Fifty years ago this Saturday, humans walked on the moon for the first time and it was a big deal. Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin made humanity proud (while poor Michael Collins kept circling the block waiting to pick them up) by bouncing around and taking fun pictures of each other. Much of the equipment […]
The Once-a-Decade Corpse Flower Is About to Bloom, Because Nature Is Gross but Also Cool
Nature is crazy. Witness, for example, the giant corpse lily. The humungous flower–six feet tall with a blossom four feet across–opens for just 24 hours, once every five to ten years. For a specimen of the rare species at Cal State Long Beach’s College of Natural Science, that special day is expected to come tomorrow. And […]
Millions of Tiny Earthquakes Happen Without You Even Noticing
According to a new study reported in Scientific American, hundreds of earthquakes too subtle for humans to feel are shaking Southern California every day. Nearly two million earthquakes that took place over the past ten years and were previously hidden from scientists, have just been added to the log of the region’s seismic activity. Using powerful computer […]
Sorry Plant Ladies, Your Ferns and Philodendra Aren’t Purifying the Air
In a congested city like L.A.—as famous for smog as it is for the Hollywood sign—we all know outdoor air quality isn’t great. Cars clog the freeways day and night, causing a grayish-brown haze that can be seen for miles. But the dirty air doesn’t stop there. According to Yifang Zhu, a professor in the […]
What L.A. Life Is Like for a Scientist Who Spends Months Digging Up Dino Bones in Antarctica
“I’m here to see a paleontologist,” I told a parking lot attendant and later a woman at the entrance to the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles. I realize it would have sufficed to say, “I’m here for a meeting,” but it’s not everyday you have an appointment with a bonafide dinosaur hunter, and I […]