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Even brief lapses in attention can weaken memory

2026-01-12

Cognitive neuroscience research from UC Santa Barbara reveals that “mind-wandering” directly degrades visual memory retention. The study utilizes experience sampling to show that when focus drifts from the task at hand, the brain fails to encode details effectively, resulting in measurable memory gaps.

A view of the UC Santa Barbara Lagoon with yellow flowers in the foreground and the Mosher Alumni House on the far bank under a bright blue sky.

Welcoming the Newest Faculty to the MLPS Division

2026-01-06

The Division of Mathematical, Life, and Physical Sciences is thrilled to welcome the outstanding new faculty who have joined us. Their expertise spans a wide range of disciplines, from the complexities of volcanic gases to the frontiers of sustainability chemistry and advancements in science education. We invite the campus community to meet the scholars and educators who are shaping the future of research and teaching at UC Santa Barbara.

Hot, humid conditions during pregnancy undermine child health much more than heat alone

2025-12-19

A new study highlights the compounded danger of heat and humidity for pregnant women in South Asia. Researchers emphasize that using “wet-bulb globe temperature” metrics is vital for accurate risk assessment, finding that humidity can quadruple the negative impact of heat exposure on prenatal child health.

A smiling student stands at a podium, gesturing with his left hand during a presentation. The screen behind him displays a large photo of a scuba diver underwater, along with a smaller video feed of a remote participant in the upper corner.

Bentson Foundation anchors future of ocean research with $3 million gift for graduate fellowships

2025-12-19

A new initiative at UC Santa Barbara removes financial barriers for marine science scholars, ensuring long-term stability for students tackling global environmental challenges.

$The image features a dark purple space background with a subtle blue grid representing the spatial plane. In the lower-left foreground, a large, rocky asteroid is glowing with intense white and yellow light as it fractures. A massive trail of blue rocky fragments and a wide, translucent orange light beam erupt from the asteroid, extending toward the upper right. In the distance, Earth and the Moon are shown within a faint orbital ring. A small disclaimer in the top right corner reads '*not to scale™$

‘What, You Don’t Know Who They Are?’

2025-12-18

A year-long collaboration between UCSB physicists and YouTube's Kurzgesagt resulted in a viral educational video that has reached millions worldwide.

Composite image of pictures of Nobel prize-winning physicists

Devoret, Martinis Officially Receive Nobel Prize in Physics

2025-12-11

Honored in Stockholm alongside mentor John Clarke, the duo received the award for their pioneering work on quantum tunnelling in electric circuits.

Mathilde Papillon standing in front of a whiteboard with mathematical diagrams, smiling and holding a Los Angeles Dodgers baseball toward the camera. Caption: Mathilde Papillon, a Ph.D. candidate in the Geometric Intelligence Lab at UC Santa Barbara, serves as an AI Research Scientist for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The geometry of the game: How a UCSB physicist is helping the Dodgers rethink movement

2025-11-26

Moving beyond traditional stats, Papillon is ushering in "Moneyball 2.0" by using geometric intelligence and neural networks to decode the physics of the World Series champions.

Head and shoulders portrait of Boris Schraiman. He is wearing wire-rimmed glasses, a maroon sweater over a white collared shirt, and has gray hair. He is smiling slightly and looking off to the right. The background is a dark chalkboard with faint white diagrams and arrows.

Physics of life: Boris Shraiman awarded Max Delbrück Prize

2025-11-25

Describing theorists as "herders" of ideas, Shraiman's curiosity-driven journey from quantum materials to the life sciences has yielded profound insights into how living matter organizes itself.