UCSB researchers have developed a new method to control gene expression in embryonic stem cells using light, allowing for the precise engineering of tissues. This breakthrough could lead to novel therapeutic applications and insights into tissue development.
Researchers found that Rh7 functions as a light sensor governing daily day-and-night activity cycles in fruit flies. The discovery expands the roles of light sensors, which were originally discovered over 100 years ago.
A new study by UC Santa Barbara scientists has found that landscape characteristics, such as crop diversity and field size, affect insecticide use. Crop diversity was shown to reduce insecticide use by 8kg per hectare in table grapes, while larger fields use more insecticide.
A team of astronomers has made the first measurements of small-scale ripples in primeval hydrogen gas, using rare double quasars. The results provide important clues about the temperature of gas in the cosmic web just a few billion years after the Big Bang.
Researchers found that competition among grazers, such as herbivorous fishes and algae, structures the space use patterns and feeding behaviors of bulletheads. The study suggests that predation risk has a limited impact on prey foraging behaviors in areas with high levels of competition.
Scientists uncover a potent genetic element in microorganisms that enable them to self-mutate, expanding the diversity of the tree of life. The discovery reveals how rapid evolution happens in some of Earth's smallest and most common microbes.
Researchers at UC Santa Barbara found that as certain species decline in number, their geographic areas of occupation also shrink. This makes them easier targets for hunters and fishermen, increasing the risk of extinction. The study highlights the importance of well-managed harvests to prevent overharvesting.
The Benioff Ocean Initiative has committed $1.5 million to accelerate research on reducing ship strikes and mortality of whales. Researchers estimate that 10 blue whales are killed annually in the Santa Barbara Channel, threatening a species with only 3-11% of its historic population.
Marine biologists quantify the carbon consumption of bacterioplankton to better understand the ocean carbon cycle. The study found that increased CO2 levels stimulate bacterial respiration, converting organic carbon back to CO2 and limiting the ocean's ability to store it.
Researchers found that E. coli toxins bind to elongation factor Tu and another protein EF-Ts to target specific tRNA molecules, inhibiting cell growth and leading to diarrhea or hemorrhagic colitis in humans.
A new study by University of California - Santa Barbara researchers found that sharks can interact with humans without long-term behavioral impacts. The research used video surveys to monitor shark abundance and behavior at sites with and without a history of scuba diving, revealing no significant differences.
A new study by UC Santa Barbara researchers found that adopting healthier diets could reduce greenhouse gas emissions and lower healthcare costs. The study's results show a significant impact on climate change mitigation through the food system and healthcare systems.
Coral ecosystems in West Maui's northern reefs have declined by 20% due to sediment runoff, compromising corals' ability to photosynthesize. Researchers found that cooperation among landowners results in more cost-efficient and ecologically effective outcomes than individual actions.
A new study by University of California - Santa Barbara researchers found that synchronously restoring predator and prey species speeds recovery efforts of both. This approach is nearly always more efficient and on average about twice as fast as sequential recovery.
Two UCSB faculty members, Stefano Tessaro and Andrea Young, have been selected as recipients of the prestigious Alfred P. Sloan Research Fellowship for their outstanding contributions to cryptography and condensed matter physics. The fellowships will support their research efforts in building solid theoretical foundations for cryptogra...
A team of scientists from UC Santa Barbara and colleagues conducted an eight-year study on a healthy shark population on Palmyra atoll. They found a significantly lower density of grey reef sharks than previously estimated, with around 20 sharks per square kilometer.
Berger's Isomax material achieves low density and uncommon strength, making it suitable for various applications such as aerospace structures and robotic machines. The study's findings support the concept's potential for efficient fabrication and manufacturing.
A UCSB scholar examines the evolution of wooden halibut hooks carved by native people of the Northwest Coast, tracing their design and dimensions over time. The study reveals that the hooks' transformation from utilitarian tool to expression of cultural heritage has driven changes in materials, dimension, and meaning.
Researchers assess seasonal beach behavior for 29 beaches along the Pacific coast, finding 76% above normal erosion during the 2015-16 El Niño winter. The study highlights the increasing vulnerability of California's coastline to coastal hazards as climate events intensify.
Researchers at UC Santa Barbara found that low-intensity exercise increases activation in the visual cortex, enhancing information representation and selectivity. This effect is linked to increased arousal, which may provide a competitive advantage.
Ocean absorbing more carbon dioxide reduces atmospheric greenhouse gas levels, but promotes acidification in marine organisms. A study by UC Santa Barbara geographer Timothy DeVries and colleagues found that a slowdown of the ocean's overturning circulation is likely the cause.
Scientists have discovered a primordial soup in the Earth's mantle older than the moon, containing helium-3, a vestige of the Big Bang. Only the hottest and most buoyant mantle plumes draw from this reservoir, suggesting it may be preserved due to its density.
A study by UC Santa Barbara researchers suggests that humans accurately predict the qualities valued in their local population and generate pride based on those values. The 'advertisement-recalibration theory of pride' proposes that pride serves as a motivator to cultivate traits and behaviors that increase others' valuation.
Researchers at UCSB have developed a simple method to master the electrical properties of polymer semiconductors by adding specific molecules that 'trap' charge carriers. This technique allows for efficient design and manufacture of organic circuitry with varying complexity, while maintaining economical manufacturing costs.
Blocking IRE1 with a small molecule prevents progression of atherosclerosis in mice, according to UC Santa Barbara cell biologist Diego Acosta-Alvear. Sustained UPR activation has been implicated in various diseases, and this research aims to understand how diseased cells adapt stress response networks to survive.
