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2009 Physical and Biological Sciences

December 19, 2009
Global warming likely to be amplified by slow changes to Earth systems
The sensitivity of Earth's temperature to increases in carbon dioxide in the atmosphere may be greater than has been expected on the basis of climate models.
December 16, 2009
Three UCSC professors elected 2009 AAAS Fellows
Three professors at the University of California, Santa Cruz, have been awarded the distinction of AAAS Fellow by the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
December 16, 2009
Supernova explosions stay in shape
Supernova remnants--the debris from exploded stars--retain information about how their progenitor stars exploded.
December 15, 2009
Pre-eruption earthquakes offer clues to volcano forecasters
Pre-eruption earthquakes give scientists an opportunity to study the tumult beneath a volcano and may help them improve the accuracy of eruption forecasts.
December 15, 2009
Soap opera in the marsh: Coots foil nest invaders, reject impostors
Coots have evolved a remarkable set of cognitive abilities to thwart other coots that lay eggs in their neighbors' nests.
December 14, 2009
Icy moons of Saturn and Jupiter may have conditions needed for life
Evidence from recent NASA missions suggests that conditions necessary for life may exist on the icy satellites of Saturn and Jupiter, according to planetary scientist Francis Nimmo.
December 13, 2009
New planet discoveries suggest low-mass planets are common around nearby stars
An international team of planet hunters has discovered as many as six low-mass planets around two nearby Sun-like stars.
December 06, 2009
Cholera bacteria show adaptability to changing environments
Understanding the behavior of cholera bacteria between epidemics and how the pathogen moves between different environments could help prevent outbreaks.
November 18, 2009
Chemist Jin Zhang elected Fellow of American Physical Society
Jin Zhang, professor of chemistry and biochemistry, has been elected a Fellow of the American Physical Society in recognition of his outstanding contributions to physics.
November 08, 2009
Studies show marine reserves are an effective tool for managing fisheries
Studies conducted in California and elsewhere provide support for the use of marine reserves as a tool for managing fisheries and protecting marine habitats.
November 08, 2009
Chemistry professor Phil Crews receives outstanding faculty award
Phillip Crews, professor of chemistry and biochemistry, has received the 2008-09 Outstanding Faculty Award from the Division of Physical and Biological Sciences.
November 08, 2009
Cosmology lectures by Joel Primack and Nancy Abrams now on YouTube
Joel Primack, professor of physics, and his wife Nancy Abrams gave a series of four public lectures at Yale University in October, and videos of those talks are now available on YouTube.
November 01, 2009
Legendary "man-eating" lions of Tsavo likely ate about 35 people--not 135, say scientists
The notorious "man-eating lions of Tsavo" that terrorized a railroad camp in Kenya in 1898 likely consumed about 35 people--far fewer than popular estimates.
October 28, 2009
Lead poisoning threatens a vulnerable albatross population
Populations of Laysan albatross face severe declines due to widespread lead poisoning of chicks unless comprehensive cleanup measures gain momentum, according to a recent study.
October 21, 2009
Researchers to study hidden lakes beneath West Antarctic ice sheet
UCSC researchers will drill through a half-mile of ice to penetrate subglacial Lake Whillans and study hidden processes that govern the dynamics of the West Antarctic ice sheet.
October 15, 2009
Popular Science taps UCSC anthropologist Nathaniel Dominy for "Brilliant 10" issue
Popular Science names Nathaniel J. Dominy one of this year's "Brilliant 10" young scientists and researchers.
October 05, 2009
UCSC arts and science faculty collaborate for exhibition at Sesnon Gallery
"Full Disclosure"--an exhibition opening on October 7 at UCSC's Sesnon Gallery-is built upon the idea of "failure" as a path to learning.
October 05, 2009
Antarctic expedition studies survival strategies of Weddell seals
Eight years after her last major expedition to Antarctica, biologist Terrie Williams is back on the ice.
October 02, 2009
Loma Prieta led to better assessments of earthquake hazards
The 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake was a wakeup call to the Central Coast and San Francisco Bay Area, which had gone decades without a major earthquake. In the 20 years since then, increasingly sophisticated assessments of earthquake hazards have led to a better understanding of the seismic threat in the Bay Area and throughout California.
October 01, 2009
Five faculty members win 2009 NSF CAREER awards
Five UCSC faculty members have won NSF CAREER awards in 2009.
September 28, 2009
Academic program for community college students wins extended NIH funding
A UCSC program that provides an academic bridge for community college students has received a $1.1 million grant from the NIH.
September 14, 2009
Lick Observatory honors Kenneth and Gloria Levy with inaugural James Lick Award
Kenneth and Gloria Levy will receive the James Lick Award in recognition of their generous support for the Automated Planet Finder telescope.
