Bats face many threats — from habitat loss and climate change to emerging diseases, such as white-nose syndrome. But it appears that wildfire is not among those threats, suggests a study from the University of California, Davis, published today in the journal Scientific Reports. It found that bats in the Sierra Nevada appear to be well-adapted to wildfire.

Warm waters are a threat to cold water fish like salmon and trout. But a study led by researchers at University of California, Davis suggests that habitats with abundant food sources may help buffer the effects of increasing water temperature.

Previous exposure to the pollutant DDT may contribute to the risk of diabetes among Asian Indian immigrants to the United States, according to a study from the University of California, Davis.

Social networking, even between competing species, plays a much bigger role in ecology than anyone previously thought, according to three biologists at the University of California, Davis. 

“There’s mounting evidence that different species pay attention to each other in the wild, especially if they share predators,” said Mike Gil, postdoctoral researcher at UC Davis. “The theory of ecology has lagged behind.”

For the past two years, researchers at the University of California, Davis, have been studying six offspring of a dairy bull, genome-edited to prevent it from growing horns. This technology has been proposed as an alternative to dehorning, a common management practice performed to protect other cattle and human handlers from injuries.

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.