Science & Technology Content

Transformative Gift Propels 51�ԹϺ�� Davis’ Leadership in Ag Tech

Amy M Quinton — March 03, 2026 - 9:09am

51�ԹϺ�� Davis receives a $25 million gift from the estate of Dan G. Best II to fund endowed chairs, scholarships and agricultural innovation in honor of C.L. Best.

Egghead’s Weekend Basket for February 27

Andy Fell — February 27, 2026 - 3:55pm

Busy week? Here's a round up of research stories from 51�ԹϺ�� Davis to get you caught up.

51�ԹϺ�� Davis Marks Anniversary of From Labs to Lives Campaign With Campuswide ‘Takeover’

James Michael Nash — February 25, 2026 - 6:00am

Over the past year, tens of thousands of people have watched and listened to University of California, Davis, researchers describe how federally funded research advances human and animal health, enables farmers to grow higher-yielding and sustainable crops, and enhances our understanding of our planet and cosmos.

Egghead's Weekend Basket

Andy Fell — February 20, 2026 - 4:16pm

So you didn't have time to read all the awesome science stories out of 51�ԹϺ�� Davis this week? Here's a roundup for your weekend enjoyment.

Mirror Image Pheromones Help Beetles Swipe Right

Andy Fell — February 18, 2026 - 5:26pm

There are many ways to communicate with prospective romantic partners: If you are a Japanese scarab beetle, it’s a matter of distinguishing left from right. New work from U.S. and Chinese scientists, published this week in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, shows how these beetles use mirror-image pheromones to find a mate. The work could lead to better monitoring and control of significant agricultural pests.

Connect Labs by Wexford Announces New Tenants and Flagship Programming at Aggie Square as Sacramento’s Innovation District Gains Momentum

James Michael Nash — February 10, 2026 - 7:00am

Connect Labs by Wexford today announced the addition of several new tenants at Aggie Square, underscoring the activation and growing momentum of Sacramento’s university-anchored innovation district.

Spectrometer on a Chip is a Revolution in Sensing Technology

Andy Fell — January 23, 2026 - 2:00pm

Engineers at 51�ԹϺ�� Davis have developed a tiny "spectrometer on a chip" that could miniaturize devices for medical, agricultural and environmental sensing with visible and infrared light.

A spectrometer analyzes chemical mixtures based on the spectrum of light (including infrared light) they reflect. Spectral sensing can be used, for example, to diagnose disease, assess the health of crops in a field, or measure soil quality.

Expedition to Antarctica: 51�ԹϺ�� Davis Tracks Melting Glaciers

Katherine E Kerlin — January 23, 2026 - 1:31pm

51�ԹϺ�� Davis scientists are in Antarctica to deploy Gull, an autonomous underwater vehicle known as a glider, that will help us understand how fast one of the world’s biggest and most important glaciers — Thwaites — is melting. Thwaites Glacier and neighboring Pine Island Glacier are potential glacial flow from the West Antarctic ice sheets. If this system collapses, it could raise sea levels across the world.

Biologists and Engineers Follow Goopy Clues to Plant-Wilting Bacteria

Andy Fell — January 23, 2026 - 11:02am

Slippery, drippy goop makes Ralstonia bacteria devastating killers of plants, causing rapid wilting in tomato, potato and a wide range of other crops, according to new research. The work, published Jan. 22 in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, comes from an unusual collaboration between plant pathologists and engineers at the University of California, Davis.

Tiny Earthquakes Reveal Hidden Faults Under Northern California

Andy Fell — January 15, 2026 - 11:54am

By tracking swarms of very small earthquakes, seismologists are getting a new picture of the complex region where the San Andreas fault meets the Cascadia subduction zone, an area that could give rise to devastating major earthquakes. The work, by researchers at the U.S. Geological Survey, the University of California, Davis, and the University of Colorado Boulder, is published Jan. 15 in Science.