Science

By ADITHI RAMAKRISHNAN, AP Science Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Scientists have spotted the brightest flare yet from a supermassive black hole that shines with the light of 10 trillion suns. These bursts of light and energy can come from things like tangled-up magnetic fields or hiccups in the heated gas disks surrounding black holes . The flares help illuminate researchers’ understanding of the black holes within. The latest cosmic display was spotted in 2018 by a camera at the Palomar Observatory in California. It took about three months to shine at peak brightness and has been decaying in the years since. It likely happened because a large star wandered too close to the black hole and got shredded to pieces. “At first, we didn’t really believe the numbers about the energy,” said study author Matthew Graham with the California Institute of Technology, which operates Palomar. Related Articles Solving a sea otter mystery: Monterey Bay Aquarium researchers track down origin of dead...

MONTEREY — On-call staff members at the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s sea otter rescue and conservation program rescued a six-month-old otter stranded on San Carlos Beach in July. She was emaciated and lethargic. The initial investigation by Dr. Ri Chang, the aquarium’s veterinarian, found intense inflammation in her stomach and bits and pieces of sand crab in her feces. These symptoms, combined with her age, dehydration, emaciation and lethargy, resulted in an initial diagnosis of a common parasitic infection called acanthocephalan peritonitis, also known as AP. RELATED:  Puckish sea otters continue surf board-stealing ways at Santa Cruz beach Chang kept their expectations realistic for the otter’s recovery —  AP has taken the lives of nearly a quarter of southern sea otters over the past three decades. Related Articles Recreational crab season opens along the Sonoma Coast as state warns of biotoxin risk Rabid bat found near San Mateo County park NOAA reports spike i...

This autumn brought something that isn’t always common for much of California — a decent amount of rain in October. Rather than heat waves, there have been umbrellas. After years in which some of the worst wildfires in state history happened in the fall, a lot of people are wondering: Is fire season over? It depends on where you live, fire experts say. And simply put, there’s more risk in Southern California right now than Northern California. “We have not yet seen enough rain in Southern California to end fire season,” said Daniel Swain, a climate scientist with the University of California division of Agriculture and Natural Resources. “But we probably have in Northern California.” Related Articles Republican lawmakers request information about LA’s response to January wildfires — and diversity hiring practices Berkeley study of wildfire exposure adds to dispute over Sonoma County’s Ag Pass program for farmworkers PG&E CEO sees no credit upgrades until California fire se...

By DORANY PINEDA, MELINA WALLING and ANNIKA HAMMERSCHLAG, Associated Press One hot day last summer, Clarisa Lugo was inspecting and counting corn and soybean plants in the middle of a 300-acre farm field in Illinois when she started throwing up and panting. Her heart raced, she stopped sweating and a pounding headache didn’t go away for hours. Related Articles Richmond-San Rafael Bridge bike lane change set to begin Philippine victims of 2021 typhoon seek compensation from Shell The largest natural gas leak in U.S. history was in California 10 years ago Californians can now shoot swans year-round without a license AI can help the environment, even though it uses tremendous energy. Here are 5 ways how The heat index — a blend of temperature and humidity — had hit 105 F, and Lugo, who was eight months pregnant, was suffering from heat illness. “I remember that that day it was hard for me to go back to normal” despite drinking water and putting ice on her body, she recalled. ...

By Christina Larson | Associated Press Nurse Rod Salaysay works with all kinds of instruments in the hospital: a thermometer, a stethoscope and sometimes his guitar and ukulele. Related Articles Jarvis: This flu season doesn’t have to be as deadly as the last Letters: Trump succeeds in Mideast where diplomats have failed Cops on ketamine? Largely unregulated mental health treatment faces hurdles The Sonoma County connection to an off-the-grid Nobel Prize winner California mpox cases raise concerns. But health officials say the risk remains low In the recovery unit of UC San Diego Health, Salaysay helps patients manage pain after surgery. Along with medications, he offers tunes on request and sometimes sings. His repertoire ranges from folk songs in English and Spanish to Minuet in G Major and movie favorites like “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.” Patients often smile or nod along. Salaysay even sees changes in their vital signs like lower heart rate and blood pressure, and s...

By Katerina Portela | Los Angeles Times LOS ANGELES — October is full of astronomical events, with a supermoon and dim meteor recently brightening the skies over Los Angeles. Next week, another is coming: the Orionid meteor shower. Related Articles How to watch the Orionid meteor shower, debris of Halley’s comet 2 green comets shine bright. How to spot them in the night sky Photos: Stunning Harvest Supermoon rises around the world Activist, astronaut shares her story at YWCA’s Inspire Luncheon A Japanese viewing party for the full ‘Blood Moon’ in Oakland The Orionid shower is made up of particles from Halley’s Comet burning in the atmosphere as Earth’s orbit intersects the comet’s path, according to NASA . This year, NASA says the view of the meteor shower will be “spectacular.” The Orionid shower gets its name the constellation Orion, which it appears alongside. For stargazers wondering where to look, Griffith Observatory says to keep your eyes on Orion’s raised club. W...