Science & Technology

3D modeling of millipedes reveals complex mating strategies Scientists have finally uncovered the birds and the bees of millipedes. Millipede mating is a poorly understood topic in entomology, but a recent collaboration between UC Davis  entomologists and the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago reveals the intricate anatomy of millipedes. Millipedes are an incredibly […]

Energy-saving method of flying allows bees to forage for food more efficiently Bumblebees are the ultimate champions of carrying all their groceries home in a single trip. As UC Davis researchers discovered, bumblebees change their flight patterns to be efficient when carrying heavy loads of pollen and nectar. Bumblebees exhibit a behavior called foraging as […]

Capturing cabbage white butterfly proved impossible A butterfly for a pitcher of beer is not a fair trade, except in the eyes of Arthur Shapiro, a distinguished professor in the department of evolution and ecology. Each January for the past 49 years, Shapiro holds a contest between himself and the Davis community to find the […]

Three heart scientists speak on importance of this month As February comes to a close, so does American Heart Month, which spans the entirety of February, giving doctors, friends and families the perfect opportunity to continue or start the conversation of heart health and what it entails. President Lyndon B. Johnson first proclaimed the designation […]

New app connects shoppers with desired products at local businesses in Yolo County Born and raised in Woodland, Grant Lea saw a problem in his local community, one that is also reflected in the rest of the world: Local businesses, offering unique merchandise and personal interactions, struggle to survive against major online retailers, like Amazon. […]

Redhead furry friends get coat color from repeated segments of DNA A new study from UC Davis researchers explores the genetic controls that make similar breeds of dogs exhibit variation in coat colors.  This study is based on gene expression. One may already be familiar with a textbook example of dog coat color in Labrador […]

Heat-radiating panels supplement solar cells meant to generate electricity at night A groundbreaking theoretical study from two UC Davis researchers explores the possibility of using “reverse” solar cells to generate power from Earth’s residual heat instead of from direct sunlight. The cells work based on the principles of heat flow, also known as thermal radiation. […]

First federally funded gun-violence research initiative in 20 years The UC Firearm Violence Research Center (UCFC), located at UC Davis, recently launched a new round of funding for firearm violence research. This is the first round of funding to study firearm violence approved by the U.S. Congress in over two decades. Proposals for grants must […]

Aggie Invitational featured over 20 events across various disciplines Over 600 students from a variety of Northern California high schools visited UC Davis to put their scientific knowledge to the test at last month’s Aggie Invitational competition. There were 23 events with themes ranging from anatomy and protein modeling to astronomy and ornithology. Students competed […]

Researchers learn more about properties of light-distorting dark matter particles For a substance that makes up approximately 27% of the universe, there is surprisingly little knowledge about dark matter. Despite not actually detecting a dark matter particle yet, we know that dark matter exists because its existence is necessary for galaxies to hold themselves together […]

Human development research focused on often overlooked communities  In California, Hispanics have surpassed whites as the largest ethnic group in the state. Although it is often thought that this increase is due to immigration, it is actually caused by individuals already living in the state and building families.  Hispanics increasingly choose to raise families in […]

From teaching to research projects, D-lab focuses on sustainability When Dr. Kurt Kornbluth looks back on his time designing and building wheelchairs in Africa and Central America, he regards his work as only semi-successful. Although he built better wheelchairs, the project revealed an inherent flaw: He had not accounted for the societal changes that would […]