Union-backed bill would make it harder for California industries to seek voter veto on new laws

Shaun Bowler, dean of the graduate division in UCR's political science department and an expert on ballot measures, believes voters are pretty savvy even when bombarded with expensive campaign ads. Therefore, he questions the need for a ballot measure that would make it harder to gather referendum signatures.
East Bay Times | March 21, 2023

Are Kids Collateral Damage In California Culture Wars?

Black students are more often the target of racial hostility than any other group of students, according to a joint report by the UCLA Institute for Democracy, Education and Access and the Civic Engagement Research Group at UC Riverside.
LAist | March 21, 2023

School gave students bugs to eat as part of an assignment. Is that safe?

UCR Entomology Department Chair Rick Redak offers context for a debate about eating insects that was sparked by a school assignment in Utah. "Bugs are eaten just about everywhere in the world except the United States and Europe," he said. "There are probably 500 to 1,000 species of insects that are used for food."
The Today Show | March 17, 2023

How can we control mosquitos? Deactivate their sperm.

New research from UCR biologists Richard Cardullo and Cathy Thaler makes it more likely that the proteins that activate mosquito sperm can be shut down. This could help control populations of a common house mosquito known to transmit West Nile Virus and brain-swelling encephalitis.
Popular Science | March 16, 2023

Cyclone Freddy to ease after battering Malawi, Mozambique

AP interviews  Kim Yi Dionne, associate professor of political science, regarding Cyclone Freddy. 
Associated Press | March 15, 2023

Venus is volcanically alive, stunning new find shows

UCR planetary astrophysicist Stephen Kane says new evidence is some of the most convincing he's ever seen that Venus may have active volcanoes, which sheds new light on the evolution of our sister planet. 
MSN / National Geographic | March 15, 2023

Here's the devastating impact a super-Earth would have on our solar system

New research from UCR astrophysicist Stephen Kane shows the tiniest changes in the orbit of Jupiter, which is more massive than all other planets combined, would have a profound and devastating effect on the delicately balanced orbits of all other planets, including Earth.
Yahoo Sports | March 13, 2023

Insurance requirements for prior authorization may prompt ‘devastating’ delays

Erin Conlisk, a UCR social science researcher shares her experience trying to get an ambulance to take her 81-year-old mother six miles to a health clinic. The ride was not pre-authorized, and no one had notified her; it simply never showed up.
CNN | March 10, 2023

One 'Super-Earth' Could Destroy Our Own Planet, Study Finds

In a new study, UCR astrophysicist Stephen Kane asks the question, "What if a beefed-up version of Earth were suddenly dropped into the solar system between Mars and Jupiter?" The answer sheds light on how “super-Earths,” a class of planets that is very common in other star systems, might affect our own solar neighborhood.
Vice | March 8, 2023

Don’t feel like exercising? It could be your microbiome.

Mouse studies led by UCR biology professor Theodore Garland suggest your gut may help motivate you to exercise. Or it might nudge you to skip your workout.
Washington Post | March 8, 2023

Riverside professor puts Marvel’s newest Black superhero back in the spotlight

John Jennings, UCR media and cultural studies professor, has helped a new Black superhero enter a storied franchise.
The Press Enterprise | March 8, 2023

The Real Way A Fictional Planet Could End All Life On Earth

UCR astrophysicist Stephen Kane conducted an experiment to see what would happen if our solar system had an extra planet, a "super-Earth" in between the sizes of Earth and Neptune. The results were mostly disastrous for this planet. 
Forbes | March 7, 2023

Could the Next Blockbuster Drug Be Lab-Rat Free?

Nicole zur Nieden, a UCR developmental toxicologist, said new approaches could help scientists screen out a greater number of ineffective and unsafe compounds before they ever get to animal trials. That would reduce the number of animal studies researchers need to conduct and the limit the chemicals lab animals are exposed to.
The New York Times | March 7, 2023

‘Incrementally’ Moving Away From Police

UC Riverside is recognized for efforts to decrease the number of police responses on campus, efforts which come in part from work done in the aftermath of George Floyd’s murder by police in 2020.
Inside Higher Ed | March 6, 2023

‘Every doctor I called was a dead end’: Coachella Valley residents struggle to find doctor’s appointments amid provider shortages, pandemic impacts

Asma Jafri, a family physician and chair of UCR's Department of Family Medicine, explains that primary care doctors, generally, have larger workloads but are paid less than specialists, leading to burnout.
The Palm Springs Post | March 5, 2023

Breathing Is Going To Get Harder; This Is Why

UCR earth and planetary scientists Robert Allen and James Gomez warn that rising global temperatures will lead to an increase in air pollution from natural sources.
MSN | March 3, 2023

What You Should Know About Superblooms

Richard Minnich, UCR professor of Earth sciences, notes that "superbloom" is a subjective term, and not one coined by ecologists or botanists. 
Discover Magazine | February 27, 2023

Barbershops, churches in Inland Empire Black community get blood pressure machines

Mario Sims, social medicine, population and public health professor, says placing blood pressure machines and offering education in barbershops is a step in the right direction.
The Press Enterprise | February 26, 2023

$850,000 grant raises profile of Riverside’s pioneering Koreatown

Edward Chang, professor of ethnic studies, and his students at UCR's Young Oak Kim Center for Korean American Studies, discovered evidence of a long-forgotten settlement of Korean American migrants in Riverside. Now, the Mellon Foundation has given UCR $850,000 to bolster the research and increase awareness of America's first known Koreatown.
The Press Enterprise | February 23, 2023

Soil Tainted by Air Pollution Expels Carbon

New research from UCR environmental scientists Peter Homyak and Johann Püspök suggests nitrogen released by gas-powered machines causes dry soil to let go of carbon & release it back into the atmosphere.
U.S. Office of Science | February 15, 2023