Becca Dzombak
@rdzombak.bsky.social
science journalist covering climate, conservation, geology | words in New York Times, National Geographic, others | PhD in very old rocks
“That doesn’t mean that polar bears are going to do fine in the future,” Aars continued. “If sea ice continues to disappear, we think there will be a threshold.”
January 29, 2026 at 8:18 PM
“That doesn’t mean that polar bears are going to do fine in the future,” Aars continued. “If sea ice continues to disappear, we think there will be a threshold.”
The bears' surprisingly good body condition could be due to a shift to food sources other than their go-to meal, the ringed harbor seal.
Other seals, reindeer, and even the occasional walrus are on the menu.
But that's likely to change as prey populations respond and sea ice keeps shrinking.
Other seals, reindeer, and even the occasional walrus are on the menu.
But that's likely to change as prey populations respond and sea ice keeps shrinking.
January 29, 2026 at 8:18 PM
The bears' surprisingly good body condition could be due to a shift to food sources other than their go-to meal, the ringed harbor seal.
Other seals, reindeer, and even the occasional walrus are on the menu.
But that's likely to change as prey populations respond and sea ice keeps shrinking.
Other seals, reindeer, and even the occasional walrus are on the menu.
But that's likely to change as prey populations respond and sea ice keeps shrinking.
“We’ve seen that the polar bears are actually able to do quite fine with the conditions in Svalbard today, although they’re quite different from what they were 20, 30 years ago,” said polar bear ecologist Jon Aars.
January 29, 2026 at 8:18 PM
“We’ve seen that the polar bears are actually able to do quite fine with the conditions in Svalbard today, although they’re quite different from what they were 20, 30 years ago,” said polar bear ecologist Jon Aars.
It's hard to think about things that aren't politics in the U.S. right now, but for a bit of good news distraction: polar bears in Svalbard are fatter than scientists expected, suggesting they're coping with dramatic sea ice loss — for now.
www.sciencenews.org/article/pola...
www.sciencenews.org/article/pola...
Polar bears in the Barents Sea are staying fat despite rapid sea ice loss
Polar bears can struggle to adapt to climate change. Bears on Svalbard may be surviving on land prey and seals — but scientists warn it may not last.
www.sciencenews.org
January 29, 2026 at 8:18 PM
It's hard to think about things that aren't politics in the U.S. right now, but for a bit of good news distraction: polar bears in Svalbard are fatter than scientists expected, suggesting they're coping with dramatic sea ice loss — for now.
www.sciencenews.org/article/pola...
www.sciencenews.org/article/pola...
The tech is a recent arrival in the U.S., and ranchers will have to be patient to see whether their gamble on a new tool will pay off.
With thin margins, it’s a risky move. But “we’re ranchers,” one rancher said. “We gamble every day.”
With thin margins, it’s a risky move. But “we’re ranchers,” one rancher said. “We gamble every day.”
December 10, 2025 at 8:00 PM
The tech is a recent arrival in the U.S., and ranchers will have to be patient to see whether their gamble on a new tool will pay off.
With thin margins, it’s a risky move. But “we’re ranchers,” one rancher said. “We gamble every day.”
With thin margins, it’s a risky move. But “we’re ranchers,” one rancher said. “We gamble every day.”
And easy redrawing of pastures means cows can be moved more often and more precisely, which early research suggests could reduce overgrazing and help protect sensitive landscapes like sagebrush and rivers.
December 10, 2025 at 8:00 PM
And easy redrawing of pastures means cows can be moved more often and more precisely, which early research suggests could reduce overgrazing and help protect sensitive landscapes like sagebrush and rivers.
With virtual fences in place, miles of barbed wire fences inside ranches can be taken down.
That opens up corridors for the vast herds of elk and antelope that move through Wyoming every year.
(Fences on property boundaries are still required, and still used in a few other instances.)
That opens up corridors for the vast herds of elk and antelope that move through Wyoming every year.
(Fences on property boundaries are still required, and still used in a few other instances.)
December 10, 2025 at 8:00 PM
With virtual fences in place, miles of barbed wire fences inside ranches can be taken down.
That opens up corridors for the vast herds of elk and antelope that move through Wyoming every year.
