How Bottom Trawling is Destroying Earth’s Final Frontier What if bulldozers were clearing ancient forests the size of San Francisco (47 square miles) every day—leveling everything from the historic buildings of Chinatown to the vibrant streets of the Mission District, from the towering redwoods of the Presidio to the protected wildlife areas of the Bay?… Continue reading The Last Clear-Cutting:
Category: Earth Science
A Northern Light Show in Northern California:
The Aurora Borealis Illuminates the Sky In a rare celestial display, the Aurora Borealis painted the night skies over Northern California with glowing, spectral colors this past Friday and Saturday, May 10th and 11th. Stargazers and casual observers alike seldom see the Northern Lights so far south. What are the Northern Lights? The Northern Lights… Continue reading A Northern Light Show in Northern California:
Watching the Moon
I often watch the moon and the sky at night from a second-floor west-facing window. The different phases of the moon as it cycles through the crescent quarters night by night grow more familiar. On a cloudy San Francisco evening, I may not see any moon. Or only for moments during breaks in the clouds… Continue reading Watching the Moon
Goodbye Moon?
“Some say the world will end in fire…” —Robert Frost As we prepare for a spectacular eclipse on April 8, 2024, we can reflect on a cosmic question. Are we losing our moon? Although the moon seems constant in its orbit about 384,000 km from earth, it is moving slowly away. Each year the moon… Continue reading Goodbye Moon?
The Warming Oceans:
A Global Crisis Heats Up Our planet’s oceans are a testament to nature’s grandeur. They cover over 70% of Earth’s surface, leading us to perceive them as limitless and resilient. However, the BBC reports recent findings reveal a more alarming truth: the world’s oceans are warming at an unprecedented rate, reaching the highest global average… Continue reading The Warming Oceans:
The Heat is On
Time to Curb Climate Change Summer has long been a season for fun and relaxation, but the summer of 2023 is proving to be less about picnics and more about sweltering temperatures. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), most of the United States is currently swaddled in an embrace of above-average temperatures… Continue reading The Heat is On
Climate Change:
What You Can Do Overview of Climate Change Planet Earth is a giant greenhouse. The sun’s rays enter our atmosphere, warming the earth. Normally, much of this heat bounces back into space. But some gases in our atmosphere, such as carbon dioxide, trap this heat. This is a good thing up to a point—it’s what… Continue reading Climate Change:
Not Just Kansas
The U.S. still leads the world in on one weather category. Every year, about 1,200 tornadoes touch down in the U.S. That’s a higher count than anywhere else on the planet. Canada places a distant second with about 100 per year. Why so many twisters here? Our country’s unique geography sets the stage for these… Continue reading Not Just Kansas
Hurricanes:
Powerhouses of Nature The storm raged around our house and the power was out. The wind howled eerily, thrumming tree branches and phone lines, penetrating small chinks in windows and doors. My father made a fire in our rarely used fireplace for heat and my mother lit her decorative kerosene lamps so we could see.… Continue reading Hurricanes:
The Coriolis Effect
Answering a Reader’s Questions As posted last week, the Coriolis Effect steers the winds and ocean currents around the globe in huge spiral patterns, all because our Earth spins. A reader asked who discovered this pattern in nature and wanted to know what happens at the equator. Does the prevailing north counterclockwise and south clockwise… Continue reading The Coriolis Effect