Media Coverage
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National Geographic
Were Neanderthal men the Romeos of the prehistoric world?
Lars Fehren-Schmitz, an anthropology professor at the University of California, Santa Cruz, who was not involved in the study, says he’s not surprised to see potential evidence of mate preference in Neanderthals, given its prevalence in human history.
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The Drive
Research Shows How Self-Driving AI Can Be Hijacked With Nothing But Ink and Paper
A team at the University of California, Santa Cruz has published new research showing how visual-language AI models that help control self-driving cars can be exploited or hijacked with carefully coded real-world commands. Or, in other words, tricking them by holding up a sign.
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Undark
As Brain Organoid Science Grows More Complex, So Do the Questions
“If we can figure out ways in which living neural networks compute so efficiently, we would have a big breakthrough in terms of trying to find and develop a better architecture for artificial computing,” said Tal Sharf, an assistant professor of biomolecular engineering at the University of California, Santa Cruz.
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New York Times
Bird Flu Strikes California Elephant Seals for the First Time
Seven elephant seal pups at Año Nuevo State Park have tested positive for the virus, known as H5N1, becoming the first recorded cases in northern elephant seals. They are among about 30 seals that have died at the park since late last week and the first to have been tested, said Roxanne Beltran, an ecologist…
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Lookout Santa Cruz
From campus to community: UCSC brings science to the neighborhood to spark local dialogue
Stefano Profumo, UCSC associate dean for graduate studies and postdoctoral affairs, said he created the series to give researchers the chance to receive “fresh perspectives and questions that can spark new research directions.” Emphasizing the value of dialogue between scientists and the public, Profumo noted that “breakthrough insights often come from unexpected places — sometimes…
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ABC 7 News
Tracking fisherman to track fish: The new technological approach to better understand ocean life
“We wondered if we could use it to understand what’s happening to the ecosystem as the climate changes,” explains Heather Welch, a marine science researcher at U.C. Santa Cruz. Instead of tracking fishing fleets, Welch and her colleagues are interested in tracking the fish themselves. Tuna to be exact.
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Santa Cruz Sentinel
UC Santa Cruz celebrates ’60s soul scene with ‘Dreamgirls’
The African American Theater Arts Troupe brings the glitter and grit of the 1960s soul scene to UC Santa Cruz with an electrifying production of Dreamgirls. Witness the rise of the Dreamettes in this high-energy musical celebrating Black excellence and the power of student performance.
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Lookout
UCSC students develop website to support Seabright small businesses amid Murray Street Bridge overhaul
As the Murray Street Bridge overhaul disrupts Seabright traffic, students from University of California, Santa Cruz step up with a new website to spotlight local shops and keep the neighborhood thriving.
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Art News
Isaac Julien and Mira Nair Among Cultural Figures Who Signed an Open Letter in Support of Former Barbican Director Devyani Saltzman
Acclaimed artist, filmmaker, and Distinguished Professor of The Arts and History of Consciousness Isaac Julien signed an open letter in support of Devyani Saltzman, the former director of London’s Barbican Centre. Saltzman left abruptly earlier this week, just a few weeks after Abigail Pogson was appointed chief executive.
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Monterey County Now
To save condors, conservation biologists take on a new role of advocating for easier access to ammo.
“It’s all about overall mortality. You want the population to be sustainable – you want more chicks in the wild to be born than to die,” says Myra Finkelstein, a professor of microbiology and environmental toxicology at UC Santa Cruz. The condor success story so far has relied on the birth part of the equation.…
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Los Angeles Times
California’s beaches grew some 500 acres in 40 years, says new study. Inside the haves and have-nots
Gary Griggs, a coastal erosion expert at U.C. Santa Cruz, described how a submarine canyon near Point Mugu has been slowly reconfigured (for reasons that aren’t clear) in a way that it effectively swallows up sand previously pushed farther down the coast by currents.
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The Guardian
The Winter Olympics feel like a 90s snowboarding game, and I’m here for it
The Guardian’s games reporter Keith Stuart recommends UC Santa Cruz professor Noah Wardrip-Fruin’s book “Animal Crossing: New Horizons: Can a Game Take Care of Us?” to his readers.