A gamma-ray flash was detected coming from a distant galaxy, suggesting a massive black hole is consuming a star. The long-duration event produced an enormous amount of energy and appears to be emanating from the center of the galaxy.
New research by UC Berkeley scientists reveals that fear and emotional experiences lead to stronger memories through the activation of newborn neurons in the hippocampus. The amygdala induces the generation of new neurons, which provide a 'blank slate' for imprinting fearful memories.
Researchers at CERN's ALPHA experiment have successfully trapped antihydrogen atoms for up to 1,000 seconds, or 16 minutes and 40 seconds. This achievement allows for spectroscopic experiments on the antiatoms, which could help determine if their electromagnetic and gravitational interactions are identical to those of normal matter.
Astronomers at UC Berkeley are using the Green Bank radio telescope to search for signals from advanced civilizations on 86 Earth-like planets identified by Kepler. The team aims to detect signals that could be indicative of life, scanning a range of frequencies including the water hole, a canonical place to look for intentional signals.
Researchers at UC Berkeley have developed a graphene-based optical device that can switch light on and off, enabling faster data transmission. The technology has the potential to revolutionize high-speed communications and computing, allowing for faster data streaming and processing.
Researchers discovered that the eye's horizontal cells send both negative and positive feedback to photoreceptors, enhancing contrast while preserving faint detail. This new mechanism, distinct from electrical signals, allows the eye to detect small, faint spots near edges.
Researchers have found that itch receptors work through pain receptors on sensory neurons, suggesting a potential link between the two conditions. The study's findings could lead to new treatments for intractable itch, particularly in chronic diseases such as kidney and liver failure, diabetes, and cancer.
Researchers at University of California, Berkeley found a significant association between prenatal organophosphate pesticide exposure and lower intelligence scores in children. The study, which followed 329 children from birth to age 7, suggests that fetal brain development may be more critical than childhood exposure.
A new study by researchers at UC Berkeley reveals that who you are and where you live significantly affect which activities have the largest impact on reducing greenhouse gas emissions. An online calculator allows households to track and reduce their carbon footprint by analyzing location, lifestyle, and household type.
Physicists at UC Berkeley used sensitive magnetometers to search for biomagnetism in the world's largest flower, but found no evidence of a strong magnetic field. Despite being unable to detect a significant magnetic signal, researchers believe studying biomagnetism in plants could lead to new discoveries.
Researchers employ helium-4/helium-3 thermochronometry to reconstruct the landform history of Fiordland in New Zealand from 2.5 million years ago, finding that most valley-making occurred at downstream mouths of glaciers for the first million years and later at glacier heads.
Researchers developed SIMBAS, a self-powered chip that can analyze whole blood samples without external components. The device captures blood cells and separates plasma using gravity-driven flow, enabling disease diagnosis within minutes.
Researchers found that bursts of brain waves known as 'sleep spindles' may network between key brain regions to clear a path to learning. This networking helps shift fact-based memories from the hippocampus to the prefrontal cortex, freeing up storage space for new data.
Researchers used oxygen isotope analysis to reconstruct the history of a pea-sized piece of a 4.57 billion-year-old meteorite, providing evidence that dust grains experienced wildly varying environments during planet formation.
Researchers estimate that if currently threatened species go extinct, the sixth mass extinction could arrive within 3 to 22 centuries. However, they also believe it's not too late to save critically endangered mammals and other species through conservation efforts.
Researchers have engineered E. coli bacteria to produce n-butanol, a chemical that could be used as a substitute for diesel oil and gasoline. The new genetically altered E. coli produced nearly five grams of n-butanol per liter, about 10 times better than current industrial microbe systems.
Researchers at UC Berkeley found that practitioners of Vipassana or mindfulness meditation have a stronger mind-body connection than professional ballet and modern dancers. This discovery sheds new light on the mystery of the mind-body connection, which has been linked to various medical and psychiatric diseases.
A new census of dinosaur skeletons reveals that Tyrannosaurus rex subsisted on both carrion and fresh-killed prey, exploiting a variety of animals. The discovery challenges the long-held notion of T. rex as an apex predator.
A new study found that removing Western fence lizards led to a decrease in tick density and subsequently reduced Lyme disease risk. However, the impact on adult ticks is unclear and requires further research.
Physicists propose beaming laser at atmospheric sodium to measure global magnetic field, offering cheaper alternative to satellites. Ground-based measurements can avoid problems caused by satellite movement and electronic instrument effects.
A recent study by University of California, Berkeley researchers found that blacks are more likely to initiate contact with whites in online dating than the other way around. In contrast, white daters prefer to date within their own race, with a significant disparity in reciprocation rates between black and white participants.
Two neural pathways have been identified in the brain that play a role in developing phobias and anxiety disorders. The study found that individuals with overactive amygdalas and those who fail to activate their ventral prefrontal cortex are more prone to fear responses.
Researchers at UC Berkeley successfully repurposed Salmonella to safely transport virus-stopping enzymes into cells, effectively treating mice infected with cytomegalovirus. The new technique uses a live but weakened bacteria as a vector for the ribozyme that can stop the gene activity of cytomegalovirus.
Researchers at UC Berkeley have developed a method to grow nanolasers directly onto a silicon surface, enabling highly efficient silicon photonics. This breakthrough could lead to powerful biochemical sensors and faster microprocessors, as well as new applications in computing, communications, displays, and optical signal processing.
The Argentine ant's genome has been mapped, revealing key findings such as the species' keen senses of smell and taste, which may aid in developing targeted control methods. The genome also suggests that the ants have mechanisms to prevent disease, but caution is advised against expecting a quick fix.
