Not enough sleep gets in the way of success
Catching z’s can seem overrated when school is demanding, your body is young, and you’re newly on your own. Students, researchers, and health care providers grapple with the whys and hows of sleep.
Lessons to be Learned from Nature in Photosynthesis
Lessons to be learned from nature could lead to the development of an artificial version of photosynthesis that would provide us with an absolutely clean and virtually inexhaustible energy source, says Berkeley Lab photosynthesis authority Graham Fleming and three international colleagues.
Scientists use brain imaging to reveal the movies in our mind
Imagine tapping into the mind of a coma patient, or watching one’s own dream on YouTube. With a cutting-edge blend of brain imaging and computer simulation, UC Berkeley scientists are bringing these futuristic scenarios within reach. Using functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) and computational models, researchers have succeeded in decoding and reconstructing people’s dynamic visual experiences – in this case, watching Hollywood movie trailers.
Bioengineers reprogram muscles to combat degeneration
UC Berkeley researchers have turned back the clock on mature muscle tissue, coaxing it back to an earlier stem cell stage to form new muscle. Moreover, they showed in mice that the newly reprogrammed muscle stem cells could be used to help repair damaged tissue. The achievement is described in the Sept. 23 issue of the journal Chemistry & Biology.
DOE grant to fund research into new nuclear reactors
Nuclear engineering professors Per Peterson and Ehud Greenspan are part of a $7.5 million project led by MIT and funded by the Department of Energy to research salt-cooled nuclear reactor technology. The grant is part of a larger initiative by the Department of Energy’s Nuclear Energy University Projects to maintain U.S. leadership in nuclear energy research.
Bees outpace orchids in evolution
Orchid bees aren’t so dependent on orchids after all, according to a new study that challenges the prevailing view of how plants and their insect pollinators evolve together. It turns out that the orchids need their bees more than the other way around, a finding with implications in conservation biology as bee populations decline worldwide.
Turning data into democratic action
The Social Apps Lab at CITRIS creates free applications based on playful ways to get users to explore their environments, engage local issues, promote public health, and become active citizens. Their current projects include tackling dengue fever, reducing asthma, and engaging citizens in local urban issues.
Researchers give low marks to California’s English proficiency test for kindergartners
Most of the thousands of four- and five-year-olds who take California’s official test for English language proficiency before they start kindergarten are bound to fail that exam, according to a new University of California, Berkeley, study.
UC Berkeley's Ali Javey Winner of APEC Science Prize for Innovation Research and Education
U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu awarded the 2011 APEC Science Prize to UC Berkeley Professor Ali Javey in San Francisco today. Professor Javey is well known for developing low-cost, flexible, and lightweight photovoltaic cells. He has also developed transistor arrays that use a fraction of the power of conventional silicon transistors.
With streamlined regulations, in-law units could boost East Bay affordable housing stock and economy, study finds
In-law units could provide needed affordable housing and boost the economies of five East Bay communities, according to a new UC Berkeley study that recommends adjusting local regulations so that can happen.