UC Riverside

It's possible that someday in the future, sunlight-powered robots may be able to swim across marine oil spills, soaking up the oil as they go. A tiny prototype has already been created, and it was inspired by both the steam engine and an insect.

Scientists have revealed a new mechanism through which an ingredient in common plastics drives up cholesterol and risk of cardiovascular disease in mice, potentially filling in some important blanks as to why similar effects have been observed in humans.

Because nanoscale objects are so incredibly small, they don't reflect enough light for even the best microscopes to discern details such as their color. A new lighting system, however, addresses that problem by acting as a tiny spotlight.

New research led by the University of California Riverside has identified a relatively simple catalyst that can remove common pollutants called perchlorates, helping reduce water and soil pollution not just on Earth but potentially on Mars one day.

Although there are implants that gradually release medication at specific sites within the body, it can be difficult to control their rate of release. An experimental new device, however, dispenses drugs when externally activated by a shockwave.

Trilobites are one of the most common creatures found in the fossil record, but now some particularly well-preserved specimens have revealed some intriguing new details. It turns out that trilobites breathed oxygen – through their legs.

One common symptom of multiple sclerosis (MS) is vision impairment, and it can progress to blindness in some cases. Now, researchers at the University of California, Riverside report a drug that was able to reverse that vision loss in mice.

Everyone already knows that compost made from food scraps helps plants to grow. Now, however, scientists have fermented food waste to create a liquid fertilizer that boosts the number of beneficial bacteria within the plants themselves, and in their soil.

Scientists have estimated the total amount of matter in the universe using a more precise method. By calculating the mass of hundreds of galaxy clusters, the team found that matter makes up around a third of the contents of the universe.

Even when they're allowed to roam, chickens are still susceptible to infestations of blood-sucking mites. It now turns out that a backpack-like device could let farmers know when those mites are biting, so treatment could begin as soon as possible.

The fossilized remains of the oldest known ancestor of almost every animal have been discovered. The creature, named Ikaria wariootia, is a wormlike animal about the size of a grain of rice, and it's the earliest example of the bilaterian body shape.

Researchers have developed a new way to weld ceramics together at room temperature, using ultrafast laser pulses.