Women with PTSD may have increased health risk
UCSF researchers found that women who have post-traumatic stress disorder are more likely age faster, and they have a higher risk for diseases than men.
Chemical widely used in antibacterial hand soaps may impair muscle function
An antibacterial chemical in hand soap and other common hygiene products seems to weaken skeletal muscles in both humans and animals, according to a UC Davis study.
When it pays to be overconfident
Overconfidence helps people gain respect, prominence and influence, according to UC Berkeley study. It also showed that overconfidence led to higher social status.
An easy way to solve loneliness
As people age, they are more prone to loneliness, which can take a huge physical toll. A UCLA study shows that meditation can reduce loneliness and strengthen the body's immune system
Pavement a hot topic for UC Berkeley researchers
The recently retired director of the UC Pavement Research Center discusses some of the important work conducted at the facility.
A treatment for kidney disease in the making
UC Santa Barbara scientists have found a drug that may be effective in treating common kidney disease. The new drug is still being tested, but it shows promise in the laboratory.
UC research drives climate change report
A state report on climate change and California's landscape features research from seven UC campuses and laboratories.
Studying immortality
A philosopher at UC Riverside will oversee a $5 million study of "immortality." The study will last three years and be scientifically rigorous, involving research projects, conferences and translations of philosophical work.
A new way to understand PTSD
Recent improvements in imaging technologies offer a detailed look of the brain. A UCSF psychiatrist hopes these tools will help scientists better understand the cause of conditions such as post traumatic stress and sleep disorders.
Helping plants fight back
To protect crops from destruction researchers at UC Davis are developing a technique to exploit parasitic vines that suck water, nutrients and information from plants.
A new way to break down bacteria 'castles'
Using a stop-action imaging microscope, UC Berkeley researchers described in detail for first time the 'castles' of bacteria that are often the causes of fatal infections
Leading scientists issuing research road map to get AIDS cure
At the start of the International AIDS Conference, a UCSF scientist and others discuss a number of different leads that just might solve and treat the epidemic.
A new method to treat diabetes
Biologists at UC San Diego have discovered a new chemical that offers a new and promising direction for the development of drugs to treat metabolic disorders, including type 2 diabetes.
Electric vehicles are doing even more
UC Riverside scientists say they can extend the rate of vehicles by 10 percent by taking into account real time traffic conditions. They are developing an eco-routing procedure that finds a way to expend the least amount of energy for a trip.
California pot research backs therapeutic claims
California's famed Center for Medicinal Cannabis Research, headquartered at UC San Diego, has now all but completed the most comprehensive studies into the efficacy of pot. But its state funding is gone.
Discovery opens door to attacking biofilms that cause chronic infections
A clever new imaging technique discovered at UC Berkeley reveals a possible plan of attack for many bacterial diseases that form biofilms that make them resistant to antibiotics.
Dark galaxies of the early universe spotted for the first time
UC Santa Cruz scientists were part of an international team to perhaps spot an early phase of galaxy formation.
Revolutionary project will obtain entire genome sequences in fight against Alzheimer's
UCLA's Laboratory of Neuro Imaging will organize, archive and disseminate the genomic data, providing scientists with further tools to investigate the devastating disease.
Sun-like star dimming may point to planet formation
Rocky planets like Earth may form in a hurry, suggests a UC San Diego team that observed one young star.
Why your tomato has no flavor
UC Davis researchers have found that the genetic trait breeders prize for making tomatoes also contribute to making them less sweet.
Berkeley, Livermore Labs honored for innovation
Researchers at Lawrence Berkley and Lawrence Livermore National Labs were multiple winners of R&D 100 Awards, which are known as the 'Oscars of Invention.'
Proposed drug may reverse Huntington's disease symptoms
With a single drug treatment, researchers at UC San Diego can silence the mutated gene responsible for Huntington's disease, slowing and partially reversing progression of the fatal neurodegenerative disorder in animal models.
IBM computer sets speed record
Clocking in at 16.32 sustained petaflops, a supercomputer at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory has been named the world's fastest computing system.
Hot water, not pee, eases jellyfish stings
There's a lot of folklore on how to treat a jellyfish sting, but UC San Diego researchers suggest your best bets may be hot water and topical painkillers, at least in North American waters
Cancer's next magic bullet may be magic shotgun
A new approach to drug design, pioneered by a group of researchers at UCSF and Mt. Sinai, New York, promises to help identify future drugs to fight cancer and other diseases that will be more effective and have fewer side effects.
