Northern Kentucky University conducted a study in which alcoholic drinks mixed with soda & diet soda were drunk, then participants had their BAC measured with a breathalyzer. When the diet soda mixer was used, a higher BAC was measured, indicating faster metabolism. The enzyme, alcohol dehydrogenase, breaks down ethanol, turning it into acetaldehyde with the use of NAD+. If biochemical pathways such as glycolysis are active, the NAD+/NADH ratio will be offset and will limit the process. Since sugar substitutes don't activate glycolysis like sugar, they are essentially inert. I am in the process of determining if the sugar interacts directly with the enzyme to cause this inhibition.

Lupinus nipomensis (Nipomo Lupine) is an endangered endemic species to the Nipomo-Guadalupe Dunes in San Luis Obispo County, California. Scientists have been researching this species for many years to better understand it. Ehrharta calycina (Veldt Grass) is an introduced perennial grass species that outcompetes Nipomo Lupine. Various groups have tried to aid Nipomo Lupine in its survival by manual pulling and herbicide treatment of Veldt grass. We are beginning to investigate grazing as an alternative management tool, which will hopefully prove to better aid this species in its survival.

Forest ecosystems are vital for maintaining biodiversity, stabilizing soil, and regulating water cycles. However, frequent wildfires, extended droughts, and declining vegetation health are placing these ecosystems at risk. This research will explore how remote sensing tools and available data such as soil moisture, vegetation indices, and phenology can be used to assess forest health and mitigate wildfire risks.

An investigation into the foraging preferences in Anna's Hummingbird

As the global population grows, ensuring sustainable food and energy systems becomes increasingly important. While solar panels support clean energy goals, they can displace prime agricultural land and critical habitat for native grazers in coastal grasslands. Agrovoltaics—integrating solar infrastructure with land used for agriculture or grazing—offers a promising compromise. However, research on solar microgrids in coastal grassland ecosystems remains limited. This study examines how solar microgrids impact soil quality and forage potential in these sensitive landscapes.

Indigenous knowledge systems have long supported biodiversity and ecosystem health. As environmental challenges grow, Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) is recognized in restorative land management. Colonial expansion has altered habitats, pushing wildlife into agroecosystems. Indigenous-managed spaces, such as cultural gardens and restoration areas, offer critical habitat and influence ecological interactions like predation. This study explores avian and arthropod predation in these areas at United Indian Health Services Potawot Village and Blue Lake Rancheria, California, using simulated prey to assess predator-prey dynamics and ecological functions.

I decided to do scientific studies on the stream flow rate as well as water depth, width, and terrace height on two separate creeks in Humboldt county. The first creek is called the Jolly Giant creek which is located directly behind founders hall on campus, and the second creek that I decided to do my research on is the Strawberry creek, which is located directly behind my house. I used a measuring road, and measuring tape for my measurements, as well as three distinct objects to float down the creek which was a lemon, a kiwi, and a lacrosse ball.

Biodegradable composites were developed by incorporating quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Wild.) into polylactic acid (PLA), with varying ratios. The resulting films were characterized using melting points, bomb calorimetry, infrared (IR) spectroscopy, water uptake, water permeability, water contact angle, antioxidant assay and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The incorporation of differing quantities of quinoa fiber affected the properties of the composites. hese initial studies show quinoa/PLA composites have potential in the development of bio-renewable and biodegradable materials for active food packaging.

Water bears—known to science as tardigrades—are found from polar ice caps to tropical jungles, yet only about 90 researchers study them. With so much ground to cover, there’s still so much to discover. Here in Humboldt’s temperate rainforest, you'd expect documentation, but there’s almost none. We set out to catalog the tardigrades of Cal Poly Humboldt, with plans to expand across the county. By studying their morphology, habitats, and behaviors, we hope to uncover new insights, and maybe even new species.

Eye contact with another person (social gaze) produces a reflexive emotional responses measurable using skin conductance (SCR). A ‘domain specificity’ model of the social gaze response mechanism was tested by comparing SCRs during social and 'self-gaze' (gazing at one’s own eyes in a mirror). Domain specificity (versus generality) predicts responses only during social gaze and has theoretical implications for how this reflex evolved. Participants (N=76) completed ten, 20 second, social or self-gaze trials. Social gaze produced significantly greater mean SCR’s and showed more habituation across trials. There were no effects of sex or sex match on gaze-evoked SCRs. Results support domain speci