Since 2010 the California King Tides Initiative has been documenting king tide events through photography—presenting a very real picture of rising sea levels. This year, the project has expanded to include a citizen science program, that will help researchers ground climate models.
Climate change is dramatically altering the San Francisco Bay Area's ecosystems and raising profound questions among conservationists about how to help species best adapt to new conditions.
In Dry Times, California Turns to Cloud Seeding
With the persistent drought that has gripped California for the past year, state water managers are increasingly turning to cloud seeding to extract as much water as they can.
Behind the Fracking Boom: Unearthing the Secrets of the Monterey Shale
But the pressure to exploit these resources isn’t going away anytime soon either, nor is the debate over the wisdom of doing so. As we weigh the pros and cons, a missing piece of the conversation is the land itself: What is the Monterey Formation? What is it made of and how did it get here? And what kind of habitats, plants, and animals live atop it?
Ocean Acidification: Making Sense of Crabs and Skeptics
Like other aspects of climate science, ocean acidification (OA) science has created much debate, particularly when it comes to its impact on hard shelled sea creatures such as crabs.
Ocean Acid Trip: The Hidden Harm of Climate Change
Seawater has historically been alkaline, but is increasingly becoming less so. What does this mean for the ocean ecosystem in general? And along the California coast in particular? We’re just beginning to figure that out.
Conservation in Action: Sea Level Rise Photos Worth a Thousand Words
If a picture is worth a thousand words, then imagine the power of thousands of pictures of actual rising sea levels — even if, for now, the high water only lasts for a few hours or days at a time.
Redwoods normally buck fires, except when Sudden Oak Death is around
Researchers find that redwood forests suffering from Sudden Oak Death burn with greater intensity.
Ten Signs of Climate Change in Northern California
A new state report compiles evidence that California’s climate is rapidly changing.
How the Monterey Shale came to be
There has been so much talk of a potential fracking boom in California. But how, exactly, did the Monterey shale formation become so valuable?
It’s Fun to Share!
San Francisco resident Kelly Jensen is the Interlibrary Loan and Digital Production Assistant at the California Academy of Sciences. One of the perks of her job is a discounted membership in City CarShare (CCS), a program which offers car rentals … Read more