Katharine Gammon
@kategammon.bsky.social
Science, health, tech, environment journalist writing for The Guardian, The Atlantic, Nautilus, Forbes and others. Living by the beach.
Katharinegammon.com
Katharinegammon.com
It's such a thrill to be in this group. Looking forward to seeing everyone's projects develop.
The USC Annenberg Center for Health Journalism and the @uscclimate.bsky.social are proud to announce our #USCHealthandClimate Reporting Fellows, who will be joining us on campus starting today. Read the press release: bit.ly/USCHealthandClimateChangeFellows
USC Annenberg announces inaugural class of Health and Climate Change Reporting Fellows
The USC Annenberg Center for Climate Journalism and Communication and Center for Health Journalism are thrilled to announce the 10 talented journalists participating in the inaugural Health and Climat...
bit.ly
November 14, 2025 at 5:44 AM
It's such a thrill to be in this group. Looking forward to seeing everyone's projects develop.
Jane Goodall was a massive inspiration. Seeing that animals are actually just like us allows people to find empathy in so many parts of the natural world.
Jane Goodall's work insisting, with evidence from her brilliant and tenacious fieldwork, that we were not so separate from animals, and they were much more like us than the Eurocentric theorists asserted, was so important.
October 1, 2025 at 10:24 PM
Jane Goodall was a massive inspiration. Seeing that animals are actually just like us allows people to find empathy in so many parts of the natural world.
Reposted by Katharine Gammon
As Jaws turns 50, @kategammon.bsky.social takes a look at the science advisor behind the movie -- and how what he did after Jaws transformed our understanding of sharks again. In @nautil.us: nautil.us/the-shark-wh... 🦈
The Shark Whisperer
Donald Nelson spent his life undoing the damage that Jaws did to the perception of sharks.
nautil.us
June 26, 2025 at 4:00 AM
As Jaws turns 50, @kategammon.bsky.social takes a look at the science advisor behind the movie -- and how what he did after Jaws transformed our understanding of sharks again. In @nautil.us: nautil.us/the-shark-wh... 🦈
I traveled down to Orange County to drink some water that had, just an hour before, been ice-tea-colored sewage. Spoiler alert: the water tasted like water.
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
‘Tastes like water’: how a US facility is recycling sewage to drink
A California project can turn sewage into drinking water in less than an hour and could be a blueprint for other water-scarce regions
www.theguardian.com
June 6, 2025 at 9:15 PM
I traveled down to Orange County to drink some water that had, just an hour before, been ice-tea-colored sewage. Spoiler alert: the water tasted like water.
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Reposted by Katharine Gammon
This is likely the weirdest and most interesting story you could read today. From @usha.bsky.social.
www.statnews.com/2025/05/02/d...
www.statnews.com/2025/05/02/d...
Snake enthusiast survived hundreds of bites. Now his blood is aiding the search for a universal antivenom
Blood from a snake enthusiast who's been bitten hundreds of times aided the search for a universal snakebite treatment
www.statnews.com
May 2, 2025 at 9:19 PM
This is likely the weirdest and most interesting story you could read today. From @usha.bsky.social.
www.statnews.com/2025/05/02/d...
www.statnews.com/2025/05/02/d...
For @sierramagazine.bsky.social, I wrote about some tiny hopeful news: a lot of climate projects are baked into the DOD's goals, so even though the word climate may not appear, "mission readiness" includes those efforts -- both now and in the future. www.sierraclub.org/sierra/2025-...
Why the Best Place for Climate Science Might Be at the Department of Defense
Expect the DOD to swap the words "climate change" for "military preparedness"
www.sierraclub.org
May 1, 2025 at 2:04 AM
For @sierramagazine.bsky.social, I wrote about some tiny hopeful news: a lot of climate projects are baked into the DOD's goals, so even though the word climate may not appear, "mission readiness" includes those efforts -- both now and in the future. www.sierraclub.org/sierra/2025-...
Such a pleasure to speak with Alan, Susan and Lawrence about their beautiful works of science and personal narrative. Read these books!