(Fences on property boundaries are still required, and still used in a few other instances.)
That opens up corridors for the vast herds of elk and antelope that move through Wyoming every year.
(Fences on property boundaries are still required, and still used in a few other instances.)
The fences, akin to invisible fences for dogs, let ranchers draw digital pasture boundaries from their phones. Cows wear GPS-enabled collars that beep when they get close to a boundary and give a small shock if they cross it.
December 10, 2025 at 8:00 PM
The fences, akin to invisible fences for dogs, let ranchers draw digital pasture boundaries from their phones. Cows wear GPS-enabled collars that beep when they get close to a boundary and give a small shock if they cross it.
A handful of intrepid cattle ranchers in Wyoming are testing out new tech that could help make ranches a little more conservation-friendly: virtual fences.
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/09/c...
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/09/c...
Wyoming Cowboys Are Breaking Down Barriers, Literally
www.nytimes.com
December 10, 2025 at 8:00 PM
A handful of intrepid cattle ranchers in Wyoming are testing out new tech that could help make ranches a little more conservation-friendly: virtual fences.
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/09/c...
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/09/c...
Read this investigation into CA's child labor:
A "climate of fear has made families more reluctant than ever to complain about unsafe working conditions, concerned that employers will retaliate. Even so, young people continue to work to help their parents pay bills and put food on the table."
A "climate of fear has made families more reluctant than ever to complain about unsafe working conditions, concerned that employers will retaliate. Even so, young people continue to work to help their parents pay bills and put food on the table."
Lax oversight, few inspections leave child farmworkers exposed to toxic pesticides
Lax oversight, few inspections leave child farmworkers exposed to toxic pesticides
Child laborers and other farmworkers in California are being exposed to toxic pesticides, in part because of splintered enforcement of safety regulations.
www.latimes.com
November 20, 2025 at 8:45 PM
Read this investigation into CA's child labor:
A "climate of fear has made families more reluctant than ever to complain about unsafe working conditions, concerned that employers will retaliate. Even so, young people continue to work to help their parents pay bills and put food on the table."
A "climate of fear has made families more reluctant than ever to complain about unsafe working conditions, concerned that employers will retaliate. Even so, young people continue to work to help their parents pay bills and put food on the table."
“It’s like a story out of ‘Game of Thrones,’” said @danielkronauer.bsky.social.
November 17, 2025 at 6:37 PM
“It’s like a story out of ‘Game of Thrones,’” said @danielkronauer.bsky.social.
It was particularly exciting because while scientists know that ant invasions and takeovers happen, the details can be murky.
That's simply because they happen mostly underground.
Now, we can see the parasitic queen sneak in, spray the real queen, and retreat while the workers swarm.
That's simply because they happen mostly underground.
Now, we can see the parasitic queen sneak in, spray the real queen, and retreat while the workers swarm.
November 17, 2025 at 6:37 PM
It was particularly exciting because while scientists know that ant invasions and takeovers happen, the details can be murky.
That's simply because they happen mostly underground.
Now, we can see the parasitic queen sneak in, spray the real queen, and retreat while the workers swarm.
That's simply because they happen mostly underground.
Now, we can see the parasitic queen sneak in, spray the real queen, and retreat while the workers swarm.
When an entomologist friend of his saw the video of Shimada's experiments with parasitic queens, he knew they needed to be published.
“I lost my words when I saw the video,” he said.
“I lost my words when I saw the video,” he said.
November 17, 2025 at 6:37 PM
When an entomologist friend of his saw the video of Shimada's experiments with parasitic queens, he knew they needed to be published.
“I lost my words when I saw the video,” he said.
“I lost my words when I saw the video,” he said.
The discovery was made by Taku Shimada. He's not a scientist, but calling him an "ant enthusiast" is putting it lightly. He raises and sells ants, studies them, searches for them in the wild, and takes gorgeous photos of them.
November 17, 2025 at 6:37 PM
The discovery was made by Taku Shimada. He's not a scientist, but calling him an "ant enthusiast" is putting it lightly. He raises and sells ants, studies them, searches for them in the wild, and takes gorgeous photos of them.
Queen-on-queen violence has been documented in ants before. But this subterfuge behavior, documented in a new @currentbiology.bsky.social study, has never before been observed and recorded.
