Plain old water could be responsible for making plastics harmful to people, according to a new study that portends significant consequences for human health.

The study, published Thursday in the prominent scientific journal Nature, found chemical reactions between water and six types of fossil fuel-based plastic created particles that damaged ...Read more

MINNEAPOLIS — A majority of Minnesotans, including in the northern half of the state, oppose new mines near the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, according to results from the latest Minnesota poll.

The new Star Tribune/KARE 11 poll of likely voters showed that 67% statewide would not support new mines generally, while 26% support them. ...Read more

NASA astronaut Christina Koch is taking on a new role that will keep her in Earth’s orbit, for now.

Seven months after she made history by becoming the first woman to journey around the moon, Koch will become NASA’s acting deputy chief engineer in November. The post will make her ineligible for future spaceflights, the agency announced ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — The robot takeover looks a lot different from what we see in Hollywood thrillers.

Even as artificial intelligence-powered humanoid robots dance, box and beat human running-speed records, the physical bots showing up in our daily lives in Los Angeles are less Terminator and more R2-D2.

On a Wednesday afternoon at Ralphs on Pico ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — Jackie amassed millions of devoted fans thanks to a nonstop livestream of the aerie overlooking Big Bear Lake she shared with mate Shadow. When Big Bear’s celebrity eagle died in August, questions swirled about what had gone wrong.

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife announced Wednesday that Jackie died from highly ...Read more

For students at UC Riverside, the start of fall semester means picking up their class syllabus, catching up with friends and snapping selfies with the adorable wild donkeys that roam around the school.

The hoofed Highlanders have been embraced as an unofficial mascot on campus, with Reddit threads dedicated to donkey spotting and burro plushies...Read more

JOSHUA TREE, Calif. — Rescue dogs Merlin and Siska are readying for an important mission out in the Mojave Desert: find animal poop.

As the fall brings cooler temperatures, the pups will trot among the Joshua trees wearing orange vests, “doggles” to shield their eyes from the sun and booties to protect them from the prickly cholla cacti....Read more

OpenAI agreed not to use trade secrets that Apple Inc. claims were stolen by employees who defected from the iPhone maker to the artificial intelligence startup while a legal fight between the companies plays out.

The ChatGPT maker made the voluntary concession during a court hearing Wednesday in which a federal judge said he was “highly ...Read more

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Gray wolves throughout the U.S. should no longer be considered endangered, lawyers for the Trump administration told a federal appeals court on Tuesday, as oral arguments began in three cases that could significantly weaken protections for the predator canines.

The cases before the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals grew out of...Read more

My dream house is going to have a home theater room with a big screen.

Sadly, my current house doesn’t have a good spot for a permanent screen.

I’ve reviewed half a dozen very nice projectors, and they all had to be placed 6 or 8 or 10 feet from the screen. The thing about projecting an image that far is that the projector light source has...Read more

Stef Garcia stands in front of her phone and sells, sells, sells.

The former reality television worker who lives in North Hollywood shows off a neon-green watch in a live video as viewers bid on her rapid-fire offers. She gives shoppers seven seconds to bid.

"Don't lose it for a dollar," Garcia says, counting down.

"Let's go!" screams her co-...Read more

When Hurricane Isaias hit the Florida Panhandle on Oct. 9, 2026, it was just the latest weather disaster for Americans in a year that continues to break records.

The hottest U.S. summer on record left millions of Americans facing life-threatening heat waves. Extreme heat and drought set the stage for wildfires. Flooding from powerful ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — An "aggressive" great white shark was spotted in the waters off Huntington Beach on Tuesday, prompting the closure of a popular surfing spot.

The Huntington Beach Fire Department said in statement Tuesday afternoon that a roughly 10- to 12-foot great white shark exhibiting "aggressive behavior" was seen near Lifeguard Tower 16. ...Read more

I’ve been a fan and user of several brands of food saver systems over the years, many of which work to perfection. After using the Fresko AutoMax V8 for the last month, it’s a game changer.

The countertop sealer is said to be the first hands-free food sealer and promises to keep food fresh and make storage easier. Best of all, it saves ...Read more

This week I heard from a reader, “I am having trouble understanding and believing the claims of these website/software vendors who say they can remove my information from all over and put a stop to spam emails and phone calls. No matter how much I research, I simply cannot find out if these people are legitimate. This whole category of ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — The morning DJ duo has mastered the warm, friendly banter that keeps commuters from switching stations.

As they talk to callers, discussing sports, news and giveaways, DJ GeeGee calls her co-host “my little coyote.” He calls her “my queen.”

GeeGee is Geraldine Guzman. Her popular partner is Coyotec — an artificial ...Read more

Character.ai, a California startup that has faced lawsuits over allegations that chatbots created on its platform harmed the mental health of teens and led to copyright issues, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

The Menlo Park-based company runs an app that allows people to create and interact with chatbots who mimic celebrities, historical ...Read more

The crisp predawn skies over Central Florida had curious eyes wondering what was unfolding, as an orangish-blue wispy cloud billowed into life ahead of the rising sun.

For those in the know, what was forming is often called the “space jellyfish” effect, the result of the exhaust from a rocket launch creating luminescent clouds that expand ...Read more