So enjoyed being part of the @latimes.com book festival. Brings me hope in a darker time to see so many people gather around the power of books and reading. Special thanks to @kategammon.bsky.social Susan Weiss Leibman and Lawrence Ingrassia for a great panel discussion. #latimesfob
April 28, 2025 at 1:43 AM
Such a pleasure to speak with Alan, Susan and Lawrence about their beautiful works of science and personal narrative. Read these books!
Very excited to moderate a panel with Lawrence Ingrassia, Susan Weiss Liebman, Alan Townsend at the LA Times Festival of Books this weekend. Say hi if you're around Sunday! #latfob
events.latimes.com/festivalofbo...
events.latimes.com/festivalofbo...
Participants » Festival of Books 2025 » L.A. Times - Festival of Books
Find your favorite authors and celebrities in this alphabetical list of this year’s participants. View the schedule to learn more about each event.
events.latimes.com
April 25, 2025 at 4:15 PM
Very excited to moderate a panel with Lawrence Ingrassia, Susan Weiss Liebman, Alan Townsend at the LA Times Festival of Books this weekend. Say hi if you're around Sunday! #latfob
events.latimes.com/festivalofbo...
events.latimes.com/festivalofbo...
Reposted by Katharine Gammon
“Never have we so hurt and mistreated our common home as we have in the last two hundred years. Reducing greenhouse gases requires honesty, courage and responsibility. Those who will have to suffer the consequences will not forget this failure of conscience and responsibility.” — Pope Francis
April 21, 2025 at 8:48 AM
“Never have we so hurt and mistreated our common home as we have in the last two hundred years. Reducing greenhouse gases requires honesty, courage and responsibility. Those who will have to suffer the consequences will not forget this failure of conscience and responsibility.” — Pope Francis
Reposted by Katharine Gammon
“De-extinction” is to biodiversity loss what “Mars colonization” is to climate change—wishful thinking that is at its core impossible but nevertheless sucks up attention and resources from actual solutions to these crises (which, ultimately, might be the whole point)
April 8, 2025 at 9:00 PM
“De-extinction” is to biodiversity loss what “Mars colonization” is to climate change—wishful thinking that is at its core impossible but nevertheless sucks up attention and resources from actual solutions to these crises (which, ultimately, might be the whole point)
Reposted by Katharine Gammon
America’s arteries are clogged. THIS is the solution: ‘Even a freeway is redeemable’: world’s largest wildlife crossing takes shape in Los Angeles: www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025... by @kategammon.bsky.social via @theguardian.com #borderless
‘Even a freeway is redeemable’: world’s largest wildlife crossing takes shape in Los Angeles
A wildlife crossing across the 101 freeway will connect two parts of the Santa Monica mountains for animals
www.theguardian.com
April 6, 2025 at 4:16 PM
America’s arteries are clogged. THIS is the solution: ‘Even a freeway is redeemable’: world’s largest wildlife crossing takes shape in Los Angeles: www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025... by @kategammon.bsky.social via @theguardian.com #borderless
Reposted by Katharine Gammon
"Bluefish tuna were overfished in the mid-Atlantic this month because NOAA did not issue the regulation to close the fishery after fishermen filled the quota in mid-January."
Who could have predicted this! 🤷♂️
www.reuters.com/world/us/how...
Who could have predicted this! 🤷♂️
www.reuters.com/world/us/how...
How Trump’s regulatory freeze is disrupting the US fishing industry
From the Atlantic to Alaska, fishermen say overfishing and fleet delays are shaking up a $320 billion industry.
www.reuters.com
April 1, 2025 at 2:08 PM
"Bluefish tuna were overfished in the mid-Atlantic this month because NOAA did not issue the regulation to close the fishery after fishermen filled the quota in mid-January."
Who could have predicted this! 🤷♂️
www.reuters.com/world/us/how...
Who could have predicted this! 🤷♂️
www.reuters.com/world/us/how...
Reposted by Katharine Gammon
This is cool. The Guardian recreated a searchable climate future risk tool (wildfire, extreme heat, drought, hurricane, and coastal flood) for the US that was developed by FEMA but deleted by the Trump administration’s ‘climate’ purge.
