KQED Science
@kqedscience.bsky.social
KQED Science brings you award-winning science and environment coverage from the Bay Area and beyond.
📌Find our stories here: kqed.org/science
📧Newsletter: kqed.org/newsletters/nature-unseen
📷Instagram: www.instagram.com/kqedscience
📌Find our stories here: kqed.org/science
📧Newsletter: kqed.org/newsletters/nature-unseen
📷Instagram: www.instagram.com/kqedscience
Sci-Fi Nights, Chabot’s 18+ film series, will present cult classics Blade Runner (Jan. 23), The Fifth Element (Feb. 14) and Alien (March 19) alongside themed cocktails and a nightly raffle.
Winter Night Out Idea: See Classic Sci-Fi Films in a Planetarium | KQED
Oakland’s Chabot Space & Science Center is screening three cult classics in its immersive planetarium — including an unconventional idea for a Valentine’s Day date night.
www.kqed.org
January 21, 2026 at 5:26 PM
Sci-Fi Nights, Chabot’s 18+ film series, will present cult classics Blade Runner (Jan. 23), The Fifth Element (Feb. 14) and Alien (March 19) alongside themed cocktails and a nightly raffle.
In 2025, scientists at the California Academy of Sciences officially named 72 new species — beetles, sea slugs, fish, flowering plants, and a bird that has been hiding in plain sight in one of the most famous biological laboratories on Earth.
From the Galápagos to the Deep Sea, Cal Academy Scientists Describe 72 New Species | KQED
Academy researchers identified 72 species new to science in 2025, including the newly recognized Galápagos lava heron, a shy deep-sea fish, and a rare sunflower relative found in a U.S. national park.
www.kqed.org
January 21, 2026 at 5:25 PM
In 2025, scientists at the California Academy of Sciences officially named 72 new species — beetles, sea slugs, fish, flowering plants, and a bird that has been hiding in plain sight in one of the most famous biological laboratories on Earth.
The severity of recent floods caught San Rafael by surprise, and scientists say the city must address sea level rise or it will be underwater in the coming decades.
After King Tides Swamp Marin, San Rafael Weighs Billion-Dollar Defenses Against the Bay | KQED
The severity of recent floods caught San Rafael by surprise, and scientists say the city must address sea level rise or it will be underwater in the coming decades.
www.kqed.org
January 21, 2026 at 5:25 PM
The severity of recent floods caught San Rafael by surprise, and scientists say the city must address sea level rise or it will be underwater in the coming decades.
State health officials on Wednesday issued their second warning this season to avoid mushroom foraging as illness and deaths from eating wild mushrooms known as death caps rise to unprecedented highs.
California Combats Largest Mushroom Poisoning Outbreak in the Country | KQED
State health officials again warned against foraging as illness and deaths from eating the wild mushrooms known as death caps rise to new highs.
www.kqed.org
January 15, 2026 at 12:33 AM
State health officials on Wednesday issued their second warning this season to avoid mushroom foraging as illness and deaths from eating wild mushrooms known as death caps rise to unprecedented highs.
The legislation focuses on promoting wildfire safety and consumer protections, with steps that increase transparency or customer convenience.
New California Insurance Laws on the Books in 2026 | KQED
The new laws promote wildfire safety and consumer protections, with steps that increase transparency.
www.kqed.org
January 12, 2026 at 6:31 PM
The legislation focuses on promoting wildfire safety and consumer protections, with steps that increase transparency or customer convenience.
Amongst the ponderosa pines in California’s Butte County, Maidu women light fires not to destroy but to heal — restoring an ancient garden, and themselves.
Maidu Tribes Reignite Ancestral Fire Stewardship in the Sierra Foothills | KQED
Amongst the ponderosa pines in California’s Butte County, Maidu women light fires not to destroy but to heal — restoring an ancient garden, and themselves.
www.kqed.org
January 12, 2026 at 6:30 PM
Amongst the ponderosa pines in California’s Butte County, Maidu women light fires not to destroy but to heal — restoring an ancient garden, and themselves.
As 2026 unfolds, KQED’s climate team will be watching and documenting the progress on — and consequences of — the warming planet here in our corner of the world. Here’s what we’ll be looking out for, and sharing with you.
