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Smoke emerges from forested hills. In the foreground, two fire trucks aim streams of water at a vulnerable home. Overhead, an aircraft releases a plume of red flame retardant chemicals.

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.

A charred building, surrounded by debris and ash with a view through the structure toward a white-painted home that is intact and undamaged by fire.

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.

A helicopter in the center frame drops water on a fire as yellowish smoke clouds the sky. Ethan Swope/AP

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.

A collection of posters about climate change and the need to take policy action are posted on the steps of a public building. The posters have various messages such as "don't be a fossil fool."

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.

Three dried grapevine specimens, mounted on paper, are spread across a table. Behind the table stand two individuals who are smiling at the camera. Storage cabinets that are filled with file folders can be seen in the background.

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.

Two monkeys sit on a branch, with one looking disapprovingly toward the other.

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.

red and black human figures on the wall of a cave, with DNA helices inside each figure

A New Timeline for Neanderthal Interbreeding With Modern Humans

Surviving Neanderthal genes in modern genomes tell a story of thousands of years of interactions.

image of an air-polluted highway with cars

More Californians Recognize Climate Change Is Caused Mostly by Human Activities

New survey sheds light on various Californian opinions regarding global climate change.

Lauren Pearson conducting fieldwork in Italy.

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.

A float showing hummingbirds native to Pasto, a city in southern Colombia, on display during the Great Parade of the city’s "Festival of Negros y Blancos.” The festival tells the story of Colombia, Indigenous traditions, slavery, and independence, and dates back to the celebrations that Indigenous peoples in this region held to give thanks for the harvests. The Great Parade features floats that depict ancestral figures, myths and legends, and local biodiversity. Photo by Maria Angelica Guerrero Quintana.

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.

Sheep rancher Gracian Uhalde (right) shows Meg Mills-Novoa an access road on his Steptoe Valley property, which a pumped storage hydropower developer proposed using without consent. Construction of a geothermal plant in Dixie Valley has halted over concerns for the endangered Dixie Valley toad. Photos by Sophia Borgias.

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.

Water vapor emerging from cooling towers at an industrial plant. Water is used to cool exhaust gases to a temperature at which carbon capture is possible with aqueous amines. A new UC Berkeley material can capture carbon dioxide at the high temperatures common of various industrial exhausts, avoiding the need to expend energy and water to cool the emissions for decarbonization. Courtesy of Brentwood Industries

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

Building in background with sunlight peeking around the edge and flowers in the foreground.

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.

Five firefighters walk across an ashy and barren landscape

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."

stacks of blue balls forming a hollow hexagonal tube with orange and blue balls floating around it

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.

image of woman reading a book at the library

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.

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