Sandra Faber is being honored for her extraordinary advances in understanding the properties of distant galaxies, dark matter, large-scale structure, and black holes. Her innovative leadership has driven significant discoveries in modern cosmology, including the role of dark matter in galaxy formation.
Researchers have detected slow slip events along a major fault zone beneath the Nicoya Peninsula, shedding light on the full spectrum of motions occurring on the fault. The findings may yield new insights into the events that lead to major earthquakes, but experts caution that more study is needed.
Biochemist David Deamer explores the molecular self-assembly processes that led to the first protocells nearly 4 billion years ago. He proposes a combinatorial chemistry approach to understanding how life began, suggesting complex systems of molecules assembled on early Earth.
Researchers at the University of California, Santa Cruz, have found evidence that mobile repetitive elements, or 'jumping genes,' significantly impact the evolution of gene regulatory networks. At least five percent of the human genome has been under negative selection during most of mammalian evolution, indicating functional importance.
Researchers observed the intense heating of HD 80606b as it swung close to its star, providing clues to its atmospheric properties. The data enabled the creation of realistic images of the planet using computer simulations.
A new study published in Science resolves the mystery of how massive stars can form without blowing away the gas and dust that feed their growth. The research found that instabilities develop in the collapsing gas cloud, creating channels where radiation blows out into space while gas continues to fall inward.
A new study assesses the risk of disease transmission from Yellowstone bison to cattle and proposes cost-effective management solutions. The alternatives suggested by the study, such as buying grazing rights or testing all cattle within a special zone around the park, highlight substantial benefits and consequences.
A new study reveals human predation is accelerating trait changes in commercially harvested species, with 20% smaller body sizes and 25% earlier first reproduction compared to previous generations. This process has been observed at a rate 300% above natural systems and 50% faster than other human influences.
Researchers analyzed the spectrum of a gamma-ray burst afterglow to probe the star-forming environment of a distant galaxy. They detected molecular gas and metals comparable to those of the Sun, providing insights into active stellar nurseries in galaxies 10 billion years old.
Future increases in wind strength along the California coast may lead to more intense upwelling of cold water, potentially causing a larger 'dead zone' off the Oregon coast. Stronger winds could also create hazardous fire conditions in Southern California.
Researchers warn that ocean acidification could have far-reaching effects on marine ecosystems, impacting phytoplankton and the food chain. The increased acidity may also affect developmental processes and populations of various organisms.
A new microbe, discovered in the open ocean, lacks genes needed for photosynthesis, yet provides natural fertilizer to the oceans by fixing nitrogen. Its unique metabolism may have implications for understanding carbon and nitrogen cycles in ocean ecosystems.
A study has found nearly 3,000 sea turtles dead along a 27-mile stretch of coast in Baja California, highlighting the impact of bycatch on loggerhead sea turtle populations. Conservation efforts, including awareness-raising and sustainable fishing practices, are being implemented to mitigate this threat.
Researchers used computer models to simulate processes forming valley networks, finding evidence for liquid water stability at the Martian surface for tens of thousands of years. The study suggests episodic flooding alternated with long dry periods, contradicting alternative theories.
The Large Hadron Collider is poised to generate a bonanza of experimental data, putting hotly debated theories to the test. Potential breakthroughs include an explanation of mass and identification of dark matter.
Researchers used a supercomputer to simulate the halo of dark matter surrounding the Milky Way, finding dense clumps and streams in the inner region. The study may help scientists understand what dark matter is and could detect evidence of its particles through gamma-ray signals.
Researchers at UCSC have identified a novel type of gene regulation in mammals involving hammerhead ribozymes, which control the activity of important immune response and bone metabolism genes. The discovery challenges previous views on gene expression and suggests a more versatile role for RNA molecules.
A new study reveals that warmer temperatures significantly accelerated the spread of a new strain of West Nile virus across North America. The virus displaced the older strain and led to two of the largest epidemics on record, with over 270 deaths in both 2002 and 2003.
Computer simulations support massive asteroid impact as explanation for Mars' hemispheric differences. The models suggest that an impactor about one-half to two-thirds the size of the Moon could have created the observed differences.
A new analysis suggests that compensatory mitigation of fisheries bycatch could do more harm than good, and is unlikely to succeed in reducing impacts on threatened species. The researchers found that bycatch affects a wide range of nontarget species, making it difficult to implement effective mitigation strategies.
The Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope (GLAST) will search for answers to long-standing questions about dark matter, black holes, and gamma-ray bursts. With its extraordinary sensitivity and wide field-of-view, GLAST has the potential to detect thousands of hitherto unknown gamma-ray sources.
The new GSID HIV Data Browser provides a wealth of data collected during clinical trials of an AIDS vaccine, offering researchers a unique opportunity to study how the virus evolves and causes new infections. The browser links to preserved specimens and clinical information, allowing investigators to study the evolution of the virus an...
Computer scientists have developed a solution called Pergamum, which uses hard disk drives to provide energy-efficient and cost-effective long-term data storage. The system is designed to be reliable, scalable, and adaptable, making it suitable for businesses and individuals looking to preserve digital data.
A study by University of California - Santa Cruz researchers found that 90% of California's fall-run Chinook salmon population comes from hatcheries. The findings are troubling given the decline in natural populations, which may force commercial and recreational fishing to close.
The Tibetan Plateau's rise is now believed to have occurred in stages, with the central part uplifting first at least 40 million years ago. This finding has significant implications for understanding major episodes of global climate change.
