A new study published in the American Sociological Review finds that framing modern social issues as attacks on civil rights decreases public support for government action. The researchers surveyed 7,500 California voters and found that civil rights framing was counterproductive across issues and beneficiaries, including Black people.
A new study from UC Berkeley reveals that the depth of small grooves on the brain's surface is correlated with increased connectivity between regions involved in reasoning. The researchers found that these tertiary sulci, unique to humans, may help explain individual differences in cognitive performance and serve as diagnostic indicato...
Astronomers have found nearly 100 examples of massive black holes devouring stars in galaxy cores. A new study reveals a stealth black hole tearing apart a star 2,600 light years away from the galaxy's central massive black hole.
Researchers have discovered that flamingos employ a range of active feeding strategies, including stomping, head jerking and beak chattering, to concentrate brine shrimp and small animals into their mouths. These behaviors create whirlpools and eddies that funnel prey towards the birds' mouths.
Researchers at UC Berkeley created a platform called Oz that controls up to 1,000 photoreceptors in the eye at once, enabling the perception of a blue-green color named 'olo'. This breakthrough could provide new insights into human sight and vision loss, as well as answer basic questions about color vision.
A research team of over 60,000 OB-GYNs in the US found that doctors are not systematically leaving states where abortions are banned or threatened. The study suggests that concerns about reproductive health care may be offset by ties to patients and local communities, as well as significant relocation efforts.
A new study found that electrifying the Caltrain commuter rail line reduced riders' exposure to black carbon by an average of 89%, cutting excess cancer deaths by 51 per 1 million people. The study's findings support the case for electrifying U.S. rail systems, which still rely on old diesel locomotives.
Planetary scientists confirmed that Jupiter's mushball hailstorms occur due to unmixing of ammonia and water in the upper atmosphere. The storms are accompanied by fierce lightning and can punch through shallow weather systems, challenging long-held assumptions about gas giant atmospheres.
A new study by the University of California, Berkeley, found that self-harm rates among California teens have increased significantly, particularly among multiracial girls. The study, published in JAMA Pediatrics, analyzed data from 2005 to 2021 and revealed a nearly 75% increase in self-harm rates among multiracial adolescents since 2...
A single dry winter decimated California’s salmon and trout populations, with coho salmon disappearing entirely from three coastal watersheds. Chinook salmon were able to cope by shifting their breeding activities downstream, but steelhead trout were eliminated from numerous individual tributaries.
The new robot is shaped like a small propeller and uses an external magnetic field to generate lift and control its flight path. It is less than 1 centimeter in diameter and weighs only 21 milligrams, making it the world's smallest wireless flying robot capable of controlled flight.
A high-fat diet reduces neurotensin, a brain peptide that interacts with the dopamine network, leading to reduced pleasure in eating. Boosting neurotensin levels restores pleasure and promotes weight loss in mice, offering new avenues for addressing obesity.
Researchers designed a hopping robot based on studies of leaping squirrels, which can stick a landing on narrow perches. The robot uses strategies similar to those employed by squirrels when landing, including directing force through the shoulder joint and grasping the branch with its feet.
Fiji iguanas are most closely related to North American desert iguanas, with a lineage that split around 30 million years ago. The animals likely colonized the Pacific islands after volcanic activity produced land, and their arrival coincided with the formation of Fiji.
A Chinese rover has detected underground beach deposits on Mars, indicating the presence of an ancient sea that covered a significant portion of the planet. The deposits, which date back 4 billion years, were formed through wave action and sediment distribution, suggesting a long-lived body of water.
A Chinese rover has discovered underground beach deposits in an area thought to have once been the site of an ancient sea on Mars. The deposits, which are similar to those found on Earth, suggest that Mars had a long-lived body of water with wave action to distribute sediments along a sloping shoreline.
A new study of Colorado grasshoppers found that certain species can thrive in a warming world by taking advantage of earlier springs, while others decline in size as vegetation dries up earlier. The research provides insight into how insects respond to climate change and how to predict winners and losers.
Researchers used a new method to precisely locate a fast radio burst, finding it in the outskirts of an old elliptical galaxy. This discovery raises questions about how energetic events occur in regions without new star formation, and challenges existing theories about FRB origins.
Researchers found that fruit flies have stolen a toxin-producing gene from bacteria to defend against parasitic wasps, which can turn fly larvae into surrogate wombs for baby wasps. This discovery highlights the importance of horizontal gene transfer in animal evolution and suggests it may be more common than previously thought.
Researchers used a century-old grapevine cutting to reconstruct the history of Pierce's disease in California, finding that the pathogen arrived in the US nearly 150 years earlier than previously thought. The study suggests multiple introductions of the pathogen and potential genetic variations may impact disease management.
A new UC Berkeley study analyzed over 60,000 animal observations and found no conclusive evidence of inequity aversion in non-human species. However, the researchers suggest that some animals may exhibit disappointment or social protest when their expectations are not met.
A new analysis of DNA from ancient modern humans in Europe and Asia has determined that Neanderthals interbred with modern humans from approximately 50,500 to 43,500 years ago. This period of interbreeding left Eurasians with many genes inherited from their Neanderthal ancestors.
Researchers found a 28% decline in social acceptability of drinking sugar-sweetened beverages, with attitudes changing after tax increases and media attention. The shift in social norms has major implications for public health efforts.
A recent study found that Black students are 3.6 times more likely to be suspended out of school than their white peers, with even greater disparities in alternative schools. The researchers also discovered that wealthier schools with fewer free lunch recipients had the most disparate experiences.
