News Archive

August 6, 2018 — Early Earth was a hot, gaseous, dusty and dynamic planet with an atmosphere and an ocean. Then its surface cooled and stabilized enough for clouds, landmasses and early life to form about four billion years ago, during what’s called the isotopic age of rocks, or the Archean Period. Atmospheric chemical byproducts from that time traveled through the air and deposited inside the planet’s oldest rock, recording life’s earliest activities like photosynthesis and oxygen production. Sulfur isotopes can serve as tracers of atmospheric oxygen and new data collected from the present-day atmosphere in China by an international team of researchers, led by the University of California San Diego, indicate remarkable similarity to the isotopic footprint found in ancient rocks. This opens up new interpretations of the Archean Period’s sulfur isotope sedimentary signature—a proxy for the origins and evolution of atmospheric oxygen and early life on Earth.

August 6, 2018 — For the first time, researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine and Imperial College London, with international collaborators, have determined that Kawasaki disease (KD) can be accurately diagnosed on the basis of the pattern of host gene expression in whole blood. The finding could lead to a diagnostic blood test to distinguish KD from other infectious and inflammatory conditions.

August 5, 2018 — New research in climate science indicates that extreme events, such as heat waves, the collapse of major ice sheets, and mass extinctions are becoming dramatically more probable. Though cuts in rising emissions appear unlikely with the stalled 2015 Paris agreement, University of California San Diego scientists argue that new developments present an opportunity to shift the politics around climate change. For the first time, scientists can make a strong case that no one is exempt from the extreme and immediate risks posed by a warming world.

August 2, 2018 — UC San Diego and UCLA led the University of California system during the 2017 fiscal year in the number of commercial startups based on campus inventions, according to a report released this week by the University of California’s Office of the President.

August 2, 2018 — On Wednesday, researchers at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California San Diego logged the warmest sea-surface temperature at Scripps Pier since records began in August 1916. The record of 25.9℃ (78.6℉) followed a string of days in which individual daily records of sea surface and seafloor temperatures had been set at the pier. It surpassed the previous record of 78.4°F (25.8°C) set on July 30, 1931.

July 31, 2018 — UC San Diego Health and Rancho Family Medical Group (RFMG) announced today that they have entered into an exclusive strategic affiliation designed to enhance the delivery of high-quality care to patients in Southwest Riverside County.

July 31, 2018 — The National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded the San Diego Supercomputer Center (SDSC) at UC San Diego a supplemental grant valued at almost $2.4 million to extend operations of its Comet supercomputer by an additional year, through March 2021. The extension brings the value of the total Comet program to more than $27 million.

July 25, 2018 — In a study published online July 25 in the journal Nature, University of California San Diego School of Medicine researchers identified a signaling pathway that activates the NLRP3 inflammasome implicated in several severe chronic inflammatory disorders.

July 25, 2018 — A concept known as “percolation” is helping microbiologists at UC San Diego explain how communities of bacteria can effectively relay signals across long distances. Once regarded as simple clusters of microorganisms, communities of bacteria have been found to employ a strategy we use to brew coffee and extract oil from the sea. Percolation helps the microscopic community thrive and survive threats, such as chemical attacks from antibiotics.

July 24, 2018 — They each bring diverse expertise as doctors, educators, lawyers and entrepreneurs. Yet they all share a common interest: propelling the bold experiments, lifesaving solutions and nontraditional learning opportunities at the University of California San Diego. The UC San Diego Board of Trustees are unique ambassadors who dedicate their time and talents to supporting the university’s continued growth. This year, eight trustees will join the 2018-19 UC San Diego Foundation Board.