A study published in Science found a strong correlation between seismic activity and operations at the Salton Sea Geothermal Field in southern California. The researchers tracked earthquake activity with production data for the geothermal power plant and found that seismicity increased as operations expanded.
Researchers at UC Santa Cruz have trapped the ribosome in a key transitional state, allowing them to see how it translates genetic code into proteins without mistakes. Understanding this process is crucial for developing new antibiotics and has significant implications for the origin of life.
Researchers will develop tools to leverage cancer genomics data, enabling clinically useful predictions and comparisons between algorithms. The Biomedical Evidence Graph (BMEG) database will store interpretive information derived from raw sequence data.
Coral reefs experience reduced calcification rates due to ocean acidification, making them more vulnerable to erosion and disruption. Corals are unable to fully acclimate to low pH conditions in nature.
A diverse landscape of patches, including meadows, young and old forests, and shrub lands, can provide more benefits than a single high-biodiversity patch
Researchers found that digital possessions after a breakup are often evocative and upsetting, leading to distinct disposal strategies. They propose software solutions like automatic harvesting or a 'Pandora's Box' to help scrub cyberspace of painful memories.
Researchers found that wolves and bears were able to adapt their diets in response to changing environments, allowing them to survive after the last ice age. In contrast, large cats such as saber-toothed cats and cave lions were unable to adjust their diets, leading to their decline.
Scientists successfully retrieved temperature measurements of the fault that caused the devastating Tohoku earthquake and tsunami. The recovered sensors provide critical data on frictional heat generated by fault slip during the earthquake.
The most distant known source of very high-energy gamma rays, PKS 1424+240, deviates from expected emission spectrum despite being detected at a great distance of over 7.4 billion light-years. The findings may indicate new insights into blazar emission mechanisms or the extragalactic background light.
Researchers tracked 20 mountain lions over six years, finding that habitat fragmentation affects pumas' physiology, behavior, and ecology. The study helps identify corridors where pumas travel between high-quality habitats, aiding conservation efforts in human-dominated landscapes.
A new genetic study has overturned previous ideas about the evolutionary history of polar bears and brown bears. The research found that a population of brown bears on Alaskan islands had a remarkable history of hybridization with polar bears, resulting in striking genetic similarities between the two species.
An international team led by UCSC biologist Barry Sinervo is investigating how climate change affects plant communities and animal populations globally. The study will evaluate the effects of changing temperatures on local populations of lizards, frogs, fish, and other vertebrates.
Researchers found that certain bacteria in the stomach microflora can change the response to Helicobacter pylori infection, potentially allowing for prediction of disease development and identification of potential probiotics. The study, published in Infection and Immunity, has implications for treating human infections.
A recent study published in PLOS ONE found that bats are neutral or positively impacted by moderate to high-severity forest fires. The research suggests that fires may create a habitat structure beneficial for various bat species, with some even preferring burned areas for foraging.
Efforts to reduce lead pollution have been largely successful, but the problem persists due to new industrial inputs and consumer product contamination. Blood lead levels remain high, with no known threshold for toxicity, posing ongoing health risks to people and animals worldwide.
Scientists at UC Santa Cruz used a novel technique to study the structural and mechanical properties of telomeres, which could guide the development of new anti-cancer drugs. The research found that a small structural displacement causes the G-quadruplex structure to unfold, revealing its mechanical stability.
A study published in the Journal of Adolescent Research found that young adults overwhelmingly support traditional views on marriage proposals and taking a husband's last name. Researchers surveyed 277 undergraduates aged 17-26 and discovered that 68.4% of men and 66% of women prefer the man to propose, while 60.2% of women are willing...
A new study attributes California's high plant species richness to low extinction rates, rather than high speciation rates. The researchers found that features of California's climate and topography have preserved species, allowing them to thrive in the region.
A new study reveals that the insect-eating pallid bat is a more effective pollinator of cardon cactus flowers than the nectar-feeding lesser long-nosed bat. The pallid bat delivers more pollen per visit, with some areas being frequent enough visitors to be more effective overall.
Researchers found elevated mercury levels in coastal fog due to upwelling of deep ocean water, which brings the element to the surface and into the atmosphere. While the levels are extremely low, more research is needed to understand the processes involved.
Emerging infectious diseases can be split into two types: introduced and locally emerging. Introduced diseases often cause a spike in infections, while locally emerging diseases show a steady increase. Climate change is not a major driving force behind emerging diseases.
Researchers developed a low-cost, high-throughput platform for identifying compounds with novel antibiotic properties using a diagnostic panel of bacterial strains. The new strategy promises to streamline the discovery of new antibiotics from natural sources, providing a solution to the looming antibiotic crisis.
A new model proposes that the Saturn system originated from giant impacts in which several major satellites merged to form Titan, resulting in the formation of Saturn's middle-sized moons. The model suggests these moons were formed from ice-rich material similar to Titan's mantle and have active geology and dynamics.
A new study reveals that white shark diets change with age, but individual sharks show surprising variability in dietary preferences. The researchers analyzed growth bands in shark vertebrae to trace variations in diet over a shark's lifetime.
Analysis of seismic waves from the magnitude 8.7 earthquake reveals a complicated faulting process involving at least four faults at right angles to each other. The event was the largest intraplate earthquake ever recorded and involved horizontal motion on a series of faults in the middle of the Indo-Australian plate.