Predicting when plants face extinction threat
A UC Riverside graduate student has developed a mathematical model to predict when plants are at risk of losing their pollinators, which could guide decisions that help prevent extinctions of wildflower species.
Climate change may spark more wildfires in future
A UC Berkeley study shows that in coming years, the frequency of wildfires will increase because of climate change.
Scientists reprogram skin cells into brain cells
Research by scientists at the UCSF-affiliated Gladstone Institutes offers new hope in the fight against many neurological conditions because a transformation of skins cells offer models for testing drugs for devastating neurodegenerative conditions.
A virus that helps charge your cellphone
Scientists at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory say they have created a virus that generates electricity. It's a first step toward using genetically engineered viruses to build devices that convert the body's motion into electricity.
Study: immigration made Southern California stronger
The large influx of Asian and Latino immigrants into Southern California in the past 50 years has resulted in less crime, lower joblessness and more stable property values, according to a UC Irvine study.
Optical tweezers help researchers uncover key mechanics in cellular communication
By using a laser microbeam technology, UC Irvine and UCLA researchers have uncovered fundamental properties of a key molecular signaling system involved with development, cancer and cardiovascular disease.
Synthetic platelets built to treat bleeding
UC Santa Barbara scientists have created synthetic platelets, the blood components that prevent excessive bleeding and heal wounds.
Light-induced delivery of nitric oxide eradicates drug-resistant bacteria
Researchers at UC Santa Cruz have developed a novel approach for eradicating drug-resistant bacteria from wounds and skin infections, using light to trigger the controlled release of nitric oxide.
Research lends insight into controlling cells, addressing diseases
A UC Merced biophysicist has found that a cell's nanomotor can be activated by a cellular cue often lacking in people suffering from neurodegeneration.
Fever in pregnancy ups risk of developmental delay, autism
A provocative new UC Davis study suggests untreated maternal fever during pregnancy increases the chance that the child will be developmentally delayed or autistic.
New TB test promises to be cheap and fast
Biomedical engineers at UC Davis have developed a microfluidic chip to test for latent tuberculosis.
Researchers develop new genetic method to pinpoint individuals' geographic origin
A UCLA and Tel Aviv University team designed an approach that allows researchers to infer the geographic origins of individuals, and even their parents, using only their genetic data.
Study shows high-fructose diet sabotages learning, memory
A new UCLA rat study is the first to show how a diet steadily high in fructose slows the brain, hampering memory and learning, and how omega-3 fatty acids can counteract the disruption.
California considers DNA privacy law
UC scientists are voicing concerns about a bill, dubbed the Genetic Information Privacy Act, which if passed, could have a costly and damaging effect on research.
New malaria vaccine made from algae
Researchers at UC San Diego have genetically engineered algae to prepare a vaccine which can prevent the transmission of the parasite that causes malaria.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Climate change can determine whether species go or stay
UC Berkeley scientists study how precipitation and temperature changes impact birds and other animals. They hope to project how different species will respond to future climate change.
River project promises clarity, security for California water resources
Researchers at UC Merced are installing wireless sensors across the American River to monitor the water level. This will help pinpoint how fast the snow is melting and when the meltwater will arrive in the reservoirs each spring.
Breast feeding has its advantages
A UC Riverside scientist sheds light on the cellular and biological mechanisms behind the stronger immune systems of breastfed children.
Too much fructose sets up metabolic trouble
A UC Davis study explains how fructose is a major factor in metabolic syndrome, which can increase the risk of developing cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
Global health fellows announced
The UC Global Health Institute announced new fellowship recipients from four UC campuses. Funded by the Fogarty International Center at the NIH, fellows will conduct research in various parts of the world.
Overcrowded ERs lead to even bigger problems
A UCSF study found that California hospitals in areas with large minority populations are plagued with overcrowding, which has become a major problem in the health system.
Lack of sleep weakens vaccine effectiveness
A UCSF study shows that people who get less than six hours of sleep don't have the adequate response to the standard three-dose hepatitis B vaccine. The study is the first real-world look at the link between sleep duration and immune response to vaccines.
Climate change skeptic changes views
A UC Berkeley physicist now states that the reason for global warming is due to the human emission of carbon monoxide. He argues that the warm-up began with the Industrial Revolution and has accelerated in recent years.
UC Health: Innovation Profile
UCSF's Wendy Anderson is a champion of palliative care, focusing on quality of life for seriously ill patients and their families.
Teen brains show early signs of cigarette addiction
A UCSF study, has found that teenagers have a lower level for nicotine addiction than is commonly believed. It shows that people who begin smoking in their early teens are more likely to become lifelong smokers.