November 17, 2025 at 6:37 PM
Queen-on-queen violence has been documented in ants before. But this subterfuge behavior, documented in a new @currentbiology.bsky.social study, has never before been observed and recorded.
The ant queen is dead. Long live the queen!
Some parasitic ant queens can sneak into other species' colonies and douse the true queen in an acid that compels the workers—her daughters—to turn against her.
After the workers kill their queen, the usurper swoops in.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/17/s...
Some parasitic ant queens can sneak into other species' colonies and douse the true queen in an acid that compels the workers—her daughters—to turn against her.
After the workers kill their queen, the usurper swoops in.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/17/s...
Parasitic Queen: Now She’s Stealing an Ant Fief
www.nytimes.com
November 17, 2025 at 6:37 PM
The ant queen is dead. Long live the queen!
Some parasitic ant queens can sneak into other species' colonies and douse the true queen in an acid that compels the workers—her daughters—to turn against her.
After the workers kill their queen, the usurper swoops in.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/17/s...
Some parasitic ant queens can sneak into other species' colonies and douse the true queen in an acid that compels the workers—her daughters—to turn against her.
After the workers kill their queen, the usurper swoops in.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/17/s...
Today in fish news: After more than 100 years away, salmon are back in the headwaters of the Klamath River. At least 140 Chinook adults are spawning, and more are coming.
But there's restoration work still to do. Some federal funding for it is delayed. @nytimes.com
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/29/c...
But there's restoration work still to do. Some federal funding for it is delayed. @nytimes.com
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/29/c...
A River Restoration in Oregon Gets Fast Results: The Salmon Swam Right Back
www.nytimes.com
October 29, 2025 at 4:50 PM
Today in fish news: After more than 100 years away, salmon are back in the headwaters of the Klamath River. At least 140 Chinook adults are spawning, and more are coming.
But there's restoration work still to do. Some federal funding for it is delayed. @nytimes.com
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/29/c...
But there's restoration work still to do. Some federal funding for it is delayed. @nytimes.com
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/29/c...
Diego leads a Cascadia research center. He and Greg Beroza, who runs the Southern CA Earthquake Center, said while it could be considered in hazard planning eventually, it's too soon to panic about the Cascadia-San Andreas double whammy.
"We should be preparing for the single whammy," Beroza said.
"We should be preparing for the single whammy," Beroza said.
October 23, 2025 at 6:43 PM
Diego leads a Cascadia research center. He and Greg Beroza, who runs the Southern CA Earthquake Center, said while it could be considered in hazard planning eventually, it's too soon to panic about the Cascadia-San Andreas double whammy.
"We should be preparing for the single whammy," Beroza said.
"We should be preparing for the single whammy," Beroza said.
Still, some highlighted that this is how science works. Someone presents a big idea, and the rest of the research community digs in.
"I'm glad they did this work," says geophysicist @diegosismologo.bsky.social. "It gives the rest of us a challenge. It's how the field progresses."
"I'm glad they did this work," says geophysicist @diegosismologo.bsky.social. "It gives the rest of us a challenge. It's how the field progresses."
October 23, 2025 at 6:43 PM
Still, some highlighted that this is how science works. Someone presents a big idea, and the rest of the research community digs in.
"I'm glad they did this work," says geophysicist @diegosismologo.bsky.social. "It gives the rest of us a challenge. It's how the field progresses."
"I'm glad they did this work," says geophysicist @diegosismologo.bsky.social. "It gives the rest of us a challenge. It's how the field progresses."
Outside experts worry, though, that connecting sediment cores 100 kilometers apart still has too many issues to be solid.
The cores are also difficult to date with enough precision to say how quickly quakes followed each other, if indeed the sediment records quakes in the first place.
The cores are also difficult to date with enough precision to say how quickly quakes followed each other, if indeed the sediment records quakes in the first place.
October 23, 2025 at 6:43 PM
Outside experts worry, though, that connecting sediment cores 100 kilometers apart still has too many issues to be solid.
The cores are also difficult to date with enough precision to say how quickly quakes followed each other, if indeed the sediment records quakes in the first place.
The cores are also difficult to date with enough precision to say how quickly quakes followed each other, if indeed the sediment records quakes in the first place.
