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News Archive - Environment

UC San Diego-Led Science Teams Selected as Finalists for NASA Science Missions to Understand Our Changing Climate

Two teams led by scientists from UC San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography are among four selected by NASA to put forward concept studies for future satellite missions to help better understand how our planet is responding to climate change.

DDT Pollutants Found in Deep Sea Fish off Los Angeles Coast

New research from scientists at UC San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography and San Diego State University (SDSU) finds deep-sea fish and sediments collected from near the Catalina Island offshore dump site are contaminated with numerous DDT-related chemicals.

Biodegradable ‘Living Plastic’ Houses Bacterial Spores That Help It Break Down

A new type of bioplastic could help reduce the plastic industry’s environmental footprint. Researchers have developed a biodegradable form of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) filled with bacterial spores that, when exposed to nutrients present in compost, germinate and break down the material at the end of its life cycle.

Impacts of 2020 Red Tide Event Highlighted in New Study

In the spring of 2020, a historic red tide event occurred in waters off Southern California. Marine scientists from UC San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography, NOAA, and other organizations seized the opportunity to study the unprecedented event and its impacts on marine life, both in the wild and in aquariums. In a recent study, this multi-institutional team identified deteriorating water quality — notably prolonged low oxygen conditions — as a significant factor in the mass mortality of fish and other marine organisms.

UC San Diego Receives $7.35 Million for Scripps Center for Oceans and Human Health

The University of California San Diego was awarded $7.35 million in funding from the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health for a multidisciplinary program to advance understanding of marine contaminants and nutrients.

How Climate Change Will Impact Food Production and Financial Institutions

Researchers at the University of California San Diego School of Global Policy and Strategy have developed a new method to predict the financial impacts climate change will have on agriculture, which can help support food security and financial stability for countries.

Say Hello to Biodegradable Microplastics

Finding viable alternatives to traditional petroleum-based plastics and microplastics has never been more important. New research from scientists at UC San Diego and Algenesis shows that their plant-based polymers biodegrade — even at the microplastic level — in under seven months.

Study Illuminates the Protective Role of Fluorescence in Neon-Colored Sea Anemones

For the first time, a team of researchers at Stanford University and UC San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography has uncovered a direct genetic link between fluorescence and color in sea anemones — those soft and tentacled tide pool creatures often encountered by beachgoers.

New Deep-Sea Worm Discovered at Methane Seep off Costa Rica

Researchers have discovered a new species of deep-sea worm living near a methane seep some 50 kilometers (30 miles) off the Pacific coast of Costa Rica.

When Planning Sustainable Energy Systems—Don’t Forget About People

New research published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) shows that models commonly used to shape climate mitigation need to include human behaviors and rules–and shows models can be adapted to do so.

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