Promising melanoma treatment in trial
Researchers at UCSF are testing a procedure called electroimmunotherapy, which sends electric forces deep into the skin to eliminate melanoma tumors. A trial patient loses 4 of 6 of his lumps.
Solar cells that produce electricity from windows
UCLA researchers have developed a new transparent solar cell that allows windows in buildings to generate electricity while still letting people be able to see outside.
Fellows advance commercially promising research
Research innovations by early-career faculty at UC Berkeley are getting a boost toward commercial development from the campus'Baker Fellows Program, which helps push discoveries that will improve the California economy.
FDA aims to track food-borne bacteria's genetic codes
The FDA is teaming up with UC Davis scientists to pinpoint the genetic codes of 100,000 types of lethal food-borne bacteria so the agency can more quickly stop deadly contamination outbreaks.
The first of these things is not like the others
When faced with a snap decision, people will reliably pick the first option they're given, according to UC Berkeley researchers.
Recession's bite: nearly 4 million Californians struggled to put food on table during downturn
An estimated 3.8 million California adults, particularly those with children and low-income Latinos, could not afford to put adequate food on the table during the recent recession, according to a UCLA report.
Engineering aid for UC Natural Reserves
Enterprising UC Berkeley engineering students have developed two compact, remote-controlled aircraft to keep tabs on UC Natural Reserves.
Cigarettes made from tobacco with less nicotine may help smokers quit
Smokers can begin loosening the tight grip of nicotine addiction by smoking low-nicotine cigarettes, without lighting up any more than they usually do, according to UCSF research.
Study warns of continued rise in wildfires
A UC Berkeley researcher reports that some areas of the world, including the western United States, 'should brace themselves for more fire.'
UC Irvine, Intel partner on $12.5 million research center
The new center applies social science and the humanities to the design and analysis of digital information.
Researchers find increase in Lyme disease mirrors drop in red fox numbers
A continued increase of Lyme disease in the U.S., once linked to a recovering deer population, may instead be explained by a decline of the red fox, UC Santa Cruz researchers suggest.
Resolving the riddle of why the zebra has stripes
A UCLA researcher received a grant from the National Geographic Society's Committee for Research and Exploration to investigate the genetic basis and adaptive significance of stripe pattern variation in zebra.
UC Health: Innovation Profile
UC San Diego's Greg Maynard is on the front lines of quality improvement. His target: stopping blood clots, a common, potentially fatal, and often preventable, problem.
Scientists synthesize first genetically evolved semiconductor material
In the not-too-distant future, scientists may be able to use DNA to grow their own specialized materials, thanks to research by UC Santa Barbara scientists.
Why dissonant music can strike an emotional chord
The Screaming Marmots aren't a rock band, but shrieks of the large rodents are telling UCLA scientists something about the animal nature of some music.
Greater use of imaging tests raises radiation fear
Use of CT scans, MRIs and other forms of advanced medical imaging has skyrocketed in recent years, according to a UCSF study.
A vision to help
UC San Diego engineering students are working to develop a cheaper, lighter, multi-function microscope that could be used in clinics in developing countries.
No link between medical marijuana outlets and crime, new study finds
A common perception, supported by law enforcement, that medical marijuana dispensaries boost the crime rate in areas where they're located may not be accurate, according to UCLA researchers.
Armored caterpillar could inspire new body armor
Military body armor and vehicle and aircraft frames could be transformed by incorporating the unique structure of the club-like arm of a crustacean that looks like an armored caterpillar, according to researchers at UC Riverside.
Taking the sting out of jellyfish isn't easy
If you're stung by a jellyfish how do you treat the pain? Some emergency room docs at the UC San Diego Medical Center pored over all the scientific papers they could find to come up with answers.
Prostate cancer drug so effective trial stopped
A new drug for advanced prostate cancer patients has proved so effective that researchers stopped the clinical trial early to give all patients a chance to receive the life-extending medication, according to a UCSF-led study.
Building molecular 'cages' to fight disease
UCLA biochemists have designed specialized proteins that assemble themselves to form tiny molecular cages hundreds of times smaller than a single cell.
UCTV spotlights health innovation center
What are the best ways to make health care safer, smarter and a more positive experience for patients and their families? UCTV will air talks from the first UC Center for Health Quality and Innovation colloquium beginning June 5.
As obesity rates rise, cases of kidney stones double
The number of Americans suffering from kidney stones has almost doubled since 1994, UCLA researchers report, and the obesity epidemic is the most likely reason why.
