological indicator
A study of Bay Area and New York police academy recruits by researchers, including at UCSF, is considered one of the first and largest studies to look at biological stress indicators before and after traumatic events.
Chinese herbal medicine may provide novel treatment for alcohol abuse
UCLA researchers have identified how a component of an ancient Chinese herbal anti-hangover medicine counteracts acute alcohol intoxication and withdrawal symptoms.
Open source licensing defuses copyright law threat to medicine
Enforcing copyright law could potentially interfere with patient care, stifle innovation and discourage research, but using open source licensing instead can prevent the problem, according to a UCSF researcher.
Computers implanted in brain could help paralyzed
It sounds like science fiction, but scientists, including at UC Berkeley and UCSF, are getting tantalizingly close to building the mind-controlled prosthetic arms, computer cursors and mechanical wheelchairs of the future
The unspoken diagnosis: old age
A UCSF palliative care specialist suggests that doctors broach the subject of probable life expectancy with their very old patients.
Innovation center awards health fellowships
The UC Center for Health Quality and Innovation has awarded fellowships to 13 recipients from six UC campuses, supporting projects to improve the quality and value of care that UC provides.
Pathogenic landscape of HIV
In perhaps the most comprehensive survey of the inner workings of HIV, an international team of scientists led by UCSF researchers has mapped every apparent physical interaction the virus makes with components of the human cells it infects. The work may reveal new ways to design future HIV/AIDS drugs.
Mega-quake clusters unlikely, study finds
The global risk of catastrophic earthquakes has not risen in recent years, according to a UC San Diego study.
Study: High-skilled immigrants decrease poverty
A UC Davis economist has found that an influx of immigrants doesn't increase the poverty rate by depressing the wages of low-income, native-born Americans and can actually decrease poverty when higher-skilled immigrants enter the workforce.
Immunity against the cold
The ability of brown fat to burn calories is linked to immune cells, say UCSF researchers.
Long-sought 'God Particle' cornered, scientists say
Physicists, including at UC San Diego, are closer than ever to hunting down the elusive Higgs boson particle, the missing piece of the governing theory of the universe's tiniest building blocks.
Scientists find monster black holes
A team led by astronomers at UC Berkeley has found the biggest black holes known to exist, each one 10 billion times the size of our sun.
UC scientists honored by AAAS
Fifty-nine UC scientists have been elected as fellows to the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the world's largest general scientific society.
Computer simulations shed light on rainbows
Computer scientists at UC San Diego, who set out to simulate all rainbows found in nature, wound up answering questions about the physics of rainbows as well.
Treatment as prevention: How the new way to control HIV came to be
UCSF and UCLA researchers discuss keys to managing the disease for the foreseeable future. Using treatment as prevention in healthy people may be an important way to do that.
Scientists propose thinning Sierra forests to enhance water runoff
Less water used by trees would result in more runoff, which could benefit farmers and water managers statewide, according to a UC Merced report.
2 million Californians report mental health needs
About eight percent of the population need mental health treatment, but the majority receive none or inadequate services, despite a state law mandating that health insurance providers include mental health treatment, according to a UCLA report.
UC Davis Olive Center is a research leader
The center opened in 2008 to "do for olives and olive oil what UC Davis did for wine."
Team finds new way to boost potency of marijuana-like chemical in body
UC Irvine and Italian researchers have discovered a new means of enhancing the effects of anandamide, a natural chemical in the body that provides pain relief.
Research shows how the bite of a small Texas snake causes extreme pain
After examining venom from poisonous snakes, UCSF researchers offer insights into chronic and acute pain. Their study may provide new research tools to help pharmaceutical companies design drugs to combat pain.
Study of flower petals shows evolution at the cellular level
A UC Santa Barbara study shows evolution in action and contradicts more that 60 years of scientific thought.
Scientists invent lightest material on Earth. What now?
Researchers, including scientists at UC Irvine, have invented a new material that is so lightweight it can sit atop a fluffy dandelion without crushing the little fuzzy seeds.
Berkeley reveals plan for academic center in China
UC Berkeley plans to open a large engineering research and teaching facility in Shanghai as part of a broader plan to bolster its presence in China.
Is a stranger genetically wired to be trustworthy?
UC Berkeley research suggests it can take just 20 seconds to detect whether a stranger is genetically inclined to being trustworthy, kind or compassionate.
Can fish save coral reefs from dying?
UC Santa Barbara researchers have found one case where fish have helped coral reefs to recover from cyclones and predators.
The threat to cancer research centers
The director of the UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center is among research leaders calling on lawmakers to preserve funding for cancer and biomedical research.
Autistic children may have too many brain cells
The brains of autistic children have far more neurons in the prefrontal cortex than the brains of kids without autism, finds a UC San Diego study that could advance research into the disorder.