A UC Santa Cruz study finds that a thriving sea otter population can lead to the growth of kelp forests, which absorb 12 times more CO2 from the atmosphere than without sea urchin grazing. This phenomenon has significant implications for global carbon sequestration.
Scientists have assigned functions to 80% of human genome, providing insights into gene regulation and solid genetic foundation for understanding health and disease. The UCSC Genome Browser offers a gateway for worldwide researchers to explore this new encyclopedia.
A new study finds that microorganisms may convert old organic matter to methane under oxygen-deprived conditions in sedimentary basins beneath the Antarctic Ice Sheet. This could lead to significant methane release if the ice sheet shrinks, exacerbating global climate change.
Researchers found that gregarious bat species will continue to decline due to white-nose syndrome, but changes in social behavior may help the little brown bat persist. In contrast, solitary species like the northern long-eared bat are more susceptible to the disease.
A comprehensive study confirms lead-based ammunition as the primary source of lead in California condors, preventing their recovery. The condor population can only be sustained through intensive and costly management efforts without a solution to the problem of lead poisoning.
UC Santa Cruz researchers suggest that Lyme disease has increased across northeastern and midwestern US over past three decades, contrary to stabilizing deer populations. Red fox declines are attributed to coyote growth, leading to smaller animal populations that serve as ticks' hosts.
Sher's innovative system enables groundbreaking studies on vision and applications for improving treatment of retinal diseases. He plans to monitor the simultaneous activity of hundreds of neurons in laser-treated retinal tissue to determine whether restored circuits are fully functional.
Scientists found that giant insect sizes decreased after birds evolved around 150 million years ago. Insect size was linked to oxygen levels over hundreds of millions of years, with high oxygen concentrations allowing larger insects during the late Carboniferous period.
A team of researchers at UCSC has developed a photoactive compound that releases nitric oxide when exposed to light, eradicating highly resistant 'Iraqibacter' bacteria. The treatment was tested in laboratory models and showed promising results.
Researchers at the University of California, Santa Cruz, tracked nearly 300 elephant seals using satellite tags, revealing their movements and diving behavior. The study found that these animals target a specific boundary zone between two ocean currents, which supports a robust food web and drives the growth of phytoplankton.
The University of California, Santa Cruz, has established the Cancer Genomics Hub to manage and analyze large-scale cancer genomic data. This hub will support research programs like The Cancer Genome Atlas and enable personalized cancer care by connecting specific genomic changes with clinical outcomes.
A study on Kenyan reefs found that the loss of predatory fish leads to an explosion in sea urchin populations, damaging the reef structure and reducing crustose coralline algae growth. This reduces coral recruitment by lowering juvenile coral densities on fished reefs.
New connections between brain cells form in clusters as animals learn to perform a new task, according to a study published in Nature. The researchers found that clustered synapses are more likely to persist through the learning sessions and after training stopped.
A team of astronomers has captured stunning images of a nearby dwarf galaxy undergoing a 'stealth merger' with its host. The resulting stellar stream is visible in the outer regions of NGC 4449, providing insights into galaxy formation and evolution.
A study found that only 10% of Chinook salmon spawning in the Mokelumne River are naturally produced wild salmon, while hatchery-raised fish dominate the population. The research highlights the need for more accurate monitoring and management of wild populations.
The University of California, Santa Cruz and the University of Washington have developed an open-source robotic surgery system, Raven II, which will be shared with top medical research laboratories across the US. The systems enable collaborative experiments and faster advancements in the field.
Submarine springs in Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula reveal how ocean acidification may impact coral reef ecosystems. The study found that some coral species can calcify at low pH, but these are not the dominant framework builders of Caribbean reefs.
Researchers have discovered a defect in the cell-targeting ability of Helicobacter pylori bacteria that leads to reduced inflammation in the stomach. The study found that the bacteria's chemotaxis, or movement towards specific chemicals, plays a crucial role in triggering chronic inflammation.
Researchers found two clouds of primordial gas that match theoretical predictions, with a composition of mostly hydrogen and helium. This discovery challenges our understanding of how metals are distributed in the universe and provides new constraints on the modern cosmological explanation for element origins.
Scientists propose a novel mechanism for generating a magnetic field on the moon, driven by physical stirring of the liquid core. The 'geodynamo' could have operated for at least a billion years, explaining the presence of magnetized rocks and making predictions about the strength of the field over time.
Galaxy collisions may be a key process driving galaxy assembly, rapid star formation, and accretion of gas onto central black holes. New analysis combines Hubble images with supercomputer simulations to estimate merger rates, clearing up discrepant results from previous studies.
Research finds West Nile virus transmission is highest in urbanized and agricultural habitats, with robins and specific mosquito species playing a crucial role. The virus has had an impact on human health, particularly due to its ability to target abundant bird species.
Scientists have detected pulsed gamma-ray emission from the Crab pulsar at energies far beyond what current theoretical models can explain. The VERITAS telescope array detected gamma-rays with energies exceeding 100 billion electron-volts, putting new constraints on the mechanism for how the gamma-ray emission is generated.
The Bolshoi supercomputer simulation, based on WMAP5 parameters, provides a powerful new tool for studying galaxy formation, dark matter, and dark energy. Initial studies show good agreement between the simulation's predictions and astronomers' observations.
A fish has been observed using a tool to crack open a shell, similar to previous reports of tool use by other fish species such as wrasse and blackspot tuskfish.