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News Archive - Environment

Social Brains Allow Animal Groups to Escape Danger

A new study shows that fish swimming in schools can avoid danger just by seeing their neighbors escape. UC San Diego researchers studied how individuals identify their social partners’ actions by imaging the brain activity of translucent glassfish swimming in a virtual reality environment.

Scripps Oceanography’s Center for Marine Biodiversity & Conservation Marks 25 Years of Ocean Impact

This September, Scripps Institution of Oceanography invites the community to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Center for Marine Biodiversity and Conservation (CMBC), an interdisciplinary center dedicated to advancing marine biodiversity research and addressing conservation challenges.

Report Identifies Path to Stronger State Flood Resilience and Insurance Protections

A new report for California policymakers assesses current flood modeling practices and offers eight recommendations to improve how mitigation infrastructure is reflected in the catastrophe models that are used to set insurance prices.

Using Her Platform for the Planet

Growing up in Carlsbad, Elise Nishimura developed an early appreciation for the environment. Now a junior Environmental Systems major and UC San Diego softball player, she combines her academic and athletic passions through EcoAthletes, using her voice to inspire climate action.

Study: Reservoir Management System Could Save California $150 Million Every Year

A new study from the Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes (CW3E) at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego finds that improved weather and water forecasts could help California gain more value from existing reservoirs and help meet a new water supply target.

Wildfire Losses Have Lasting Economic Consequences for Homeowners

A new National Bureau of Economic Research from the University of California San Diego shows that wildfire damage can have long-term economic consequences for households, resulting in income losses, relocation of residents as well as slow rebuilding for several years after a fire.

Rules of the School

Scientists have developed a new understanding of how fish interact as they school in groups. Fish were found to copy their neighbors to align their movements within schools. The discovery opens a door to examining how the brains of individuals interact to produce group-level collective behavior.

This Thin Device Can Store Energy, Strengthen Structures and Be Recycled

Engineers developed a new type of supercapacitor that can do more than store electricity — it can also provide structural support and be quickly disassembled into reusable parts. It could offer a more sustainable approach to energy storage for lightweight electric vehicles.

Robotic Ocean Glider Reveals Giant Phytoplankton Chains in the Mediterranean Sea

A specialized camera allowed researchers to discover large phytoplankton that would have been nearly impossible to detect using conventional methods. The discovery changes how scientists understand the ocean's food web.

Flesh-eating Screwworms Have Returned. Which New Technologies Could Stop Them?

New World screwworm flies, highly destructive parasitic insects, have returned to parts of the U.S. and pose a significant danger. Professor Omar Akbari discusses how the insect was eliminated in the past and the ways new genetics technologies could help combat today’s threat.

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