September 04, 2009
Lick Observatory celebrates 50th anniversary of Shane Telescope
For 50 years, the 3-meter Shane Telescope has helped keep Lick Observatory at the forefront of modern astronomy.
August 24, 2009
IMS director Gary Griggs and alumna Julie Packard named 2009 California Coastal Heroes
Sunset magazine and the California Coastal Commission have named Gary Griggs and Julie Packard among their 2009 California Coastal Heroes.
August 18, 2009
Fermi results featured on cover of Science
UCSC physicists and astronomers are coauthors of three major papers reporting scientific results from Fermi in the August 14 issue of Science.
August 12, 2009
Variability of type 1a supernovae has implications for dark energy studies
A new study reveals sources of variability in type 1a supernovae that could affect the precision of cosmic distance measurements.
August 05, 2009
Astrophysicist establishes John Bahcall Award for top Mexican physics student
One of the top physics students in Mexico is spending this summer studying astrophysics at UCSC as the first winner of the John Bahcall Award.
July 22, 2009
UC astronomer cheers Mauna Kea selection as site for Thirty-Meter Telescope
A leading astronomer at UC Santa Cruz hailed the selection of Mauna Kea in Hawaii as the site for construction of the Thirty-Meter Telescope.
July 21, 2009
UCSC scores high in competition for UC multi-campus research funding
Four research programs headquartered at UC Santa Cruz have received awards in the 2009 UC Multi-Campus Research Programs and Initiatives Competition (MRPI).
July 20, 2009
Apollo 11 anniversary: Lick Observatory scientist recalls experiment 40 years ago
Forty years ago, Apollo 11 astronauts set a device on the surface of the moon to help Lick Observatory researchers calculate the distance to earth.
July 16, 2009
Astrophysicist Enrico Ramirez-Ruiz wins prestigious NSF CAREER Award
Enrico Ramirez-Ruiz, assistant professor of astronomy and astrophysics, has won a prestigious Faculty Early Career Development award from the National Science Foundation.
July 15, 2009
MBARI president Marcia McNutt to be nominated as director of U.S. Geological Survey
Marcia McNutt, professor of Earth and planetary sciences at UCSC, will be nominated as director of the U.S. Geological Survey.
July 07, 2009
U.S. research vessel enroute to Bering Sea for climate change investigations
Preparations are under way for an international marine research expedition to investigate the role of the Bering Sea in climate change.
July 02, 2009
NASA's Fermi Telescope reveals a population of radio-quiet gamma-ray pulsars
UCSC physicists have discovered a new class of pulsars using NASA's Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope.
June 24, 2009
New major in physics education approved
UCSC has approved a new major in physics education to prepare students for California teaching credentials and teaching careers in science and mathematics at the high school level.
June 16, 2009
Novel light-sensitive compounds show promise for cancer therapy
Novel compounds show promise for photodynamic cancer therapy, which uses light-activated drugs to kill tumor cells.
June 09, 2009
Top physicists gather at UCSC to honor Tom Banks and Willy Fischler
Top physicists will gather at UCSC on June 15 and 16 for a symposium in honor of Thomas Banks, professor of physics at UCSC, and Willy Fischler, professor of physics at the University of Texas, Austin.
June 08, 2009
Health sciences grad awarded Sutter scholarship for medical school
Graduating senior Brittany Guest will receive a $10,000 scholarship to help pay for medical school fees and tuition.
June 08, 2009
New technique improves estimates of pulsar ages
Astronomers have developed a new technique to determine the ages of millisecond pulsars, the fastest-spinning stars in the universe.
June 08, 2009
Groundwater fingered as a source of methylmercury in coastal waters
For the first time, scientists have detected a highly toxic form of mercury in groundwater flows at two coastal sites in California.
June 02, 2009
Volunteers keep watch as urban falcons embark on first flights
As young peregrine falcons prepare to take their first flights in San Francisco and San Jose, volunteers watch from sidewalks and rooftops to help the birds if they get into trouble.
May 29, 2009
Undergrad chosen for prestigious research internship in Japan
UCSC undergraduate Dominic Papia has been selected for a prestigious summer internship at one of Japan's premier research centers.
May 15, 2009
Third grader's question about soccer fields leads to UCSC science lab
Third-grader Claire Dworsky is investigating her own questions about water quality in Adina Paytan's laboratory at UCSC.
May 11, 2009
Hands-on research inspires freshman biology students
In the Phage Genomics Lab, a select group of freshmen dive straight into research, while also taking the usual introductory biology lectures.
May 11, 2009
30 Grads in 30 Days: Michael Beirne
B.A. music, mathematics
May 07, 2009
Scientists develop new technology for tracking algal toxins
A new tool for tracking algal toxins is under development at UCSC.
