Echoes of Mengele and Tuskegee, this time in Guatemala

Medical historian Susan Reverby, who first revealed postwar U.S. government medical experiments on Guatemalan prisoners and mental patients, said the story “fits the trope of a grade-B horror move.” But she warned a Berkeley audience that it’s “too easy” to distance ourselves from those who conducted the research.

Report says green economy producing jobs, but urges work quality improvement

To achieve the state’s energy efficiency goals and provide better career opportunities for Californians, the state should modify its clean energy programs and its extensive but fragmented training and education programs, according to a report led by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, released today (Thursday, March 17).

Metallic glass: The strongest, toughest material yet?

Robert Ritchie, a professor and scientist at UC Berkeley and at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, is highlighted in a CBS Interactive SmartPlanet.com video about his work developing and testing metallic glass. He and his students strive to create structural materials that are resistant to fracture, yet strong.

Nuclear Experts Say U.S. Safe from Japan Radiation

Radiation from a tsunami-crippled nuclear power plant in Japan does not pose a public safety risk to people outside of the disaster area, UC Berkeley nuclear engineers told an overflow audience of about 100 people at the Institute for East Asian Studies.

New blood analysis chip could lead to disease diagnosis in minutes

A major milestone in microfluidics could soon lead to stand-alone, self-powered chips that can diagnose diseases within minutes. The device, developed by researchers at UC Berkeley, Dublin City University in Ireland and Universidad de Valparaíso Chile, is able to process whole blood samples without the use of external tubing or external components.