Rollercoaster science:
the ups and downs of summer fieldwork
Cassandra Swett never expected that a field of corn would be her undoing. But there it was, her cornfield, ransacked by hungry crows. Her project destroyed.
Preventing the dreaded knee injury
UCD research could save athletes from ligament tears
A recent UC Davis Human Performance Laboratory study found that landing on the toes after a forward jump cuts forces on the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in half, potentially preventing the ACL from snapping.
Science after an island apocalypse
Eruption could reveal clues to origin of island life
It started with a daring escape.
Making memories in a brain-scanner
UC Davis study challenges theories about the hippocampus
Deep in the fleshly, pink center of the human brain is an odd structure. It's a sort of bent-over "Y" shape that fires into action to form new memories. The structure is called a hippocampus, and without it, you'd have amnesia.
Study: Chemical in cocoa is good for the heart
Flavanols help heal arteries, lower blood pressure
Back in the 1500s, chocolate wasn't the stuff of Hershey's, it was medicine. The Spanish colonists believed cocoa drinks could cure ailments from dirty teeth to excessive flatulence. But the Spanish also claimed cocoa could help with heart problems - and they were right.
Invention leads to faster and cheaper HIV testing
Method could be applied to many other diseases
According to a 2006 Centers for Disease Control report on HIV prevalence, more than a million people live with HIV in the United States. One in every five Americans with HIV is unaware of having the infection.
No happy clams in Lake Tahoe
UC Davis researchers devise new way to eradicate invasive species
When the non-native Asian clam species was spotted in Lake Tahoe back in 2002, it didn't seem like a big deal. Boaters reported seeing strange, golden-colored shells, but it wasn't an Asian clam invasion - not yet.
UC Davis study uncovers olive oil fraud
Mislabeled bottles can sell for a higher price
Many of the of the olive oils sold as top-grade "extra virgin" are not what their labels claim, according to a new study from the UC Davis Olive Center. Authentic extra virgin oil has more complex flavors and is milled without heat or chemical solvents. As the top grade of olive oil, extra virgin also commands the highest price.
Study shows link between whale size and diet
UC researchers answer popular question
The immense variation in cetacean size has arisen as a popular question among scientists in recent years, only to be answered by a group of researchers from the UC system.
E. coli continue to be problematic in California
Bacteria not prevalent in central coast but still worrisome
Recently released documents publishing the results of E.coli 0157:H7 in California's central coast indicate that the bacteria are present but not prevalent.