Researchers make bone health discovery
Osteoporosis patients are among those who could benefit from the findings of a UC Merced study showing how bone health could affect the immune system.
Chronic pain is relieved by cell transplantation in lab study
A new study by UCSF scientists shows how a cell therapy might one day be used not only to quell some common types of persistent and difficult-to-treat pain, but also to cure the conditions that give rise to them.
Bone density may affect immune system
UC Merced researchers shed light on how bone density may change a person's immune system, a finding that could impact how scientists try to combat bone-related disease, such as osteoporosis.
Elephant seal tracking reveals hidden lives of deep-diving animals
Researchers at UC Santa Cruz, who pioneered the use of satellite tags to monitor the migrations of elephant seals, have compiled one of the largest datasets available for any marine mammal species, revealing their movements and diving behavior at sea in unprecedented detail.
Meet the man who invented the instructions for the Internet
Steve Crocker was among a small group of UCLA researchers who sent the first message between the first two nodes of the ARPAnet, the U.S. Department of Defense-funded network that eventually morphed into the modern internet.
Military marriages stay strong in face of challenges
Despite being tested by long hours and frequent relocations and separations, military marriages are no more likely to end in divorce than civilian marriages, a UCLA study shows.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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."
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Anti-aging cosmetics give skin 'ion overload'
Scientists, including from UC Davis, discovered a mechanism that plays a role in skin physiology and temperature sensitivity. It could lead to better anti-aging cosmetics.
A deadly virus identified in snakes
UCSF scientists have uncovered the possible cause of a mysterious disease that causes bacterial infections, neurological problems, anorexia and withering in snakes.
Solar energy institute seeks to shine by raising funds
UC Merced is focused on making solar energy more affordable and efficient, and the funds from its sponsors are allowing the institute to thrive.
Researchers determine costs of gene expression
Bioengineers at UC San Diego made a major advance in developing a method of modeling an organism's metabolism and gene expression. This research opens up a slew of questions and ideas about the cellular impacts of gene expression and data.
Embryonic blood vessels can do more
Stem cell researchers at UCLA have discovered that the thin layer of cells lining the interior of blood vessels can serve as a source for heart muscle cells, which one day may lead to a new way of treating heart attacks and repairing damaged cells.
Pet therapy without the pet
Oncologists at UC Irvine are studying whether robotic stuffed animals can help reduce stress and anxiety in chemotherapy patients. The cuddly robots obey commands, and they're hypoallergenic, too.
Amphibian species on the increase
Scientists at UC Berkeley have discovered new species of frogs, newts, salamanders, caecilians and are tracking them day by day, while continuing to worry about mass extinction of frogs.
UC shares $93 million in stem cell grants
UC Davis, UC Irvine and UCLA received or shared new grants from the state's stem cell agency. This money will help speed up therapies for patients suffering from diseases, including Huntington's, osteoporosis, melanoma and spinal cord injury.
Chemical allows mice to regain vision
UC Berkeley scientists have discovered a chemical that temporarily allows blind mice to see. They hope that this chemical compound will help people with the most common forms of acquired blindness.
Scientists connect seawater chemistry with ancient climate change, evolution
Scientists at UC Santa Cruz and University of Toronto are looking in depth at the causes of the cooling trends in the past 45 million years, which have a lot to do with the chemistry of the world's oceans, not just humans.
Pink and painful
Researchers at UC San Diego have new insight on the science behind the sunburn. Their study pinpoints the factors that trigger sunburn, which is a protective mechanism preventing damaged cells from turning into skin cancer.
Transportation energy challenge solved?
UC Davis joined five other research institutions in releasing a national standard for low carbon fuel. There are high hopes that this standard will ensure fuels in the future are cleaner and cheaper and 'made in America.'
Why will California have higher sea level rise?
UC Santa Cruz director of the Institute of Marine Sciences explains the curious reason why California will see higher than average sea level rise, while the Pacific Northwest will see a lower rise. A major earthquake could make the situation even worse.
Astronaut to lead new research center at UC Davis
After retiring from NASA last month, Stephen Robinson will head a new center for research on human-vehicle interaction at UC Davis.
Patients trust doctors but consult the Internet
Patients look up their illnesses online to become better informed and prepared to play an active role in their care, not because they mistrust their doctors, a UC Davis study suggests.
Social networking evaluated to improve diabetes management
Researchers at the UC San Diego School of Medicine are evaluating a new social media tool to treat patients with type I and II diabetes.
