UC Davis College of Letters & Science
@ucdlands.bsky.social
The official BlueSky account for the UC Davis College of Letters & Science. #UCDLandS
Filmmaker Julie Wyman’s documentary 'The Tallest Dwarf' explores identity, representation, and belonging within the dwarf community — reframing a history shaped by the outside gaze.
Find out how you can watch at the Letters and Science Magazine.
@ucdavis.bsky.social
Find out how you can watch at the Letters and Science Magazine.
@ucdavis.bsky.social
'The Tallest Dwarf' Documentary Coming to Davis, PBS and a Theater Near You?
Julie Wyman, an award-winning documentary filmmaker and associate professor of cinema and digital media at UC Davis, finds belonging and an unexpected history within the dwarf community whilst working on her documentary, "The Tallest Dwarf." It will be ...
lettersandsciencemag.ucdavis.edu
February 18, 2026 at 7:45 PM
Filmmaker Julie Wyman’s documentary 'The Tallest Dwarf' explores identity, representation, and belonging within the dwarf community — reframing a history shaped by the outside gaze.
Find out how you can watch at the Letters and Science Magazine.
@ucdavis.bsky.social
Find out how you can watch at the Letters and Science Magazine.
@ucdavis.bsky.social
February's Books of the Month feature scholars from @ucdavis.bsky.social whose research explores the roots and realities of state violence in the country. From mass incarceration to political resistance and democratic institutions, these works place today’s upheavals in a deeper historical context.
Power, Politics and Violence in the U.S.
For this edition of Books of the Month, as protests and political divides continue to disrupt lives across the U.S., we've selected books that grapple with these issues, telling stories of both survival and resistance.
lettersandsciencemag.ucdavis.edu
February 18, 2026 at 4:45 PM
February's Books of the Month feature scholars from @ucdavis.bsky.social whose research explores the roots and realities of state violence in the country. From mass incarceration to political resistance and democratic institutions, these works place today’s upheavals in a deeper historical context.
Reposted by UC Davis College of Letters & Science
#UCDavis' Paul Eastwick (of course) on love languages www.nytimes.com/2026/02/13/w... @ucdavispsych.bsky.social @ucdlands.bsky.social @ucdavis.bsky.social
5 Unofficial Love Languages
www.nytimes.com
February 16, 2026 at 4:26 PM
#UCDavis' Paul Eastwick (of course) on love languages www.nytimes.com/2026/02/13/w... @ucdavispsych.bsky.social @ucdlands.bsky.social @ucdavis.bsky.social
Reposted by UC Davis College of Letters & Science
Join us on campus this Saturday for #UCDavis Biodiversity Museum Day! See inspiring exhibits on insects, plants & yeast! During the free event, visit the Bee Haven, Herbarium, @bohartmuseum.bsky.social & more! biodiversitymuseumday.ucdavis.edu
Biodiversity Museum Day | UC Davis Biodiversity Museum Day
biodiversitymuseumday.ucdavis.edu
February 17, 2026 at 6:43 PM
Join us on campus this Saturday for #UCDavis Biodiversity Museum Day! See inspiring exhibits on insects, plants & yeast! During the free event, visit the Bee Haven, Herbarium, @bohartmuseum.bsky.social & more! biodiversitymuseumday.ucdavis.edu
Recent killings in Minneapolis by federal agents raise urgent questions about immigration law, government power, and U.S. history. Experts from @ucdavis.bsky.social explore what’s happening and why it matters.
@history-ucdavis.bsky.social
@history-ucdavis.bsky.social
How Federal Immigration Enforcement Violence in Minneapolis Echoes U.S. History
Federal immigration enforcement in Minneapolis is part of a larger history of government violence against citizens and non-citizens alike. However, today's technology, rhetoric and legal tensions are changing what that violence means for society.
lettersandsciencemag.ucdavis.edu
February 17, 2026 at 6:08 PM
Recent killings in Minneapolis by federal agents raise urgent questions about immigration law, government power, and U.S. history. Experts from @ucdavis.bsky.social explore what’s happening and why it matters.
@history-ucdavis.bsky.social
@history-ucdavis.bsky.social
Can you die from a broken heart?