Researchers have discovered unusual, Earth-size magnetically driven vortices generating dense, hydrocarbon haze at Jupiter's poles. The dark ovals hint at strong interactions between the planet's magnetic field and atmosphere.
Researchers argue that the planets' unique magnetic fields can be explained by immiscible layers of water and hydrocarbons. Computer simulations show that a combination of water, methane, and ammonia separates into two distinct layers under extreme temperatures and pressures.
A nearby supernova explosion could produce gamma rays that pinpoint the mass of a key dark matter candidate, the axion. The Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope would need to be in position to detect these gamma rays within 10 seconds of the supernova's core collapse.
Researchers at UC Berkeley have developed a metal-organic framework that can capture CO2 at extreme temperatures, relevant to cement and steel manufacturing plants. The discovery has the potential to change how scientists think about carbon capture and reduces the need for costly infrastructure.
Researchers used facial recognition technology to track actor screen time in over 2,300 films, confirming a shift towards greater diversity. The study found that individual film casts are becoming more diverse, with non-leading roles exhibiting more variety than leading ones.
Researchers at UC Berkeley found that humans create more diverse and nuanced stories than generative AI tools like ChatGPT. While AI shows improvement, it still struggles with complexity and clichés.
A new covalent organic framework (COF) material developed by UC Berkeley researchers can capture CO2 from ambient air without degradation, making it a promising solution for reducing atmospheric greenhouse gases. The material's high carbon dioxide capacity and selectivity make it an attractive alternative to existing carbon capture tec...
Researchers used deep learning to correlate citizen science data with remote sensing images, predicting plant distributions down to scales of a few square meters. The AI model, Deepbiosphere, outperformed previous methods in accuracy and showed potential for global monitoring of vegetation change.
A new study suggests that exposing young children to more misinformation online, with proper education and oversight, can help them develop essential critical thinking skills. Children who encounter more false information early on are more likely to fact-check and debunk potential misinformation, according to researchers.
A team of astronomers discovered a planetary system that resembles the sun-Earth system, with an Earth-size companion in an orbit twice as large as Earth's today. The discovery provides insight into the evolution of main sequence stars and their impact on planets.
New research suggests that toddlers can track and prefer people with more resources, tracking this preference until around 13 months of age. This bias towards wealth is thought to be driven by negative assessments of those with less, rather than positive evaluations of the wealthy.
Over 12,000 years ago, humans in Europe increased their ability to digest carbohydrates by expanding the number of genes for enzymes that break down starch. This rapid increase in gene copies provided a survival advantage and tracks the spread of agriculture across Europe.
A new chemical process can vaporize plastics, reducing waste and creating hydrocarbon building blocks for new plastics. The catalytic process efficiently degrades a mix of post-consumer plastic waste, bringing closer a circular economy for many throwaway plastics.
A researcher at UC Berkeley has discovered that fungi can transform indigestible plant material into digestible, nutritious food in about 36 hours. The Neurospora fungus is being used to create tasty morsels from food waste, including grain covered with orange Neurospora and moldy bread.
Researchers found a choanoflagellate harboring its own microbiome, forming colonies that enclose bacteria and exhibiting a unique symbiotic relationship. This discovery sheds light on the origin of interactions between animals and bacteria in ancient oceans.
Early humans likely used planted pike hunting techniques to bring down megafauna, such as mammoths and mastodons, around 13,000 years ago. Researchers found that spears tipped with razor-sharp rocks called Clovis points were not the primary tool for hunting large game.
The samples, obtained from river deposits in a dried-up lake on Mars, are crucial for understanding the Red Planet's water history. The fine-grained sediments in the rocks are believed to retain signs of past biological activity, including organic molecules, making them significant for searching for life on Mars.
A team of scientists has found evidence for a large underground reservoir of liquid water on Mars, which could be a promising place to look for life on the planet. The reservoir is estimated to cover most of the Martian surface and is located in tiny cracks and pores in rock beneath the surface.
A study from the University of California, Berkeley, shows that nematodes react to pathogenic bacteria by destroying mitochondria to protect against iron-stealing bacteria. This protective response suggests that humans may also respond to the smell of pathogens to prepare their gut for infection.
Researchers at UC Berkeley developed prototype earbuds that can detect signs of drowsiness in the brain, similar to an electroencephalogram (EEG), using built-in electrodes. The earbuds demonstrated accurate detection of alpha waves and drowsiness, even with poor signal quality.
A new study from the University of California, Berkeley reveals a significant increase in underweight and premature births among non-white women in the US after Trump's election. Black mothers had the largest increases, with about 3,783 fewer infants born underweight if Trump hadn't been elected.
A new study by UC Berkeley researchers finds that tampons from various brands contain toxic metals, including lead and arsenic. The findings highlight the potential public health risks associated with tampon use.
Researchers have built the most precise experiment yet to look for gravitational anomalies caused by dark energy, using a lattice atom interferometer that can hold atoms in place for up to 70 seconds. While no deviation from predicted theory was found, the improved precision opens up possibilities for probing gravity at the quantum level.
A new study finds that over 100,000 oil and gas wells in the western US are at risk of wildfires, posing a compound hazard to nearby populations. The research highlights the need for proactive action to prevent future harms.
Researchers have successfully engineered plants to produce a diverse array of human milk oligosaccharides, also called human milk sugars. These complex sugars are found in breast milk and help prevent disease and support healthy gut bacteria, but are difficult to manufacture using traditional methods.
Researchers at UC Berkeley have identified two sets of genetic mutations associated with lupus, enabling the development of targeted therapies. The discoveries could lead to more effective treatments for patients with oversensitive TLRs and TLR7 receptors.