For decades, whale migration and crabbing operated as a tag team. But now, the whales are coming sooner—widening the window for exposure to fishing gear.
Water
How a ‘Sturgeon Surgeon’ Tracks the Bay’s Giant, Stealthy Living Fossils
March 22, 2023 •
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.
That Foam on the Beach Is (Probably) Fine
March 8, 2023 •
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).
A Nasty Salmon-Killing Tire Chemical Is in Bay Waterways. Can It Be Cleaned Up?
March 2, 2023 •
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
February 1, 2023 •
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
January 19, 2023 •
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.
Monterey Bay in Winter: Photos by Frans Lanting
January 3, 2023 •
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 part of the United States,” Eckstrom writes.
After 2022’s Fatal Algal Bloom, Scientists Fear the Bay’s Sturgeon Could Go Extinct
December 21, 2022 •
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 peak of the largest harmful algal bloom on record in … Read more
How a ‘Sturgeon Surgeon’ Tracks the Bay’s Giant, Stealthy Living Fossils
December 8, 2022 •
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
October 31, 2022 •
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.