Is the Bay Area Prepared for Major Wildfires?
A UC Berkeley-led team is using computer simulations to stress-test the region’s disaster preparedness and educate the public about wildfire safety.
What’s Next for Home Insurance in California After the Los Angeles Fires?
The former insurance commissioner of California explains the stakes of the current wildfire emergency and what might happen next.
Health, Housing and the Path Ahead: UC Berkeley Researchers on the Los Angeles Fires
As a series of historic fires continue to burn in L.A., scholars offer insight into their causes and fallout.
Introducing the Climate and Society Center at UC Berkeley
New center will aim to accelerate California’s equitable transition to renewable energy and zero-carbon emissions through research and collaboration.
What a Century-Old Grapevine Reveals About a Disease That Plagues Wine Country
Berkeley researchers used bacterial DNA from a 120-year-old herbarium specimen to reconstruct the history of Pierce’s disease in California.
Do Animals Get Jealous Like People? Researchers Say It’s Complicated.
New UC Berkeley research looks at years of studies into whether non-human animals have a similar sense of fairness.
A New Timeline for Neanderthal Interbreeding With Modern Humans
Surviving Neanderthal genes in modern genomes tell a story of thousands of years of interactions.
More Californians Recognize Climate Change Is Caused Mostly by Human Activities
New survey sheds light on various Californian opinions regarding global climate change.
UC Berkeley Study Uncovers the Mafia’s Role in Italy’s Wildfire Crisis
Berkeley researchers link the surge in wildfire outbreaks to the weaponization of fire by the Sicilian Mafia.
Can Ecotourism Help Promote and Celebrate Cultural Diversity and Biodiversity?
A new study integrates biology, anthropology, music, and geography to highlight areas with the greatest potential for sustainable ecotourism development.
Helping Nevada’s Rural and Indigenous Communities Navigate the Renewable Energy Boom
Berkeley professor's research helps Nevada’s rural communities and Indigenous groups navigate a boom of renewable energy production.
Breakthrough in Capturing ‘Hot’ CO2 From Industrial Exhaust
Chemists have discovered a porous material that can capture CO2 at temperatures close to those of many industrial exhaust streams
New Berkeley Climate Action Proof-of-Concept Program
Launch of the BCAPP provides an opportunity for faculty to accelerate their climate-focused technologies and translate their research into commercial solutions for lasting environmental impact.
Project 2025 Could Be Disastrous for the Climate. Legal Scholars Are Preparing To Fight Back.
Berkeley professor says regardless of who the next president is, proponents will continue to push for this "straightforward statement of climate denial."
Capturing Carbon From the Air Just Got Easier
Berkeley researchers have found a type of porous material that quickly sucks up carbon dioxide from ambient air.
World Humanities Report Warns of Extinction Risk to Human Knowledge
The ambitious World Humanities report is a six-year global effort that includes 10 recommendations for how to protect the humanities.
Using AI and iNaturalist, Scientists Build One of the Highest Resolution Maps Yet of California Plants
With the help of deep learning, scientists have leveraged citizen science data from iNaturalist to create the highest resolution map yet of plant distributions throughout California.
Study Links Hurricanes to Higher Death Rates Long After Storms Pass
New research reveals hurricanes and tropical storms in the United States cause a surge of deaths for nearly 15 years after a storm hits.
Evaluating Benefits of EV Subsidies Under the Inflation Reduction Act
A new study shows that electric vehicle tax credits decreased climate pollution and benefited US vehicle manufacturers but have mixed benefits relative to taxpayer costs.
New Model Sheds Light on How Wildfires Spread Through Communities
New insights could lead to more effective mitigation that saves lives and property.
Has a UC Berkeley chemistry lab discovered the holy grail of plastic recycling?
"But new research from a team of chemists at UC Berkeley suggests a glimmer of hope when it comes to the thorny problem of recycling plastics — one that may allow us to have our cake, and potentially take a very small bite, too." This research was first featured on UC Berkeley News.
California Has Dramatically Improved Its Air Quality, but Racial Disparities Persist
The state’s aggressive emissions policies have reduced exposure to PM2.5 air pollution by 65% since 2000, but low-income communities of color still breathe the dirtiest air.
Can Fungi Turn Food Waste Into the Next Culinary Sensation?
UC Berkeley postdoc makes the case for Neurospora-laced oat pulp and cheesy moldy bread.
Can an Aquifer be Injured? Scholar Brings a Disability Lens to Ecological Repair
Sunaura Taylor' new book Disabled Ecologies, document how residents organized one of the earliest and most successful environmental justice movements in the country.
New Computer Vision-Based System Monitors Seasonal Dynamics of Tropical Water
Research could help communities most impacted by climate change.
Reforestation is More Cost-Effective Than Previously Thought
Well-planned reforestation projects have up to 10 times more low-cost carbon removal potential than previous estimates
Researchers Reveal a Hidden Factor in California’s Insurance Crisis: The ‘Winner’s Curse’
As lawmakers scramble to reform homeowners’ insurance regulations, a new study examines how insurers are pricing wildfire risk — and how different strategies can significantly impact premiums.
