We rely on maps to make sense of the world around us. But for most maps, points of extreme irregularity pop up. Those points are called singularities. A new study reports the discovery of a set of equations capable of untangling the distortions in maps caused by singularities.

The Vera C. Rubin Observatory recently launched its 10-year astronomical survey to create the most comprehensive, cinematic record of the universe. While thousands of people played a part in making the facility a reality, Tony Tyson played a formative role, acting initially as the facility’s founding director and now its chief scientist. We sat down with Tyson to discuss his background and the technology behind the Rubin Observatory’s revolutionary camera.

UC Davis alum Roderic Vanderscoff always had his eyes on the stars. His love for space exploration was forged in his youth, informed by penchants for stargazing and science fiction, and conversations with his grandfather, an aerospace engineer who worked on the Apollo program. Today, Vanderscoff is following in his grandfather’s footsteps.

At UC Davis, Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences, or CUREs, provide an alternative path to real-world research. They allow students to conduct authentic scientific research in the classroom. A new study appearing in the Journal of Chemical Education shows that CURE classes are an effective way of bolstering student confidence and sense of belonging in the sciences.

In this video, UC Davis observational seismologist Amanda Thomas discusses the causes of the Venezuela doublet, why earthquake science matters and how Thomas’ research is helping us learn more about the tectonic shifts beneath our feet.