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Letters and Science

sunlight shines through a swimming jellyfish
Photo Credit
iStock

Adaptive molecular convergence more common than previously thought

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Storm clouds gather over the ocean.
Photo Credit
Photo by Daniel Lerman on Unsplash
Strong storms and higher seas from El Niño exacerbate winter hazards in Southern California.

Understanding the causes and impacts of 2026’s record-breaking El Niño
color photograph of art students working on a mural
Photo Credit
Yumiko Glover
UCSB ART 100 students working on the Lane Room Mural, summer 2026

Student artists produce themed mural for Department of Political Science
Elephant bones lay scattered around a bare patch on the African savanna with mountains in the background.
Photo Credit
Courtney Reed
An elephant transforms the spot where it dies, with a legacy that lasts long after the body is gone and the bones are scattered.

Elephants continue to shape the savanna even after death
A tractor sprays fertilizer or pesticides on a green field.
Photo Credit
MaYcaL via iStock
Synthetic fertilizer has increased the amount of nitrogen compounds in the biosphere, compounds that must be converted by microbes back into nitrogen gas.

A rare atomic fingerprint reveals how ecosystems clean nitrogen pollution
Black-and-white portrait of a woman with long hair leaning against a wall and looking over her shoulder towards a tree
Photo Credit
Matt Perko
Heidi Amin-Hong

Refugee studies meets environmental justice in new special journal issue
photo of Tsimane people, left, and photo of Hadza people, right
Photo Credit
Michael Gurven; iStock
Though separated by an ocean for millennia, the rural Tsimané of lowland Bolivia, left, and Hadza people of Tanzania, right, share a remarkable number of gut microbiome species, many of which have disappeared from the microbiomes of people in urbanized societies

Microbiome study reveals ancient gut connections between Africa and South America
woman sharing food with her children in a bright setting
Photo Credit
iStock

Young infants infer the closeness of social relationships via saliva sharing interactions
Waves roll up the shoreline at sunrise, horizon is orange in the distance
Photo Credit
Matt Perko

UC Santa Barbara introduces minor in environmental humanities
Leander Anderegg sits on the stairs to the left of Kelly Caylor and David Valentine.
Leander Anderegg, Kelly Caylor, and David Valentine have all been recognized by the American Geophysical Union for their work.

Three UCSB researchers recognized for contributions to the earth sciences
color photograph of a group of college students in discussion

Speaker series and graduate seminars explore academic freedom
stylized photo of a researcher at a colorful optical table
Photo Credit
Matt Perko

UCSB researchers to collaborate in three of NSF's Quantum Leap Challenge Institutes
Blue sky and bright sun light the partial view of a modern building on a coastline
Photo Credit
Ehrlich Yanai Rhee Chaney Architects
An artist's rendering of the La Kretz Environmental Crossroads shows the view from the main entry and an elevated porch with the ocean in the distance

Alumni gift, vision powers plans for a multifaceted climate solutions hub at UCSB
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