Even moderate heat waves depress sea urchin reproduction aling the Pacific coast

Submitted by Mariana Padilla on Fri, 11/14/2025 - 15:14
An orange Garibaldi floats above a field of purple sea urchins, which have proliferated along the California coast and in boom years often decimate kelp forests. Understanding the causes of urchin boom and bust cycles can help biologists plan mitigation measures that preserve a balanced coastal ecosystem. Photo Credit: Ron McPeak, courtesy of the Santa Barbara Coastal Long Term Ecological Research Program

Biologists believed that urchin reproduction along the Pacific Coast would only be affected by marine heat waves at lethal ocean temperatures, a new study conducted by IB Assistant Professor Daniel Okamoto and other marine biologists at UC Berkeley suggests that this threshold of susceptibility, for urchins and other marine species, may be at lower temperatures than previously thought. Read the full article here.

Origin of Life - Nov 18

Submitted by Mariana Padilla on Fri, 11/14/2025 - 14:53
Pictured is a microscopic level image of microorganisms.

The origins of ever-evolving life are never sufficiently explained; innovations in the complex origins of life are continually being expanded into new horizons. Join Wonderfest’s guest speaker, Distinguished IB Professor and Director of the University of California Museum of Paleontology, Dr. Charles Marshall, on November 18, 2025, as he explores the integral role of energy and information in the past, present, and future of life on Earth. Read the full article here.

Fostering community space for inclusive teaching through the active collaboration of faculty

Submitted by Mariana Padilla on Wed, 09/24/2025 - 15:08
Ten individuals stand facing a blackboard with Physics problems written on it. | Photo credit: Neil Freese

To combat the disparaging numbers of marginalized students opting out of pursuing STEM careers, a study was conducted by several IB researchers, including Jennifer Imamura, Tamara Mau, Joshua Povich, Timothy Herrlinger, Julianne M. Winters, and other collaborators, to assess how the Faculty Learning Optimizes Student Success (FLOSS) program, might better foster an inclusive learning environment where students can become better equipped for their professional goals. Read the full article here.

Genetic adaptations and their predisposition to urban health risks in the Turkana

Submitted by Mariana Padilla on Wed, 09/24/2025 - 15:03
Pictured are two women balancing plastic water jugs on their heads as they walk, one holds the hand of a child who walks alongside her. | Photo credit: Julien Ayroles/ UC Berkeley

Genomic research on the Turkana of northwestern Kenya, led by IB’s Julien Ayrole and Vanderbilt University’s Amanda Lea, in collaboration with Kenyan researchers and the Turkana community, reveals that genetic adaptations developed for surviving extreme desert conditions may predispose individuals from the Turkana community to chronic diseases as the community transitions from pastoralist lifestyles to urban cities. Read the full Berkeley News article here.