Wildfires Increasingly Threaten Oil and Gas Drill Sites, Compounding Potential Health Risks, Study Says
"With an issue that we know is going to worsen as climate change progresses, we have an opportunity to take proactive action to prevent future harms," UC Berkeley assistant professor David J.X. González said.
Only 8% of California rivers and streams have gauges measuring flow, study finds
“We can’t manage what we don’t measure,” said Lucy Andrews, the lead author of the new study and a doctoral student in the Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management.
Unveiling the Hidden Culprits of Air Pollution in Los Angeles
Biogenic sources like trees and other plants emit volatile organic compounds that react with anthropogenic pollutants, leading to formation of summertime air pollution in the region.
Climate Action Research Grants Assist Tribal Nations with Resource Management
The projects involve investigating pinyon pine forest ecology and cultural values, monitoring fisheries, and surveying the changing landscapes of California Indian Public Domain Lands.
Omar Yaghi Wins Prestigious Tang Prize for Sustainable Development
UC Berkeley’s Omar Yaghi received a top sustainability prize on June 18 for his pioneering discoveries unlocking essential tools to combat the climate crisis.
Historical Redlining Linked to Lower Urban Wildlife Biodiversity in California
Using data submitted to the iNaturalist citizen science platform, researchers found that historically redlined neighborhoods in many urban areas have lower levels of native and non-native wildlife biodiversity compared to greenlined neighborhoods.
Lisa Barcellos Works to Uncover Biological Effects of Exposure to Wildfire Smoke
The study will explore how wildfire smoke affects the DNA of people living in Alameda and Contra Costa counties.
Bakar ClimatEnginuity Hub: Berkeley’s New Home for Climate Innovation
A new incubator on the west side of campus will provide resources and support to entrepreneurs in renewable energy and clean technology.
Berkeley’s Ecosystem of Innovation, Entrepreneurship Combats Climate Change
For researchers developing critical new technologies, having an entrepreneurial bent is almost as important as conducting successful experiments.
Record-Breaking Heat and Humidity Predicted for Tropics This Summer
Berkeley professor uses statistical analysis of the interaction between El Niño and rising global temperatures to help regions prepare for extreme heat events and protect humans, livestock and crops.
Electric vehicles cutting carbon footprint in Bay Area, new study says
We observed that the total emissions of CO2 over a five-year period from 2018 to 2022 and the total emissions decreased a little less than 2%. And we attribute that change to the tremendous increase of electric vehicles on the roads here in the Bay Area,” said Ronald Cohen, professor of atmospheric science.
EVs Are Lowering Bay Area’s Carbon Footprint
An extensive CO2 monitoring network set up around the San Francisco Bay Area by a Berkeley professor has recorded the first evidence that the adoption of electric vehicles is measurably lowering the area's carbon emissions.
How much are wind turbines dragging down home values? A new study has surprising answers
“We really wanted to get at, can you see that thing from where your house is?" said Professor Max Auffhammer, a study co-author.
Wind Turbines Have Little Effect on US Property Values
Research sheds light on the dynamics between renewable energy infrastructure and local property values, providing valuable insights for sustainable and community-friendly energy development.
Restoration thinning, prescribed burns can reduce risk of massive fires, study shows
Scott Stephens, a professor at the Rausser College of Natural Resources, discusses new research on prescribed burns. The research was featured on Berkeley News.
The New Car Batteries That Could Power the EV Revolution
There’s a revolution brewing in batteries for electric cars, which will rely on alternative designs to the conventional lithium-ion batteries that have dominated EVs for decades.
Carbon credits from cookstove emissions largely worthless, study finds
Goldman's Barbara Haya, co-author and founder of the Berkeley Carbon Trading Project, said the credits were trying to "convince consumers they can continue consuming, driving and flying without impacting the planet, which is simply not true."
The University of California has all but dropped carbon offsets—and thinks you should, too
It uncovered systemic problems with offset markets and recommended that the public university system focus on cutting its direct emissions instead.
Capturing Wellhead Gases for Profit and a Cleaner Environment
UC Berkeley chemists have come up with a simple and green way to convert methane and ethane into economically valuable liquids such as methanol and ethanol.
Nature’s Poisons: Why We Love Them and Abuse Them
New book by UC Berkeley evolutionary biologist Noah Whiteman explores the delicious toxins all around us.
Tests Confirm Humans Tramped Around North America More Than 20,000 Years Ago
Researchers provide seemingly incontrovertible proof that humans were already living in North America during the height of the last Ice Age.
New Tools to Visualize the Insides of Volcanos
Penny Wieser, a 2022 Rose Hills Innovator, is developing a new approach to study the magma stored deep beneath a volcano.
Five UC Berkeley-Led Projects Awarded California Climate Action Grants
The awards will advance research on mitigating wildfire risk, ensuring the equitable distribution of water and improving K-12 climate justice education.