Wildfires are increasingly burning California"s snowy landscapes, colliding with winter droughts to shrink snowpack
The early pandemic years overlapped with some of California's worst wildfires on record, creating haunting, orange-tinted skies and wide swaths of burned landscape. Some of the impacts of these fires are well known, including drastic declines in air.....»»
Braving sharks and hordes of urchins, scientists are growing kelp one forest at a time
The weathered UC Davis Marine Laboratory looms in thick fog on the edge of the ocean near Bodega Bay. Inside, an experiment is playing out that gives a badly-needed boost to Northern California's kelp forests—underwater cathedrals of green and gold.....»»
Make the most of your smart lights this holiday season with these expert tips
It's dark and dreary this time of year, but if you're using smart lights properly, it's easy to get through the winter. Here's how to optimize your setup......»»
Australia needs a bold national bushfire strategy, researcher says
Australia's escalating bushfire crisis calls for an urgent, comprehensive national reset, according to a new report, "Pathways for Sustainable Coexistence with Wildfires.".....»»
Misinformation really does spread like a virus, according to mathematical models drawn from epidemiology
We're increasingly aware of how misinformation can influence elections. About 73% of Americans report seeing misleading election news, and about half struggle to discern what is true or false......»»
How many trees does it take to cool a city? Researchers develop tool to set urban tree canopy goals
Cities around the globe are increasingly experiencing dangerous heat as urban concrete and asphalt amplify rising temperatures. Tree-planting programs are a popular, nature-based way to cool cities, but these initiatives have been largely based on gu.....»»
Green shoots spring from ashes in Brazil"s fire-resistant savanna
The huge wildfires that ripped through Brazil recently did not spare its vast tropical savanna, but green shoots are already emerging from the ashes there, proof of the vast grasslands' rare gift for fire resistance......»»
Something to sniff at: Lab-engineered receptors illuminate odor detection
A team of researchers led by Duke University, the University of California San Francisco, and the Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope have engineered odorant receptors to reveal the molecular basis of odor discrimination......»»
Biochemists create protocells to explore how lipids may have led to first cell membranes
A team of biochemists at the University of California, San Diego, working with a group of biochemical engineers from the University of California, Los Angeles, has found that the development of short lipids might have led to the development of the fi.....»»
Ancient mud reveals Australia"s burning history over the past 130,000 years—and a way forward in current fire crisis
Increased land management by Aboriginal people in southeastern Australia around 6,000 years ago cut forest shrub cover in half, according to our new study published in Science of fossil pollen trapped in ancient mud......»»
We’re on track for a La Niña winter. What does that mean for SLO County?
We’re on track for a La Niña winter. What does that mean for SLO County?.....»»
2 Southern California gang members sentenced for violent robbery of elderly couple at mall
2 Southern California gang members sentenced for violent robbery of elderly couple at mall.....»»
Better understanding of Indigenous cultural burning may lead to improved forest management in Australia
Ancient cultural burning practices carried out by Indigenous Australians limited fuel availability and prevented high intensity fires in southeastern Australia for thousands of years, according to new research from The Australian National University.....»»
Government interventions can reduce deadly air pollution in South Asia, study finds
Air pollution, driven in large part by practices like crop burning, contributes to 2 million deaths a year in South Asia and persists as a public health emergency. But a new study co-led by Brown University researcher Gemma Dipoppa found that governm.....»»
California"s Salton Sea receding at greater rate according to balloon mapping study
The Salton Sea, California's largest lake by surface area, is experiencing an increasing rate of shoreline retreat following a policy change that shifted more water from the Colorado River to San Diego, according to a newly published study. The resul.....»»
Threat actors are stepping up their tactics to bypass email protections
Although most organizations use emails with built-in security features that filter out suspicious messages, criminals always find a way to bypass these systems. With the development of AI technology, phishing is becoming increasingly difficult to rec.....»»
3 arrested for series of violent ‘follow-away’ robberies across Southern California
3 arrested for series of violent ‘follow-away’ robberies across Southern California.....»»
Nigeria"s universities need to revamp their entrepreneurship courses. They"re not meeting student needs
Youth unemployment has been a problem in Nigeria for decades. This is why policymakers are increasingly turning to entrepreneurship education as a solution. It is hoped that entrepreneurship will reduce reliance on formal jobs and create more opportu.....»»
Charcoal stored in preserved guano gives helps reconstruct regional fire histories
With wildfires growing more frequent and more intense in many parts of the world, scientists are looking to the past to better understand where and when fires have burned. Lakes and wetlands, which capture airborne charcoal particles when they fall f.....»»
6 of the coolest upcoming indie games at SXSW Sydney 2024
Here are some of the coolest indie games shown at SXSW Sydney, including "Demonschool," "Dungeon Inn," and "Winter Burrow." SXSW Sydney returned this month, bringing the tech, film, music, and games festival back to Australia for its second yea.....»»
Why Election Polling Has Become Less Reliable
Election polls are increasingly vulnerable to huge mistakes.....»»