The city of Berkeley plans to purchase a Fourth Street parking lot and transfer the property to the nonprofit Sogorea Te’ Land Trust, as part of a recent settlement agreement over the long-contested shellmound site in West Berkeley.
Geology
The San Francisco Bay Area's crazy quilt-pattern of rock formations -- shaped by earthquakes -- are the key to understanding the region's landscapes. From ice-age dune sand in San Francisco to recently subsided land in the Santa Clara Valley or the veritable maze of earthquake faults in the East Bay, the geology is a fascinating blueprint of the region's natural history.
Why Thousands of Octopuses Are Snuggled Up Against a Deep-Sea Heater
August 23, 2023 •
Off the California coast, these creatures are getting an evolutionary edge.
The Geology of Lake Merritt, Oakland’s Shimmering Tidal Heart
July 17, 2023 •
Our lake is a world-class oddity, an arm of the Bay in the midst of a city. It rises and falls with the daily tides. An inside-out island, a marine habitat surrounded by land, it is truly a mediterranean sea.
The Nearly Unkillable Eucalyptus Meets Its Match
October 20, 2022 •
Eucalyptus trees on Albany Hill are wasting away from blight. Some people may cheer—but these trees are also home to endangered monarchs.
Capturing the Flood in California’s Ancient Underground Waterways
January 4, 2022 •
Ancient and buried riverbeds can move and absorb excess stormwater, storing it for future droughts.
Naturalist’s Notebook: Gravitational Wasting
January 6, 2020 •
See evidence of “gravitational wasting” erosion on Bay Area hillsides.
The Stories Rocks Tell
January 6, 2020 •
Every rock has a story to tell, and geologists know the language.
A Geologist Argues Against ‘Time Denial’
October 12, 2018 •
In her new book Timefulness, geologist Marcia Bjornerud tries to change the culture of right now.
A Newly Discovered Potential Cause of Rockfalls in Yosemite
January 2, 2018 •
What role might heat play in causing rocks to fall? Scientists look for an answer.
Ancient Whale Bones and Megalodon Shark Teeth Unearthed in East Bay
February 21, 2017 •
A dam retrofit project reveals a treasure trove from the time when California had a vast inland sea.