Bay Area Climate Stories We’re Watching This Year | KQED
While action on climate change has faced an assault at the federal level, Bay Area leaders fight for progress, from managing rising tides to limiting wildfire risk.
www.kqed.org
January 12, 2026 at 6:29 PM
As 2026 unfolds, KQED’s climate team will be watching and documenting the progress on — and consequences of — the warming planet here in our corner of the world. Here’s what we’ll be looking out for, and sharing with you.
The intensity of this weekend’s storm, coupled with a king tide, caught Marin County cities like Corte Madera, Sausalito and San Rafael off guard. Floodwaters spilled over levees, covered bike trails, and surrounded homes and businesses.
Marin County Looked Like ‘a Lagoon’ After King Tides, Heavy Rain | KQED
Flooding in Marin County this weekend foreshadows a far wetter future due to human-caused climate change.
kqed.org
January 7, 2026 at 5:46 PM
The intensity of this weekend’s storm, coupled with a king tide, caught Marin County cities like Corte Madera, Sausalito and San Rafael off guard. Floodwaters spilled over levees, covered bike trails, and surrounded homes and businesses.
Our science reporters recount stories they found especially memorable, thought-provoking or that changed how they thought about something.
Stories That Stuck With Us This Year, Handpicked by the KQED Science Team | KQED
Our science reporters recount stories they found especially memorable, thought-provoking or that changed how they thought about something.
www.kqed.org
January 5, 2026 at 6:29 PM
Our science reporters recount stories they found especially memorable, thought-provoking or that changed how they thought about something.
California’s planet-warming pollution shrank by 3% in 2023, one of the largest year-over-year reductions the state has seen, according to a report by nonprofit Next 10.
California Lowers Climate Pollution by 3%, Report Finds | KQED
A report finds that California’s planet-warming emissions fell significantly in 2023, the third largest drop after the pandemic-induced economic slump and the 2008 recession.
www.kqed.org
December 16, 2025 at 7:11 PM
California’s planet-warming pollution shrank by 3% in 2023, one of the largest year-over-year reductions the state has seen, according to a report by nonprofit Next 10.
A swarm of small earthquakes jolted San Ramon over the last month. Scientists said the earthquakes are normal and aren’t indicative of the big one.
Scientists Say San Ramon’s Latest Earthquake Swarm Is Normal, but Residents Are on Edge | KQED
A swarm of small earthquakes jolted San Ramon over the last month. Scientists said the earthquakes are normal and aren’t indicative of the big one.
www.kqed.org
December 16, 2025 at 7:10 PM
A swarm of small earthquakes jolted San Ramon over the last month. Scientists said the earthquakes are normal and aren’t indicative of the big one.
In the quiet winter months, the natural world buzzes with activity. Insect migration patterns shift, animal survival tactics kick in, and tiny engineering feats unfold as snowflakes form in the sky.
Pine Trees, Reindeers and Snowflakes: 5 Winter Wild Videos From Deep Look | KQED
How do snowflakes form? Do pine cones have seeds? What are those antlers on elk for? Dive into this and more in Deep Look’s Winter playlist.
www.kqed.org
December 16, 2025 at 7:10 PM
In the quiet winter months, the natural world buzzes with activity. Insect migration patterns shift, animal survival tactics kick in, and tiny engineering feats unfold as snowflakes form in the sky.
Thanks to tiny new ultralight radio tags small enough for a fragile butterfly to carry, scientists are getting a rare, real-time look at how western monarchs move through their winter habitat.
Monarch Butterflies Now Wear Tiny Tags — for Scientists to Track Them in Real Time | KQED
Plus, where you can see the beauty of monarch butterflies for yourself in the Bay Area.
www.kqed.org
December 16, 2025 at 7:10 PM
Thanks to tiny new ultralight radio tags small enough for a fragile butterfly to carry, scientists are getting a rare, real-time look at how western monarchs move through their winter habitat.
Reposted by KQED Science
Navy Apologizes for 11-Month Delay in Reporting Radioactive Material at Hunters Point
“I do appreciate you for owning up to the mistake, but apologies and admissions do not protect our community,” Shamman Walton
@kqednews.kqed.org @kqedscience.bsky.social
www.kqed.org/science/1999...
