A new study led by researchers at the University of California, Davis, shows that caregiving programs are five times more effective than nutrition programs in supporting smarter, not just taller, children in low- and middle-income countries.

By Ellen Caminiti

With tears in her eyes, Kristin Aquilino stood outside the UC Davis Bodega Marine Laboratory in late August to give a commencement speech. She offered words of encouragement and thanks to a crowd of people who had supported the graduates throughout the years. The people stood hushed, clinging on every word, as they knew this was a momentous occasion that marked a future of hope. 

This story is courtesy of the UC Davis Big Ideas.

According to Fitbit’s website, more than 76 million of the fitness devices have been sold worldwide. And that’s just one brand of many in the booming industry of wearable health trackers. 

Privately owned, fragmented forests in Costa Rica can support as many vulnerable bird species as can nearby nature reserves, according to a study from the University of California, Davis. 

The research suggests that working with landowners to conserve or restore forests on working landscapes can help protect wildlife. In Costa Rica, working landscapes include forest patches, crops, pastures and small towns. 

More than 800 million people in the world live in extreme poverty, surviving on less than $1.90 a day. Interventions usually focus on providing tangible resources, such as access to clean water, nutrition, health care, education and a viable income.

But new research from economists in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences highlights a psychological asset that could be equally important: hope.

Why do some tropical birds adapt better than others to changes in climate and land use? The answer will help conservationists protect wildlife as the Earth’s temperatures rise and rainforests give way to livestock production and other agricultural uses.

Depression is a debilitating condition that affects millions of people around the world. It usually starts early in life and can limit educational, economic and social opportunities.

Early intervention can help doctors prevent and treat depression, but there isn’t a good screening tool, and most of what we know about depression is based on clinical trials in high-income countries where only a small percentage of young people live.

The College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences is well known for its work in agriculture and the environment, but it also contributes important knowledge for improving the health and well-being of children, youth and families. Our researchers put into practice the idea that investment early in life prevents problems and social issues later. Human sciences are very much a part of our land-grant mission to serve the public.

How Genetics, Resources and a Long-Distant Relative Helped One Lucky Fish Species Adapt to Extreme Pollution

The combination of a big population, good genes and luck helps explain how a species of fish in Texas’ Houston Ship Channel was able to adapt to what normally would be lethal levels of toxins for most other species, according to a study to be published May 3 in the journal Science. 

The Bodega Marine Laboratory’s white abalone program has millions of new additions following its most successful spawning ever at the University of California, Davis, facility.

Three out of nine recently collected wild white abalone spawned last week, as did seven of 12 captive-bred white abalone. One wild female was particularly generous, producing 20.5 million eggs herself.