Science & Technology

In collaboration with the San Francisco Estuary Institute, UC Davis researchers have made headway in understanding the sources of toxic mercury in the San Francisco Bay and Delta. The findings, revealed in SFEI's annual report of the Regional Monitoring Program for Water Quality (RMP), indicate that changes in current habitat management techniques could prevent mercury from entering the food web and threatening the health of wildlife and humans.

Today

"Biological Control of Greenhouse Pests with Natural Arthropod Enemies"

Urs Wyss

122 Briggs, 12:10 to 1 p.m.

Sponsored by the entomology department

UC Davis research physicist Richard Breedon and dean of mathematical and physical sciences Winston Ko are just a couple names from a group of UC Davis faculty working on the world's largest and most powerful particle accelerator, the Large Hadron Collider.

"UC Davis was one of the very few American groups in particular that started in the very beginning," Ko said.

UC Davis chemistry lecturer Andreas Toupadakis came to America from Greece in 1978 to get his Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of Michigan. After teaching at several universities around the country, he found a home at UCD several years ago.

Toupadakis has more holistic extracurricular interests than your average chemistry professor - including philosophy, life planning, gardening and making his own soap.

HIV affects new populations in China

While China has a low number of HIV cases - 700,000 - for a population of 1.3 billion, the rising infection rate is cause for concern, according to a study based out of Rockefeller University.

Since 2005, the number of cases has risen by 8 percent and expanded into all provinces. Transmission is increasing especially rapidly among gay men and female prostitutes.

Climate change is triggering population booms and declines for certain types of algae in Lake Tahoe, according to a recent study from the UC Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center.

The shifting makeup of these algae communities could affect biological and physical conditions in the lake, including the food web and water clarity.

Even though UC Davis is safe from a major earthquake, one member of the campus community is preparing for the world's worst. Ross Boulanger, Ph.D., is an earthquake specialist in the Civil and Environmental Engineering department. Between teaching classes and overseeing major earthquake, dam and levee studies, he recently co-wrote and published a book on liquefaction, or the damage that happens underground when earthquakes hit. But don't let that bring you down - this Canadian professor loves every quaking minute of his research and professorship!

A new study tracing the path of many galaxy clusters scattered over a wide span of sky shows that they are all moving toward one point in the universe.

The finding was unexpected and contradicts most theories about the state of the universe, said study author Dale Kocevski, a postdoctoral researcher at UC Davis.

Scientists at UC Davis have discovered a rice protein that plays a major role in moderating the resistance to infectious disease, a discovery that may have important medical and agricultural applications around the world.

A study led by plant pathology professor Pamela Ronald identified the protein XB15, a major player in the rice plant's immune system that stops the immune response from overreacting and damaging the plant.

Mars Rover begins long journey to new crater

NASA's Mars rover Opportunity has a new destination: a 13.7 mile wide crater named Endeavor.

Scientists anticipate Opportunity would be able to see deeper layers of rock in the crater, cluing into more information on Mars' geological past.

roduction of electronics adds greenhouse gas to atmosphere

A little-known greenhouse gas, nitrogen trifluoride, often used in the manufacturing of semiconductors for cell phones, MP3 players and flat-screen TVs, could soon be a major contributor to global warming, according to a UC Irvine study.

Martian soil capable of supporting plant life

NASA's Mars Phoenix Lander determined that nutrients required for plant growth are present in a soil a sample taken from the planet's northern arctic plain.

s there anything more refreshing than a cold beer at the end of a long day? How about a glass of red wine? If you can't decide, you're not alone.

Charles Bamforth, head of the UC Davis brewing program, discusses this dilemma in his newest book titled Grape vs. Grain: A Historical, Technological, and Social Comparison of Wine and Beer, which aims to correct common misconceptions held by the general public about both beverages.

A lucky few find their passion early in life and are able to follow it their whole lives. Master brewer Michael Lewis, UC Davis professor emeritus of brewing science, is one such person. He was awarded the 2008 Brewers Association Recognition Award at the 25th annual Craft Brewers Conference in mid-May.

Is the universe getting larger and faster?

The universe might not operate under the rules scientists have given it. Ten years ago, astronomers and cosmologists discovered that galaxies other than our own are actually accelerating away from the center of the universe.