“I do appreciate you for owning up to the mistake, but apologies and admissions do not protect our community,” Shamman Walton
@kqednews.kqed.org @kqedscience.bsky.social
www.kqed.org/science/1999...
Navy Apologizes for 11-Month Delay in Reporting Radioactive Material at Hunters Point | KQED
The U.S. Navy apologized to city leaders Monday for waiting almost a year before disclosing that the agency found radioactive plutonium at the Hunters Point Naval Shipyard in San Francisco.
www.kqed.org
December 15, 2025 at 10:37 PM
Navy Apologizes for 11-Month Delay in Reporting Radioactive Material at Hunters Point
“I do appreciate you for owning up to the mistake, but apologies and admissions do not protect our community,” Shamman Walton
@kqednews.kqed.org @kqedscience.bsky.social
www.kqed.org/science/1999...
“I do appreciate you for owning up to the mistake, but apologies and admissions do not protect our community,” Shamman Walton
@kqednews.kqed.org @kqedscience.bsky.social
www.kqed.org/science/1999...
Reposted by KQED Science
I am now also on the earthquake beat for @kqednews.kqed.org/ @kqedscience.bsky.social. Always looking for pitches, generally about the Bay Area/CA!
Here is my first story: Scientists Say San Ramon’s Latest Earthquake Swarm Is Normal, but Residents Are on Edge
www.kqed.org/science/1999...
Here is my first story: Scientists Say San Ramon’s Latest Earthquake Swarm Is Normal, but Residents Are on Edge
www.kqed.org/science/1999...
Scientists Say San Ramon’s Latest Earthquake Swarm Is Normal, but Residents Are on Edge | KQED
A swarm of small earthquakes jolted San Ramon over the last month. Scientists said the earthquakes are normal and aren’t indicative of the big one.
www.kqed.org
December 16, 2025 at 6:40 PM
I am now also on the earthquake beat for @kqednews.kqed.org/ @kqedscience.bsky.social. Always looking for pitches, generally about the Bay Area/CA!
Here is my first story: Scientists Say San Ramon’s Latest Earthquake Swarm Is Normal, but Residents Are on Edge
www.kqed.org/science/1999...
Here is my first story: Scientists Say San Ramon’s Latest Earthquake Swarm Is Normal, but Residents Are on Edge
www.kqed.org/science/1999...
California clinics' doors are flying open, patients are lining up and ketamine is being prescribed off-label for everything from depression to chronic pain. What’s missing are clear rules to guide its use.
A Maze of Clinics: Navigating Ketamine’s Rapid Rise | KQED
California clinics' doors are flying open, patients are lining up and ketamine is being prescribed off-label for everything from depression to chronic pain. What’s missing are clear rules to guide its...
ww2.kqed.org
December 11, 2025 at 8:18 PM
California clinics' doors are flying open, patients are lining up and ketamine is being prescribed off-label for everything from depression to chronic pain. What’s missing are clear rules to guide its use.
Researchers identified two immune signals that may help explain why a small percentage of young males develop chest pain or shortness of breath after mRNA COVID shots.
Stanford Study Offers Clue to Rare Myocarditis After COVID Vaccination | KQED
Researchers identified two immune signals that may help explain why a small percentage of young males develop chest pain or shortness of breath after mRNA COVID-19 shots.
ww2.kqed.org
December 11, 2025 at 8:17 PM
Researchers identified two immune signals that may help explain why a small percentage of young males develop chest pain or shortness of breath after mRNA COVID shots.
A union battle between mental health workers and Kaiser exposes the current reality and future potential of AI’s role in therapy sessions.
Will AI Replace Your Therapist? Kaiser Won’t Say No | KQED
A union battle between mental health workers and Kaiser exposes the current reality and future potential of AI’s role in therapy sessions.
ww2.kqed.org
December 11, 2025 at 8:17 PM
A union battle between mental health workers and Kaiser exposes the current reality and future potential of AI’s role in therapy sessions.
A Stanford lab shows that when people use virtual reality to explore an unfamiliar place, it deepens their emotional connection to, and concern about, climate change impacts far from home.
Can Virtual Reality Bring Climate Change Closer to Home? Bay Area Researchers Think So | KQED
A Stanford lab shows that when people use virtual reality to explore an unfamiliar place, it deepens their emotional connection to, and concern about, climate change impacts far from home.
ww2.kqed.org
December 11, 2025 at 8:16 PM
A Stanford lab shows that when people use virtual reality to explore an unfamiliar place, it deepens their emotional connection to, and concern about, climate change impacts far from home.
