Science & Technology

UC Davis researchers receive $5.5 million NIH grant to lead a five-year study on expressive communication development in children with Down syndrome   By JOANNA ABRAHAM— science@theaggie.org   Down syndrome is a genetic condition in which an individual has an extra full or partial copy of chromosome 21. The majority of Down syndrome cases are […]

Lead: a heavy metal toxin that is deeply connected to our ancestors’ neurodevelopment and historical evolutionary processes By EMILIA ROSE— science@theaggie.org In 1921, an American chemist named Thomas Midgley Jr. developed a new method to reduce engine knocking, a process in which fuel ignites unevenly and produces a shockwave. When Midgley added a small amount […]

This UC Davis study is the first meta-analysis to demonstrate a chemical pattern in anxiety disorders   By JOANNA ABRAHAM— science@theaggie.org   In a September 2025 study, UC Davis researchers linked low levels of choline, an essential nutrient, to several anxiety disorders — including generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder and social anxiety disorder. ​ Generalized […]

Tips for staying healthy and proactive this sick season By KATIE HELLMAN — science@theaggie.org It’s 2026. With the start of the new year comes lots of excitement: new beginnings, new new opportunities, new classes, new friends. However, some things stay the same; one of these is the need to be vigilant about flu season.  This […]

Nobel Prize Laureate in Physics, Adam Riess, leads two lectures at UC Davis during the start of November By EKATERINA MEDVEDEVA— science@theaggie.org The beginning of November marked a particularly exciting time for the faculty and students at the UC Davis Physics and Astronomy Department. Adam Riess, a co-winner of the 2011 Nobel Prize in Physics […]

A Summary of the 2025 Nobel Prizes in chemistry, physics and medicine and the science behind them By NAREN KRISHNA JEGAN— science@theaggie.org Recently, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences announced the 2025 Nobel prize in physics, chemistry and medicine. From sugar-sized cubes that could trap water from the driest of deserts to uncovering the way […]

Kits include computers, internet access and hotspots By JOANNA ABRAHAM— science@theaggie.org Despite Sacramento’s proximity to Silicon Valley — which is the home of multi-billion dollar tech companies and countless startups — several communities in the Sacramento region remain underserved in their access to technology and digital literacy education.   To mitigate these disparities (collectively termed the […]

What is dark matter, how do we detect it and what does it mean for our understanding of the universe? By EMILIA ROSE — science@theaggie.org  How much of the universe do we know about? Everything we can touch, see or even imagine — from the smallest particles to the largest stars —  makes up only […]

Examining the various theories and evidence about life before the extinction of the dinosaurs   By EMILIA ROSE— science@theaggie.org   66 million years ago, an asteroid of similar size to Mount Everest collided with Earth with the power of 10 billion atomic bombs. Not long after, on a geologic timescale, nearly 75% of all animals […]

This UC Davis student promotes diversity and food justice by cultivating Latin American crops and hosting cooking workshops     By LILA MAGBILANG—science@theaggie.org   Standing behind the stove of the Davis Food Co-Op Teaching Kitchen, Itzel Villagran looked like the star of her own cooking show. And to some extent, she was — this was the […]

Recent research highlights a songbird species’ beneficial relationship with their siblings, a trait that also presents in falcon sibling relationships   By KATELYN BURNS — science@theaggie.org   While cooperative relationships with siblings aren’t always the norm, in a study published in peer-reviewed journal Public Library of Science (PLOS) Biology on Oct. 9, 2025, a songbird […]

What is dark matter, how do we detect it and what does it mean for our understanding of the universe?   By EMILIA ROSE — science@theaggie.org   How much of the universe do we know about? Everything we can touch, see or even imagine — from the smallest particles to the largest stars —  makes […]