Without this, plants cannot respond to temperature
UC Riverside scientists have significantly advanced the race to control plant responses to temperature on a rapidly warming planet. Key to this breakthrough is miRNA, a molecule nearly 200,000 times smaller than the width of a human hair.
Hunting Venus 2.0: Scientists sharpen their sights
With the first paper compiling all known information about planets like Venus beyond our solar system, scientists are the closest they’ve ever been to finding an analog of Earth’s “twin.”
Humans bite back by deactivating mosquito sperm
New UC Riverside research makes it likely that proteins responsible for activating mosquito sperm can be shut down, preventing them from swimming to or fertilizing eggs.
The planet that could end life on Earth
A terrestrial planet hovering between Mars and Jupiter would be able to push Earth out of the solar system and wipe out life on this planet, according to a UC Riverside experiment.
Breathing is going to get tougher
When global temperatures increase by 4 degrees Celsius, harmful plant emissions and dust will also increase by as much as 14 percent, according to new UC Riverside research.
California will inevitably shake like Turkey
Many in California have questions about the conditions that caused the Turkish earthquake, and wonder whether the western U.S. is likely to suffer a similar fate. UC Riverside seismologist David Oglesby weighs in with answers.
Fungi and bacteria are binging on burned soil
UC Riverside researchers have identified tiny organisms that not only survive but thrive during the first year after a wildfire. The findings could help bring land back to life after fires that are increasing in both size and severity.
Soil tainted by air pollution expels carbon
New UC Riverside research suggests nitrogen released by gas-powered machines causes dry soil to let go of carbon and release it back into the atmosphere, where it can contribute to climate change.
Prof pours cold water on coffee pod controversy
New research from the University of Quebec declares coffee pods are “better for the planet than filtered brew.” Here to weigh in on the matter is UCR's Andrew Gray, who studies the movement of plastic pollutants through the environment.
Landscaping for drought: we’re doing it wrong
Many Southern Californians plant trees prized for drought tolerance, but a new UC Riverside-led study shows that these trees lose this tolerance once they’re watered.
Decoding the secret language of photosynthesis
For decades, scientists have been stumped by the signals plants send themselves to initiate photosynthesis, the process of turning sunlight into sugars. UC Riverside researchers have now decoded those previously opaque signals.
Precise solar observations fed millions in ancient Mexico
Without clocks or modern tools, ancient Mexicans watched the sun to maintain a farming calendar that precisely tracked seasons and even adjusted for leap years.
Post-lockdown auto emissions can’t hide in the grass
University of California scientists have a new way to demonstrate which neighborhoods are most affected by air pollution from vehicle emissions. Their technique could help ensure people most affected by pollution will benefit from efforts to reduce it.
How giant-faced owls snag voles hidden in snow
Great gray owls’ physical features, especially parts of their wings and face, help them correct for sonic distortions caused by snow, enabling them to find moving food with astonishing accuracy, according to a new UC Riverside study.
Earth might be experiencing 7th mass extinction, not 6th
New research suggests environmental changes caused the first mass extinction event in history, which occurred millions of years earlier than scientists previously realized.
Injections for diabetes, cancer could become unnecessary
Researchers at UC Riverside are paving the way for diabetes and cancer patients to forget needles and injections, and instead take pills to manage their conditions.
The unintended consequences of using a ventilator
Breakthrough research addresses a long-standing question in pulmonary medicine about whether modern ventilators overstretch lung tissue. They do.
Discovery could dramatically narrow search for space creatures
An Earth-like planet orbiting an M dwarf — the most common type of star in the universe — appears to have no atmosphere at all. This discovery could cause a major shift in the search for life on other planets.
Broccoli gas: a better way to find life in space
Broccoli, along with other plants and microorganisms, emit gases to help them expel toxins. Scientists believe these gases could provide compelling evidence of life on other planets.
Why the Salton Sea is turning into toxic dust
The Salton Sea, California’s most polluted inland lake, has lost a third of its water in the last 25 years. New research has determined a decline in Colorado River flow is the reason for that shrinking.