Over three dozen UCLA faculty listed among world’s most influential researchers
The faculty members have published research that is cited most often by other scholars in their fields.
evolution
Results
Inequality not inevitable among mammals, study shows
Fairness has played as big a role in the evolution of species as dominance and hierarchy — but has been understudied.
Whaling wiped out far more fin whales than previously thought
A study by UCLA biologists shows a 99% population reduction in the 20th century, but genetic diversity remains high.
Birds living at UCLA were less afraid of humans after the pandemic closure
After a year with little human interaction, dark-eyed juncos were surprisingly more comfortable with people once campus life returned to normal.
Birds raise fewer young when spring arrives earlier in a warming world
A new study led by scientists at UCLA and Michigan State suggests that conservation strategies address avian responses to climate-driven shifts.
Megalodon was no cold-blooded killer
A killer, yes. But an analysis of tooth minerals reveals how the warm-blooded predator maintained its body temperature.
Disney mermaids aren’t the only wondrous creatures ‘under the sea’
On the eve of the “Little Mermaid” premiere, a UCLA doctoral candidate speaks up for the jellyfish.
What does it take to thrive in cities, if you’re a bird?
A UCLA-led study finds that urban bird species tend to be smaller and less territorial and have greater ability to fly long distances.
Biological bouncers: How immune cells yank antigens from surfaces to learn and evolve
This use of mechanical force helps B cells confront new pathogens and remember them while continuing to combat other threats.
Emerging field of evolutionary medicine could address range of health conditions
UCLA researchers say the approach could help tackle cancer, antibiotic resistance and food-related disorders.
7 professors named fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science
The honorees are Roger Wakimoto, Blaire Van Valkenburgh, Kenneth Nagy, Yi Tang, Tommaso Treu, Christine Dunkel Schetter and Gary Orfield.
UCLA-led research could help restore endangered fish species native to Southern California
Sequencing the genome of the unarmored threespine stickleback has given scientists clues that could guide conservation measures.
In memoriam: Robert Wayne, 66, pioneer of conservation genetics, protecting canids and other species
His research helped explain the evolution of dogs and showed that freeways are a barrier to bobcat and coyote migration.
When migrating birds go astray, disturbances in magnetic field may be partly to blame
A new UCLA study could help scientists better understand threats to birds — and their ability to adapt.
Argentine ants will do anything for sugar, but they won’t do this
In a twist that surprised researchers, the insects were less likely to forage for food when they were starving than when they were well fed.
Male orb-weaving spiders fight less in female-dominated colonies
A study led by four UCLA undergraduates also found that the arachnids cooperate, a rarity among spiders.
Birds getting smaller, ‘wingier’ as planet warms, UCLA-led research finds
The 30-year study of 105 migratory species reveals how strongly temperature affects animals’ physical characteristics.
Genomic analysis reveals true origin of South America’s canids
The continent’s diverse species all evolved very rapidly from a single ancestral population, a UCLA-led study shows.
Studying animal evolution to advance women’s health
Understanding the adaptations that protect female animals from disorders may help humans too, UCLA research suggests.
UCLA geologist helps solve 50-year-old mystery involving 2 billion-year-old rock
Professor emeritus Bruce Runnegar was part of the team that got to the bottom of the situation.
Animals laugh too, UCLA analysis suggests
Sifting through studies on various species’ play behavior, researchers tracked vocalization patterns that show a strong similarity to human laughter.
Turtles ‘in horrible shape’ with grim future due to rising sea levels
A new study reveals new findings about the animals’ evolution and the tough prospects they face for survival.
The dire wolf was a distinct species, different from the gray wolf, biologists discover
The first study to report genome-wide data on the prehistoric canid puts to bed a mystery biologists have pondered for more than 100 years.
Birthrates, marriage, gender roles will change dramatically in post-pandemic world, scientists predict
The longer COVID-19 continues, the more entrenched these psychological, social and societal changes are likely to be, the study authors suggest.
UCLA-led team of scientists discovers why we need sleep
In very early life, sleep helps build the brain’s infrastructure, but it then takes on an entirely new decluttering role, research shows.