Meet the two high schoolers turning their love of wildlife photography into a Bay Area coyote research project.
Where Do Coyotes Live in Silicon Valley? These Teens Are Mapping Their Movements | KQED
Meet the two high schoolers turning their love of wildlife photography into a Bay Area coyote research project.
www.kqed.org
December 5, 2025 at 8:14 PM
Meet the two high schoolers turning their love of wildlife photography into a Bay Area coyote research project.
A new study from San José State University shows that last winter’s massive battery plant fire in Moss Landing spread a layer of toxic metals across the region.
Scientists Trace Heavy Metals Spread by January’s Huge Battery Fire Near Monterey | KQED
A new study from San José State University shows that last winter’s massive battery plant fire in Moss Landing spread a layer of toxic metals across the region.
www.kqed.org
December 4, 2025 at 11:04 PM
A new study from San José State University shows that last winter’s massive battery plant fire in Moss Landing spread a layer of toxic metals across the region.
The errant earthquake warning that lit up phones across Northern California with a notice of a quake in Nevada on Thursday morning was not a result of a problem with the early warning delivery system or MyShake phone application, officials said.
False Earthquake Alert Likely Triggered by ‘Something Out in the Field,’ USGS Says | KQED
The USGS, which said at least four seismic stations detected ground motion that signaled a quake, quickly canceled the warning that startled the Bay Area.
www.kqed.org
December 4, 2025 at 9:13 PM
The errant earthquake warning that lit up phones across Northern California with a notice of a quake in Nevada on Thursday morning was not a result of a problem with the early warning delivery system or MyShake phone application, officials said.
The ghost-white alligator Claude died this week at the age of 30. An initial necropsy found that the alligator had liver cancer. The outpouring of public memories online was immediate and deeply personal:
Bay Area Claude Fans Share Their Fondest Memories of the Rare Albino Alligator | KQED
What were yours? Share them with KQED here.
www.kqed.org
December 4, 2025 at 5:21 PM
The ghost-white alligator Claude died this week at the age of 30. An initial necropsy found that the alligator had liver cancer. The outpouring of public memories online was immediate and deeply personal:
Reposted by KQED Science
🌊King Tides to Flood Bay Area Shorelines This Week. Here's Where and When to Safely See Them
Beachgoers are in for some of the highest tides of the year. Tidepoolers can expect some of the lowest tides of the year.
@kqedscience.bsky.social @kqednews.kqed.org
www.kqed.org/science/1999...
Beachgoers are in for some of the highest tides of the year. Tidepoolers can expect some of the lowest tides of the year.
@kqedscience.bsky.social @kqednews.kqed.org
www.kqed.org/science/1999...
King Tides to Flood Bay Area Shorelines This Week. Here's Where and When to Safely See Them | KQED
This week’s extra high tide could flood shorelines across the Bay Area, offering a preview of how rising seas could reshape the region.
www.kqed.org
December 3, 2025 at 5:17 PM
🌊King Tides to Flood Bay Area Shorelines This Week. Here's Where and When to Safely See Them
Beachgoers are in for some of the highest tides of the year. Tidepoolers can expect some of the lowest tides of the year.
@kqedscience.bsky.social @kqednews.kqed.org
www.kqed.org/science/1999...
Beachgoers are in for some of the highest tides of the year. Tidepoolers can expect some of the lowest tides of the year.
@kqedscience.bsky.social @kqednews.kqed.org
www.kqed.org/science/1999...
This week’s extra high tide could flood shorelines across the Bay Area, offering a preview of how rising seas could reshape the region. Here's what to know about king tides and where to safely see them in the Bay Area:
King Tides to Flood Bay Area Shorelines This Week. Here's Where and When to Safely See Them | KQED
This week’s extra high tide could flood shorelines across the Bay Area, offering a preview of how rising seas could reshape the region.
www.kqed.org
December 3, 2025 at 5:51 PM
This week’s extra high tide could flood shorelines across the Bay Area, offering a preview of how rising seas could reshape the region. Here's what to know about king tides and where to safely see them in the Bay Area: