Egghead Content

Recent Volcanoes on the Moon?

Andy Fell — September 04, 2024 - 3:09pm

New results from China’s Chang’e 5 lunar samples returned to Earth provide evidence for active volcanoes on the Moon as recently as 120 million years ago. Previously, scientists had thought that any activity with magma (molten rock) rising to the Moon’s surface ended billions of years ago.

California Native Fish in Decline

Andy Fell — September 03, 2024 - 12:02pm

From mighty sturgeon to tiny smelt, California's native fish are in trouble, under pressure from a variety of causes including drought, habitat loss and diversion of water for human uses, and climate change. A new blog post from Professor Andrew Rypel and Distinguished Professor emeritus Peter Moyle at the �ٺ��Ƶ Center for Watershed Sciences highlights some examples.

Physicist Receives $1.25 Million Grant to Investigate Superconductivity

Andy Fell — August 22, 2024 - 2:09pm

�ٺ��Ƶ physicist Inna Vishik is among the third annual cohort of Experimental Physics Investigators supported by the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation. Vishik, associate professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, joins 18 other researchers nationwide who will each receive a five-year, $1.25 million grant to pursue new research goals and explore uncharted, innovative ideas.

No Evidence of a Common Set of Regeneration Genes

Andy Fell — August 19, 2024 - 2:57pm

Some animals, especially those that have been around for a long time in evolutionary terms, possess extraordinary abilities to regenerate lost limbs or organs. These animals, such as flatworms, salamanders and zebrafish, are not at all closely related, suggesting that the ability to regenerate goes far back in evolutionary time. Is it possible to find a common set of genes for regeneration, that could unlock a new understanding of this process?

New Microscope Offers Faster, High-Resolution Brain Imaging

Andy Fell — August 15, 2024 - 3:33pm

Researchers at �ٺ��Ƶ have developed a new microscope to capture high-speed images of brain cell activity with less harm to brain tissue. The new approach could be used in research with mice to provide a clearer view of how neurons communicate in real time, leading to new insights into brain function and neurological diseases.

Can Autonomous Vehicles Dream of Electric Traffic?

Andy Fell — August 08, 2024 - 2:10pm

An engineering professor at the University of California, Davis, is striving to make autonomous vehicles, or AVs, safer by changing how researchers train them.

According to Professor Junshan Zhang of the �ٺ��Ƶ Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, AVs struggle when confronted with unforeseen events, such as a car driving on the wrong side of the road.

Humans are Born to Run

Andy Fell — July 30, 2024 - 3:24pm

The 2024 Summer Olympics are in full swing. One of the marquee events is of course the marathon, a grueling test of fitness and athleticism.

When it comes to endurance running, humans are among the very top mammals in their athletic prowess. While we may not be the best sprinters in the animal kingdom, we can run steadily for long distances, even in hot weather. Our locomotor muscles are dominated by slow-twitch, fatigue-resistant fibers and our unique ability to sweat allows our bodies to effectively dissipate heat.

Researchers Examine How Early Harvest, Storage Affect Tomatoes

Emily C Dooley — June 28, 2024 - 10:04am

New research out of �ٺ��Ƶ looked at what happened at the molecular level when tomatoes were harvested before ripening and stored at certain temperatures. The findings could improve postharvest handling methods and reduce food loss and waste.

Making Human Breast Milk Sugars in Plants

Andy Fell — June 13, 2024 - 11:17am

About three in four babies worldwide drink infant formula in the first six months of life, either as their sole source of nutrition or as a supplement to breastfeeding. But while formula provides an essential food for growing babies, it currently does not replicate the full nutritional profile of breast milk.

Physicists Measure the Very, Very, Very Small

Andy Fell — June 04, 2024 - 10:38am

�ٺ��Ƶ physicists working at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN in Geneva, Switzerland, recently completed a measurement that sets an upper limit on the size of one of the smallest particles known, the tau lepton.