Trump’s ‘climate’ purge deleted a new extreme weather risk tool. We recreated it
The Guardian has recreated a searchable climate future risk tool developed by Fema but then deleted
www.theguardian.com
March 30, 2025 at 11:18 AM
This is cool. The Guardian recreated a searchable climate future risk tool (wildfire, extreme heat, drought, hurricane, and coastal flood) for the US that was developed by FEMA but deleted by the Trump administration’s ‘climate’ purge.
Also in the post-fire environmental world: surfers, swimmers and beachgoers have been worried about what is lurking in the ocean after the fire debris runoff. Some answers have finally appeared: www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
‘God knows what’s in the water’: Los Angeles surfers in limbo as wildfire toxins linger
In a city where surfing is a way of life, the wait to get back in the water has been agonizing. But new research offers a glimmer of hope
www.theguardian.com
March 31, 2025 at 5:45 PM
Also in the post-fire environmental world: surfers, swimmers and beachgoers have been worried about what is lurking in the ocean after the fire debris runoff. Some answers have finally appeared: www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
When the fires raged through LA, air toxins popped off the charts. But the AQI was often in the "good zone." That's because traditional air quality monitoring systems don't catch everything -- but some newer tech can. I wrote about it, for @sciam: www.scientificamerican.com/article/urba...
As fires burned in Los Angeles this year, newer toxin monitors found contaminants not measured by standard methods
As fires burned in Los Angeles this year, newer toxin monitors found contaminants that aren’t measured by standard methods. Now scientists and officials are pushing for better detection
www.scientificamerican.com
March 31, 2025 at 5:43 PM
When the fires raged through LA, air toxins popped off the charts. But the AQI was often in the "good zone." That's because traditional air quality monitoring systems don't catch everything -- but some newer tech can. I wrote about it, for @sciam: www.scientificamerican.com/article/urba...
Reposted by Katharine Gammon
“We can see with our own eyes how extreme heat and extreme weather are harming people’s health,” said Veena Singla, an adjunct assistant professor at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health.
NIH Ends Future Funding to Study the Health Effects of Climate Change
It’s unclear whether the guidance will impact active grants, but it appears to halt opportunities for future studies. One climate health expert said the directive would have a “devastating” impact on ...
www.propublica.org
March 24, 2025 at 9:44 PM
“We can see with our own eyes how extreme heat and extreme weather are harming people’s health,” said Veena Singla, an adjunct assistant professor at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health.
I wrote about new research showing that fish in the wild can recognize individual divers -- and why we should be considering fish as individuals, too. For @nautil.us:
nautil.us/when-fish-fo...
nautil.us/when-fish-fo...
When Fish Follow You
Some wild fish may recognize individual humans in the sea
nautil.us
March 20, 2025 at 9:33 PM
I wrote about new research showing that fish in the wild can recognize individual divers -- and why we should be considering fish as individuals, too. For @nautil.us:
nautil.us/when-fish-fo...
nautil.us/when-fish-fo...
I love this move by @wired.com and hope other publications will follow. Public records (like public lands!) belong to all of us.
They're called public records for a reason. Starting today, WIRED will *stop paywalling* articles that are primarily based on public records obtained through the Freedom of Information Act, becoming the first publication to partner with @freedom.press to offer this for our new coverage.
Wired is dropping paywalls for FOIA-based reporting. Others should follow
As the administration does its best to hide public records from the public, Wired magazine is stepping up to help stem the secrecy
freedom.press
March 18, 2025 at 3:02 PM
I love this move by @wired.com and hope other publications will follow. Public records (like public lands!) belong to all of us.
For a story: Have you tried to bring in eggs from Mexico? I'd love to hear the tale. DMs open.
March 17, 2025 at 9:16 PM
For a story: Have you tried to bring in eggs from Mexico? I'd love to hear the tale. DMs open.
I wrote about new research showing the megalodon -- star of screens everywhere -- was not, in fact, a chonky ancient monster but instead a slender torpedo.
