Caltech

Caltech researchers used mathematical models suggesting a new paradigm for the earliest stages of cancer development, noting that increased cell proliferation can sometimes be protective against tumor growth. Supporting this theory, experiments conducted in jellyfish, a cancer-resistant model organism, showed that high cellular proliferation enables tissues to perform quality control or "proofreading" by destroying potentially cancerous cells.

A summer internship at Jet Propulsion Laboratory offers students from universities like Caltech an opportunity to play an active role in discovery and exploration. This program has created a talent ecosystem whose influence spans fields such as quantum physics and NASA. During academic year studies, Tatyana McVay is researching polyatomic molecules for potential applications.

A team at Caltech, led by Wei Gao, developed a stick-on patch capable of gathering lipid measurements by analyzing sweat. These patches measure factors like cholesterol and triglycerides, which are typically required through blood draws for diagnostic tests. This technology aims to reduce the need for doctors to draw blood for certain medical assessments.

The article details Bil Clemons, a Caltech biochemist whose office is in Braun Laboratories. He received the Institute’s Shirley M. Malcom Prize for Excellence in Mentoring in 2024. The piece also mentions that Mila, his Aussie doodle, often greets students and visitors.

The 2025–26 Watson Lecture Season at Caltech's Earnest C. Watson Lecture Series attracted thousands to Beckman Auditorium to hear scientists and engineers discuss groundbreaking research focused on curiosity-driven science and solving global challenges. The lectures, held for over 100 years, emphasize public engagement with scientific innovation and knowledge expansion.

Caltech researchers using NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope observed Neptune’s rings and three moons—Larissa, Galatea, and Proteus—revealing a unique composition that suggests a catastrophic event. The findings build on Voyager 2’s 1989 discovery of six new moons, including these three, which are located near Neptune’s rings.

Military veterans participate in a 75-hour academic boot camp at Caltech through the Warrior-Scholar Project to prepare for college challenges. The program aims to transition veterans to academic rigor at the university.

Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger introduced a motion to review earthquake preparedness by engaging Dr. Lucy Jones, along with experts from Caltech and UCLA. The motion aims to assess readiness for the next major earthquake.

A Caltech team led by professor Hosea Nelson is using a $17 million investment to build a cloud lab aimed at determining the 3D structures of unknown molecules in the natural world, which they refer to as 'chemical dark matter.'

Pasadena will present five years of collision data (2021–2025) showing 288 crashes on four residential streets, including nine serious injuries and one fatality, during tonight’s Greenways Project meeting. Residents can provide input on proposed traffic-calming measures like speed humps and cushions.

Two Caltech-led projects have received U.S. Department of Energy funding as part of the Genesis Mission to use AI in creating a new chemical refinery and studying microorganisms in real-world environments.

Rudolph A. Marcus, Caltech's John G. Kirkwood and Arthur A. Noyes Professor of Chemistry, passed away on July 16, 2026. He was awarded the 1992 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his theoretical work on electron transfer in chemical reactions.

Rudolph Marcus, a Caltech chemist who won a Nobel Prize, has died at 102. He developed a formula that significantly altered the scientific understanding of how molecules use energy.

A Caltech researcher will discuss how marine snow, composed of organic debris and algae, transports carbon in the ocean during a free public talk in Corona del Mar. The event will take place at a seaside lab, offering insights into the ocean's role in climate regulation.

John Preskill, a Caltech theoretical physicist, coined key terms like 'quantum supremacy' in quantum computing, as highlighted by Quantum Zeitgeist's July 1 article.

Mark B. Wise, a particle physicist at Caltech, passed away in 2026. He contributed to the development of heavy quark effective theory, which helps physicists make precise predictions about strong nuclear interactions.

Virtualitics, an AI company based in Pasadena, has opened a new 3,000-square-foot office in Reston, Virginia, near defense contractors and federal agencies. The company, founded in 2016 from a Caltech astronomy lab, signed the lease with Comstock Holding Companies.

Caltech labs are conducting research projects to address public health and safety concerns following the 2025 Los Angeles wildfires. Scientists are testing for heavy metal contamination, monitoring air quality, and assessing erosion hazards in the burn area.

A team led by Caltech medical engineers developed a low-cost device to train and assist individuals with minimal laboratory experience in performing complex lab procedures. The invention aims to address a shortage of trained personnel and expand access to high-performance diagnostic testing globally.

Smruthi Karthikeyan, a Caltech assistant professor, will speak at Kerckhoff Marine Laboratory's Science Tuesdays on July 14. Her wastewater surveillance work detected the Omicron variant two weeks before clinical testing identified it.

