Geography of California

Games are a reflection of our world and help shape the way we see it. For children, games can be a way of learning fundamental interpersonal and problem-solving skills—and so the way games are designed has a very real impact on society. “There’s been a shift away from tangible, mechanical approaches to design and more exploration of aesthetics and vibes and how to design for those,” said Sherveen Uduwana, a game designer and project lead on “Midautumn” and an instructor at Code Coven, an accelerator for marginalized game…

Medicine has come so far in 100 years—and yet many diseases have eluded our best efforts at treatments and cures. You can think of health research and innovation as the catch-all R&D department for healthcare. It’s essential work: Research in cell lines, animals, and computer models steadily progresses into human therapies. New ways of testing and developing drugs should speed the pace of innovation in the coming years.The Degrees of the Future 2022 top Health Research & Innovation programs are:Baylor College of…

A forest is smoldering after the Oak Fire near Mariposa, California, on July 24, 2022.Photo: DAVID MCNEW / AFP (Getty Images)A new wildfire exploded in Mariposa County, California on Friday and quickly spread over the weekend. The damage caused by what is now being called the Oak Fire has shut off power for about 2,000 homes and businesses.The flames havereactivated concerns for the safety of hundreds of mature giant sequoia trees in Mariposa Grove in Yosemite National Park. Earlier this month, the Washburn Fire came…

A helicopter drops water on the Washburn Fire in Yosemite National Park on July 9, 2022.Photo: Noah Berger (AP)A grove full of hundreds of mature giant sequoia trees in Yosemite National Park is in danger as a wildfire quickly spreads across the area.The fire, now known as the Washburn fire, is burning near Mariposa Grove, where a lot of famous “named” trees are found, including the 3,000-year-old Grizzly Giant tree. Thus far, there have been no reports of damage to these belovedtrees, CBS News reported. The sprinkler…

Some excellent pop culture art is debuting this weekend.Image: Gallery 1988/Spoke ArtResidents of Los Angeles and San Francisco each have awesome pop culture art shows to visit this weekend—but if you don’t live in those cities, io9 is bringing the shows to you, right here, right now.The first is called “4x4 Etc.,” the latest collaboration between artists Dave Perillo and Tom Whalen. We’ve covered the concept in the past, where each artist creates four-inch by four-inch prints, usually in sets of two, of characters that…

A Mobil gas station on the corner of La Cienega Blvd and Centinela Ave in Los Angeles, California.Photo: PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP (Getty Images)In an attempt to curb local emissions, some in Los Angeles hope to ban the construction of new gas stations in the city. “We are ending oil drilling in Los Angeles. We are moving to all-electric new construction. And we are building toward fossil fuel-free transportation,” L.A. Councilman Paul Koretz, said in a press release about the proposed ban. “Our great and influential city,…

Deepwater octopus, Graneledone verrucosaPhoto: NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and ResearchThe Biden administration this week announced its intent to designate a new marine sanctuary about 100 miles (160 kilometers) southeast of New York City. The Hudson Canyon is a large underwater canyon more than 2 miles (3.2 kilometers) beneath the surface of the Atlantic Ocean. It’s home to a variety of species, including vulnerable sperm whales.In case you missed it, President Bidendeemed June as National Ocean Month, and earlier…

The Castaic Lake reservoir in Los Angeles County has low water levels. Photo: Mario Tama (Getty Images)California’s ongoing megadrought—which has already led to water restrictions—is also going to start affecting the state’s ability to generate hydropower. This could raise energy costs for residents and increase emissions, CNN reports.There are already signs of a difficult summer to come. Outlooks from the U.S. Energy Information Administration found that hydropower would make up only 8% of the state’s total power…