Broken heart syndrome -- or takotsubo cardiomyopathy -- can be triggered by intense emotional stress and often mimics a heart attack.
Researchers at @ucdavis.bsky.social are studying why it disproportionately affects women -- and what adrenaline does to the heart.
Broken heart syndrome -- or takotsubo cardiomyopathy -- can be triggered by intense emotional stress and often mimics a heart attack.
Researchers at @ucdavis.bsky.social are studying why it disproportionately affects women -- and what adrenaline does to the heart.
Can You Die From a Broken Heart?
At the February Davis Science Café, an event hosted by Professor Jared Shaw and the Department of Chemistry, Crystal Ripplinger explored the compounding effects of emotional stress on the heart and explained the science behind broken heart syndrome.
lettersandsciencemag.ucdavis.edu
February 14, 2026 at 4:53 PM
Can you die from a broken heart?
Broken heart syndrome -- or takotsubo cardiomyopathy -- can be triggered by intense emotional stress and often mimics a heart attack.
Researchers at @ucdavis.bsky.social are studying why it disproportionately affects women -- and what adrenaline does to the heart.
Broken heart syndrome -- or takotsubo cardiomyopathy -- can be triggered by intense emotional stress and often mimics a heart attack.
Researchers at @ucdavis.bsky.social are studying why it disproportionately affects women -- and what adrenaline does to the heart.
How does evolution shape romantic love? @ucdavis.bsky.social psychologist Paul Eastwick explores why compatibility matters more than desirability, and what science says about lasting relationships.
Read more at the Letters and Science Magazine:
Read more at the Letters and Science Magazine:
New Book Charts Evolution's Role in Romantic Love
The new book, Bonded by Evolution: The New Science of Love and Connection, by UC Davis psychologist Paul Eastwick, explains what happens when the mist of desirability wears off and compatibility has the chance to chart lasting love and happiness.
lettersandsciencemag.ucdavis.edu
February 13, 2026 at 7:53 PM
How does evolution shape romantic love? @ucdavis.bsky.social psychologist Paul Eastwick explores why compatibility matters more than desirability, and what science says about lasting relationships.
Read more at the Letters and Science Magazine:
Read more at the Letters and Science Magazine:
Are men biologically wired to nurture? A new documentary inspired by research at @ucdavis.bsky.social explores the science behind fatherhood — from hormones to brain changes.
Read more at the Letters and Science Magazine:
Read more at the Letters and Science Magazine:
The Science of Fatherhood
In her book Father Time, Sarah Blaffer Hrdy explores the role males play in parental care and its evolutionary basis. Now, the book has inspired a 52-minute documentary called Father Time: Why Men Are Born to Nurture.
lettersandsciencemag.ucdavis.edu
February 13, 2026 at 1:45 AM
Are men biologically wired to nurture? A new documentary inspired by research at @ucdavis.bsky.social explores the science behind fatherhood — from hormones to brain changes.
Read more at the Letters and Science Magazine:
Read more at the Letters and Science Magazine:
Sasha Abramsky’s new book, American Carnage, explores the human cost of DOGE cuts, centering the stories of federal workers impacted by sweeping government layoffs and policy changes. Abramsky reflects on political discourse, journalism, and teaching in a polarized era.
@ucdavis.bsky.social
@ucdavis.bsky.social
New Book Explores the Human Cost of DOGE Cuts Under Trump and Musk
What happens when “efficiency” comes at the expense of people? In his new book, American Carnage, Journalist and UC Davis Writing Center lecturer Sasha Abramsky examines the human cost of DOGE cuts during the second Trump administration. From lost healt...
lettersandsciencemag.ucdavis.edu
February 10, 2026 at 5:55 PM
Sasha Abramsky’s new book, American Carnage, explores the human cost of DOGE cuts, centering the stories of federal workers impacted by sweeping government layoffs and policy changes. Abramsky reflects on political discourse, journalism, and teaching in a polarized era.
@ucdavis.bsky.social
@ucdavis.bsky.social
Long after a course ends, the lessons of a great teacher remain.
Former students remember Eugene Lunn, a UC Davis historian whose love of ideas, respect for students and commitment to thoughtful debate shaped their lives and continues to shape the university today.