Caltech students in Andy Klesh’s Practical Electronics for Space Applications course are building payloads for the space station. Traditionally, the course used balloons to test payloads at near-space altitudes. This year, the project has expanded beyond balloon tests to include space station deployment.

Julie Messersmith was appointed as vice president for institute initiatives at Caltech, effective July 1, 2026. She brings over a decade of senior administrative experience from Johns Hopkins University to advance cross-institutional initiatives and innovation at Caltech.

Caltech researchers found that individuals making risky decisions with a partner tend to compromise, but those who attribute more credit to themselves for successes and less blame for failures compromise less. The study was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

A Caltech spinoff developed a five-minute test that detected hidden heart failure markers in 40% of high-risk patients screened, according to a study by Ventric Health published in Physiological Measurement.

Caltech welcomed Ray Jayawardhana as its tenth president on July 1, 2026. He also holds the Sonja and William Davidow Presidential Chair and is a professor of astronomy at the Institute.

The article discusses the increased demand for data centers due to the growth of AI and large language models like ChatGPT. It highlights concerns about the environmental impact of these centers, particularly energy and water usage, as well as their local effects on small communities.

San Pedro’s Sunken City, a landslide-affected area on the Palos Verdes Peninsula, became unstable in 1929 due to ground weakness and wave erosion, leading to fractured streets and abandoned homes. The city of Los Angeles plans to reopen a section for public access in the near future.

Student researchers return to NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) for a summer internship program, working with engineers and scientists on spacecraft projects. Caltech announced the 2026 class of interns in collaboration with its Student-Faculty Programs office, highlighting the program's continuation despite budget cuts.

Lithium-ion batteries are widely used but pose safety risks and limitations. Julia R. Greer's lab at Caltech has developed a new approach to make them less dangerous and more environmentally friendly.

Pasadena is set to spend $4.36 million on a groundwater-cleanup well project, with costs covered by Caltech under a 2006 agreement. The project, involving R C Foster Corporation, aims to address contamination from volatile organic compounds and perchlorate.

Pasadena Unified Board voted to continue Eaton Fire soil cleanup and protect trees, Councilmember Justin Jones highlighted Juneteenth and Black heritage, Caltech dedicated a quantum research building, and city crews repaired a damaged pergola at La Pintoresca Park.

Caltech researchers discovered a chemical reaction involving benzene and hydrogen cyanide that could explain the formation of DNA and RNA nucleobases on early Earth and potentially Mars. The study suggests sunlight and asteroid impacts may have driven this pathway, offering a simpler explanation than previous theories.

Caltech has dedicated a new four-story laboratory building designed to isolate quantum research experiments from environmental disturbances. The Dr. Allen and Charlotte Ginsburg Center for Quantum Precision Measurement features rooms engineered to eliminate vibrations, electromagnetic interference, and temperature fluctuations, enabling highly sensitive instruments to operate undisturbed.

Caltech is dedicating the Allen and Charlotte Ginsburg Center for Quantum Precision Measurement, a four-story building with subterranean labs designed to minimize environmental interference. The facility will support research in quantum science, quantum information, and gravitational-wave detection, located near the Linde Hall of Mathematics and Physics.

Caltech’s free public-astronomy series 'Astronomy on Tap' is celebrating its 150th show and 10th anniversary at the Dog Haus Biergarten in Old Pasadena. Researchers will discuss star formation in the Milky Way and dark sky preservation, coinciding with Pasadena’s City of Astronomy events and the American Astronomical Society’s 248th meeting.

Caltech is preparing to build the world’s most sensitive radio telescope to observe cosmic radio waves from sources like black holes and pulsars. The project will utilize advanced telescope designs, including single-dish structures like China’s FAST and array systems such as the Very Large Array in New Mexico.

Kip Thorne, a Nobel Prize-winning astrophysicist, will deliver the keynote address at Caltech's 132nd Commencement on Beckman Mall. This is Thomas Rosenbaum's final commencement as Caltech President before he steps down in June.

Freddy Snyder, charged with murder, carjacking, and first-degree residential burglary, pleaded not guilty to killing Caltech astrophysicist Grillmair. Officials stated Snyder had a fight with his mother before the incident.

Freddy Snyder pleaded not guilty to murder, carjacking, and burglary charges in the killing of Caltech astrophysicist Carl Grillmair. The suspect had a prior fight with his mother before the incident.

A 30-year-old man from Llano has pleaded not guilty to murdering a 67-year-old Caltech astrophysicist who was shot in the neck at his home on Feb. 16. The District Attorney’s Office announced the plea, which followed the suspect allegedly firing a rifle shot into the victim’s home.