That's because being giant -- 80 feet long -- makes it important to swim efficiently through the water.
nautil.us/what-megalod...
That's because being giant -- 80 feet long -- makes it important to swim efficiently through the water.
nautil.us/what-megalod...
What Megalodons Tell Us About Gigantism
The biggest predator ever to have lived was a skinny beast
nautil.us
March 12, 2025 at 12:00 AM
I wrote about new research showing the megalodon -- star of screens everywhere -- was not, in fact, a chonky ancient monster but instead a slender torpedo.
That's because being giant -- 80 feet long -- makes it important to swim efficiently through the water.
nautil.us/what-megalod...
That's because being giant -- 80 feet long -- makes it important to swim efficiently through the water.
nautil.us/what-megalod...
My dad worked for NOAA and went to sea for six weeks at a time when I was little. When he finally came back, my brother and I would get these weird little cups with our names on them. Every single time.
People say scientists are serious but marine biologists will spend hours quietly sitting around tables drawing on styrofoam cups and then tying said cups to deep sea submarines
Because ocean pressure will squeeze the air from the cups
And we are but human & we want tiny cup
Because ocean pressure will squeeze the air from the cups
And we are but human & we want tiny cup
March 5, 2025 at 9:04 PM
My dad worked for NOAA and went to sea for six weeks at a time when I was little. When he finally came back, my brother and I would get these weird little cups with our names on them. Every single time.
Reposted by Katharine Gammon
ProPublica looked into science grants that Ted Cruz's team flagged as "radical" and "neo-Marxist" and, uh.
This would be good comedy if it didn't matter so much www.propublica.org/article/ted-...
This would be good comedy if it didn't matter so much www.propublica.org/article/ted-...
March 3, 2025 at 3:45 AM
ProPublica looked into science grants that Ted Cruz's team flagged as "radical" and "neo-Marxist" and, uh.
This would be good comedy if it didn't matter so much www.propublica.org/article/ted-...
This would be good comedy if it didn't matter so much www.propublica.org/article/ted-...
For Nautilus, I wrote about a duo turning tree rings into art -- and exploring the deep history of science: nautil.us/the-language...
The Language of Tree Rings
Turning tree ring science into art
nautil.us
February 25, 2025 at 8:49 PM
For Nautilus, I wrote about a duo turning tree rings into art -- and exploring the deep history of science: nautil.us/the-language...
Reposted by Katharine Gammon
“Toxic contaminants from the wildfire debris could leach into the soil and the waterways. Onshore winds will undoubtedly carry these hazardous particulates, compromising the air quality where people live, work and play.”
Story by @kategammon.bsky.social
Story by @kategammon.bsky.social
‘An unprecedented situation’: EPA plan for LA wildfire cleanup stirs protests over toxic dangers
Demonstrators have protested against an expedited cleanup process that would involve using a beloved beach as a toxic waste sorting site
www.theguardian.com
February 19, 2025 at 4:09 PM
“Toxic contaminants from the wildfire debris could leach into the soil and the waterways. Onshore winds will undoubtedly carry these hazardous particulates, compromising the air quality where people live, work and play.”
Story by @kategammon.bsky.social
Story by @kategammon.bsky.social
Reposted by Katharine Gammon
Whenever you hear someone sneer about scientific research that seems useless to them — “they’re studying the spit of lizards?!” — remind them that’s exactly how we got Ozempic.
globalnews.ca/news/9793403...
globalnews.ca/news/9793403...
How a Canadian scientist and a venomous lizard helped pave the way for Ozempic - National | Globalnews.ca
In 1984, Dr. Daniel Drucker, an endocrinologist from the University of Toronto, discovered a hormone that helped pave the way for popular diabetes drugs such as Ozempic.
globalnews.ca
February 9, 2025 at 5:38 PM
Whenever you hear someone sneer about scientific research that seems useless to them — “they’re studying the spit of lizards?!” — remind them that’s exactly how we got Ozempic.
globalnews.ca/news/9793403...
globalnews.ca/news/9793403...