You aren’t cursed (probably). Spiders really are more active in L.A. right now

Rick Vetter, a retired research associate in UCR’s entomology department, has good news for arachnophobes in the LA area. Locals are probably at less risk now from a widow bite than they once were, as black widows been pushed to the edges of the county by their less dangerous brown relatives.
The Los Angeles Times | August 7, 2024

Scientists Explored Hydrogen Forests—and May Have Uncovered Hidden Dark Matter

UCR physicist Simeon Bird is using a simulation suite, called PRIYA (named after his wife), to study a special phenomenon of hydrogen atoms in deep outer space.
Popular Mechanics | August 5, 2024

More effective termite control could be on the horizon

Termite activity is considered to be "very heavy" in California and other southeastern states, and the options to rid your home of the destructive insect are limited and often expensive. But new research from UCR entomologist Dong Hwan Choe shows help might be on the horizon.
ABC7 Eyewitness News | July 20, 2024

Inland Empire Leaders Discuss How to Strike Back Against Hate

Daryle Williams, CHASS dean, talks to Black Voice News on the importance of community participation in the panel discussion held on July 16 at UCR ARTS.  The event, dubbed “How does the Inland Empire strike back against hate?” was co-sponsored by CHASS. 
Black Voice News | July 19, 2024

AI's Energy Demands Are Out of Control. Welcome to the Internet's Hyper-Consumption Era

In addition to high levels of energy usage, the data centers that train and operate generative AI models consume millions of gallons of water. The data centers, are just evaporating water into the air, says Shaolei Ren, a responsible AI researcher at UC Riverside.
Wired | July 11, 2024

Fearsome Sharks of Today Evolved When Ancient Oceans Got Hot

UCR biologists Tim Higham and Phil Sternes conducted research showing that when the ocean got very hot approximately 122 million years ago, some sharks abandoned their habitat on the seafloor and moved up into the open ocean. That ascent may have altered their fin and body structure, which led to changes in their size and ability to swim.
The New York Times | July 8, 2024

Ancient Californian tree that has lived for 13,000 years and survived the Ice Age is now in grave danger due to modern-day crisis

UCR's Andy Sanders shares his thoughts on an ancient Californian tree that has lived for 13,000 years and survived the Ice Age.
The Daily Mail UK | July 7, 2024

Athlete and author Ivy Pochoda on ambition, sports and more

Ivy Pochoda, author and visiting assistant professor with UCR’s Palm Desert Low-Residency MFA program, featured on CBS Saturday Morning. 
CBS Saturday Morning | July 6, 2024

How Science Is Helping Us Understand Human Sacrifice

UCR anthropologist Nawa Sugiyama weighs in on a new study that considers ancient human sacrifice among the Maya of Central America.
The Wall Street Journal | July 3, 2024

Stunning trilobite fossils include soft tissues never seen before

Says Nigel Hughes about exquisitely preserved trilobite fossils, “The clarity of the preservation is astonishing and is of fundamental importance.”
Science News | June 27, 2024

Why Is It So Hard to Get a Basic Question Answered About My IUD?

Resarch by Chikako Takeshita, associate professor with the Department of Society, Environment, and Health Equity, is included in this Slate article about the IUD.
Slate | June 26, 2024

Greenhouse gases can help us find advanced alien civilisations, scientists say

UCR astrobiologist Eddie Schwieterman led a study showing how scientists could use certain artificial greenhouse gases to identify a faraway planet inhabited by intelligent life. 
The Independent UK | June 26, 2024

Bizarre alien activity could now be spotted by James Webb telescope

Our search for extraterrestrial life might have just got a whole lot easier. Now, if aliens so much as modify a planet in their solar system to make it warmer, we would be able to tell. That's thanks to a new study led by UCR astrobiologist Eddie Schwieterman, which has identified the artificial greenhouse gases that would be obvious giveaways of a terraformed planet (one that has been artificially modified to be hospitable for life).
BBC Science Focus | June 25, 2024

Iowa’s water needs protection from aquifer raiders

Article cites University of California-Riverside researcher Shaolei Ren, who estimates that ChatGPT uses up to 500 milliliters of water (about a 16-ounce water bottle) every time it’s asked a series of five-50 prompts or questions. That’s a lot of water down the drain.

Experts: Nation needs to prepare for next pandemic, even if it's not bird flu

Brandon Brown, a professor of public health at UCR's School of Medicine, says that although much of society has moved on from the most recent pandemic, COVID-19 is still here and new variants may emerge.
Yahoo News via UPI | June 18, 2024

How AI Is Fueling a Boom in Data Centers and Energy Demand

Shaolei Ren led a team of UC Riverside researchers who estimated that global AI demand could cause data centers to consume over 1 trillion gallons of fresh water by 2027. 
Time | June 12, 2024

What Do Google’s AI Answers Cost the Environment?

Shaolei Ren, a computer engineer at UCR, who studies sustainable AI, says a major challenge in switching to renewable energy is that data centers’ need for constant, stable power often does not match the rhythm of renewable energy production, which fluctuates—sometimes unpredictably—throughout the day.
Scientific American | June 11, 2024

Could applying medical nanotech to crops revolutionise farming?

UCR's Juan Pablo Giraldo, and colleagues at Carnegie Mellon University, argue that applying nanotechnology to agriculture may help growers meet increasing global food demands.
New Food Magazine | June 10, 2024

After Jan. 6, Twitter banned 70,000 right-wing accounts. Lies plummeted.

In the week after the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection, Twitter suspended some 70,000 accounts, citing their role in spreading misinformation that was fueling real-world violence. A new study led by UCR's Kevin Esterling finds the move had an immediate and widespread impact on the overall spread of bogus information on the social media site.
Washington Post | June 6, 2024

Coming to grips with a climate paradox: Less air pollution spurs more wildfires

It’s hard to fathom that there’s an upside to air pollution. But it’s becoming clear that, paradoxically, cleaning up tailpipes and smokestacks comes with a price for the planet. A study led by UCR climate scientist Robert Allen shows that as we cut polluting emissions of aerosols such as sulfur dioxide, scientists are uncovering the myriad ways these tiny, sunlight-reflecting particles have been taking some of the sting out of global warming.
Anthropocene Magazine | June 5, 2024