Restoring vision
Two UC Irvine ophthalmologists are the first in Orange County to implant a miniature telescope in the eyes of patients with end-stage age-related macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness among older Americans.
Social bats pay a price with new fungal disease
The impact on bat populations of a deadly fungal disease known as white-nose syndrome may depend on how gregarious the bats are during hibernation, finds a UC Santa Cruz study.
Brown widow spiders taking over black widows in California
The brown widow spider, a less-poisonous species than its cousin, the black widow spider, is making its claim in the dark recesses of Southern California trash can lids, plant pot lips and wood piles, finds a UC Riverside study.
Study uncovers new tools for targeting genes linked to autism
UCLA research could help scientists zero in on genes that offer future therapeutic targets for the disorder.
Study links key dementia protein, brain trauma
The mysterious proteins called prions, which build up in the human brain to cause Alzheimer's and other dementias, are also linked to post-traumatic stress disorder in combat veterans and in the brain damage of athletes like football players who have suffered repeated concussions, UCSF researchers report.
UCSF joins trend offering published research free
UCSF has joined the growing ranks of academic institutions that are offering most, if not all, of their research free to the public, by requiring that all published scientific studies be added by their authors to a university repository.
Researchers create mosquitoes incapable of transmitting malaria
Mosquitoes bred to be unable to infect people with the malaria parasite are an attractive approach to helping curb one of the world's most pressing public health issues, according to UC Irvine scientists.
Nine of 10 Californians under 65 will be covered under Affordable Care Act, finds study
Between 1.8 million and 2.7 million previously uninsured Californians will gain coverage by 2019, when the law's effect is fully realized, according to a UCLA and UC Berkeley joint study.
Sleep deprivation drives up anxiety, study shows
Not getting enough shuteye can amplify the brain's anticipatory reactions, upping overall anxiety levels, according to UC Berkeley researchers.
Lab ensures quality control for climate research
In a fortresslike laboratory at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego, scientists track subtle changes in ocean chemistry with the kind of precision that can be compared around the globe and across decades.
Humans may be forcing an irreversible tipping point for Earth
The study by an international team of scientists, including two from UC Davis, finds severe impact on fisheries, agriculture, clean water and much of what Earth needs to sustain its inhabitants.
Climate more sensitive to carbon dioxide now than in past epochs
Many studies of Earth's climate history have documented a strong correlation between global climate and atmospheric carbon dioxide: during warm periods, high concentrations persist, and colder times correspond to relatively low levels. Now, however, researchers at UC Santa Cruz have found an exception to this pattern.
Type of stem cell may contribute to heart disease
UC Berkeley scientists have discovered a type of stem cell that appears to lie dormant in blood vessel walls for decades before waking up and causing the arterial hardening and clogging that are associated with deadly strokes and heart attacks.
UCSF advances fight against cystic fibrosis
At UCSF, aggressive treatment has produced striking results over the past decade.
Most job injury costs not paid by workers' comp
Workers' compensation insurance is not used nearly as much as it should be to cover the multi-billion-dollar price tag for workplace illnesses and injuries in the U.S., finds a UC Davis study.
Open-fire cooking may affect child cognitive development
Children exposed to open-fire cooking in developing countries experience difficulty with memory, problem-solving and social skills, according to researchers at the UC Riverside.
Nuisance seaweed found to produce compounds with biomedical potential
A seaweed considered a threat to the healthy growth of coral reefs in Hawaii may possess the ability to produce substances that could one day treat human diseases, a new study led by scientists at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego has revealed.
People with rheumatoid arthritis feel better after 6 weeks of Iyengar-style yoga
Young patients with rheumatoid arthritis may feel better after practicing yoga for just six weeks, a UCLA study shows.
UC receives $36 million in stem cell grants
Twelve UC scientists received $36.7 million in grants from the state's stem cell agency to support projects that are in the initial stages of identifying drugs or cell types that could become disease therapies.
Plants previously thought to be 'stable' found to be responding to climate change
Many wild plant species thought to be stable in the face of climate change are actually responding to global warming, say researchers at UC Santa Barbara.
Parents are happier people
Psychologists from UC Riverside find that parents experience greater happiness and meaning in life than nonparents.
Colorful butterflies increase their odds of survival by sharing traits
An international genetics consortium at UC Irvine finds butterflies also use taste and smell genes to increase their chances of living longer.
Team taps viruses to make electricity
Scientists at UC Berkeley and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory have developed a way to generate power using harmless viruses that convert mechanical energy into electricity.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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..
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.
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.
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.