The Woodlands students win $50,000 for microplastics filtration system

Two high school students from The Woodlands, Texas, were awarded a $50,000 prize at the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair for creating an ultrasonic filtration system to remove microplastics from water.

Man shoots bear cub that breaks into home, Tahoe neighbors upset

Neighbors are upset after a man shot and killed a bear cub that snuck into his home in South Lake Tahoe. People in the neighborhood say on Memorial Day they saw the bear standing near the door to his home.

Viral Santa Cruz otter '841' is back

The viral otter known for stealing surfboards off the Santa Cruz coast is back after disappearing for several months.

Professor ponders, 'Could climate change be the cause of increasing airline turbulence?'

The airline industry has had numerous incidents this year, but some of the scariest incidents have been severe turbulence where unbuckled passengers fly out of their seats to a variety of injuries and, recently, one death.

Rare, endangered whale spotted off Marin coast

A rare and critically endangered whale was seen milling off the coast of Marin on Friday.

Fruit fly quarantine lifted after nearly 9 months in Santa Clara County

 A nearly nine-month Oriental fruit fly quarantine in Santa Clara County has been lifted following the eradication of the invasive pest.   

Family infected with parasitic worms from undercooked black bear meat, CDC reports

Several family members, including some from Minnesota, were infected with parasitic worm larvae after sharing a meal with black bear meat, a recent report from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says.

San Francisco's Aquarium of the Bay to get new leadership after scandal

The Aquarium of the Bay, a fixture on San Francisco's Pier 39 for almost three decades, finds itself in a financial mess due to a scandal embroiling its now-departed CEO who served for almost a decade.  

Moon will 'kiss' Saturn on May 31 and other summer sky events to watch

On May 31, sky lovers can witness a stunning celestial event as the Moon will appear to "kiss" Saturn in the southeastern sky just before dawn, offering a rare and captivating visual spectacle for amateur astronomers and stargazers, with several other noteworthy celestial events occurring this year.

NASA assessing when Boeing's Starliner could be ready to launch with astronauts

Boeing continues to troubleshoot a new issue with its Starliner spacecraft before the company tries again to launch two NASA astronauts to the International Space Station. 

California sea lion hops into UCLA rowers' boat

A malnourished sea lion pup hopped into a UCLA rower's boat, surprising the crew and nuzzling some of the athletes. 

‘Planet Parade’ 2024: watch guide for 6 planets aligned on June 3

On June 3, 2024, skywatchers can witness a rare "planet parade" of six planets—Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune—aligning in the pre-dawn sky, visible near the eastern horizon about 20 minutes before sunrise.

Rare 40-ton whale skull discovered on North Carolina beach

A massive whale skull, believed to belong to a 40-ton humpback whale, washed ashore on Hatteras Island in North Carolina, attracting significant interest from both beachgoers and marine biologists.

Will the Northern Lights be spotted in California again?

The Northern Lights appeared over Northern California earlier this month, lighting up the skies with a rare celestial show. When will they appear again?

Japan grappling with invasive raccoon population

Japan's raccoon infestation has gotten considerably worse over the last decade, multiple Japanese news sources are reporting.