For generations, fire lookout towers stood as landmarks across the American West.

Binoculars in hand, dedicated fire spotters scanned the landscape for smoke and radioed firefighters before flames grew out of control. But now, as California enters what is historically the most dangerous part of fire season — the end of summer before the first...Read more

SpaceX’s sunrise launch from Cape Canaveral on Sunday was the 80th launch of the year on the Space Coast, which is on track to break the annual record and surpass 100 for the year.

A Falcon 9 carrying 28 more of SpaceX’s Starlink satellites on the Starlink 10-27 mission lifted off from Canaveral’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 6:53 a.m.

The...Read more

BOISE, Idaho — In the face of mounting legal challenges, the corporate backers of a gold and antimony mine in Central Idaho hosted state and federal dignitaries Friday at the remote site to celebrate recent approvals that have advanced the multibillion-dollar venture — which is at least another three years from operations.

The occasion, ...Read more

Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday signed a sweeping package of climate and environment bills aimed at reducing the cost of electricity, stabilizing gasoline prices and propping up California's struggling oil industry.

At a bill signing ceremony at the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco, Newsom told state lawmakers and representatives ...Read more

An expensive lunar rover that once had its moon trip canceled has a ride once again.

NASA has selected Blue Origin to help get VIPER, the Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover, to the moon by awarding Jeff Bezos’ company a task order under its Commercial Lunar Payload Services program.

VIPER was once supposed to be the primary ...Read more

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- In the three months since California stationed game wardens and scientists to round-the-clock shifts to help ranchers stave off wolf attacks on cattle, the number of bloody incidents in the state’s Sierra Valley rangeland has more than doubled, data obtained by The Sacramento Bee shows.

The ongoing predation, sometimes ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — After the Eaton and Palisades fires ripped through Los Angeles County, the vast majority of residents in and around the burn scars were concerned about the hazardous compounds from the smoke and ash lingering in their homes, water and soil, according to a new survey published Tuesday. Yet many felt they lacked the support to move...Read more

Fossil remains of a large, now-extinct bird species have been discovered in Australia’s Boodjamulla National Park.

The ground-dwelling species — Menura tyawanoides — is an ancient ancestor of Australia’s native lyrebird, according to a Sept. 17 news release from Queensland’s Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and ...Read more

Last month, I wrote that California is backsliding on climate, and that it’s mostly Gov. Gavin Newsom’s fault. I took him and his appointees to task for undermining rooftop solar, propping up the Aliso Canyon gas field and slowing implementation of a single-use plastics recycling law, among other offenses.

So it’s only fair that I give ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — Megan Eskew did everything right before she climbed Mt. Whitney last month. She got in top physical shape, carefully checked the weather and, noticing a chance of thunderstorms, heeded expert advice to start very early — a few minutes after midnight.

Moving quickly up the 11-mile trail, she climbed out of the trees and onto ...Read more

More than a decade ago, pricey smart glasses that allowed people to snap photos, text and browse the web generated a lot of buzz but also resistance.

People who wore Google Glass in 2014 faced backlash over fears that the smart glasses, priced at $1,500, would secretly record people or make human interactions socially awkward. Two years later, ...Read more

ORLANDO, Fla. — Central Florida residents face flight delays, beach closures, and sonic booms in the middle of the night if SpaceX has its way, with plans to launch its powerful Starship and Super Heavy rocket from the Space Coast as many as 120 times a year.

The most dire predictions in two federal reports on the proposal could mean nearly ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — A parasitic fly whose maggots can infest living livestock, birds, pets and humans, could threaten California soon.

The New World Screwworm has rapidly spread northward from Panama since 2023 and farther into Central America. As of early September, the parasitic fly was present in seven states in southern Mexico, where 720 humans...Read more

It is funny to me how accustomed we have become to certain technology.

I rarely leave the house without my iPhone. I also have come to rely on asking Alexa to turn my lights on and off.

I’m also keenly aware that I have come to expect the cars I drive will always have a dash cam.

I’ll admit I didn’t drive with a dash cam for the longest...Read more

The Nuki smart lock boasts high-quality hardware, seamless integration capabilities and a stylish design, as described by the company. The innovative lock is new to the U.S. market after having established itself as the top-selling smart lock in Europe.

Add that its installation is among the easiest I've seen for a smart lock, which is ...Read more

I was doing some poking around in my Facebook account settings this week and I came across a setting that I needed to configure – the Legacy contact.

I hope you’re familiar with the setting, but I also hope you don’t have to use it for a very long time.

The Facebook Legacy Contact is a person who you designate to be able to administer ...Read more

At a time when the cost of everything is going up, value has become king. A product may be the best across the board, but if it has an astronomical price, that may not be more appealing compared to one that does the job for an attractive price.

That’s where the Arctis Nova 3P wireless headset falls. It’s the more affordable sibling of ...Read more