A new study suggests that China's success in sustaining large catches is due to reducing predatory fish populations, allowing preyed-upon species to increase. This approach can lead to increased harvests, but may also have negative impacts on biodiversity.
Kosik's research suggests that dendrites use a relatively small number of RNAs to leverage increased dynamic range, allowing for sparse coding and plasticity. This enables the brain to process incoming information more efficiently and adapt to new experiences.
Researchers analyzed 125 major petroleum hydrocarbons from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill to determine their long-term environmental impact. They found that smaller, simpler compounds degrade faster, while larger ones persist longer, and that physical context plays a significant role in this process.
Marine scientists studied the response of giant kelp forests to a record-breaking marine heat wave, finding that their biomass remained within normal ranges despite high temperatures. The lack of dramatic response suggests that more research is needed to understand how these ecosystems will respond to future climate warming.
A team of astronomers discovered that a massive flare in a distant galaxy was actually a tidal disruption event caused by a rapidly spinning supermassive black hole. The finding marks the first time a TDE has been used to study black hole spin, providing new insights into stellar death.
Researchers create a global map of soil pH, revealing an abrupt transition zone between acidic wet climates and alkaline dry climates. This discovery has significant implications for agriculture, as the ideal neutral range soils are found in areas like Iowa and Ukraine, which are intensively farmed.
Scientists at UCSB developed a powerful new technique to measure the mechanical properties of cells in living tissues, shedding light on how cells respond to biochemical and mechanical cues. The method reveals that cells perceive their natural habitat as a fluid-like environment, with varying stiffness and viscosity along the body axis.
Researchers develop a simple processing technique to manufacture single-layer organic polymer solar cells, reducing production costs and enabling widespread adoption. The new method offers a simpler alternative to existing methods and has the potential to transform organic photovoltaics into commercial technology.
Researchers found that brain connections change with age, but compensate for this by using new strategies to remember things. The study used fMRI data to analyze brain activity in individuals, revealing distinct patterns of connectivity among older people.
The University of California - Santa Barbara's ESTEEM program offers scholarship funding, outreach, and academic counseling to help low-income engineering transfer students complete their degrees. The initiative aims to address the lack of diversity in STEM fields and provide a critical push to these promising students.
A new study found that kelp forests are relatively well-faring, with some regions increasing in size, while others decline or show no change. The researchers suggest that this variability reflects regional differences in drivers of environmental change and the unique capacity of kelp to recover from disturbances.
UCSB scholar Mary I. O'Connor's new book highlights how economic migration and religious conversion have changed the social and cultural makeup of predominantly folk-Catholic communities in rural Mexico. Globalization is at the heart of this process, affecting the home communities of Mixtecs who travel to northern Mexico and the U.S.
Researchers at UCSB found that trace metals like iron can act as nonradiative recombination centers in gallium nitride semiconductors, reducing LED efficiency. The study highlights the importance of controlling growth and processing to prevent metal impurities from affecting device performance.
Elizabeth Belding and her team are working to provide internet access to 13 Native American reservations in the San Diego area with NSF funding. They will use white spaces technology to bring connectivity to remote areas, collecting data on user habits to improve the user experience.
A team of scientists has discovered that human cells and neutron stars share similar structures, including Terasaki ramps, which are helical shapes connecting stacked sheets. The similarities between these two vastly different systems suggest a universal principle governing the energy of a system.
Researchers at UCSB explore the delicate balance between coherence and control with a simple yet complete platform for quantum processing. They successfully integrated the control of three superconducting qubits, creating an artificial magnetic field that allowed photons to interact strongly with each other and the pseudo-magnetic field.
Researchers at UCSB have developed a functional nanoscale computing device, operating on an unconventional type of logic that could be packed into a block no bigger than 50 nanometers. This technology has the potential to store and process data much faster, reducing energy consumption and increasing computing efficiency.
A study by UC Santa Barbara psychologist Brenda Major found that highly identified white Americans who feel threatened by diversity are more likely to support Donald Trump and endorse anti-immigrant policies. However, those less identified with their ethnicity tend to oppose Trump and support anti-bias norms.
A new mathematical model describes the relationship between belief systems and interpersonal influence, revealing an underlying cognitive consistency that links multiple beliefs. The model has the potential to study overlooked complex issues by analyzing the structure of logic constraints.
The UCSB team created a bio-inspired coating mechanism using zwitterionic molecules from mussel proteins, reducing processing time and energy requirements. This new method enables continuous roll-to-roll dip coating of organic electronic devices without toxic chemicals.
Researchers have identified a critical survival mechanism that allows animals to quickly respond to and escape from noxious thermal landscapes. The study found that thermosensory neurons in the brain are responsible for sensing the rate of temperature change, with a fast response triggered by rapid increases in temperature.
Academic publishers are moving towards requiring data publication with citations, but current systems struggle to accommodate dynamic data structures. A new paper proposes an automated citation system that would generate standardized citations for extracted data, providing a solution for improving reproducibility and credibility.
A study led by UCSB researchers found that an innovative mental health program for sixth-graders increased students' knowledge of mental illness and decreased stigma associated with it. The program, Mental Health Matters, aims to educate young people about mental health before stigma sets in.
A new method of micron-scale surface chemical patterning was developed at UCSB, allowing for the creation of engineered surfaces with patterned polymer brushes. This technology reduces processing time and adds versatility to design, making it suitable for industrial applications.
Researchers aim to improve thermoelectric performance in polymeric materials with $900,000 US Department of Energy funding. This study could yield new materials for efficient energy harvesting and waste heat recovery.