News

UC Riverside professor of environmental toxicology, David Volz argues that California lawmakers should prevent furniture manufacturers from going back to using toxic, ineffective chemical flame retardants.

The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) welcomes two UC Riverside professors as new members: Mary Droser, distinguished professor of earth and planetary sciences, and Hailing Jin, Cy Mouradick Endowed Chair of microbiology and plant pathology.

Once thought resistant to invasion, regional deserts are losing native plants to aggressive weedy species like Saharan mustard. UC Riverside research shows its spread is disrupting biodiversity and reducing the desert’s ability to recover from extreme climate swings.

Chemists have confirmed a 67-year-old theory about vitamin B1 by stabilizing a reactive molecule in water — a feat long thought impossible.

Despite modern cars generally being cleaner and more fuel efficient, a University of California, Riverside study shows that higher speed limits can make city air dirtier.

In a first-of-its-kind study from UCR, psychologists tested whether workers could reshape their self-image through a digital tool that reinforces positive beliefs. It turns out, they can.

Parasitic weeds are ruthless freeloaders, stealing nutrients from crops and devastating harvests. But what if farmers could trick these invaders into self-destructing? Scientists at UC Riverside think they’ve found a way.

UC Riverside scientists identify a new way to detect life in outer space with currently existing telescopes. The method hinges on worlds that look nothing like Earth, and gases rarely considered in the search for extraterrestrials.

The megalodon has long been imagined as an enormous great white shark, but new research suggests that perception is all wrong. The study finds the prehistoric hunter had a much longer body—closer in shape to a lemon shark or even a large whale. The study team, which included researchers from...

A new species of native California shrub famous for its twisted branches and wildfire resilience has been discovered on the central coast, but its survival is already threatened by urban development that could destroy its fragile population.

Andrew Gray, an associate professor of watershed hydrology at UCR, weighs in on the threats to life and infrastructure posed by fast-moving debris flows, and how residents can best respond.

UCR scientists have developed new light-sensitive chemicals that can radically improve the treatment of aggressive cancers with minimal side effects.

Many may be familiar with the new dean of the College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, or CNAS. Peter Atkinson, a professor of genetics in the Department of Entomology, has been with UC Riverside for 28 years. Less familiar may be his vision, which emphasizes social mobility, collaboration with other...

Millions of women undergo episiotomies during childbirth every year, yet the mechanics behind these surgical cuts remain largely unstudied. A new research project is poised to change that, addressing this significant gap in women’s healthcare.

Many phone apps offer general but nonspecific information about airborne particles. To help increase public safety amidst the LA fires, UC Riverside scientists are making new, real-time, advanced air pollutant measurements available to the public.

UC Riverside climate scientist Francesca Hopkins explains how carbon emissions from human activities turn into conflagrations, and she has some ideas about making urban landscapes more resilient.

Biofilm, a slimy bacterial layer that clings to surfaces, makes infections harder to treat when they form protective shields for bacteria on medical devices. Scientists have discovered a chemical that prevents biofilm from forming.

UC Riverside scientists have developed a nanopore-based tool that could help diagnose illnesses much faster and with greater precision than current tests allow, by capturing signals from individual molecules.

Scientists have discovered a way to remove toxic compounds from potatoes and tomatoes, making them safer to eat and easier to store. The breakthrough could cut food waste and enhance crop farming in extreme environments, like outer space.

California’s native wildflowers are being smothered by layers of dead, invasive grasses. A UCR study shows simply raking these layers can boost biodiversity and reduce fire danger.