May 05, 2009
30 Grads in 30 Days: Farzaneh Tondnevis
B.S., biochemistry and molecular biology
April 24, 2009
Astronomer Sandra Faber honored by Franklin Institute
Astronomer Sandra Faber received the 2009 Bower Award and Prize for Achievement in Science in a ceremony yesterday in Philadelphia.
April 21, 2009
30 Grads in 30 Days: Scott Rohlf
B.S., Earth sciences
April 17, 2009
Study points to disruption of copper regulation as key to prion diseases
An investigation of a rare, inherited form of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease suggests that disrupted regulation of copper ions in the brain may be a key factor in this and other prion diseases.
March 31, 2009
College Eight revamps its core course to create an "outstanding freshman experience"
College Eight is revamping its core course to provide an "outstanding freshman experience."
March 25, 2009
Dedicated marine mammal volunteers save oiled otter
When a young sea otter was found on the beach covered with tar balls and slick oil, volunteers with the Marine Mammal Physiology Project sprang into action.
March 23, 2009
Hollow gold nanospheres show promise for biomedical and other applications
A new metal nanostructure has already shown promise in cancer therapy studies and could be used for chemical and biological sensors and other applications as well.
March 19, 2009
Transfer students to benefit from physics and astronomy scholarships
UCSC has received a five-year, $600,000 grant from the National Science Foundation to support talented but financially needy students pursuing bachelor's degrees in physics or astrophysics.
March 13, 2009
Universities, NASA unveil plans to build new campus at Ames
UCSC and Foothill-De Anza Community College District today announced a new partnership with NASA Ames Research Center to establish a sustainable community for education and research at the NASA Research Park.
March 09, 2009
Dust deposited in oceans may carry elements toxic to marine algae
New findings show that some sources of dust deposited in the oceans carry toxic elements that can kill marine phytoplankton.
February 26, 2009
Stem cell symposium showcases new facilities and research
The UCSC Stem Cell Symposium showcased a variety of stem cell research projects now underway on campus and celebrated the opening last year of the Shared Stem Cell Facility.
February 19, 2009
Study links seabird deaths to soap-like foam produced by red-tide algae
A "red tide" bloom of marine algae in 2007 produced a soap-like substance that stripped the natural waterproofing from birds' feathers.
February 18, 2009
Sloan Research Fellowships awarded to two UCSC profs
The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation has awarded Sloan Research Fellowships to Samit Dasgupta, assistant professor of mathematics, and Mark Krumholz, assistant professor of astronomy and astrophysics.
February 17, 2009
Astronomer Sandra Faber to receive Franklin Institute's prestigious Bower Award
Astronomer Sandra Faber has been chosen to receive the 2009 Bower Award and Prize for Achievement in Science from the historic Franklin Institute in Philadelphia.
February 16, 2009
Synthetic biology yields clues to evolution and the origin of life
The efforts of researchers in the field of synthetic biology are yielding clues to the mystery of how life began on Earth.
February 16, 2009
New monitoring stations detect "silent earthquakes" in Costa Rica
After installing a network of monitoring stations in Costa Rica, researchers have detected slow slip events ("silent earthquakes") along a major fault zone beneath the Nicoya Peninsula.
February 02, 2009
$2.2 million grant approved for program to train stem cell scientists
The governing board of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) last week approved a $2.2 million grant to UCSC to fund a training program in stem cell research.
January 29, 2009
I am elephant seals (and so can you!)
Want to know the truthiness about northern elephant seals? Become a Facebook friend of Stelephant Colbert.
January 27, 2009
Astronomers get a sizzling weather report from a distant planet
Astronomers have observed the intense heating of a distant planet as it swung close to its parent star, providing important clues to the atmospheric properties of the planet.
January 26, 2009
Jack Baskin School of Engineering to establish Keck Center for Nanoscale Optofluidics
UCSC has received a $1.5 million grant from the W. M. Keck Foundation to establish the W. M. Keck Center for Nanoscale Optofluidics.
January 14, 2009
New study resolves mystery of how massive stars form
A study led by astrophysicist Mark Krumholz shows how massive stars can form without blowing away the clouds of gas and dust that feed their growth.
January 11, 2009
Study of disease risk suggests ways to avoid slaughter of Yellowstone bison
Last winter, government agencies killed one third of Yellowstone National Park's bison herd, but such measures may be unnecessary according to researchers who have assessed the risk of disease transmission from Yellowstone bison to cattle.
January 05, 2009
Astronomers use gamma-ray burst to probe star formation in the early universe
The brilliant afterglow of a powerful gamma-ray burst (GRB) has enabled astronomers to probe the star-forming environment of a distant galaxy, resulting in the first detection of molecular gas in a GRB host galaxy.