July 30, 2026
Neanderthals and Denisovans interbred with modern human ancestors, leaving behind telltale DNA in our genomes. Now we have evidence of modern human interbreeding with two much older but unknown ancestors. Two mysterious human relatives left their genetic footprints in the modern human genome alongside the DNA of Neanderthals and Denisovans, underscoring the fact that our…
July 28, 2026
When designing microscopes, optical engineers have long faced a trade-off between speed, field of view and resolution. But improving one of these properties typically comes at the expense of another. Now, a UC Berkeley-led team of researchers has found a way to address this challenge, opening the door to new possibilities in the field of…
June 22, 2026
Karthik Shekhar, assistant professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering (CBE) at UC Berkeley, the John F. Heil Jr. Professor, and a member of the Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, has been selected as the fifth recipient of the Philomathia Prize. The annual prize is awarded to an early-career Berkeley faculty member, from any discipline, who demonstrates…
June 11, 2026
A landmark achievement in microscopy is poised to reveal the molecular machinery of life inside cells, at near-atomic detail. Inside every living cell, tens of thousands of different types of proteins are at work: ferrying molecular cargo, relaying signals, repairing DNA, deciding whether a cell should divide or die. Most of these proteins are too…
May 11, 2026
Today’s high-tech electronics and green energy technologies would not function without rare earth elements (REEs). But extracting these substances from raw materials is a dirty process that relies on toxic chemicals and leaves behind polluted waste. Now, a Berkeley-led team may have solved this problem — thanks to a tiny virus. The researchers genetically engineered…
April 24, 2026
Protein-based spider silk inspires new fibers sourced from compost In a bold effort to address the growing challenge of textile waste in landfills, the Bezos Earth Fund has awarded $10 million to research led by engineers and scientists at the University of California, Berkeley, to develop biodegradable fibers that can rival the strength and flexibility…
March 25, 2026
A miniaturized system developed by UC Berkeley researchers can mimic the effects of nearly four decades of aging with high accuracy, potentially enabling rapid drug development and cheaper testing. Over one billion people worldwide are over 60, and the population is projected to more than double by 2050. But as more people live into their…
March 10, 2026
New approach could lead to therapies for a wider range of diseases and with fewer side effects Lymph nodes, considered the command centers of our immune system, often get swollen and stiff when fighting infection. Now, a UC Berkeley-led team of researchers has discovered that this mechanical change may help instruct our immune system to…