Amid an oppressive stretch of extreme heat and Florida-esque humidity that has been punishing much of California, consider, for a moment, the Ice Age.

For millions of years, Pacific mastodons — huge, hairy relatives of modern elephants — roamed a vast and lush range that included California, Oregon, the northern Rocky Mountains and parts of...Read more

The Tibetan Plateau may be on the other side of the world from California, but what happens on this high-altitude landscape in Asia can set off a chain of events that fuels powerful atmospheric rivers with flooding rainfall and heavy snow hitting the U.S. West Coast.

My team of atmospheric scientists discovered this connection, and we...Read more

As late summer fades into early autumn, garden care shifts from active harvesting to preparation and planning for the next growing season. Weeds can feel like an overwhelming management task as the summer species burst into flower and spread seeds.

However, late summer and early fall is the single best time for weed control that lasts...Read more

Pennsylvania has over 180 levees that span approximately 155 miles (255 kilometers) and keep its rivers from flooding. They protect about 158,000 people and US$26.2 billion in property across the state, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

However, those levees are aging, and funding to maintain and improve them is becoming ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — The huge inland body of water that is the heart of California’s water system is under major stress.

That’s why state officials say they worked for years to come up with a plan to help halt the ecological decline of the San Francisco Bay and Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta.

Now that plan is under attack from the Trump ...Read more

The Hawaiian Islands rarely see significant hurricane damage, but they just experienced the effects of their second hurricane in a year as Hurricane Lowell’s eyewall brushed Niihau, west of Kauai, on Sept. 8, 2026.

The hurricane brought heavy downpours, high surf and hurricane-force wind gusts that pounded both islands, knocking out...Read more

Apple Inc. unveiled the company’s first foldable smartphone during a wide-ranging event Wednesday, betting that a new category can energize growth for its biggest-selling lineup.

The device, called the iPhone Duo, will improve on rivals’ foldable models, newly appointed Chief Executive Officer John Ternus said, mocking competing handsets ...Read more

SEATTLE — Washington is among the states suing the federal government for changing rules around the Endangered Species Act.

Washington Attorney General Nick Brown is coleading two complaints with the attorneys general of California, Maryland and Massachusetts. The states argue that under the new rules it is easier for the government and ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — Astronaut Victor Glover, a Southern California native who piloted NASA's Artemis II mission around the moon this year, is stepping back from the space agency.

He began a full-time leadership position at his alma mater, Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo, on Sept. 1, according to a news release from the university.

As the only pilot to...Read more

Before “Resident Evil” or “Street Fighter,” “Mega Man” was the shining star for Capcom. The Blue Bomber was hugely popular on the NES, and the developer pushed what the system could do. It spawned several sequels, but the one-time mascot’s star faded over time.

Fans have demanded another “Mega Man” title, and Capcom is ...Read more

I enjoy cleaning my pool, but I enjoy it even more when I don’t have to, and it looks spotless. After using the Aiper Scuba V3 Ultra for the past few months, I actually find pool cleaning relaxing. I can honestly say my pool has never been cleaner, and the best part is that I can sit back on my lounge chair and let the robot do the work.

...Read more

I had to download a new insurance card today. In Texas, to get our cars registered, we have to show proof of insurance.

Back in the day, we’d get new proof of insurance cards twice a year. They’d show our expiration date and which cars were covered. I always kept one in my wallet and I’d stick one in my wife’s wallet.

These days ...Read more

Labor unions understand artificial intelligence isn't going anywhere.

The battle for them thus becomes ensuring that their members have a seat at the table to determine how that technology is implemented in their workplace and perhaps even find a way to benefit from it, as some forecast layoffs and major shifts in employment and economic ...Read more

SAN DIEGO — All railroad traffic connecting San Diego County with the rest of the nation was suspended again Tuesday as high tides and coastal erosion continued to chew away at the tracks in San Clemente in southern Orange County.

“Waves overtopped the tracks in the affected area and caused further deterioration (Monday night) along the ...Read more

Qualcomm on Tuesday struck a $60 billion deal with Amazon for the San Diego company’s AI data center chips, with Amazon also picking up the right to buy $4 billion of its stock.

“We used to be a smartphone company,” Qualcomm CFO and COO Akash Palkhiwala said at the Goldman Sachs investors summit in San Francisco, outlining the company’s...Read more

LOS ANGELES — A wrinkled Northern elephant seal named Violet slid out of a crate and onto San Pedro’s Cabrillo Beach on a muggy morning in late August.

The pinniped pup looked around quizzically with large, black eyes before lumbering into the surf with abandon — as only the young can.

Violet, named for the color of identifying crayon ...Read more

California’s new, first-of-its-kind “DROP” program enabling residents to have personal information deleted by data brokers depends on companies that have frequently failed to follow privacy law already on the books, new research from Stanford University suggests.

More than 600 companies have registered with the state as data brokers under...Read more

If you grew up in the United States in the 1980s or ’90s, chances are you remember The Oregon Trail. For many like me, it was our first computer game and our first introduction to wilderness survival. We hunted buffalo, forded rivers, broke wagon wheels and, of course, learned about dysentery years before Google even existed, all while ...Read more

As demand for artificial intelligence technology boosts construction and proposed construction of data centers around the world, those computers require not just electricity and land, but also a significant amount of water. Data centers use water directly, with cooling water pumped through pipes in and around the computer equipment. They also...Read more