A new study by UC Santa Cruz researchers found that rats on islands in the Aleutian Archipelago dramatically alter the intertidal zone, reducing seaweed and increasing snails, barnacles, and other invertebrates. The presence of rats also leads to a trophic cascade, resulting in reduced seabird populations and altered marine ecosystems.
Scientists studying the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM) find analogies for global changes from continued carbon dioxide emissions. The ocean can absorb massive amounts of carbon, but acidification threatens corals and marine organisms building calcium carbonate shells.
Animated speech and language tutors, developed by UC Santa Cruz professor Dominic Massaro, help remedial readers, language learners, and autistic children by modeling natural human speech and articulation. The technology is being incorporated into a new remedial reading program and tailored to teach languages such as Arabic.
Researchers suggest that unusual supernovae could confirm the existence of intermediate-mass black holes in globular clusters. The proposed mechanism involves tidal disruption of a white dwarf star by a black hole, causing explosive burning and a unique signature.
A new study reveals that female lark buntings show dynamic preferences for certain traits in males, which shift from year to year. This flexibility may help females adapt to changing environmental conditions and increase their nesting success.
Researchers found that individual sea otters specialize in particular prey types when food is limited, while populations with abundant resources share similar diets. This specialization can help understand disease mortality and inform wildlife management.
Researchers have developed a new nanocomposite material that outperforms individual components, offering enhanced solar cell efficiency and potential applications in energy technologies.
A study by researchers at the University of California, Santa Cruz, found that certain marine mammals have evolved to protect their brains from conditions of low oxygen. The amounts and kinds of globins in the brain correlate with physical activity patterns of various wild mammals.
Researchers found 26 losses of long-established genes in the human lineage, including 16 previously unknown cases. The study identified a gene for acyltransferase-3 that was lost in humans but still functional in chimpanzees and possibly gorillas.
A team of researchers proposes a new mechanism to explain the brightest ever recorded supernova, SN 2006gy. The model suggests that an extremely massive star undergoes repeated explosions, resulting in a display up to 100 times more luminous than usual.
Researchers found that ancient retroviruses helped shape p53, a master gene regulator in primates, by inserting DNA sequences and rearranging the genome. This discovery provides new insights into how gene regulatory networks evolved in humans and other primates.
A small-scale Mexican fishery has been found to kill as many critically endangered loggerhead sea turtles as all of the industrial fishing fleets in the North Pacific Ocean. The research led by University of California, Santa Cruz Ph.D. candidate Hoyt Peckham resulted in a voluntary turnaround in the fleet's fishing practices and the d...
A research team at UCSC and Salk Institute has discovered a new retinal cell type called the upsilon cell, which shares similar properties with Y retinal ganglion cells. The discovery may help humans see motion and is a significant step towards understanding how primates process visual information.
A three-way mating struggle observed in North American lizards has been discovered in a distant European relative, the European common lizard. The species share behavioral and reproductive details, including gaudy colors of males, indicating a potential universal evolutionary pattern among social animals.
Researchers found humans carry more gene copies than ape relatives to produce more amylase enzyme, which digests starch. This discovery bolsters the idea that starch played a crucial role in early human diet and evolution.
Researchers discovered that bacteria can sense light using a protein structure called an LOV domain, which is also present in plants. This finding suggests that light may play a crucial role in bacterial life, allowing them to regulate their virulence and potentially leading to new therapeutic targets.
Physicists have discovered that correcting a typo in an e-mail requires dozens of bits of information, each forcing its polarity to align up or down. The researchers found that the spin precession effect, where magnetic fields exert forces on neighboring spins, can lead to avalanches if not properly damped.
Researchers found that female side-blotched lizards induce different color patterns in their offspring based on social cues, which helps ensure survival. The mother's influence determines whether her progeny have stripes or bars on their backs, adapting to the environment they will encounter as adults.
Researchers at UCSC have achieved atomic spectroscopy on a chip, enabling compact and portable applications in laser frequency stabilization and quantum information processing. The technology has potential implications for gas detection sensors and quantum optics experiments.
Researchers use archaeology, biochemistry, and ecology to study the behavior and ecology of northern fur seals over 1,500 years. They find evidence of reproductive behavior in prehistoric populations that differs from modern populations.
Astronomers have used adaptive optics technology to pinpoint two supermassive black holes in a colliding galaxy. The observations reveal the black holes reside at the center of rotating disks of stars and are surrounded by young star clusters.
A new study suggests that frictional heating is the most likely explanation for the plumes and features observed on Enceladus. The process occurs when tidal forces cause fault lines in the moon's icy shell to rub back and forth, producing enough heat to transform ice into water vapor and ice crystals.
Researchers used seismic imaging to detect layered structures within the Tonga subduction zone's mantle wedge, revealing unexpected features that contradict textbook models. The study suggests water and fluids played a key role in shaping the mantle structure, with implications for the formation of volcanic arcs.
Researchers at UC Santa Cruz determine the 3D structure of an RNA enzyme, or ribozyme, that carries out a fundamental reaction required to make new RNA molecules. The discovery provides insight into what may have been the first self-replicating molecule to arise billions of years ago.
The AEGIS survey reveals a consistent relation between galaxy mass and star and gas orbital speed over billions of years, constraining galaxy formation theories. The findings suggest fundamental properties of galaxies have changed little over the past 8 billion years.