UC Davis College of Letters & Science

Can a single word become a legal dispute? ⚖️ UC Davis linguist John Hawkins has served as an expert witness in more than 50 cases involving ambiguity in the English language. His new book explores the linguistics behind them. @ucdavis.bsky.social @ucdavislaw.bsky.social

Scientists @ucdavis.bsky.social find first fossil evidence of a fully marine amphibian. This salt-tolerant, armored bottom-dweller lived ~23M year ago. @ucdlands.bsky.social www.ucdavis.edu/curiosity/ne...

What does it take to climb more than 23,000 feet? 🏔️ UC Davis professor and mountaineer Davide Donadio spent a month in Tajikistan summiting two of the region’s highest peaks. @ucdavis.bsky.social

Five UC Davis faculty. Five book projects. 📚 The Davis Humanities Institute has named its 2026-27 Faculty Research Fellows, whose research spans language, wellness, climate, caregiving, dance, and more. @ucdavis.bsky.social

Could what you watch affect how you feel? 🎬 New UC Davis research explores how loneliness, depression, and anxiety influence media choices —and how recommendation systems could potentially support healthier choices. @ucdavis.bsky.social

What does it mean to be human? UC Davis' Jenny Kaminer, an interdisciplinary scholar at the Davis Humanities Institute, joins us to discuss what it means to be human and how we relate to one another across time and geography. Tune in to this week's episode on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.

What can Reconstruction history tell us about voting rights today? UC Davis historian Gregory Downs examines the Supreme Court's Louisiana ruling and its implications for Black representation. @ucdavis.bsky.social @history-ucdavis.bsky.social

What happens to students with disabilities after K-12? 🎓 UC Davis sociologist Jacob Hibel received a $1.69 million grant to study how special education programs are associated with long-term outcomes for students with disabilities. @ucdavis.bsky.social

Will the President’s party lose seats in the midterms? 🗳️ UC Davis political scientist Erik Engstrom explains the “presidential penalty” and the issues shaping the 2026 elections. @ucdavis.bsky.social

Featuring work by Professor Louis Warren and late Professor Emeritus David Biale.

Your keys go "missing"; you forget why you walked into the room...we all forget things, but is there a reason why? UC Davis' Charan Ranganath dives into memory and 4 mental tricks to help you remember the things you tend to forget in The Washington Post. @ucdavis.bsky.social @washingtonpost.com

ICYMI: UC Davis' Giovanni Peri and Kevin Shih discuss the overwhelmingly positive economic findings on the benefits of high-skilled immigration to the United States with Forbes. @ucdavis.bsky.social @forbes.com @ucdavisecon.bsky.social

Welcome to October's Books of the Month! 📚 This month, we're featuring religion and spirituality. Whether you're curious about theology, philosophy, or the stories that connect us across time, let these works be your guide. @ucdavis.bsky.social

How do Latina activists support their communities? New UC Davis research examines how Latina and Puerto Rican activists in Florida organized resources, built coalitions, and addressed inequalities in their communities. @ucdavis.bsky.social

What if the wonders of the universe came to your community? 🌌 UC Davis physicists Lloyd Knox and Markus Luty are bringing Cosmic Connections, a free astronomy event series, to communities. @ucdavis.bsky.social

What if you could fix a recipe without changing the cookbook? 🧬 UC Davis researchers are using that idea to explain RNA editing — and exploring how it could lead to new therapies for genetic diseases without permanently altering DNA. @ucdavis.bsky.social

We're back and kicking season two off with something BIG! ...or small...? Watch on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts now! YouTube: https://bit.ly/4yoXN5O Apple: https://apple.co/4gCbuI4 Spotify: https://bit.ly/44tjaoF

What can scientists learn by taking LSD apart, piece by piece? 🧪 UC Davis researchers identified molecular features linked to LSD’s hallucinogenic and cardiotoxic effects — and compounds that could offer new starting points for drug discovery. @ucdavis.bsky.social @ucdavisipn.bsky.social

Who are museums for? 🏛️ UC Davis art historian Heghnar Watenpaugh explores that question through her work on cultural heritage, restitution, and human rights — from teaching in Paris to her upcoming year as a Getty Residential Scholar. @ucdavis.bsky.social

🧵 What is a public research university for? There's no single answer! It conducts research that helps us understand ourselves and the world around us. It trains the next generation of leaders and innovators. Valerie Klein shows what happens when these things intersect.

Want to learn more? Check out this great @ucdlands.bsky.social piece by Alex Russell lettersandsciencemag.ucdavis.edu/media-choices-mental-health Article: doi.org/10.1007/s44382-026-00040-5 Big THANK YOU to @gongxuanjun.bsky.social & @aeden.bsky.social this wouldn't have been possible without you!

A genomic study of more than 600 people across South Africa reveals the enduring legacy of Khoe-San ancestry — and offers new genetic evidence of how the colonial slave trade shaped the country’s population. @ucdavis.bsky.social

"Going on lots of first dates with strangers is not a great way to find love. Getting to know someone slowly is." Do you agree? Check out this article from The Atlantic, featuring UC Davis psychologist Paul Eastwick. @ucdavis.bsky.social

Have you seen this? UC Davis associate professor of History Dr. Traci Parker recently joined CBS Sacramento's Ashley Williams to discuss a controversial Converse ad. @ucdavis.bsky.social @history-ucdavis.bsky.social

Congratulations, Dean Atekwana! The future of @ucdlands.bsky.social is bright under your leadership! ✨

Happy first day of classes, Aggies! We're so glad to have you all back! #OurUCDavis Video description: Gunrock stands in a bike circle and holds up a sign that reads "Welcome back, Aggies."

