USA Today reported on new data showing the San Andreas Fault is under more stress than it has been in 1,000 years — and what that could mean for Southern California and earthquake preparedness. Jonathan Stewart, a professor at the UCLA Samueli School of Engineering and an expert in earthquake engineering, discusses seismic patterns in the region over the last few centuries and why the historic record indicates that a fault rupture in the Southland is overdue. “That doesn’t mean it’s going to happen immediately; it just means there is more stress built up,” he said. Read more about UCLA in today’s New York Times, Associated Press and others.
More highlights from UCLA in the News: June 22, 2026
Hollywood is neglecting Latinx talent | Los Angeles Times’ “De Los”
On Wednesday, researchers at UCLA released the second part of the 2026 Hollywood Diversity Report, which showed that the percentage of people of color directing, writing and leading films shrank in comparison to previous years. According to the study, Latinx actors made up only 6.7% of the leading roles in streaming movies — nowhere near the 20% of the U.S. population that we account for.
Less diversity in recent streaming films | KABC-TV
The latest UCLA Hollywood Diversity Report found that women and people of color saw drops in representation in almost all categories, despite the success of hits like “K-Pop Demon Hunters.” Those categories include lead actors, directors, writers and overall cast. (UCLA’s Ana-Christina Ramón was featured.)
Change of leadership in the UK | CNN
“So, in order to run for the Labor Party leader, a person must be a member of Parliament. And so what’s happening here is that the current member of Parliament resigned and stepped aside so that Andy Burnham could run, because there was a lot of popularity behind Burnham,” said UCLA’s Georgia Kernell.
Overdoses in LA jails are fueled by long waits for treatment | Los Angeles Times
Terrence Keel, a UCLA professor whose lab has studied deaths in custody through autopsy reports and public records, said the lack of an adequate drug treatment program is unconstitutional. “It’s a form of cruel and unusual punishment,” he said. Research has shown the risk of fatal overdose is high for jail inmates who are released without access to medication-assisted treatment.
Newsom’s stance on controversial data centers about to be tested | Los Angeles Times
“I think the governor is in a fragile position,” said Megan Mullin, a public policy professor at UCLA. “Tech has been a long backer of his, but at the same time there is this growing national outcry against data centers.” (Mullin was also quoted by Grist.)
How AI is changing the way we search online | NPR’s “1A”
“Traditionally, for about the almost the past thirty years, Google has dominated search by using a series of technologies to serve up and essentially rank, information back to users in the form of links. And it does this by automated means using something called web crawlers or spiders or bots, to go out and essentially troll the web, index content, and serve it up to users,” said UCLA’s Sarah Roberts.
One screening for many kinds of cancer may be coming | NPR’s “Morning Edition”
Similar technology has already changed the way UCLA lung-cancer specialist Jonathan Goldman treats patients. Oncologists use blood tests, sometimes called “liquid biopsies” to monitor patients who already have a cancer diagnosis to see if treatment is working or if cancer may be returning. They also use it to identify a cancer’s specific genetic type, which in turn can allow physicians to choose more effective treatments when available. (Goldman was quoted.)
FDA approves a well-known sunscreen ingredient — finally | Science Friday
The FDA recently approved a sunscreen ingredient called bemotrizinol, or BEMT, that’s been used in Europe and Asia for years. This is the first new sunscreen ingredient approved in the United States in over two decades. Meanwhile, skin cancer has become the most common cancer in the United States. Flora [Lichtman] discusses the chemistry of sunblock with UCLA student and sunscreen chemist AJ Addae.
Why does it take our eyes so long to adjust to the dark? | Live Science
Our eyes use two kinds of cells to sense light. These cells, known as photoreceptors, are called rods and cones, based on their shapes, Alapakkam Sampath, a retinal neuroscientist at UCLA, told Live Science.
Scientists spent 13 years bouncing radar off Europa. Here’s what they found | Gizmodo
The findings, presented at the American Astronomical Society’s 248th meeting, suggest that the way Europa’s surface scatters radio waves is distinctly different from those seen on rocky worlds. Overall, the data is consistent with the major radar study of Europa, which took place between the 1980s and the 1990s. However, the latest observations are “more numerous and cover a much broader rotational phase of Europa,” explained Tunhui Xie, a doctoral student at the University of California, Los Angeles, who was involved in the work, during the presentation.
A viral Knicks moment, brought to you by a prediction market | New York Times
“It’s a perfect storm of things Americans love,” said Timothy W. Fong, a director of the gambling studies program at the University of California, Los Angeles. “Sports, a story for the ages, making money fast and really creative games that draw people’s attention.”
FIFA hydration breaks have sparked criticism. Why? | Associated Press
But how much time a player needs to recover also varies. “Depending on your body, you might need more or less time. But those kinds of breaks are crucial so that your body isn’t just being forced to keep trying to play catch up ... to keep trying to cool you down without any kind of rest or a break,” said Bharat Venkat, director of the Heat Lab at the University of California, Los Angeles.
UGG ruling fuels debate over ‘dupe’ culture, brand protection | Daily Journal
“At the heart of this case is a question courts are confronting more and more often,” Kal Raustiala, a professor at UCLA School of Law, explained in an email. “When does a popular design stop functioning as a brand identifier and become a product category in consumers’ minds?”
Cities are building subsidized teacher housing to lure them back | The Conversation
In April 2025, UCLA’s CITYLab and the Center for Cities and Schools published a study highlighting some of the benefits and challenges of nine educator workforce housing projects built in California … The researchers found that tenants were largely satisfied with their living situations: They paid rents at far below market rate, and they praised the apartment design. They also highlighted their shorter commutes.
Gender studies needs to change | Chronicle of Higher Education
(Commentary by UCLA’s Abigail Saguy) The sociology of gender is in crisis. Beyond general attacks on universities, several red states have targeted specific disciplines, including sociology and gender studies. Earlier this year, Texas A&M shuttered its women’s and gender studies program.
The latest on the warehouse fire in Boyle Heights | LAist’s “AirTalk”
“Boyle Heights is in a highly industrial area and it’s also surrounded by many freeways,” said UCLA’s Yifang Zhu (approx. 5:20 mark).
