Science
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Biologist Melissa Jurica earns prestigious grant from Searle Scholars Program
The Searle Scholars Program has awarded Melissa Jurica, assistant professor of molecular, cell, and developmental biology at the University of California, Santa Cruz, a three-year, $240,000 grant to support her research. Jurica, who studies the complex system by which human cells process genetic information, is one of just 15 young scientists awarded the prestigious grants…
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UCSC Arboretum has something for every garden at the annual Spring Plant Sale on Saturday, April 16
The UC Santa Cruz Arboretum will hold its annual Spring Plant Sale on Saturday, April 16, from noon to 4 p.m. Spring is always a great time to visit the Arboretum, now celebrating its 40th anniversary, and pick out some favorite plants while the gardens are in full bloom. The plant sale will take place…
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Study shows introduced foxes transformed vegetation on Aleutian Islands from lush grassland to tundra
Huge colonies of seabirds accustomed to nesting on islands free of predators began disappearing when fur traders started introducing foxes onto islands in the Aleutian archipelago in the 18th century. The ground-nesting birds made easy meals for the foxes. A study published this week in the journal Science now shows that the effects of the…
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National Public Radio science correspondent Richard Harris to speak at UCSC on Wednesday, April 6
Award-winning journalist Richard Harris, science correspondent for National Public Radio, will speak at UC Santa Cruz on Wednesday, April 6, as part of a distinguished lecturer series. Harris, a UCSC alumnus, will give a talk entitled “Telling Tales Out of School: How One Reporter Cracks the World of Science.” The event, which is free and…
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Survey finds silver contamination in North Pacific waters, probably from industrial emissions in Asia
The highest levels of silver contamination ever observed in the open ocean turned up in samples collected during a survey of the North Pacific in 2002. Researchers from the University of California, Santa Cruz, measured silver concentrations 50 times greater than the natural background level. Though still well below levels that would be toxic to…
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Friends of Long Marine Lab will honor photographer Frans Lanting with Global Oceans Award
The Friends of Long Marine Lab will present a Global Oceans Award to renowned nature photographer and conservationist Frans Lanting at the group’s annual Gourmet Dinner benefit event on Sunday, March 20. The award recognizes Lanting for his outstanding contributions to public awareness of the natural environment. Awards will also be presented to two promising…
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Scientists concerned about potentially harmful algae persisting in Monterey Bay
A species of microscopic algae that caused “red tides” in Monterey Bay last summer, discoloring the water and killing mussels, is still present in water samples from the bay and has the potential to cause more serious problems, according to scientists involved in a Central Coast ocean monitoring program. “This species has been seen before…
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K-12 marine masterpieces exhibit opens March 12 at Seymour Center
From a toothy shark to a preening pelican, the artistic talent of dozens of students in grades K-12 will be on display at the Seymour Marine Discovery Center from March 12 through the spring. The public is invited to attend an awards ceremony and reception for the artists that will be held Saturday, March 12,…
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Ocean scientist Mary Silver to give annual Faculty Research Lecture at UCSC on Thursday, March 10
Professor of ocean sciences Mary Silver will give the annual Faculty Research Lecture at the University of California, Santa Cruz, on Thursday, March 10. Her lecture, titled “A Naturalist’s View: Toxic Algae in the Coastal Ocean,” will begin at 8 p.m. in the Colleges Nine and Ten Multipurpose Room on the UCSC campus. The event…
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Teaching undergraduates to think like researchers-new approaches emerge from experimental teaching lab at UCSC
Scientific experiments commonly yield confusing or conflicting results, and part of a researcher’s job is to incorporate such findings into a coherent framework that sheds some light on the subject under investigation. But this aspect of science rarely makes it into the classroom, where students spend a lot more time on established facts and concepts…
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New findings lead researchers to question basic assumptions of fisheries management
Biologists speaking at a symposium in Washington, D.C., last week warned that fundamental assumptions underlying current fisheries management practices may be wrong, resulting in management decisions that threaten the future supply of fish and the long-term survival of some fish populations. The symposium, organized by Steven Berkeley of the University of California, Santa Cruz, and…