News Archive - Environment

UC San Diego Researchers Discover Human Burials and Artifacts in Ancient Mycenaean Tomb

The field researchers also collected paleo-environmental data concerning climate and environmental change during the Late Bronze Age.

Rise of Aggressive Reef Predator From Overfishing May Impede Sea Urchin Recovery, Study Finds

A new study suggests that an aggressive reef competitor—the Threespot Damselfish—may have impeded the recovery of Caribbean long-spined sea urchin populations after a mysterious disease outbreak caused a massive die-off of these animals over three decades ago.

Biological Activity Found to Affect Aerosols Produced from Sea Spray

Chemists have discovered that tiny particulate matter called aerosols lofted into the atmosphere by sea spray and the bursting of bubbles at the ocean’s surface are chemically altered by the presence of biological activity.

Study Finds Bacteria Living in Marine Sponge Produce Toxic Flame Retardant-Like Compounds

A Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California San Diego-led research team discovered for the first time that a common marine sponge hosts bacteria that specialize in the production of toxic compounds nearly identical to man-made fire retardants.

Dread of Roses: Neurobehavioral Effects Found in Children Exposed to Flower Pesticides

Researchers at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine, with colleagues in Ecuador and Minnesota, have found altered short-term neurological behaviors in children associated with a peak pesticide spraying season linked to the Mother’s Day flower harvest. This study examined children who did not work in agriculture but who lived in agricultural communities in Ecuador.

Scientists Complete First EPA-Approved Outdoor Field Trial for Genetically Engineered Algae

Scientists have successfully completed the first outdoor field trial sanctioned by the EPA for genetically engineered algae. Algae tested under real-world conditions in outdoor ponds demonstrated that genetically engineered strains can be successfully cultivated outdoors without adversely impacting native algae populations.

Researchers Receive $7.5 Million Grant to Study Memory Capacity and Energy Efficiency in the Brain

A team of researchers at the University of California San Diego and Stanford University has received a $7.5 million, five-year grant to try to answer two fundamental questions: what is the memory capacity of a brain; and how does the brain process information with maximum energy efficiency. The grant was awarded by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research through a Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative (MURI).

UC President Briefed on UC San Diego, QI Commercialization and Startups

UC President Janet Napolitano visited the UC San Diego campus and the Qualcomm Institute on Friday, April 21, for briefings on local activities aimed at commercializing academic research and supporting student entrepreneurship.

Engineers Investigate a Simple, No-Bake Recipe to Make Bricks from Martian Soil

Explorers planning to settle on Mars might be able to turn the planet’s red soil into bricks without needing to use an oven or additional ingredients. Instead, they would just need to apply pressure to compact the soil—the equivalent of a blow from a hammer. These are the findings of a study published in Nature Scientific Reports on April 27, 2017. The study was authored by a team of engineers at the University of California San Diego and funded by NASA.

Common Pesticide Damages Honey Bee’s Ability to Fly

Biologists at UC San Diego have provided the first evidence that a widely used pesticide can significantly impair the ability of otherwise healthy honey bees to fly. The study, which employed a specially constructed bee “flight mill,” raises concerns about how pesticides affect the honey bees’ capacity to pollinate and long-term effects on the health of honey bee colonies.