Biologists at UC Berkeley have developed a new 'reverse-ecology' tool that analyzes genomes to identify an organism's adaptive traits. The study, using Neurospora crassa bread mold, found variations in two genome regions linked to natural selection and cold tolerance.
Researchers sequenced and reconstructed most microbes in premature newborn's gut, documenting changes over time. They aim to understand the causes of necrotizing enterocolitis by studying the colonization process under normal circumstances.
Researchers develop method to locate satellite galaxies based on hydrogen gas distribution, predicting Galaxy X's mass and location. The technique has broad implications for dark matter detection and alternative gravity theories.
Researchers trained dogs to detect scat from various species, showing they can accurately locate targets at distances of up to 33 feet. Environmental factors like wind, humidity, and precipitation influenced detection rates, highlighting the need for standardized survey conditions.
Researchers found NGC 1266, an early-type galaxy, expelling molecular gas at high speeds, potentially leading to its transformation into a 'red and dead' state. The galaxy's gas loss could be a key mechanism in the evolution of galaxies from star-forming spirals to gas-poor red and dead galaxies.
A new MRI technique has been developed that enables full three-dimensional brain scans in less than half a second, significantly reducing the scanning time. This breakthrough, made possible by combining two technical improvements, will have an immediate impact on research institutions worldwide and the Human Connectome Project.
Researchers at UC Berkeley have developed a new technique that allows plasmon lasers to operate at room temperature. This achievement is a major step towards applications for plasmon lasers in single-molecule biodetectors, photonic circuits, and high-speed optical communication systems. The scientists were able to enhance the emission ...
The measured magnetic field strength of 25 Gauss is significantly stronger than the 5-Gauss weak field or the 100-Gauss strong field that would imply large radioactive decay contributions. The result constrains heat sources in the core, with the outer core likely producing 60% of the planet's power.
A study by UC Berkeley researchers found that emotional intelligence increases in older adults, enabling them to see the positive side of stressful situations and empathize with others. This ability is linked to social relationships and caring for others.
Researchers will study whether changes in tremor activity precede earthquakes on the San Andreas Fault. The Berkeley Seismological Laboratory is installing earthquake detectors to monitor mysterious 20-40 km deep tremors that may signal an impending quake.
A study by UC Berkeley researchers shows that clean energy investments in rural areas can help alleviate poverty and reduce carbon emissions. In Nicaragua, a community went from using diesel generators to efficient compact fluorescent light bulbs, resulting in a 28% drop in energy use and 37% reduction in electricity bills.
Research by University of California, Berkeley psychologists found that chronic jet lag causes persistent changes in the brain's hippocampus, leading to memory and learning problems. The study, which used female Syrian hamsters as subjects, showed that even after recovery from jet lag, the brain continued to experience deficits.
Researchers have achieved a significant milestone by trapping 38 antihydrogen atoms for more than one-tenth of a second using the ALPHA experiment. This achievement marks a crucial step towards studying the properties of antihydrogen, which could provide insights into the universe's mysterious lack of antimatter.
Researchers at UC Berkeley will study the impact of pesticides, flame retardants, and DDT on children's health. The grants aim to address environmental health risks in vulnerable populations and inform new policies and practices.
A new study from UC Berkeley found that dire warnings about global warming can backfire, making people skeptical and resistant to change. However, presenting solutions and less apocalyptic ways of communicating findings can overcome skepticism. The research suggests fear-based appeals can undermine efforts to address climate change.
Researchers have developed a three-dimensional metamaterial that captures evanescent sound waves, allowing for super-resolution acoustic imaging. The device, mounted on an ultrasound probe, can resolve image features as small as one-fiftieth of the wavelength of the sound waves.
Researchers found that when damage occurs in the prefrontal cortex, intact areas of the brain can take over lost functions, such as memory, and only activate when needed. This suggests that memory is not stored in one specific region but rather distributed throughout the brain's neural network.
A new study analyzing four extremely bright gamma-ray bursts observed by NASA's Fermi satellite suggests that these events are likely powered by black holes rather than neutron stars. The analysis found that the remnant of a long-duration burst is most likely a black hole, as it cannot produce enough energy to power a magnetar.
According to a University of California, Berkeley study, nearly one in four sun-like stars could have Earth-size planets. The researchers found increasing numbers of smaller planets, down to super-Earths, about three times the mass of Earth.
The ARTEMIS mission involves two micro-satellites orbiting the moon, providing a three-dimensional perspective on energetic particle acceleration near the moon's orbit. The mission will also explore the space environment of the moon and its interaction with the solar wind.
Researchers found that proteins importing structural material and regulating its import determine cell size. By manipulating these proteins, they can make a smaller species' nuclei balloon up to the size of a larger one. This discovery could lead to new insights into nuclear size regulation in cancer cells.
A study published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology found that exposure to air pollution suppressed immune system regulatory T cells, leading to increased severity of asthma symptoms and lower lung capacity. The research suggests a potential long-term effect of polluted air on children's health.
A new study by UC Berkeley researchers found that children with acute lymphoid leukemia (ALL) had almost twice the chance of having been exposed to three or more X-rays compared to those without leukemia. The results differ slightly by region, with a modest increase associated with chest X-rays.
A new study from the University of California, Berkeley, found that women who receive regular dental care have a lower risk of heart attacks, stroke, and other cardiovascular problems by at least one-third. The study used data from nearly 7,000 people ages 44-88 and ruled out self-selection bias using instrumental variables.
A new study reveals that fungal spores travel farther by forming a plume that reduces drag to nearly zero, creating a wind that carries them up to 100 millimeters. By hydrodynamic cooperation, thousands of spores are ejected simultaneously, reaching speeds of 60 centimeters per second and covering distances of over a centimeter.