Category: Science
The Itchy Cost of Hotter Summers
Mosquito-borne disease is on the rise thanks to climate change. Will the Bay Area get new mosquito species? Climate change might push them to cooler climates.
A Landscape Made to Flood in Sonoma
Tall oaks with submerged trunks are sure signs that the land is “flooded.” While for some areas that might be a negative, for Laguna de Santa Rosa it’s not only positive but protective.
Beach Loss Looms for the California Coast
Even though Dan Hoover’s been surveying the same stretch of San Francisco’s Pacific coast for 15 years on his ATV, it never looks the same. In summer it’s wider and in winter narrower. With El Niño the beach will erode more than ever.
All Stories
The Itchy Cost of Hotter Summers
Mosquito-borne disease is on the rise thanks to climate change. Will the Bay Area get new mosquito species? Climate change might push them to cooler climates.
A Landscape Made to Flood in Sonoma
Tall oaks with submerged trunks are sure signs that the land is “flooded.” While for some areas that might be a negative, for Laguna de Santa Rosa it’s not only positive but protective.
Tweaking Climate Talk So It Hits Home
Climate change messaging often falls short, dwelling on too much science, favoring the dark side. Researcher Richelle Tanner is exploring what could help.
Beach Loss Looms for the California Coast
Even though Dan Hoover’s been surveying the same stretch of San Francisco’s Pacific coast for 15 years on his ATV, it never looks the same. In summer it’s wider and in winter narrower. With El Niño the beach will erode more than ever.
Marsh Mice Come in Two Flavors
Scientists discover why the Bay Area’s two populations of endangered salt marsh harvest mice differ, and it’s partly due to sea level change.
Corps Experiments with Sediment Feed from Shallows
Can tides and waves move sediment placed in the shallows onto wetlands? The Army Corps is experimenting with how to do it.
Is the Bay Area Coasting?
Scientist and coastal engineer Kris May shares her views on global versus Bay Area climate experiences in 2023, and the Fifth National Climate Assessment.
Living with Climate Swings: Heat 101
The Bay Area’s mild weather is a liability for its residents in the face of growing heat risks from temperature swings to hotter nights. But what exactly makes the heat linger?
Fast-Forward Fire
A new study, published last month in Nature, calculates that climate change has increased the risk of fast-spreading fires by 25% on average.
Wildlife Roll With Wildfire
Imagine a Mad Max-style wasteland, ravaged by wildfire, but populated by frolicking woodland fauna. That’s what Kendall Calhoun was surprised to see just months after one of California’s biggest megafires.
Why California’s Water Extremes Are Wilder than Ever — And What We Can Do About It
While alternating between drought and deluge is nothing new for California, climate change is making these swings even more dramatic. New research and new policies will help the state prepare as the boom and bust cycle grows ever wilder.
Citizen Methane
Methane, a potent greenhouse gas, leaks from abandoned wells across the country. Curtis Shuck has been finding them by hand, well by well. But finding the leaks is where satellites and citizens come in.