We are thrilled to announce that Estella Atekwana has been reappointed to a second five-year term as dean of the UC Davis College of Letters and Science! 🎉 Visit the Letters & Science Magazine to read more about her first term and her vision for the next five years. @ucdavis.bsky.social

Can a burrito bring graduate students together? 🌯 UC Davis graduate student Maria Calderon Leon thought so — and thus, “Carbs and Community” was born! Now, her commitment to community and inclusive excellence earned her a 2026 Chancellor’s Achievement Award. @ucdavis.bsky.social

UC Davis now ranks as the eighth-best public university in the United States in @usnews.com's annual Best Colleges rankings, up from ninth place last year and the university’s sixth consecutive year in the top 10. Read more about the latest university rankings by visiting ucdav.is/3VJ01xK

From UC Davis to Carnegie Hall 🎶 UC Davis students, alumni, and community singers took the stage at the legendary New York City venue for a historic performance of The Cry of Jeremiah alongside composer Rosephanye Powell. @ucdavis.bsky.social

Welcome back to campus, Aggies! 🐮 Whether you're returning for another quarter or just starting your UC Davis journey, we hope you have an AMAZING fall quarter. And be sure to tag us along the way! 📸 @ucdavis.bsky.social

Is California’s next “Big One” overdue? Geologist Michael Oskin says no — but that doesn’t mean the risk isn’t growing. From the San Andreas Fault to earthquake prediction, Oskin explains what scientists know about California’s next major earthquake — and what they don’t. @ucdavis.bsky.social

Congratulations to UC Davis professor David E. Olson, named a finalist for the 2026 Blavatnik National Awards for Young Scientists! 🎉 His research explores psychedelics, neuroplasticity, and potential new treatments for brain-related conditions. @ucdavis.bsky.social @ucdavisipn.bsky.social

Political science professor Gabriella Montinola has received the 2026 James Lengle Advisor Recognition Award from Pi Sigma Alpha for her dedication to the university's Delta Upsilon chapter. Now, the student organization she helped rebuild is looking toward an ambitious future. @ucdavis.bsky.social

Heat stress doesn’t just affect our health — it affects our ability to work, too. A new UC Davis study estimates that each ton of CO₂ emitted in 2025 cost $41 in lost labor productivity. https://www.ucdavis.edu/climate/news/high-cost-climate-change-worker-productivity

Hey, new Aggies! Here's a sneak peek at some of the amazing campus partners attending our resource fairs during our new transfer and first-year student welcome events. This is your chance to explore campus resource centers, check out clubs, chat with faculty, and much more! @ucdavis.bsky.social

New UC Davis mathematics research introduces equations that help distinguish real singularities from mapping distortions — work that could improve models of black holes and spacetime. @ucdavis.bsky.social Read more at the Letters and Science Magazine:

UC Davis International Trade Specialist Ina Simonovska discusses how California dairy farmers brace for impact as Canada imposes retaliatory tariffs. @ucdavis.bsky.social @ucdavisecon.bsky.social

UC Davis researchers simplified LSD's structure, creating compounds with fewer side effects and one with antipsychotic-like effects. Read more: https://ucdav.is/3SQJfvO #UCDavis Image description: An illustration of the chemical structure of LSD represented by a rainbow.

In Forbes' annual "America's Top Colleges" list, UC Davis was named #10 among public universities that produce high-earning, successful and influential graduates from all economic backgrounds, with less student debt. UC Davis moved up from #12 since the 2025 rankings list: https://ucdav.is/4db6V4O

Physicist Tony Tyson spent more than 30 years helping create the Rubin Observatory, which has begun a 10-year mission to map the universe like never before. From childhood curiosity to changing astronomy forever, Tyson shares the story behind one of science's most exciting new observatories.

In 1997, Tony Tyson was elected to both the National Academy of Sciences and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. More recently, TIME named him to the 2026 TIME100, the publication’s annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world. Read more: https://ucdav.is/4xHNEAq

How do you spot an AI-generated image? 👀 UC Davis researchers identified three common clues — and argue that misinformation is a systemic problem that can't be solved by individual skepticism alone. @ucdavis.bsky.social Visit the Letters and Science Magazine to read more:

We are deeply saddened by the passing of Professor Konstantinos “Kosta” Papamichael, a visionary researcher, educator and leader in daylighting design. His pioneering research, mentorship and leadership leave an enduring legacy across @ucdavis.bsky.social and the broader lighting community.

What is the insula? 🧠 Researchers from @ucdavis.bsky.social explore what animal studies can teach us about this deeply connected part of the brain — and why understanding the insula could be important for neuroscience and human health. Visit the Letters and Science Magazine to learn more.

We are asking that you send thoughts and prayers to Rao and Vasu Unnava and their family. These two beloved members of the UC Davis community are among the thousands missing in the recent Nepal-Tibet flash floods. https://www.ucdavis.edu/news/message-chancellor-and-provost-about-unnavas

Is the world getting more polarized? The polarization of the U.S. is worrying. But is polarization similarly bad elsewhere? What drives polarization globally, what role does social media play, and will AI make things worse? New review in @nature.com communications: www.nature.com/articles/s41...

“It’s going to be revolutionary,” says Rubin Observatory Chief Scientist Tony Tyson, a physicist at UC Davis. @ucdavis.bsky.social @vrubinobs.bsky.social

What's possible with a degree in Physics? From stargazing as a kid to developing rocket propulsion systems, @ucdavis.bsky.social physics alum Roderic Vanderscoff ’14 has spent his career finding ways to help humanity travel farther into space. Read more: @calaggiealumni.bsky.social

Congratulations to the five award recipients of the U.S. Department of Energy’s, or DOE, Genesis Mission — a national program leveraging artificial intelligence to accelerate breakthroughs in energy, discovery science and national security.