Physicists Expand Equation of State for Fermi-Hubbard Model

In new research appearing in Physical Review Letters, an international research team, including UC Davis physicists, has expanded the Fermi-Hubbard model, allowing for a more detailed exploration of materials and their properties. In the study, the researchers measured the equation of state for Ytterbium atoms in an optical lattice. Specifically, they used the fermionic isotope 173Yb, which is a metallic element with atoms that can adopt six possible states.

Slimming Down a Colossal Fossil Whale

A 30 million year-old fossil whale may not be the heaviest animal of all time after all, according to a new analysis by paleontologists at UC Davis and the Smithsonian Institution. The new analysis puts Perucetus colossus back in the same weight range as modern whales and smaller than the largest blue whales ever recorded. The work is published Feb. 29 in PeerJ.

From the Land to the Sea: Phi Beta Kappa Visiting Scholar Ryosuke Motani to Share Paleobiology Research Across Nation

We live in a geometric world. From the rectangular skylines of our cities and the orbiting planets of our solar system to the symmetry of butterfly wings and the spiraling double helix of DNA, every shape has its place. 

For as long as he can remember, Ryosuke Motani has been fascinated by shapes. And he’s built an illustrious paleobiology career studying them.

R. Bryan Miller Symposium Returns to Campus for 24th Year

Chemistry is in the spotlight this March with the celebration of the 24th Annual R. Bryan Miller Symposium. The event, scheduled for March 14 and 15, features a lineup of lectures from prestigious scientists working at the cutting-edge of chemistry, its subdisciplines and related fields. Registration for the event, which is free, is now open.