UCLA researchers found caffeine might improve the stability of a new material for solar panels. Yang Yang, a UCLA professor of material science and engineering who led the research, said his team has been studying a solar cell material called perovskite for six years as an alternative power conversion material to traditional silicon solar cells. […]
Author Archives: Qiaozhen Wu
UCLA researchers develop device to monitor movement of people in perilous situations
UCLA researchers developed a fire-resistant device that monitors the safety of people working in extreme environments. Richard Kaner, a distinguished professor of inorganic chemistry who led the research, said the device generates electric signals from a person’s movement to monitor for signs of stillness that indicate the wearer might be in danger. Maher El-Kady, a […]
Lab studies estrogen receptors, bone density for potential osteoporosis treatment
UCLA researchers found silencing certain estrogen receptors in the brain dramatically increases bone density, offering a potential treatment for women with osteoporosis. Stephanie Correa, an assistant professor of biology, started studying this treatment while she was a postdoctoral student at UC San Francisco. She said she noticed female mice gained weight when she genetically removed […]
Campus Queries: What is the impact of wildfires on wildlife in California?
Campus Queries is a series in which Daily Bruin readers and staff present science-related questions for UCLA professors and experts to answer. Q: How have the recent wildfires in California affected local wildlife? A: In light of the recent Woolsey fire that burned through Los Angeles and Ventura counties, UCLA professors said human activities are […]
Researchers find descendants of Civil War POWs have shorter life spans
UCLA researchers found the life spans of descendants of Civil War prisoners of war are shorter than those of people not descended from POWs, suggesting trauma might affect the long-term health of future generations. Researchers led by Dora Costa, a UCLA professor of economics, examined records in the National Archives to track the life spans […]
Researchers unsure about effects of heavy cannabis use, agree on more regulation
UCLA researchers found in a recent study that those who engage in heavy cannabis usage show improved physical health, mental health and cognitive functions when they reduce the amount of cannabis they consume. The study implies that cannabis consumption in large quantities can have negative effects on the user’s health. These potential dangers of cannabis […]
UCLA researchers test potential autism treatment on mice
UCLA researchers successfully tested a potential treatment for visual deficiencies associated with autism by manipulating malfunctioning neurons in mice. The team of researchers studied the mechanisms behind fragile X syndrome, one of the most common genetic causes of autism and identified the deficit neurons that impaired the mice’s ability to process visual information. Through treating […]