News Archive - Environment

Scientists Discover How Molecule Becomes Anticancer Weapon

Years of toil in the laboratory have revealed how a marine bacterium makes a potent anti-cancer molecule. Researchers at UC San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography found that an enzyme called SalC assembles what the team calls the salinosporamide anti-cancer “warhead.”

Researchers ID Sex Pheromone of Invasive Giant Hornet

UC San Diego scientists have developed a method for tracking the invasive Asian giant “murder” hornet’s presence and possibly accelerate its removal. The researchers identified the Asian giant hornet queen’s sex pheromone, an achievement that could be used as bait to trap and track the insects.

Advanced Imaging Reveals New Cellular and Molecular Details of Coral-Algae Relationship

Researchers at UC San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography have discovered a novel molecular process that corals use to control the subcellular environment of the algae that live inside them.

Government Guidelines Across North America, Europe Fail to Protect Lakes from Salt Pollution

The salinity of freshwater ecosystems caused by road de-icing salts, agriculture fertilizers, mining operations and climate change is increasing worldwide and current water quality guidelines don’t do enough to address the issue, an international study with UC San Diego scientists has found.

Genetic Strategy Reverses Insecticide Resistance

Using CRISPR/Cas9 technology, scientists have genetically engineered a method to reverse insecticide resistance. The gene replacement method offers a new way to fight deadly malaria spread and reduce the use of pesticides that protect valuable food crops.

Ocean Physics Explain Cyclones on Jupiter

Hurtling around Jupiter and its 79 moons is the Juno spacecraft, a NASA-funded satellite that sends images from the largest planet in our solar system back to researchers on Earth. These photographs have given oceanographers the raw materials to describe the rich turbulence at Jupiter’s poles.Hurtli

Homelessness Increases Serious Illness, Emergency Room Visits During Heat Waves

UC San Diego researchers in the Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health, Scripps Institution of Oceanography and Department of Emergency Medicine, discuss the health impacts of heat waves on people experiencing homelessness, emergency department visits and which characteristics make them at-risk.

Size Matters for Bee ‘Superorganism’ Colonies

Researchers studying honey bees have found that colony size matters in determining how members make decisions in the face of dynamic survival conditions. Large, established colonies are less likely to take chances while smaller colonies are much more willing to take risks.

New Study Pinpoints Likely Path of COVID-Related Plastic Waste in the Ocean

While many researchers suspect there will be a massive influx of COVID-related mismanaged plastic waste, a new study is the first to project the magnitude and fate of the waste in the oceans.

UC San Diego Launches Comprehensive Mobility Services Powered by Ford-owned Spin and TransLoc

Spin, a micromobility provider, and TransLoc, a transportation software solutions company, are combining efforts to deliver and integrate sustainable transportation modes, improving how the university’s 75,000 students, faculty and staff move around campus.