Science & Technology Content

Psychedelics and Non-hallucinogenic Analogs Work Through the Same Receptor, Up to a Point

Andy Fell — August 04, 2025 - 2:00am

Understanding exactly how psychedelics promote new connections in the brain is critical to developing targeted, non-hallucinogenic therapeutics that can treat neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric diseases. To achieve this, researchers are mapping the biochemical pathways involved in both neuroplasticity and hallucinations.

National Science Foundation Awards UC Davis $5 Million for Artificial Intelligence Hub

Andy Fell — July 29, 2025 - 1:55pm

The National Science Foundation has awarded $5 million over five years to the University of California, Davis, to run the Artificial Intelligence Institutes Virtual Organization, a community hub for new and existing AI institutes established by the federal government.

AIVO is part of a $100 million public-private investment in AI announced by NSF July 29.

UC Davis Sees Jump in Records of Invention, Driven by Health Innovation

James Michael Nash — July 29, 2025 - 12:01pm

UC Davis has experienced a surge in records of invention (ROIs), marking a strong rebound in research innovation. The university filed 191 ROIs in the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2025, up from 140 the prior year, a 36% increase that reverses a multiyear decline dating back to fiscal 2021.

An ROI is a confidential university document used to formally capture an invention, its details and inventors, serving as the initial step in evaluating the potential for patentability and commercialization. On average, anywhere from 10% to 25% of ROIs eventually become patents.

How Plants are Learning to Spot Sneaky Bacterial Invaders

Amy M Quinton — July 28, 2025 - 2:00am

UC Davis scientists are using AI t help plants recognize a wider range of bacterial threats.

Finding Human Brain Genes in Duplicated DNA

Andy Fell — July 21, 2025 - 11:04am

What makes the human brain distinctive? A new study published July 21 in Cell identifies two genes linked to human brain features and provides a road map to discover many more. The research could lead to insights into the functioning and evolution of the human brain, as well as the roots of language disorders and autism.

What Cats May Teach Us About Long COVID

Amy M Quinton — July 14, 2025 - 5:00pm

UC Davis researchers find cats could help us learn about long COVID. They've found a new cell therapy boosts immune systems in cats with severe coronavirus.

Molecular Simulations Show Graphite ‘Hijacks’ Diamond Formation Through Unexpected Crystallization Pathways

Andy Fell — July 09, 2025 - 10:31am

The graphite found in your favorite pencil could have instead been the diamond your mother always wears. What made the difference? Researchers are finding out.

How molten carbon crystallizes into either graphite or diamond is relevant to planetary science, materials manufacturing and nuclear fusion research. However, this moment of crystallization is difficult to study experimentally because it happens very rapidly and under extreme conditions.

UC Davis and Proteus Space to Launch First-Ever Dynamic Digital Twin into Space

Andy Fell — June 25, 2025 - 10:12am

The Center for Space Exploration Research at the University of California, Davis, has partnered with Proteus Space to launch a US government-sponsored satellite into space with a custom AI-enabled payload in a brand-new, first-ever rapid design-to-deployment small satellite.

The team will launch the satellite and payload in October 2025 from Vandenberg, CA. From the time the project was fully approved, the design and launch will occur within an unprecedented 13 months. (The normal pace for small satellites is often measured in years.)

Massive Burps of Carbon Dioxide Led to Oxygen-less Ocean Environments in the Deep Past

Andy Fell — June 23, 2025 - 12:00pm

New research from the University of California, Davis, the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Texas A&M University reveals that massive emissions, or burps, of carbon dioxide from natural earth systems led to significant decreases in ocean oxygen concentrations some 300 million years ago.

Toddlers’ Eye Movements Predict Ability to Judge Memories, New Research Suggests

Andy Fell — June 11, 2025 - 9:00am

The simple act of looking and comparing may be the first step toward learning how to judge what we remember, a skill that is fundamental to learning and making decisions.

New research from the University of California, Davis, has found that toddlers who tend to look more closely at and compare paired images during a memory task are more aware of the accuracy of their own memories a year later. This finding connects the earliest process of seeking information with the developing ability to judge the accuracy of memories.