Space Shuttle data helps researchers develop better model for forecasting solar power production
The space shuttle program may have ended, but data the space craft collected over the past three decades are still helping UC San Diego engineers advance science.
Sustainable winery building to be hub of environmental technology
Ground was broken at UC Davis for the Jess S. Jackson Sustainable Winery Building, which will enable the adjacent winery, brewery and food processing complex to become the first self sustainable, zero carbon teaching and research facility in the world.
Cholera biofilm team wins award for innovation
A team of UC Santa Cruz graduate students working to find new drugs to fight cholera has won a $10,000 award sponsored by Deloitte and the California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences (QB3).
Climate change has vintners rethinking grapes
A UC Davis grape breeder says some grapes would do better in warmer temperatures, but growing and marketing new varieties is a big investment.
Libraries launch data management tool
UC and several other major research institutions have partnered to develop a flexible online application to help researchers generate data management plans.
Decoding the brain's cacophony
A profile of UC Santa Barbara neuroscientist Michael Gazzaniga, known for his studies, and stories, about the brain's split personality.
New seismic inventory identifies potentially unsafe buildings
Understanding what makes a concrete building vulnerable in an earthquake is one of the goals of a UC Berkeley project at the Pacific Earthquake Engineering Research Center.
Professor creates powerful HIV inhibitor
A UC Merced scientist has designed an HIV inhibitor that can protect people against nearly every strain of the deadly virus.
UC Merced developing avatar care for aging baby boomers
Graduate students are creating a software program that uses avatars to provide physical therapy to the elderly.
Bay Area Science Festival features fun, discovery
Hundreds of scientists at research institutions, laboratories, universities and high-tech companies go public, Oct. 27-Nov. 3, to show adults and kids alike that the scientific world is exciting, fun and well worth exploring. The festival is the brainchild of UCSF researchers.
Disconnect between U.S. wireless demand and infrastructure capacity
A new report from the Global Information Industry Center at UC San Diego finds that wireless use is growing rapidly and if present trends continue, demand will often outstrip capacity, causing congestion.
UC Davis and BGI announce partnership to establish genome center in Sacramento
UC Davis and the largest genomic institute in the world have signed a historic agreement that will change the landscape of genomic sciences in California and the Western states, and foster critical breakthroughs in the areas of food security and human, animal and environmental health.
Obesity worse for blood pressure of teen girls
Obesity has a greater impact on the blood pressure of teenage girls than on teenage boys, suggests a UC Merced study.
Robotic roach gets wings
When engineers at UC Berkeley outfitted a six-legged robotic bug with wings in an effort to improve its mobility, they unexpectedly shed some light on the evolution of flight.
Study pinpoints types of bacteria in saliva associated with pancreatic cancer
A UCLA study has found variations in the types of bacteria found in the saliva of patients with pancreatic cancer and pancreatitis. The finding may lead to new ways to diagnose and track the deadly diseases.
Patents pending
UC Irvine licensing officers help campus researchers protect their inventions.
Useless grass could become the next biofuel
A UC Berkeley biologist has transferred a gene from a variety of corn into a widespread, fast-growing species of the grass, and transformed it into what could become an important source of biofuel.
An innovator shapes an empire
A profile of Susan Desmond-Hellmann, chancellor of UCSF, which is widely regarded among scientists as one of the crown jewels of biomedical research and a birthplace of biotechnology and innovation.
Cellphone becomes medical image device
UC Davis researchers have turned an iPhone into a high-quality medical imaging device that could transform medicine in developing countries.
Morality unmasked
UC Irvine researchers helped create a website that explores why people of various political leanings disagree so vehemently on matters of good and evil.
What will happen to soil carbon as the climate changes?
Globally, soils store three times as much carbon as there is in the atmosphere or in living plants. A Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory scientist has proposed a new approach to understanding what will happen to this carbon in response to climate change.
Sudden oak death cases jump
A UC Berkeley study used 10,000 tree and plant samples collected by 500 citizens between April and June this year to document a dramatic increase in the infection rate from Napa to the Carmel Valley and virtually everywhere in between.
Researchers unveil innovative solar cooling project
A UC Merced research team demonstrates a non-tracking solar concentrator technology that uses heat from the sun to power air conditioning unit.
Scientists see movies in the mind
UC Berkeley researchers were able to reconstruct YouTube videos from viewers' brain activity. It is a feat that might one day offer a glimpse into our dreams, memories and even fantasies.
White House awards UC San Diego bioengineer National Medal of Science
President Obama named UC San Diego professor Shu Chien to receive the National Medal of Science, the highest honor bestowed by the U.S. government on scientists and engineers. He is a world leader in the study of how blood flow and pressure affect blood vessels.
