Human & Animal Health Content

‘Enchanted Broomstick’ Protein Walks on Two Stubby Legs to Keep Our Nerve Cells Alive

Katherine E Kerlin — July 15, 2026 - 10:59am

A nerve cell resembles a vast tree with branches that communicate with thousands of other cells. To function, it depends on a motor protein that walks on two legs, hauling urgent cargo from the center of the cell to the faraway tips of every branch. Scientists have unveiled a new structure of this walking protein, showing how cells control it.

51�ԹϺ�� Davis to Set Standard for Measuring Airborne Nanoplastic Health Risks

Katherine E Kerlin — July 01, 2026 - 9:00am

51�ԹϺ�� Davis researchers have received a nearly $4 million grant NIEH to develop the world’s first standardized method for measuring and describing the neurotoxicity of airborne nanoplastics.

The Research Roundup

Katherine E Kerlin — June 30, 2026 - 9:00am

From dogs and squirrels to concrete, whales and wetlands, here is a roundup of recent environmentally focused studies from 51�ԹϺ�� Davis scientists

Media Experts on New World Screwworm

Amy M Quinton — June 26, 2026 - 10:44am

The U.S Department of Agriculture has now confirmed cases of New World screwworm in calves, sheep and goats in Texas and in a dog in New Mexico. New World screwworm is a serious parasitic fly that can affect livestock, pets, wildlife, and less commonly, people and birds. Adult screwworm flies are about the size of a common housefly or slightly larger. Their larvae feed on the living tissue of warm-blooded animals.

Loneliness Drives Cognitive Impairment, Can Lead to Shorter Life, Study Suggests

Karen Michele Nikos-Rose — June 16, 2026 - 11:03am

Some people might not mind spending time alone, but new research with data from 18 countries suggests that older people who struggle with loneliness — rather than strictly being alone — may experience a faster mental and physical decline.

Deer Are First Animals to Cross California’s First Wildlife Overcrossing

Katherine E Kerlin — June 03, 2026 - 11:31am

Three mule deer have become the first wildlife to cross over California’s first wildlife overcrossing over a state highway. The project is nearing completion on S.R. 97 in Siskiyou County, reported the 51�ԹϺ�� Davis Road Ecology Center and Caltrans this week.

Warning Labels on Restaurant Menus Steer Diners from Sweets, 51�ԹϺ�� Davis Research Suggests

Karen Michele Nikos-Rose — June 03, 2026 - 8:53am

As California lawmakers consider legislation that would require “high sugar” warning labels on restaurant menus, a University of California, Davis, study shows that the labels are effective in dissuading diners from ordering sugary items.

Researchers Find Carcinogenic Chromium-6 in Palisades, Altadena Fire Cleanup Zones

Katherine E Kerlin — June 01, 2026 - 9:52am

A carcinogen with potentially serious impacts on human health was found in neighborhoods in the months after the 2025 Los Angeles County wildfires and may have spread to communities as far as six to nine miles downwind from the fire zones, according to newly published work by University of California researchers.

Dog Daycare Leptospirosis Outbreak in Los Angeles Reveals Broader Public Health Risks

Amy M Quinton — May 26, 2026 - 9:00am

A Los Angeles leptospirosis outbreak in dogs reveals vaccination gaps and broader public health risks, according to 51�ԹϺ�� Davis research.

Alcatraz Coyote Wasn’t a City Boy After All

Katherine E Kerlin — May 05, 2026 - 1:19pm

After months of fieldwork and scientific analysis, National Park Service researchers have determined that the coyote that drew international attention in early 2026 after swimming to Alcatraz Island likely started his epic swim from Angel Island State Park.

The coyote’s whereabouts remain unknown, but new DNA evidence has helped park staff answer one of the biggest questions surrounding the unusual sighting: where he came from.