That Foam on the Beach Is (Probably) Fine
Storms on the California coast whip up sea foam, especially in winter and spring. Here's a frothy dollop of the science behind how this stuff forms (it's kind of a planktonic meringue).
Category: The Science Explainer
Scientists explain their ongoing work to better understand nature in Northern California.
Meet the Protists, Marvelous Misfits in the Tree of Life
There are “plant-like,” “animal-like,” and “fungus-like” protists. But it’s surprisingly hard to say exactly what a protist is—these organisms are defined more by what they’re not.
King Tides Offer a Glimpse into the Future of Sea-Level Rise
King tides over 7 feet are coming to the Bay Area Jan. 21-22, 2023—and lucky for us, they’re happening at a reasonable time to go out and see them. Here’s a short cosmic backgrounder on why king tides happen.
Why Sneaker Waves Are So Insidious
Every now and then, the ocean sneaks up on the land, with a wave that's bigger than all the rest. Scientists are working out where these dangerous waves come from.
The Bay Area is the Center of an Evolutionary Race Between Hungry Snakes and Toxic Newts
Newts carry enough toxin to kill a dozen people. Yet in the Bay Area garter snakes feast on them without harm.
Meet the Tropical Weather Phenomenon With a Big Influence on California Rain and Snow
In a famous experiment in the early 1960s, the mathematician and meteorologist Edward Lorenz was running computer simulations of weather patterns, trying to see how they changed when he changed variables like wind or temperature at the start. One day, … Read more
The Fastest Population Growth in the West’s Wildland-Urban Interface is in Areas Most Vulnerable to Wildfires
New research shows that some areas of the wildland-urban interface – the land where development ends and wilderness begins – are at much higher risk of burning than others.
The Unequal Social Consequences of Wildfire Smoke in California
Around the American West, wildfires are increasing in size and frequency. In California, the list of Top-20 records are telling: 15 of the most destructive, nine of the largest, and seven of the deadliest wildfires have occurred since 2015. At … Read more
Volunteer Divers Hope to Restore Kelp from the Ground Up
Can volunteer scuba divers start a turnaround for Northern California kelp forests?
Wildfire Smoke Changes Dramatically as it Ages, and That Matters for Downwind Air Quality – Here’s What We Learned Flying Through Smoke Plumes
Smoke changes as it ages, with implications for human health.