He reads this as Cascadia triggering an earthquake, which changes the stresses in the Earth's uppermost layer of crust — potentially including the nearby San Andreas.
That would then trigger the San Andreas to go off, creating a particular stripe of sediment in the record.
That would then trigger the San Andreas to go off, creating a particular stripe of sediment in the record.
October 23, 2025 at 6:43 PM
He reads this as Cascadia triggering an earthquake, which changes the stresses in the Earth's uppermost layer of crust — potentially including the nearby San Andreas.
That would then trigger the San Andreas to go off, creating a particular stripe of sediment in the record.
That would then trigger the San Andreas to go off, creating a particular stripe of sediment in the record.
@goldfinger300.bsky.social has been studying this idea for decades, using cores of sediment from the seafloor to figure out when earthquakes happened in the past.
Records from Oregon and northern California seemed to match up. Mysterious stacks of sediment suggested two quakes, one after another.
Records from Oregon and northern California seemed to match up. Mysterious stacks of sediment suggested two quakes, one after another.
October 23, 2025 at 6:43 PM
@goldfinger300.bsky.social has been studying this idea for decades, using cores of sediment from the seafloor to figure out when earthquakes happened in the past.
Records from Oregon and northern California seemed to match up. Mysterious stacks of sediment suggested two quakes, one after another.
Records from Oregon and northern California seemed to match up. Mysterious stacks of sediment suggested two quakes, one after another.
I asked seven geologists what they thought of the idea.
The overall response was that it's an intriguing idea, and one worth exploring. Based on geophysics, it could be possible.
But from the evidence presented so far, saying Cascadia has for sure triggered the San Andreas is "overselling."
The overall response was that it's an intriguing idea, and one worth exploring. Based on geophysics, it could be possible.
But from the evidence presented so far, saying Cascadia has for sure triggered the San Andreas is "overselling."
October 23, 2025 at 6:43 PM
I asked seven geologists what they thought of the idea.
The overall response was that it's an intriguing idea, and one worth exploring. Based on geophysics, it could be possible.
But from the evidence presented so far, saying Cascadia has for sure triggered the San Andreas is "overselling."
The overall response was that it's an intriguing idea, and one worth exploring. Based on geophysics, it could be possible.
But from the evidence presented so far, saying Cascadia has for sure triggered the San Andreas is "overselling."
A new study argues that in the past, Cascadia quakes have triggered the San Andreas to go off, and that it could happen again.
But other experts, while recognizing that may technically be possible, want more evidence.
Read more at NatGeo:
www.nationalgeographic.com/science/arti...
But other experts, while recognizing that may technically be possible, want more evidence.
Read more at NatGeo:
www.nationalgeographic.com/science/arti...
How ‘the big one’ near Seattle could trigger an earthquake in San Francisco
Are two of the deadliest earthquake zones in North America linked? It's possible—but controversial.
www.nationalgeographic.com
October 23, 2025 at 6:43 PM
A new study argues that in the past, Cascadia quakes have triggered the San Andreas to go off, and that it could happen again.
But other experts, while recognizing that may technically be possible, want more evidence.
Read more at NatGeo:
www.nationalgeographic.com/science/arti...
But other experts, while recognizing that may technically be possible, want more evidence.
Read more at NatGeo:
www.nationalgeographic.com/science/arti...
The @nytimes.com climate section is profiling federal scientists who have been terminated and their work.
I spoke with tsunami expert Corina Allen, who worked to ensure tsunami alerts made it to the public. She was fired in February.
Read her story and others':
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/23/c...
I spoke with tsunami expert Corina Allen, who worked to ensure tsunami alerts made it to the public. She was fired in February.
Read her story and others':
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/23/c...
She Made Sure That Tsunami Warnings Reached the Public
www.nytimes.com
October 23, 2025 at 6:20 PM
The @nytimes.com climate section is profiling federal scientists who have been terminated and their work.
I spoke with tsunami expert Corina Allen, who worked to ensure tsunami alerts made it to the public. She was fired in February.
Read her story and others':
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/23/c...
I spoke with tsunami expert Corina Allen, who worked to ensure tsunami alerts made it to the public. She was fired in February.
Read her story and others':
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/23/c...