Los Angeles’ 1936 ‘Bum Blockade’ Targeted American Migrants Fleeing Poverty and Drought During the Great Depression
The two-month patrol stopped supposedly “suspicious” individuals from crossing into California from other states. But its execution was uneven, and the initiative proved controversial
CCTV Footage Captures the First-Ever Video of an Earthquake Fault in Motion, Shining a Rare Light on Seismic Dynamics
A clip recorded in Myanmar in March reveals a curved path of the fault slip, which can help scientists better understand the physics of such events
The Getty Villa Reopens Six Months After the Devastating Palisades Fire
The iconic Los Angeles venue is welcoming visitors back with a new exhibition featuring artworks and artifacts from ancient Greece
Long-Lost Treasures Emerge From Lake During Hurricane Helene Recovery Efforts in North Carolina
Officials are draining the water from Lake Lure to remove sediment and debris, revealing historic objects embedded in the dry lakebed
Kentucky’s Devastating Tornado in May Left a Trail of Destruction Visible From Space
Satellite imagery released by NASA features a giant brown streak where the storm sliced through the Daniel Boone National Forest
Mount Etna’s Spectacular Monday Eruption Marks the Volcano’s Most Intense Activity in Years
The explosion was the strongest since 2021, expelling ash, dust, lava and a pyroclastic flow, but no injuries or deaths were reported
By Shoving a Bed Frame Against the Door, This Pompeii Family Tried to Survive Mount Vesuvius’ Eruption
Archaeologists are learning new details about the four individuals’ futile attempt to hide inside an ancient residence called the House of Helle and Phrixus
Can Scientists Harness the Magic of Mushrooms to Clean Up Polluted Landscapes?
Researchers and grassroots activists are working with fungi to restore damaged environments
Looking Back on the L.A. Wildfires Through the Lens of Two Photographers
As wildfire becomes an increasingly lethal force that’s remaking broad swaths of California, people and animals alike are in the hot seat
Why Does This Endangered Butterfly Thrive After Hurricanes?
For Schaus’ swallowtail butterflies, the powerful storms mean clear skies and bright futures
How Dreams of Buried Pirate Treasure Enticed Americans to Flock to Florida During the Roaring Twenties
1925 marked the peak of the Florida land boom. But false advertising and natural disasters thwarted many settlers’ visions of striking it rich in the land of sunshine
Destinations Hit by Natural Disasters Need Tourists Back—but Maybe Not in the Same Way as Before
Places like Maui and Asheville, North Carolina, rebuilding after wildfires and hurricanes, are doing so with a mind to sustainable tourism
A Hurricane Swept These Tortoises Across Miles of Ocean to a New Home in Florida—and Now, They’re Thriving
Park rangers say at least 84 gopher tortoises are now living at Fort de Soto Park near St. Petersburg. Prior to Hurricane Helene in September, the local population was around eight
Death Toll Passes 2,000 After Magnitude 7.7 Earthquake Hits Myanmar, Among the Most Powerful Quakes in the Region Since 1900
The natural disaster compounds humanitarian concerns in a country already in the throes of a devastating civil war
A Peculiar, Short-Lived Office at the Smithsonian Once Explored Reports of Bizarre Natural Phenomena
From surprising squirrel migrations to islands popping up out of nowhere, the organization’s scientists tracked strange events as they happened
Studying This Slow-Moving Alaskan Landslide May Help Avert Future Disaster
If the landslide at the Barry Arm fjord collapses, its falling ice and rock could generate a devastating 650-foot-high tsunami
‘Volcanic Unrest’ at Alaska’s Mount Spurr Suggests 50-50 Chance an Eruption Could Be Coming
Volcanologists are closely monitoring the 11,070-foot-tall stratovolcano, located roughly 75 miles from Anchorage, after a recent uptick in earthquakes
Here’s How the Los Angeles Wildfires Are Affecting Animals, From Fish to Snakes to Birds
While scientists were able to save and move some creatures in the aftermath, researchers are worried about the prospects for other species
How A.I. Can Help Humans Battle Wildfires, From Advanced Camera Systems to Forecasting Models
A variety of new technologies aim to improve wildfire detection and help map the spread of blazes
Welcome to the Pyrocene
Human use of fire has produced an era of uncontrolled burning
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