Science & Technology

A combination of disruptive ecosystem factors could lead to savannization    By LILLY ACKERMAN — science@theaggie.org    A new study from UC Davis has found that deforestation and climate change in the Amazon Rainforest will have negative effects on a large portion of the region’s terrestrial mammal species.  According to the study, ecosystem disruption in […]

Alba Rodríguez Padilla studies the physics and geology of earthquakes, focusing on off-fault deformations and earthquake gates   By KATIE HELLMAN— science@theaggie.org Alba Rodríguez Padilla, a doctoral student in UC Davis’s Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, has studied earthquakes in the lab of Geology Professor Michael Oskin for the past five years.  “In the […]

LX-1 molecule targets two different mechanisms of prostate cancer progression    By LILLY ACKERMAN — science@theaggie.org    Researchers at UC Davis Health are studying a new compound that has the potential to target two known sources of prostate cancer, showing promise for treatment of the disease.  Dr. Allen Gao, director of Urology Research at UC […]

Report from UC Davis calls for more wildlife crossings and mountain lion-safe road projects   By LILLY ACKERMAN — science@theaggie.org    A recently published California Wildlife-Vehicle Conflict Report from the UC Davis Road Ecology Center showed that vehicles kill mountain lions at least one to two times per week in California.  Unlike previous wildlife-vehicle conflict […]

The research center will be a hub for the UC Davis neuroscience community to propel knowledge on the mechanisms of psychedelics and create effective therapeutics    By KATIE HELLMAN AND KAYA DO-KHANH — science@theaggie.org    On Feb. 2, UC Davis announced the launch of the Institute for Psychedelics and Neurotherapeutics. The center will provide a […]

High-severity wildfires are occurring much more frequently than these forests are accustomed to   By BRANDON NGUYEN — science@theaggie.org    A UC Davis study published in the journal Ecosphere recently reported that in the past decade, the Sierra Nevada and southern Cascade forests have had a drastic increase in “bad” fires. These fires are scientifically […]

Researchers find that controlled bloom patterns attract bees and improve pollination   By LILLY ACKERMAN — science@theaggie.org    A new study from researchers in UC Davis’s Department of Plant Biology found that sunflower blooms are coordinated by their circadian clocks, opening different sections of florets in a ring pattern. This makes them optimal for pollination […]

These semi-living cells offer a wide range of biomedical applications   By BRANDON NGUYEN — science@theaggie.org    In a recent study published in the journal of Advanced Science, UC Davis biomedical engineers successfully synthesized “cyborg cells.” These semi-living cells exhibit traits of a living cell but are unable to replicate, allowing researchers to better control […]

Increases in temperature and precipitation during nesting season are a growing obstacle for these birds   By LILLY ACKERMAN — science@theaggie.org    A new study from researchers at UC Davis found that increasing temperatures and changing precipitation patterns negatively affect the reproductive success of several songbird species that live along Putah Creek.  According to lead […]

UC Davis plant biologists and geneticists working with researchers in Europe and Africa find solutions to reduce the costs of planting rice, maintaining year-round crop yield   By BRANDON NGUYEN — science@theaggie.org    According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, rice is a staple crop for more than half of the world’s population. However, for […]

UC Davis researchers find cats are less stressed during video appointments than in-person visits   By LILLY ACKERMAN — science@theaggie.org    Animal welfare epidemiology researchers in UC Davis’s Department of Animal Science are studying telemedicine for cats as a way to increase ease of access to veterinary appointments.  Virtual doctor’s appointments have grown increasingly popular […]

Current screening guidelines do not sufficiently assess this demographic for cervical cancer   By LILLY ACKERMAN — science@theaggie.org    A recent study by researchers at UC Davis Health’s Comprehensive Cancer Center found that nearly one in five new cervical cancer diagnoses in California are in patients over the age of 65 and that these cases […]