To the surprise of perhaps no Californians, several California universities appeared in the top rankings of the world’s best universities in the latest U.S. News and World Report rankings released on June 16.

Of the more than 2,250 worldwide research institutions that U.S. News & World Report evaluated for this list, six California universities ranked in the top 50 globally, with an even split among Northern and Southern California institutions.

The 2026 list includes universities from more than 100 countries, with the following countries receiving the most schools in the overall rankings:

• China: 409
• United States: 275
• India: 123
• United Kingdom: 93
• Japan: 86

Did your California alma mater appear among the top global universities?

U.S. News and World Report methodology

When determining a university’s placement on the list, U.S. News & World Report considered factors more relevant to research-oriented institutions than to undergraduate-focused metrics like bachelor’s degree graduation rates.

It focused on aspects like academic institutions’ research and reputation, number of publications, the quality of publications and citations. It considers other factors, including location, campus culture, the strength of particular programs, and cost, which are also very important.

“For students seeking universities with strong academic excellence and global recognition, the Best Global Universities rankings offer an essential comparative resource,” said LaMont Jones, Ed.D., managing editor for Education at U.S. News.

“Our methodology focuses on a school’s research mission and scholarly impact, helping students identify institutions that are truly at the forefront of global knowledge creation.”

Out of the top 10 global universities, two California institutions made the list:

1. Harvard University
2. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
3. Stanford University
4. University of Oxford
5. University of Cambridge
6. Tsinghua University
7. University of California Berkeley
8. Yale University
9. University College London
10. Columbia University

The most significant seismic event in California’s history – an earthquake of 7.9 magnitude – occurred in 1857 and ruptured about 225 miles on the San Andreas Fault. That earthquake, dubbed the last “Big One,” killed two people and produced shaking that lasted between one and three minutes.

Since then, California has exploded in population and been has been rattled by many major earthquakes. But Californians have also grown familiar with the existential dread of another “Big One” looming.

Researchers have long warned there will be another massive earthquake in Southern California. They just don’t know when.

A recent study says warning signs continue to grow in 2026. The San Andreas and San Jacinto fault systems have reached the highest stress levels seen in the past 1,000 years, according to a study conducted at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa.

FRESNO COUNTY, Calif. (FOX26) — California lawmakers are now asking the federal government for more than $32 million in emergency funding to stop the spread of an invasive insect that was recently discovered on grapevines sold at Costco stores across the state.

The request comes about a month after Fresno County agricultural officials discovered grapevine plants infested with the glassy-winged sharpshooter, a pest capable of spreading Pierce’s Disease, a deadly infection that can kill grapevines.

In a letter sent to U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, Sens. Adam Schiff and Alex Padilla joined Reps. Mike Thompson, David Valadao and other members of California’s congressional delegation in requesting $32.2 million in emergency funding to contain and eradicate the pest.

[RELATED] Fresno County grapevine plants shipped to Costco were infested with bugs

Lawmakers say the infected nursery stock was identified Mat 19 by the California Department of Food and Agriculture and the Fresno County Agricultural Commissioner’s Office.

The plants had been distributed to Costco stores in more than two dozen California counties before being sold to customers.

Officials believe some of the infested plants have since been transported to homes in at least 38 counties across the state.

The movement of infested nursery stock into and near key grape-producing regions, including areas critical to California’s winegrape and fresh table grape production, significantly elevates the urgency of this response.

The glassy-winged sharpshooter feeds on grapevines and spreads Pierce’s Disease, an incurable bacterial infection that can destroy vineyards by preventing vines from transporting water.

Lawmakers warned that the pest poses a serious threat to California’s wine and table grape industries.

According to the Wine Institute, California’s wine industry supports 1.1 million jobs nationwide and generates an economic impact of more than $170 billion.

California also produces 99% of the nation’s table grapes, with an annual crop value estimated at $2.59 billion.

If the pest spreads unchecked, the California Department of Food and Agriculture estimates losses associated with Pierce’s Disease and the glassy-winged sharpshooter could exceed $104 million annually.

The requested funding would support emergency response efforts, including tracing the movement of infested plants, surveying affected areas and expanding trapping programs.

Additional funding would also be used for long-term monitoring and eradication efforts over the next several years.

The lawmakers are asking the U.S. Department of Agriculture to immediately release the funding through the Commodity Credit Corporation, arguing that the outbreak meets the federal definition of an agricultural emergency.

Growers have already contributed more than $62 million toward research and mitigation efforts over the past 25 years through industry assessments, according to the letter.

Federal officials have not yet announced whether the funding request will be approved.