Research Highlights

Astronomers' pristine gas discovery among top scientific breakthroughs of 2011

Lists from Science and Physics World of the top scientific breakthroughs of the year include the discovery of primordial gas clouds by UCSC astronomers. More...

UC Santa Cruz astronomer Jerry Nelson to receive 2012 Franklin Medal

The Franklin Institute in Philadelphia has announced that Jerry Nelson, professor of astronomy and astrophysics, will receive the 2012 Benjamin Franklin Medal in Electrical Engineering. More...

Music professor offers first in-depth look at jazz icon Carla Bley

A new book by UC Santa Cruz music professor Amy Beal marks the first comprehensive look at the music and influence of Carla Bley—an innovative American composer and performer who has surprisingly been overlooked in the field of jazz studies. More...

Astrophysicist Enrico Ramirez-Ruiz named to Silicon Valley's '40 Under 40'

Astrophysicist Enrico Ramirez-Ruiz is among 40 "rising stars" in Silicon Valley recognized by the Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal. More...

Ocean scientist Tom Guilderson wins E. O. Lawrence Award

The U.S. Department of Energy has awarded the 2011 E. O. Lawrence Award in Biological and Environmental Sciences to ocean scientist Tom Guilderson. More...

Submarine springs offer preview of ocean acidification effects on coral reefs

Observations at submarine springs found along the coast of Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula are giving scientists a preview of the possible fate of coral reef ecosystems in response to ocean acidification. More...

Ulcer-causing bacteria tamed by defect in cell-targeting ability

Without the ability to swim to their targets in the stomach, ulcer-causing bacteria do not cause the inflammation of the stomach lining that leads to ulcers and stomach cancer. More...

UCSC leads $4 million NOAA project to monitor harmful algal blooms

Scientists are launching a major effort to understand the conditions leading to blooms of toxic algae along the California coast. More...

Astronomers find clouds of primordial gas from the early universe

For the first time, astronomers have found pristine clouds of the primordial gas that formed in the first few minutes after the Big Bang. More...

Ancient lunar dynamo may explain magnetized moon rocks

A novel mechanism that could have generated a magnetic field on the moon early in its history may explain the presence of magnetized rocks on the lunar surface. More...

UCSC wins $2.6 million grant for organic farming research

UC Santa Cruz will continue and expand its leading role in sustainable agriculture research with a $2.6 million federal grant to strengthen collaboration with Central Coast farmers to promote organic production in the region. More...

UCSC art historian contributes to Touré’s new book on “post-blackness”

History of Art and Visual Culture assistant professor Derek Conrad Murray adds to candid conversation about race in the age of Obama More...

Fermi telescope adds surprising new pulsars to growing collection

Scientists using NASA's Fermi telescope have discovered nine new gamma-ray pulsars and a surprisingly powerful millisecond pulsar. More...

UCSC cholera biofilm team wins Deloitte QB3 Award for Innovation

A team of UC Santa Cruz researchers working to find new drugs to fight cholera has won a $10,000 Award for Innovation More...

Excess nutrients threaten Elkhorn Slough ecosystem

A new study documents the effects of high nutrient levels in Elkhorn Slough, especially where water control structures limit tidal exchange. More...

Study finds early growth trajectories have long-term effects on fitness

Researchers describe how food supply and environmental conditions affect the growth rates of organisms, which in turn influence future survival and reproduction. More...

West Nile virus transmission linked to land use patterns, 'super-spreaders'

In most places, only a few key species of bird "hosts" and mosquito "vectors" are important in transmission of West Nile virus. More...

UCSC sponsors SACNAS national conference in San Jose, October 27-30

UCSC is supporting the efforts of the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science. More...

UCSC team makes final round of QB3 Award for Innovation contest

A UCSC research team is among five finalists competing for online votes to win a $10,000 innovation prize. More...

Galaxy mergers not the trigger for most black hole feeding frenzies

A survey of distant galaxies shows that galaxy mergers are not responsible for most active galactic nuclei. More...