Science and Climate Content

LA Fires: Chemicals From the Smoke Lingered Inside Homes Long After the Wildfires Were Out

Katherine E Kerlin — January 06, 2026 - 12:16pm

When wildfires began racing through the Los Angeles area on Jan. 7, 2025, the scope of the disaster caught residents by surprise. Forecasters had warned about high winds and exceptionally dry conditions, but few people expected to see smoke and fires for weeks in one of America’s largest metro areas.

Lessons from the Caldor Fire’s Christmas Valley ‘Miracle’

Katherine E Kerlin — December 19, 2025 - 9:00am

The Lake Tahoe communities of Christmas Valley and Meyers were spared during 2021's Caldor Fire. A 51�ԹϺ�� Davis study reveals which pre-fire fuel treatments worked best to bring about the Christmas Valley "miracle."

Record Returns: 2,100 Salmon Spawned in Putah Creek

Katherine E Kerlin — December 17, 2025 - 10:32am

A record-breaking 2,100 Chinook salmon returned to spawn in restored Putah Creek this fall. 51�ԹϺ�� Davis fish biologists and partners are tracking and monitoring the run.

2025 Arctic Report Card Released

Katherine E Kerlin — December 16, 2025 - 2:00pm

Bright orange rivers, a greening tundra, the “Atlantification” of the Arctic and record-breaking temperatures on both land and sea are among the emerging concerns highlighted in the 2025 Arctic Report Card from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA.) Now in its 20th year, the peer-reviewed report includes chapters by 112 authors from 13 countries, each dedicated to monitoring changes in the Arctic.

Federal Budget Cut Halts Solar Heat Technology Project

Andy Fell — December 08, 2025 - 2:35pm

A project to capture solar heat for industrial use — with potential spinoffs in other energy areas, including nuclear power — has been canceled by the U.S. Department of Energy on the cusp of its final phase. The University of California, Davis, received a letter from the federal agency stating that the work “does not effectuate the Department of Energy’s priorities.”

51�ԹϺ�� Davis Tops Continent in Sustainability Rankings

Julia Ann Easley — December 05, 2025 - 5:28pm

GreenMetric ranks 51�ԹϺ�� Davis the most sustainable campus in North America for the 10th year in a row and seventh greenest in the world.

The Carbon Dioxide Climate Debt

Katherine E Kerlin — December 04, 2025 - 2:26pm

51�ԹϺ�� Davis experts describe the human barriers and opportunities for meaningful action to reduce global emissions and the world's staggering climate debt.

Rising Heat Leads to Minimal Losses for California Processing Tomatoes

Katherine E Kerlin — December 02, 2025 - 9:00am

California’s $1 billion processing tomato industry is highly efficient and likely will be able to withstand higher temperatures from climate change, as well as traffic.

A Microbial Blueprint for Climate-Smart Cows

Amy M Quinton — November 17, 2025 - 6:00am

51�ԹϺ�� Davis research reveals which gut microbes in a cow could reduce methane, bringing them a step closer to engineering microbes to create climate-smart cows.

Fossil Fuel CO2 Emissions Hit Record High in 2025

Katherine E Kerlin — November 13, 2025 - 3:27pm

Global carbon emissions from fossil fuels are projected to rise by 1.1% in 2025 – reaching a record high, according to new research by the Global Carbon Project.