@ucdavis.bsky.social
Read more:
Former students remember Eugene Lunn, a UC Davis historian whose love of ideas, respect for students and commitment to thoughtful debate shaped their lives and continues to shape the university today.
@ucdavis.bsky.social
Read more:
Remembering Eugene Lunn: A UC Davis Historian's Enduring Teaching Legacy
Eugene Lunn served as a professor of history at UC Davis for two decades before his untimely passing in 1990, but his work as a scholar and his deep commitment to his students left a powerful impression that continues to resonate today.
lettersandsciencemag.ucdavis.edu
February 7, 2026 at 12:15 AM
Long after a course ends, the lessons of a great teacher remain.
Former students remember Eugene Lunn, a UC Davis historian whose love of ideas, respect for students and commitment to thoughtful debate shaped their lives and continues to shape the university today.
@ucdavis.bsky.social
Read more:
Former students remember Eugene Lunn, a UC Davis historian whose love of ideas, respect for students and commitment to thoughtful debate shaped their lives and continues to shape the university today.
@ucdavis.bsky.social
Read more:
In Annaliese Franz’s lab, chemistry meets creativity.
Her team designs molecules like architects, using silicon as a building block to improve vaccines, enhance cannabinoids for epilepsy treatment, and create more efficient therapeutic designs.
@ucdavis.bsky.social
@ucdavisipn.bsky.social
Her team designs molecules like architects, using silicon as a building block to improve vaccines, enhance cannabinoids for epilepsy treatment, and create more efficient therapeutic designs.
@ucdavis.bsky.social
@ucdavisipn.bsky.social
The Molecular Architects
Annaliese Franz and her lab are designing therapeutic molecules of the future. Through organic synthesis and catalysis, the team is building and improving molecules with therapeutic potential. Some current projects include developing a new nanoparticle ...
lettersandsciencemag.ucdavis.edu
February 5, 2026 at 5:06 PM
In Annaliese Franz’s lab, chemistry meets creativity.
Her team designs molecules like architects, using silicon as a building block to improve vaccines, enhance cannabinoids for epilepsy treatment, and create more efficient therapeutic designs.
@ucdavis.bsky.social
@ucdavisipn.bsky.social
Her team designs molecules like architects, using silicon as a building block to improve vaccines, enhance cannabinoids for epilepsy treatment, and create more efficient therapeutic designs.
@ucdavis.bsky.social
@ucdavisipn.bsky.social
Ever wonder why mosquitoes seem to bite some people more than others?
UC Davis neurobiologist Lisa Baik explains how taste, skin chemistry, and environmental cues influence mosquito behavior — and how new research could lead to safer, more effective repellents.
@ucdavis.bsky.social
UC Davis neurobiologist Lisa Baik explains how taste, skin chemistry, and environmental cues influence mosquito behavior — and how new research could lead to safer, more effective repellents.
@ucdavis.bsky.social
Why Do Mosquitoes Bite Some People More Than Others? A Neurobiologist Explains
If you're reading this, chances are you've been bit by a mosquito. But what do you know about these creatures beyond them being perceived pesky annoyances? At the January Davis Science Cafe, neurobiologist Lisa Baik explained what can lead to mosquito b...
lettersandsciencemag.ucdavis.edu
February 4, 2026 at 5:51 PM
Ever wonder why mosquitoes seem to bite some people more than others?
UC Davis neurobiologist Lisa Baik explains how taste, skin chemistry, and environmental cues influence mosquito behavior — and how new research could lead to safer, more effective repellents.
@ucdavis.bsky.social
UC Davis neurobiologist Lisa Baik explains how taste, skin chemistry, and environmental cues influence mosquito behavior — and how new research could lead to safer, more effective repellents.
@ucdavis.bsky.social
Check out Letters and Science Professor of Design, Tim McNeil, on the latest episode of the Minds Over Matters podcast!
Imagine if neighborhoods were designed for intentional living, with sustainability, energy-efficiency, community, and safety at the forefront. It may seem like a stretch to some, but not Tim McNeil, Director of the UC Davis Design Museum and resident of Village Homes.
