2006
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Hubble surveys find gamma-ray bursts and supernovae in different environments
Long gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are associated with the deaths of only the most massive stars and occur relatively rarely in spiral galaxies such as our own Milky Way, according to research published online in Nature this week. That’s good news, because a nearby gamma-ray burst could wreak havoc on Earth by destroying the ozone layer…
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Renowned author and ethicist Peter Singer to speak at UCSC on May 11
The Philosophy Department and Stevenson College at UC Santa Cruz will present a lecture by renowned Australian philosopher and ethicist Peter Singer on Thursday, May 11, at 4 p.m. in UCSC’s Quarry Amphitheater. Singer will speak about his new book: The Way We Eat: Why Our Food Choices Matter (Rodale Books; May, 2006). Admission is…
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Greenbeards have blue throats in a breakthrough study of the evolution of altruistic behavior
A new study of side-blotched lizards in California has revealed the genetic underpinnings of altruistic behavior in this common lizard species, providing new insights into the long-standing puzzle of how cooperation and altruism can evolve. The study, led by researchers at the University of California, Santa Cruz, offers the first evidence in vertebrates of an…
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UC Santa Cruz to present Digital Arts and New Media Festival, May 4-7
UCSC’s Digital Arts and New Media program (DANM) will present “DANM Festival 2006,” a four-day series of events that includes exhibitions, performances, symposia, and film screenings from May 4-7. It will include work by national and international artists, expert speakers, and students from the M.F.A. program. Events will take place on campus and at the…
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Two UCSC faculty members elected to National Academy of Sciences
Two faculty members at the University of California, Santa Cruz, were elected to the National Academy of Sciences on Tuesday in recognition of their distinguished and continuing achievements in original research. David Haussler, professor of biomolecular engineering, and Stan Woosley, professor of astronomy and astrophysics, are among 72 new members of the academy elected this…
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Three UCSC professors elected to American Academy of Arts and Sciences
Three faculty members at the University of California, Santa Cruz, are among the newly elected fellows of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. They are Harry Berger, Jr., professor emeritus of English literature and history of art and visual culture; David Haussler, professor of biomolecular engineering; and Harold Widom, professor emeritus of mathematics. The…
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Global warming expert to speak at UCSC on Wednesday, May 10
Michael Mann, director of the Earth System Science Center at Pennsylvania State University, will give a lecture on global climate change on Wednesday, May 10, at UC Santa Cruz. His talk–“Global Climate Change: Past and Future”–will take place at 7 p.m. at the Seymour Center at UCSC’s Long Marine Laboratory. The event is free and…
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Stem cell expert Irving Weissman to speak at UCSC on Thursday, May 11
Irving Weissman, director of the Institute of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine at Stanford University, will give the 2006 Sinsheimer Lecture in Biology at the University of California, Santa Cruz, on Thursday, May 11. “Stem Cells: Units in Regeneration, Cancer, and Natural Selection” is the title of Weissman’s talk, which will take place at…
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UCSC to hold 16th annual Alumni Vintners Wine Tasting on Saturday, April 22
The UCSC Alumni Association’s popular annual Alumni Vintners Wine Tasting will be held this Saturday, April 22, and the public is invited. The evening event, showcasing select wines, gourmet food, and music by UCSC chefs, vintners, and musicians, will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Multipurpose Room at College Nine and College…
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Insects that produce males from unfertilized eggs reveal a surprising cellular feat
Scientists have long known that the social insects in the order Hymenoptera–which includes ants, bees, and wasps–have an unusual mechanism for sex determination: Unfertilized eggs develop into males, while fertilized eggs become females. But the development of an unfertilized egg into an adult (called parthenogenesis) remains a mysterious process. One mystery has been the origin…