That Time We Reared Spider Babies, and Other Memorable Stories of 2025
Stories that delighted us, enraged us, got us outside, got us thinking.
Science and Nature
The Zombees Are Here (And That’s Probably OK)
A parasitic fly was found in San Francisco taking over a honeybee.
Why Is That Woodpecker White?
For years, the author has gathered photographs of local leucistic birds: white (or whitish) woodpeckers, hummingbirds, sparrows, turkeys, bald eagles, and more.
With Dams Removed, Spawning Salmon Are Heading Up Alameda Creek
These chinooks are likely hatchery strays. But they are still an ecosystem boon—and flaming-bright symbols of restoration at work.
Split Verdict Over State of the Estuary
This piece was originally published in KneeDeep Times, a digital magazine featuring stories from the frontlines of climate resilience in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond. The 2025 State of Our Estuary...
Invasive Golden Mussels Upend Life in the Delta
One year after the discovery that golden mussels had invaded the Delta, thick colonies coat boats and piers and threaten water supplies for cities and farms. Yet the state has...
Burrowing Owls Return to César Chávez Park
Editor’s note On a Saturday evening in late October, my boyfriend and I were walking around César Chávez Park in Berkeley when we came across a man with a camera...
The Best Worst Commute in the Bay Area
I thought State Route 37 was awful, until I looked up.
Fish Kill at Clear Lake Reveals a Seven-Foot Sturgeon Surprise
A problem lake was doing pretty well this year. Then came a series of unfortunate water-quality events.
What to Do When Your Highway Is Slipping Into the Sea
Picture a giant Rubik’s cube that costs $6–11 billion to solve. That’s State Route 37.
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