Check out our latest episode:
Check out our latest episode:
Utopia
YouTube video by Minds Over Matters
youtu.be
February 3, 2026 at 10:55 PM
Check out Letters and Science Professor of Design, Tim McNeil, on the latest episode of the Minds Over Matters podcast!
Taiwan’s response to COVID-19 was globally praised, but beneath that success were growing tensions between liberty, caring and efficient governance.
New research examines how misinformation and fear nearly undermined democracy during the pandemic, offering lessons that extend far beyond Taiwan.
New research examines how misinformation and fear nearly undermined democracy during the pandemic, offering lessons that extend far beyond Taiwan.
The Untold Story of How COVID-19 and Disinformation Nearly Undermined Taiwan's Democracy
The COVID-19 pandemic was a global crisis that showed the fragility of democracy in Taiwan, where misinformation threatened the three pillars that define the nation's government and civil society.
lettersandsciencemag.ucdavis.edu
February 3, 2026 at 5:50 PM
Taiwan’s response to COVID-19 was globally praised, but beneath that success were growing tensions between liberty, caring and efficient governance.
New research examines how misinformation and fear nearly undermined democracy during the pandemic, offering lessons that extend far beyond Taiwan.
New research examines how misinformation and fear nearly undermined democracy during the pandemic, offering lessons that extend far beyond Taiwan.
From exploring machine learning and linguistics to running VR experiments, Prati Mehta discovered that research isn’t just about data; it’s about hands-on learning, collaboration, and uncovering new passions.
Read how saying “yes” to research shaped her college experience: https://bit.ly/3Og4uUQ
Read how saying “yes” to research shaped her college experience: https://bit.ly/3Og4uUQ
February 3, 2026 at 5:45 PM
From exploring machine learning and linguistics to running VR experiments, Prati Mehta discovered that research isn’t just about data; it’s about hands-on learning, collaboration, and uncovering new passions.
Read how saying “yes” to research shaped her college experience: https://bit.ly/3Og4uUQ
Read how saying “yes” to research shaped her college experience: https://bit.ly/3Og4uUQ
What would it feel like to fall into a black hole?
UC Davis astrophysicist Brenna Mockler explores how time, gravity, and light behave near these cosmic extremes, diving into how studying star-devouring black holes helps scientists understand how galaxies evolve.
@ucdavis.bsky.social
UC Davis astrophysicist Brenna Mockler explores how time, gravity, and light behave near these cosmic extremes, diving into how studying star-devouring black holes helps scientists understand how galaxies evolve.
@ucdavis.bsky.social
What Happens Inside a Black Hole? A UC Davis Astrophysicist Weighs In
How might falling into a black hole feel? Assuming you're not ripped apart, a process called spaghettification, and your consciousness remains intact, UC Davis Assistant Professor of Physics and Astronomy Brenna Mockler has some ideas.
lettersandsciencemag.ucdavis.edu
January 29, 2026 at 6:10 PM
What would it feel like to fall into a black hole?
UC Davis astrophysicist Brenna Mockler explores how time, gravity, and light behave near these cosmic extremes, diving into how studying star-devouring black holes helps scientists understand how galaxies evolve.
@ucdavis.bsky.social
UC Davis astrophysicist Brenna Mockler explores how time, gravity, and light behave near these cosmic extremes, diving into how studying star-devouring black holes helps scientists understand how galaxies evolve.
@ucdavis.bsky.social
New research shows that gun violence is reported differently depending on where it happens.
Analyzing nearly 36,000 news stories, researchers identified consistent racial disparities in both the volume and language of gun violence reporting across the U.S.
@ucdavis.bsky.social
Analyzing nearly 36,000 news stories, researchers identified consistent racial disparities in both the volume and language of gun violence reporting across the U.S.
@ucdavis.bsky.social
Research Suggests Nationwide Racial Disparities in Media Reporting on Gun Violence
Mass shootings in white-majority neighborhoods received roughly twice the news coverage of mass shootings in neighborhoods where a majority of residents were people of color, while coverage of police-involved shootings was disproportionately high in maj...
lettersandsciencemag.ucdavis.edu
January 28, 2026 at 6:11 PM
New research shows that gun violence is reported differently depending on where it happens.
