Berkeley News

an outline of the human brain as seen from the side, filled with images of high-fat foods

Mind & body

Scientists discover why obesity takes away the pleasure of eating

New study finds that obesity reduces a specific brain chemical, lowering the desire to consume high-calorie foods. Boosting it can aid weight loss.

A room of people look at a bespectacled man perched on a desk, legs crossed, with a notebook on his lap.

Arts & culture

Ever heard of Fred Ross Sr.? New documentary chronicles the legendary organizer’s work

Ben Dillon

People

In Memoriam: Ben Dillon

Alex Filippenko and Pat Joseph talk onstage

Campus & community

Life, the universe and everything with Berkeley astrophysicist Alex Filippenko

Spotlight: Federal Updates

The Campanile in the evening, with a pinkish sky and a supermoon in the background, where you can also see the Golden Gate Bridge.

UC updates on federal policy issues

A message about our commitment to UC Berkeley’s values and mission

protesters in a crowd with signs reading Science Saves Lives, Don't Silence Science and Fascism Hates Science

Researchers and students gather in Sproul Plaza to ‘Stand up for Science’

Research

Various members of the Khmer community sit at rows of tables at a room. Many of them appear to be engaged in conversation. One wears a flower in her hair, while another is smiling serenely while wearing a fur hat.

Humanities

The complex story of how the pandemic impacted the Asian American diaspora

Five years after COVID-19, Berkeley researchers are documenting the human story of its global toll on specific communities within that very diverse racial category.

3 gold circles against a blue background, with leaping squirrels in two and a leaping robot in the middle

Research

No robot can match a squirrel’s ability to leap from limb to limb — until now

a large green iguana with narrow yellow stripes rests on the lower trunk of a palm tree with a beach and ocean in the background

Research

Iguanas floated one-fifth of the way around the world to colonize Fiji

A smiling man on a gray background with an inset image of unreadable text

Research

With AI and linguistics, this professor is decoding how animals and humans communicate

a close-up image of an Egyptian blue lotus being held by hands with black gloves

Research

Investigating the psychedelic blue lotus of Egypt, where ancient magic meets modern science

Arts & culture

Jake Merioles, a student painter, stands with his back to the camera at an easel in Memorial Glade, working on a painting of University Library. The Campanile is sticking up over the top of the library and the sky is blue with small white clouds. Merioles is wearing a black shirt.

Without his Friday painting sessions, Jake Merioles says, ‘I wouldn’t be the person I am today.’

Several hand drawn art books by Caribbean and Latin American artists sit behind glass in an exhibit

From trash to treasure: Library showcases new Latin American book art exhibit

More Arts & culture

Podcasts

A closeup of the U.S. Constitution resting atop an American flag.

Berkeley Talks: Law professors debate originalism

Heather Cox Richardson and Dylan Penningroth speak on stage

Berkeley Talks: Heather Cox Richardson on the evolution of the Republican Party and what gives her hope for America

People

Ron Rivera pictured on field as head coach of the Washington Commanders.

Ron Rivera announced as general manager of Cal football program

Bhavya Joshi, center, sitting around a table with African colleagues. Behind her, a window opens onto a forested landscape.

In a Kenyan camp, Bhavya Joshi teams with refugees to support women’s health

Campus & community

A celebration on Feb. 20, 2025, welcomed 27 new recipients of the African American Initiative Scholarship.

‘Berkeley has become my village:’ Celebration honors 2024–25 African American Initiative scholars

A black and white photo of three white woman and one Black woman, all with 1960s hair and wearing white uniforms.

Meet three Black trailblazers in STEM

More Campus & community