All news
-
UC Santa Cruz professor investigates the extraordinary power of insults
What kind of injury is an insult? Is its infliction determined by the insulter or the insulted? What does it reveal about the character of both parties, as well as the character of society and its conventions? What is its…

-
Sea otter study reveals striking variability in diets and feeding strategies
Scientists studying southern sea otters at different sites in California’s coastal waters were not surprised to find that the dietary diversity of the population is higher where food is limited. But this diversity was not reflected in the diets of…

-
New nanostructured thin film shows promise for efficient solar energy conversion
Combining two nanotech methods for engineering solar cell materials appears to yield better results than either one alone does, according to UCSC chemist Jin Zhang.

-
Why diving marine mammals resist brain damage from low oxygen
Certain animals–including dolphins, whales, and sea otters–appear to be protected from low oxygen by elevated levels of oxygen-carrying proteins in their brains, according to a new study by UCSC researchers.

-
Losses of long-established genes contributed to human evolution, scientists find
The evolution of new genes is not the only way for a species to change. UCSC scientists have now carried out the first systematic computational analysis to identify long-established genes that were lost during human evolution.

-
California Coastal Commission approves UC Santa Cruz’s Coastal LRDP
At a hearing today in San Francisco, the California Coastal Commission approved UC Santa Cruz’s Coastal Long Range Development Plan (CLRDP), a land-use blueprint for possible future development at the site of UCSC’s Long Marine Laboratory.
-
UCSC faculty receive $4.5 million in new grants for stem cell research
Two UCSC faculty members have received major grants totalling $4.5 million for stem cell research from the California Insitute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM).

-
UCSC geologist probes undersea seismic zone as part of new deep-drilling experiment
The first effort to drill into an undersea zone where massive earthquakes and tsunamis are generated has yielded new data on the stresses that build up there, according to UCSC geologist Casey Moore.

-
UCSC selected to join new Science Education Alliance
UCSC has been selected as one of 12 inaugural members of the Science Education Alliance (SEA), a new program developed and funded by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) that aims to enhance the teaching of science and inspire new…

-
Study finds oral traditions effectively warn people about tsunamis and reduce mortality
Oral traditions are a very efficient means of tsunami education, according to a new study that researchers say shows the power of education to reduce mortality from tsunamis.

-
UCSC appoints Joseph Miller as Vice Provost for Silicon Valley Initiatives
Joseph Miller, a longtime professor of astronomy with extensive experience in leadership and administrative positions, has been selected to guide and expand UC Santa Cruz’s research and educational programs in Silicon Valley.

-
High-tech conservationist: Grad student helps fight local battle against logging
UCSC graduate student Adelia Barber took time away from her dissertation to conduct a timberland analysis for a grassroots group opposed to logging in an area of the Santa Cruz Mountains.

-
Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation commits $200 million support for Thirty-Meter Telescope
The University of California and the California Institute of Technology have received a $200 million commitment over nine years from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation toward the further development and construction of the Thirty-Meter Telescope (TMT).
-
UCSC offers city renewed financial support for neighborhood party patrols
UC Santa Cruz has renewed its commitment of funds to help the Santa Cruz Police Department enforce a city ordinance passed in 2005 to address the impact of large parties on local neighborhoods. For winter, spring, and fall quarter of…
-
UCSC appoints new associate vice chancellor for public affairs and communications
Barry Shiller, a public affairs professional with private-sector and higher-education experience, has been appointed the new associate vice chancellor for public affairs and communications at UC Santa Cruz.

-
Discovery of gene for black coat color in dogs has broad implications
The discovery of a gene responsible for black coat color in dogs may help researchers understand fundamental processes in humans, including the regulation of body weight and stress hormones.

-
Study of kelp harvesting finds bull kelp more vulnerable than giant kelp
As demand grows for kelp extracts, harvesters may begin to target bull kelp. If so, there may be cause for concern, according to UCSC biologists.

-
UCSC receives gift of rare audio interviews and photos of late ’60s jazz and rock icons
The University of California, Santa Cruz, has received a gift of more than 1,000 photographs of renowned jazz and rock musicians from the late 1960s, taken by the late jazz scholar and historian, Frank Kofsky. The collection includes 35mm slides,…

-
UCSC hydrogeologist provides expert advice on Pajaro Valley’s water supply
When a community forum was held in Watsonville on November 1 to discuss the future of the Pajaro Valley’s water supply, organizers turned to Andrew Fisher, professor of Earth and planetary sciences, to describe the state of the region’s ground…

-
Theoretical physicist says polymers in a vacuum may yield valuable data
A theoretical analysis of polymer behavior suggests that large molecules should behave very differently when they are in a vacuum than when in solution, suggesting new opportunities for analytical techniques such as mass spectrometry.
-
How to make the brightest supernova ever: explode, collapse, repeat
UCSC astrophysicist Stan Woosley provided an explanation for a supernova so bright–about 100 times as luminous as a typical supernova–that it challenged the theoretical understanding of what causes supernovae.

-
Ancient retroviruses spurred evolution of gene regulatory networks in primates
Ancient retroviruses helped a gene called p53 become an important “master gene regulator” in primates, according to a new study.
-
Arboretum will hold Dried Flower and Succulent Wreath Sale November 17 and 18
Hand-made wreaths and holiday decorations will be available from the UCSC Arboretum at the annual Dried Flower and Succulent Wreath Sale on Saturday and Sunday, November 17 and 18.