Analyzing nearly 36,000 news stories, researchers identified consistent racial disparities in both the volume and language of gun violence reporting across the U.S.
@ucdavis.bsky.social
Analyzing nearly 36,000 news stories, researchers identified consistent racial disparities in both the volume and language of gun violence reporting across the U.S.
@ucdavis.bsky.social
Reposted by UC Davis College of Letters & Science
A Maverick with a Need for Speed ✈️ Real leadership lessons from the airline disruptor who refused to fly on autopilot, building the No. 2 rated airline in the U.S.
Dean's Distinguished Speaker Maurice J. Gallagher Jr. 🎙️ bit.ly/4sJOPxa | @calaggiealumni.bsky.social @ucdavis.bsky.social
Dean's Distinguished Speaker Maurice J. Gallagher Jr. 🎙️ bit.ly/4sJOPxa | @calaggiealumni.bsky.social @ucdavis.bsky.social
January 22, 2026 at 10:27 PM
A Maverick with a Need for Speed ✈️ Real leadership lessons from the airline disruptor who refused to fly on autopilot, building the No. 2 rated airline in the U.S.
Dean's Distinguished Speaker Maurice J. Gallagher Jr. 🎙️ bit.ly/4sJOPxa | @calaggiealumni.bsky.social @ucdavis.bsky.social
Dean's Distinguished Speaker Maurice J. Gallagher Jr. 🎙️ bit.ly/4sJOPxa | @calaggiealumni.bsky.social @ucdavis.bsky.social
Join us as Pulitzer Prize–winning historian and journalist Anne Applebaum delivers the Eugene Lunn Memorial Lecture.
From financial systems to propaganda, we'll examine the hidden networks behind modern autocracy and explore how they shape global politics today.
Read more: https://bit.ly/4jOPGIC
From financial systems to propaganda, we'll examine the hidden networks behind modern autocracy and explore how they shape global politics today.
Read more: https://bit.ly/4jOPGIC
January 22, 2026 at 9:30 PM
Join us as Pulitzer Prize–winning historian and journalist Anne Applebaum delivers the Eugene Lunn Memorial Lecture.
From financial systems to propaganda, we'll examine the hidden networks behind modern autocracy and explore how they shape global politics today.
Read more: https://bit.ly/4jOPGIC
From financial systems to propaganda, we'll examine the hidden networks behind modern autocracy and explore how they shape global politics today.
Read more: https://bit.ly/4jOPGIC
What if self-control isn’t just about capacity, but also choice?
A new UC Davis review argues that early experiences shape when executive function feels worth the effort, starting in childhood and lasting a lifetime.
Read more at the Letters and Science Magazine.
@ucdavis.bsky.social
A new UC Davis review argues that early experiences shape when executive function feels worth the effort, starting in childhood and lasting a lifetime.
Read more at the Letters and Science Magazine.
@ucdavis.bsky.social
Early Environments May Shape Executive Function and Self-Control Over a Lifetime
A new review paper from the Center for Mind and Brain suggests that a person's environment in early childhood has much more to do with how they engage executive function -- like exerting self-control -- throughout their lives than innate ability.
lettersandsciencemag.ucdavis.edu
January 22, 2026 at 5:52 PM
What if self-control isn’t just about capacity, but also choice?
A new UC Davis review argues that early experiences shape when executive function feels worth the effort, starting in childhood and lasting a lifetime.
Read more at the Letters and Science Magazine.
@ucdavis.bsky.social
A new UC Davis review argues that early experiences shape when executive function feels worth the effort, starting in childhood and lasting a lifetime.
Read more at the Letters and Science Magazine.
@ucdavis.bsky.social
Reposted by UC Davis College of Letters & Science
California’s wildfire seasons are becoming more intense & the state’s public bank of seeds to replant lands is understocked. New #UCDavis research aims to predict when & where cones will ripen so they can be collected, the seeds removed, dried & stored for later use.
caes.ucdavis.edu/news/finding...
caes.ucdavis.edu/news/finding...