How graphene electrical properties can be tuned
An accidental discovery in a UC Riverside lab provides a unique route for tuning the electrical properties of graphene, the thinnest natural elastic material. This route holds great promise for replacing silicon with graphene in the microchip industry.
California won't slip back into recession, study predicts
The national economy is in far worse shape than it was just three months ago, but neither the U.S. nor California is expected to slip back into recession, according to UCLA researchers.
New research on tinnitus could lead to treatment
UC Berkeley scientists believe they have found a new avenue for treating an often debilitating ear and brain condition that causes people to hear a constant ringing or buzzing sound.
Grad students documentary on Mexican justice is up for three Emmys
Presumed Guilty, an eye-opening documentary on the Mexican criminal justice system made by two UC Berkeley graduate students, has been nominated for three Emmy Awards, with the winners to be announced on Sept. 26.
Large study finds genetic overlap between schizophrenia, bipolar disorder
The findings by UCLA researchers and colleagues are part of a genome-wide study aimed at identifying which genetic variants make people susceptible to psychiatric disease.
Crime, alcohol sales linked
Violent crime would decline if cities limited the number of liquor stores and banned the sale of single-serving containers of beer and other alcoholic beverages, said UC Riverside researchers.
Synthetic biology could replace oil for chemical industry
Vats of blue-green algae could one day replace oil wells in producing raw materials for the chemical industry, a UC Davis scientist predicts.
Scientists man bioterror front lines post-9/11 with sensors to warn of deadly germs
Tom Slezak, of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, and other government researchers created an airborne pathogen early warning system that is now deployed in about 30 cities across the country.
Portable microscope detects bacteria using holograms
A handheld device, developed by UCLA researchers, uses a laser instead of lenses to identify bugs in water, food or blood. Scientists hope the technology will improve health care in areas that lack sophisticated diagnostic equipment.
UC San Diego invention saving consumers trillions of watt hours and millions of dollars
A technology that significantly reduces the amount of energy wasted by chips in computers, mobile phones and other electronic devices has passed key energy savings milestones.
Unions continue to take a beating in post-recession climate, study shows
The Great Recession and ensuing job crisis continue to take a toll on union membership, according to UCLA's annual report on organized labor.
Technology Review honors inventors
Pieter Abbeel of UC Berkeley, who creates robots, and Gert Lanckriet of UC San Diego, who instructs computers to classify music, were named among top young innovators whose work promises to change the world.
Astrophysicists report first simulation to create a Milky Way-like galaxy
With a powerful supercomputer, UC Santa Cruz researchers were able to produce a simulation of the physics involved in galaxy formation and evolution. This is a major step in understanding the structure of the universe.
Storing vertebrates in the cloud
UC Berkeley plans to develop a cloud, which is a pool of servers that can be accessed anytime and anywhere. This will allow researchers and citizen scientists to track information about vertebrate collections in museums around the world.
UC Davis entomologist discovers predator wasp
On a recent expedition to a remote Indonesian island, a black, insect-eating wasp as long as a pinky finger was discovered.
Early tsunami warning system could be possible
A high-frequency radar system was able to identify the devastating March 11 tsunami in Japan. It raises high hopes of developing an early warning system, said a UC Davis oceanographer.
Smoke free policies could save landlords up to $18 million a year in cleaning costs
UCLA researchers found that landlords in multi-housing units not only can save millions on cleaning costs; they can also decrease health risks and costs of tenants.
The risk of recurrence of autism in younger siblings higher than thought
A UC Davis study suggests nearly one in five children with an autistic sibling will develop the disorder, too.
New asthma risk gene emerges from study of diverse populations
UCSF researchers have discovered a genetic variation associated with increased asthma risk in people of African ancestry; the result of a new DNA analysis spanning the entire genomes of thousands of asthma sufferers.
Why cleaned wastewater stays dirty in our minds
UC Santa Cruz environmental studies professor Brent Haddad researches water in a place where water is often in short supply: California.
Knowing the ending enhances the story
Reading the final chapter of a book first or finding plot-spoiling movie reviews online before going to the cinema could actually enhance your entertainment experience, rather than lessen it, according to a UC San Diego study.
Phone losing charge? Technology allows LCDs to recycle energy
UCLA engineers have created a novel concept for harvesting and recycling energy for electronic devices.
Kidney preserving surgery saves bone health
UC San Diego research shows how surgery may preserve kidney function later on in life as well as reduce the risk of bone fractures, particularly in women.
Students design solar dryer
UC Riverside engineering students dug through trash for aluminum cans and collected scrap wood to create a solar heat collector that will be used to harness attic heat and power an eco-friendly clothes dryer.
Study of abalone yields new insights into sexual reproduction
In research that could have implications for improving fertilization in humans and other mammals, UCLA scientists are the first to study interactions between individual sperm and eggs in red abalone.
