Science & Tech

January 17, 2021

Cancer and Chemo From a Wider Lens

By Sean Crommelin

Boddy began studying comparative oncology hoping to understand why some species are better equipped to weather cancer than others.

January 17, 2021

The Wolf, the Dog and the Man

By Sean Crommelin

Four different methods were tested using the remains of domestic dogs, grey wolves, coyotes and various types of foxes.

January 11, 2021

New Mobile COVID-19 Testing Unit Set Up in Santa Barbara

By Devanshi Tomar

Because the location of the testing site isn’t stationary, greater coverage is provided by the unit, as it can be moved based on the current distribution of COVID-19 cases at the time.

January 7, 2021

UCSB Expands COVID-19 Testing With CLIA-Certified On-Campus Diagnostic Laboratory

By Devanshi Tomar

The lab allows for coordination of patient sample acquisition of tests, testing logistics, case management and contact tracing efforts. 

December 20, 2020

Dating To a Science: UCSB Researchers Study Patterns in Assortative Mating

By Devanshi Tomar

While doing matrix models of mate choice, Conroy-Beam saw a correlation between specific traits, despite the traits being assorted randomly throughout individuals in the simulation. 

December 7, 2020

UCSB Researchers Find Significant Gaps in Widely Used Fisheries Datasets

By Sean Crommelin

Blasco’s hope is that studies like this will shine a spotlight on the work that those working with the FAO, RAM and the IUCN still have ahead of them.

December 7, 2020

NASA and ESA Partner up to Launch an Oceanography Satellite from Santa Barbara County Designed to Monitor Rising Sea Levels

By Brian Patton

The Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich will begin transmitting oceanography data within three months, following a series of tests and calibrations which are already underway.

December 1, 2020

At Valentine Camp, a Plan is Hatched to Fix California’s Drought-stressed, Overstuffed Forests

By Sean Crommelin

In one 155-acre plot of land in Mammoth Lakes, researchers are trying to better understand how California’s overgrown forests can be rehabilitated through both selective burning and thinning.

November 27, 2020

With a Winter Wave Looming Large, UCSB Enters Into COVID-19 Smartphone Exposure Notification Pilot Program

By Sean Crommelin

To supplement traditional means to contain the spread, such as testing and contract tracing, UCSB has entered into the California COVID Notify pilot program.

November 18, 2020

The Future of Forests in the Warming, Drying American West

By Sean Crommelin

"Physiology is very important in understanding forest mortality, but we are still missing some key mechanisms in being able to predict it at large spatial scales,” Trugman said.

November 17, 2020

UCSB Professor Wins NIH Award to Study Navigational Neurons in Fruit Flies

By Sean Crommelin

Kim specifically intends to gain an understanding of the manner in which landmarks are selected by the brain in order to establish a sense of direction. 

November 13, 2020

The Scientists’ Declassified Guide to Talking About Climate Change

By Michelle J. Lee

Through these conversations you — better than any scientist — have the opportunity to find and address misinformation, misunderstanding and fear.

November 13, 2020

In Search of Effective Conservation Strategies, Researchers Studying Amphibian Disease Look to Natural Resistance

By Katherine Sheng

“When management supports these natural mechanisms, it will lead to more successful management outcomes and fewer failures,” Brannelly said.

November 8, 2020

Mosquitoes in Santa Barbara Test Positive for West Nile Virus

By Devanshi Tomar

Carrier mosquitoes have the potential to pass the virus on to humans — but it isn’t a reason for panic.

November 3, 2020

UCSB Professor Investigates Cognitive and Neurocognitive Effects of Being an Interpreter

By Gracie Shi

Whether or not there is a cognitive advantage due to the bilingual experiences of interpreters is still in debate.

November 2, 2020

A Closer Look At California’s Iconic Oaks in Sedgwick Reserve

By Sean Crommelin

At Sedgwick, Davis and his collaborators have been studying oak regeneration on the decadal scale.