Finding that Ripe Cone Sweet Spot: Looking Back to Help the Future
California’s wildfire seasons are becoming more intense, and the state’s public bank of seeds to help replant and reforest lands after blazes is understocked by thousands of pounds. A new research pro...
caes.ucdavis.edu
January 21, 2026 at 5:52 PM
California’s wildfire seasons are becoming more intense & the state’s public bank of seeds to replant lands is understocked. New #UCDavis research aims to predict when & where cones will ripen so they can be collected, the seeds removed, dried & stored for later use.
caes.ucdavis.edu/news/finding...
caes.ucdavis.edu/news/finding...
Reposted by UC Davis College of Letters & Science
If you are in Davis on 9 February, please come!
The annual Eugene Lunn Memorial Lecture will be delivered by Pulitzer prize-winning historian and journalist Anne Applebaum on Monday, February 9, 2026 from 4-6 pm at the Manetti Shrem Art Museum. The event (including reception) is free and open to the public.
January 16, 2026 at 6:40 AM
If you are in Davis on 9 February, please come!
Tea has shaped history, culture, and science for centuries.
Later this month, UC Davis’ 2026 Global Tea Institute Colloquium will explore the art of tea through research, ritual, and global perspectives, bringing together scholars across the humanities and sciences.
@ucdavis.bsky.social
Later this month, UC Davis’ 2026 Global Tea Institute Colloquium will explore the art of tea through research, ritual, and global perspectives, bringing together scholars across the humanities and sciences.
@ucdavis.bsky.social
The Art of Tea Takes Center Stage at UC Davis' 2026 Global Tea Institute Colloquium
This year's annual Global Tea Institute Colloquium honors the legacy of tea with its theme: Art of Tea in Culture and Science, Society and Health. It will feature tea scholars from across UC Davis.
lettersandsciencemag.ucdavis.edu
January 21, 2026 at 4:52 PM
Tea has shaped history, culture, and science for centuries.
Later this month, UC Davis’ 2026 Global Tea Institute Colloquium will explore the art of tea through research, ritual, and global perspectives, bringing together scholars across the humanities and sciences.
@ucdavis.bsky.social
Later this month, UC Davis’ 2026 Global Tea Institute Colloquium will explore the art of tea through research, ritual, and global perspectives, bringing together scholars across the humanities and sciences.
@ucdavis.bsky.social
Reposted by UC Davis College of Letters & Science
Tiny Earthquakes Reveal Hidden Faults Under Northern California @ucdlands.bsky.social www.ucdavis.edu/news/tiny-ea...
Tiny Earthquakes Reveal Hidden Faults Under Northern California
By tracking swarms of very small earthquakes, seismologists are getting a new picture of the complex region where the San Andreas fault meets the Cascadia subduction zone, an area that could give rise...
www.ucdavis.edu
January 15, 2026 at 7:17 PM
Tiny Earthquakes Reveal Hidden Faults Under Northern California @ucdlands.bsky.social www.ucdavis.edu/news/tiny-ea...
Why are we drawn to rage bait, even when it leaves us feeling worse?
New research from UC Davis shows how negative emotions can increase our preference for emotionally charged media, and how curiosity may help disrupt cycles of doomscrolling.
@ucdavis.bsky.social
New research from UC Davis shows how negative emotions can increase our preference for emotionally charged media, and how curiosity may help disrupt cycles of doomscrolling.
@ucdavis.bsky.social
Why Rage Bait Works and How Curiosity Can Help Us Stop Doomscrolling
To provoke outrage is the point of rage bait. Research in communication is starting to explain how rage bait hacks the way our brains decide what we choose to read, watch and even click and swipe online. What's more, the worse we feel, the more we seem ...
lettersandsciencemag.ucdavis.edu
January 21, 2026 at 1:15 AM
Why are we drawn to rage bait, even when it leaves us feeling worse?
New research from UC Davis shows how negative emotions can increase our preference for emotionally charged media, and how curiosity may help disrupt cycles of doomscrolling.
@ucdavis.bsky.social
New research from UC Davis shows how negative emotions can increase our preference for emotionally charged media, and how curiosity may help disrupt cycles of doomscrolling.
@ucdavis.bsky.social