In 2015 UC Santa Barbara mechanical engineer and materials scientist Jonathan Berger developed an idea that could change the way people think about high-performance structural materials. Two years later, his concept is paying ...
Engineering
Feb 21, 2017
6
4621
The Tlingit and Haida, indigenous peoples of the Northwest Coast (NWC), have used carved wooden hooks to catch halibut for centuries. As modern fishing technology crept into use, however, the old hooks practically disappeared ...
Ecology
Feb 15, 2017
0
108
With the ocean absorbing more carbon dioxide (CO2) over the past decade, less of the greenhouse gas is reaching the Earth's atmosphere. That's decidedly good news, but it comes with a catch: Rising levels of CO2 in the ocean ...
Earth Sciences
Feb 8, 2017
38
429
As human emotions go, pride has earned a bad rap. Christians count it among the seven deadly sins, the ancient Greeks charged it with provoking destruction by the gods, and non-industrial peoples around the world consider ...
Social Sciences
Feb 6, 2017
0
20
The Earth's mantle—the layer between the crust and the outer core—is home to a primordial soup even older than the moon. Among the main ingredients is helium-3 (He-3), a vestige of the Big Bang and nuclear fusion reactions ...
Earth Sciences
Feb 6, 2017
0
16
In what could be called a classic "Eureka" moment, UC Santa Barbara materials researchers have discovered a simple yet effective method for mastering the electrical properties of polymer semiconductors. The elegant technique ...
Materials Science
Feb 3, 2017
2
205
We're all pretty familiar with what happens when we sustain a knock on the head: First, the all-too-audible crack, accompanied perhaps by a moment of surprise. Then, the swelling and, if we're lucky, just a minor bump or ...
Cell & Microbiology
Feb 2, 2017
0
513
In the ancient Japanese art of origami, paper must be folded precisely and following a specific order to create the desired result—say, a crane or lotus flower. It's a complex pursuit that requires keen attention to detail ...
Cell & Microbiology
Jan 30, 2017
0
161
After big winter storms, clumps of kelp forests often wash ashore along the Southern California coast. Contrary to the devastation these massive piles of seaweed might indicate, new research suggests the kelp may rebound ...
Plants & Animals
Jan 25, 2017
0
9
Marine reserves play an important role in sustaining ecosystem diversity and abundance. Their presence enables certain species to return to a natural size structure, which enables predators to control destructive prey.
Ecology
Jan 25, 2017
0
8
