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...
Water
A Nasty Salmon-Killing Tire Chemical Is in Bay Waterways. Can It Be Cleaned Up?
6PPD-quinone comes from a long-used chemical that will be hard to replace in tires. But green infrastructure like "living levees" may help trap it.
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...
Monterey Bay in Winter: Photos by Frans Lanting
Renowned photographer Frans Lanting and writer Christine Eckstrom explore the Monterey Bay area in a new book. "There is a different pulse to the seasons here than in any other...
After 2022’s Fatal Algal Bloom, Scientists Fear the Bay’s Sturgeon Could Go Extinct
At Point Pinole, 21 sturgeon carcasses––some more than seven feet long––lay strewn along a mile-long stretch of beach in late August 2022, baking in the relentless heat. It was the...
How a ‘Sturgeon Surgeon’ Tracks the Bay’s Giant, Stealthy Living Fossils
Researchers are investigating the secrets of our two resident sturgeon species, which have razor-sharp armor and shlorp up clams with their vacuum-shaped mouths.
The Revival of a Clear Creek
In keeping with its three-part mission to acquire, restore, and open land for recreation, Midpen has worked to undo ecological damage to El Corte de Madera.
To Count Seabirds From Above, Fly Slowly And Pack a Big Lens
Aerial wildlife surveys, conducted by the USGS to inform the coming offshore wind energy boom, are strikingly beautiful, for government data. They were also hard-won.
In Bay of Life, an Internationally Renowned Media Duo Look to Their Monterey Backyard
With Bay of Life, Frans Lanting and Christine Eckstrom wanted to go past Monterey Bay's natural beauty to explore its past, present and possible futures.
