Science & Technology

Research from UC Davis scientist challenges a traditional ecology theory A recent study published in Ecology Letters and led in part by UC Davis entomology and nematology professor Rachel Vanette could change scientists’ understanding of how microbes are dispersed in nature. Mimulus aurantiacus, commonly called Sticky Monkeyflower, is a flowering plant found along the West […]

Scientists hope to control spread of illness with genetically modified mosquitoes resistant to malaria parasite, use of CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing tool Malaria is responsible for about half a million deaths every year. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) currently reports that 3.2 billion people inhabit areas at risk of malaria transmission. The prevalence of this mosquito-borne […]

Scientific, medical experts come together to advocate for action, policy change Significant scientific evidence links exposure to toxic environmental chemicals to neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism, attention deficits, hyperactivity and other learning and intellectual disabilities. Project TENDR: Targeting Environmental Neurodevelopmental Risks, co-founded by Irva Hertz-Picciotto, the director of the UC Davis Environmental Health Sciences Core […]

Home remodeling project in San Francisco leads to study of a mummified child In a strange twist of events, a seemingly normal home remodeling project turned into an archaeological excavation led by archaeologist and UC Davis anthropology professor Jelmer Eerkens when the mummified daughter of an elite historical San Francisco family was uncovered. The California […]

New planetary object rocks canonical Earth-moon theory The giant-impact hypothesis is the most popular in explaining the moon’s origins and  matches up with the prominent theories of the solar system’s formation. But there are still many mysteries that have yet to be solved — and the research team of a Harvard graduate student and a […]

Computer Science Department experiences rise in academic dishonesty complaints There has been a remarkable surge in attraction toward the computer science (CS) major over recent years, and computer science courses have gained an immense amount of popularity among students at UC Davis. Unfortunately, accompanying this increased interest is a dramatic increase in the number of […]

Simple social rules help predict where wild baboons will position in groups New research on the spatial organization of baboons was recently published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society. UC Davis assistant professor and senior author Margaret Crofoot contributed to the data collection portion of this project. Over eight days, 26 wild baboons […]

Design of wind energy facilities impacts predators, prey Although habitat disturbance is hardly ever viewed as favorable for wildlife, the presence of wind turbines can lead to unique opportunities and advantages for some species, such as desert tortoises. According to a recent study published in The Journal of Wildlife Management led by researchers at the […]

Population diversity key to salmon resiliency A recent report commissioned by California Trout — a San Francisco-based nonprofit — and completed by UC Davis reviewed the state of the 32 types of native California salmon, steelhead, trout and whitefish. The report, entitled State of the Salmonids II: Fish in Hot Water, was a follow-up to […]

UC Davis Center for Children’s Environmental Health and Disease, researches impact of genes, environment on developmental disorders More people than ever are being diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder in the U.S. This dramatic increase has led to a prevalence rate of 1 in 68 schoolchildren having autism, according to the Center for Disease Control and […]

Research could lead to cure of both type I, type II diabetes An estimated 29 million Americans live with diabetes and 86 million live at risk of the disease, which is recognized as a nationwide epidemic. However, the recent discovery of a new type of pancreatic cell may serve as an alternative insulin source to […]

Dogs specially trained for people with psychiatric needs Service dogs are being used to an even greater extent to help those with mental health disabilities cope, a new UC Davis study has found. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) defines a service animal as “a dog that has been individually trained to do work or […]