How chocolate can help your workout
A UC San Diego study in mice suggests that the primary nutritional ingredient in cacao may have positive effects on skeletal and cardiac muscles, resulting in greater endurance.
Scientists still puzzled by honeybee decline
UC Davis scientists have begun searching for ways to improve the health of honey bees, with the hope that they will solve the ongoing mystery of the drastic decline of the bee population.
Good management, not just money, leads to innovative discoveries
University scientists and engineers are more likely to produce inventions and patents if they work in an environment where management supports and encourages interdisciplinary collaboration and commercialization, according to a UC Davis study.
Microscopes borrow tricks from astronomy to see deep into living tissues
Researchers at UC Santa Cruz are developing new microscope technologies to enable biologists to see deep within living tissues and observe critical processes involved in basic biology and disease.
Parasites moving on up
A UC Santa Barbara research paper breaks new ground by including parasites in a detailed study of ecosystems.
Washing away good and bad luck
Experiments by UC Riverside researchers showed risk taking depends on whether participants recalled a past episode of good or bad luck and whether they washed their hands before engaging in a risky decision making task.
Study shows new evidence of age related decline in the brain's master circadian clock
UCLA research provides new insights into sleep difficulties for the large number of older people who have difficulty sleeping and adjusting to time changes.
UCSF receives $112 million to help translate science into cures
A UCSF institute aimed at accelerating the pace of translating science into solutions for patients has received $112 million from the National Institutes of Health to expand its work over the next five years.
Seven ways to slow down Alzheimer's
At least half of all cases of the disease can be linked to seven major risk factors, and controlling them could sharply reduce the risk of developing the devastating illness, according to UCSF researchers.
Fierce defender of climate change science
UC San Diego historian Naomi Oreskes has become a leading voice in defense of the science underlying global warming and the scientists who are researching it.
UCSB receives high rankings in materials research
UC Santa Barbara ranks second in the world in materials research when it comes to citation impact, according to a new report by Thomson Reuters. UC Berkeley ranked third and UCLA, eighth.
Heart disease, stroke linked to income
A UCSF found that developing countries tend to suffer more death and disability by stroke than heart disease, opposite the situation in the U.S. and other countries with higher national incomes.
Lab tests safety, potency of medical marijuana
Two UC Davis researchers, who believe in the therapeutic effects of cannabis, are on a mission to make sure pot is pure.
Score one for science
Several science agencies that support academic researchers got some positive news last week, as a House subcommittee proposed increases for the research budgets of the NSF and NIST.
Team describes genetic basis of rare human diseases
UCSF research could lead to better diagnostics to detect and drugs to treat several disorders, which together affect perhaps one in 200 people in the U.S.
Enough is enough
A UC Riverside study shows the optimal amount of e-mail, phone and mail communication between businesses and customers.
Up to 220,000 California children excluded from health care reform due to immigrant status
Restrictions on eligibility for health care reform programs will result in the potential exclusion of up to tens of thousands of children from affordable health care coverage, according to UCLA researchers.
UC fears talent loss to deeper pockets
The departure of three star scientists from UC San Diego has officials worried about a possible brain drain tied to budget cuts.
Creating reservoirs under roads and parking lots
John Harvey, UC Davis professor and director of the UC Pavement Research Center, discusses an eco-friendly paving option.
Brains of vets with PTSD can change as they age
UCSF researchers at the VA Medical Center in San Francisco find that combat veterans with post traumatic stress disorder are also more likely to have dementia and cardiac problems as they get older.
Driving while buzzed: no amount of alcohol is safe
A study by two UC San Diego sociologists found that drivers who consumed even a single drink before getting behind the wheel were more likely than sober drivers to get into car crashes.
First patients picked for stem cell vision trials
Two patients with different forms of vision loss will soon start treatments made from embryonic stem cells as Advanced Cell Technology kicks off clinical trials at UCLA.
New viruses found in bees may help explain mysterious deaths
UCSF researchers have identified four new viruses that infect healthy honeybees, potential clues that may help them better understand why colonies are dying.
Cows not at fault for decline of Yosemite toads
A study by UC Davis, UC Berkeley and the U.S. Forest Service found that livestock grazing is not the reason for a steep decline in the high-country amphibian.
Why they move
When times get tough, top talent goes elsewhere. That truism seems to be increasingly confronting many public universities, especially flagships that have seen state support slashed.
Data scoured for extraterrestrial signals
If ET calls, UC Berkeley astronomers will be among those listening.
Federal spending on science pays off
A report supports research at university and federal labs and concludes that industry work tied to genomics generated $3.7 billion in federal taxes during 2010 alone.
Study sees way to win spam fight
Computer scientists at UC Berkeley and San Diego looked at billions of unwanted email to find a choke point that could greatly reduce the flow of spam.