You can easily visit the 10-million-year-old Sibley Volcano (see Voice of the Volcano, April-June 2005) in the hills above Oakland. And college geology classes often visit the Nicasio Dam in West Marin to see pillow basalt lava that erupted deep … Read more
Michael Ellis
What is the largest species of fish you could find in San Francisco Bay?
Q: What is the largest species of fish you could find in San Francisco Bay? A: Let’s limit ourselves to the true bony fish, which leaves out any great white sharks that might wander into the Bay looking for harbor … Read more
Why are Banana Slugs so Slimy?
Back when I used to teach children about nature, I often relied on a “hook” to keep them focused. Slapping myself with stinging nettle was a great attention grabber, but banana slugs worked just as well and didn’t hurt as … Read more
How have humans influenced wild animal behavior?
Most of the world’s 5,000 or so species of mammals are already nocturnal, so the effect of urbanization on their circadian activity is probably nil. Actually, even the nocturnal animals are mostly crepuscular in activity; that is, they have a … Read more