Science & Tech

Letter from the editors: What does a second Trump presidency mean for the fate of science?

In light of last Tuesday’s election, we are faced with an urgent question: what will a second Trump presidency mean for public trust in the integrity of science? 
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Simply Stated: Can AI predict politics? Investigating the mathematics of election forecasting

Despite the overwhelming surplus of election predictions, many voters remain skeptical about whether it’s even possible to interpret the current political landscape through a scientific perspective....
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The gruesome, real-life experiments that inspired Frankenstein and their scientific possibility

An enduring symbol of Halloween, Frankenstein has become an iconic figure of horror since its origins in Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel — a story of a scientist who brings a creature to life from cadav...
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Simply Stated: Why do some people lucid dream and others don’t?

Imagine being immersed in a dream, aware that you're dreaming and able to shape and traverse the world around you with no limitations. This phenomenon is called lucid dreaming and is characterized by ...
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Research in Review: Cosmic impacts, shark tracking and cognition-boosting exercise

New UCSB research in cosmic impacts, shark tracking and cognition-boosting exercise.
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Simply Stated: Are ghosts real, or can science explain the supernatural?

From folklore to horror movies, the paranormal and its mysteries have been ingrained in society, but the scientific community largely remains skeptical about the existence of ghosts. So, what does sci...
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New UCSB study conducts first-ever mapping of the human brain across pregnancy

While we have long understood the profound changes that the human body undergoes during pregnancy, the transformation of the maternal brain has for the most part remained a mystery —  until now. Re...
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Simply Stated: The mind game of fantasy football

Fantasy sports are on an upward trend of popularity, but what are the psychological motivations and effects of this new form of gambling that is now becoming an American pastime? 
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Building futures: a conversation with the co-chair of Los Ingenieros

Fourth-year chemical engineering student Jessy Gonzalez, co-chair of Los Ingenieros, reflected on his experience being part of a community that uplifts minorities in S.T.E.M.
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Simply Stated: What’s the science behind cuteness?

Moo Deng, a baby female pygmy hippopotamus living in the Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Thailand, has recently pervaded all corners of the internet. Animals like Moo Deng with particular physical characterist...
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Research in Review: Immune cell appetizers, infrared-detecting mosquitoes and complex computing

New research in immune cell appetizers, infrared-detecting mosquitoes and complex computing.
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UCSB secures $22 million NSF grant to explore unusual microbes

The BioFoundry for Extreme & Exceptional Fungi, Archaea and Bacteria was one of five facilities awarded a $22 million grant from the National Science Foundation.
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Simply Stated: What are the effects of performance-enhancing drugs on an athlete’s body?

Like virtually all of its kind that precede it, the 2024 Summer Olympics has been rife with doping scandals. Chinese Olympic swimmer Pan Zhanle was the subject of doping accusations after he secured h...
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Simply Stated: What’s the science behind the mental strength of Olympic athletes?

The mind of an Olympic athlete is a finely tuned instrument where focus, resilience and neurological efficiency converge to produce peak performance. While Olympians’ physical prowess is the result ...
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UCSB’s MCDB department introduces new major

Embracing the dynamic landscape of biology, UC Santa Barbara introduces a new major, molecular and cellular biology (MCB), offering students the flexibility to forge their own learning path. As the ex...
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