L.A. Times - Science

Why the secret to a longer life might start with training your balance

Deborah Vankin — Tue, 18 Aug 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Better balance can help you live longer. Here's why it matters, how to test your 'balance IQ' at home and 3 different modalities to train your balance — no special equipment needed.

Hydrogen failed as car fuel. Now California's big dollar bet on it for green energy is fading, too

Blanca Begert — Mon, 17 Aug 2026 10:05:00 GMT

Green hydrogen has gone bust in California, with project cancellations, ongoing fuel disruptions and station build-outs at a standstill.

Tommy John, Dodgers pitcher and medical pioneer, dies at 83

Michael Kupper — Sun, 16 Aug 2026 17:45:42 GMT

Tommy John, who ruptured a ligament in his left elbow in 1974, agreed to a radical surgery that revived his career and changed baseball. He pitched for 26 years.

Are mosquitoes, ticks and fleas turning California into a disease hotspot?

Susanne Rust, Lila Seidman — Sun, 16 Aug 2026 10:00:00 GMT

It feels like vector-borne diseases are popping up everywhere these days. Has something changed?

California defends childhood vaccination schedule against Trump efforts to weaken it

Rong-Gong Lin II — Sat, 15 Aug 2026 10:00:00 GMT

The defense comes after President Trump issued an executive order recommending that the singular measles, mumps and rubella, or MMR, vaccine should be separated into three, and that all childhood immunizations should be given at separate visits.

Toxic site near South L.A. homes finally faces state cleanup order

Kori McNair — Tue, 11 Aug 2026 10:00:00 GMT

The California toxic substances agency cites what "appears to be a major source of contamination" that "may present a substantial hazard to human health."

The eight-mile gap in the L.A. River bike path downtown has a billion-dollar problem

Mack Baysinger — Mon, 10 Aug 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Someday, you might be able to ride a bike from the western San Fernando Valley to Long Beach along the Los Angeles River. But an eight-mile gap downtown with a ballooning price tag remains.

Tiny toad, big discovery: New ice age amphibian found in La Brea Tar Pits collection

Ruben Vives — Fri, 7 Aug 2026 02:22:43 GMT

The extinct toad from the ice age was found among the amphibian collection at La Brea Tar Pits and Museum.

California's cyclosporiasis cases are 'higher than expected.' What is fueling the uptick?

Karen Garcia — Thu, 6 Aug 2026 21:50:34 GMT

There are no known cyclosporiasis outbreaks in California, but officials say case numbers are higher than they expected for this point in the season.

Bonta accuses DuPont of corporate shell game to dodge PFAS cleanup in California

Susanne Rust — Thu, 6 Aug 2026 21:35:05 GMT

California's attorney general has added an amendment to a suit he filed in 2022 against the makers of 'forever chemicals.' He claims the defendants were involved in a fraudulent transaction scheme.

From mice to 'gym rats': Unregulated use of peptides raises alarm among researchers

Corinne Purtill — Thu, 6 Aug 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Driven by social media hype and a growing distrust of public health guidance, consumer demand for experimental peptides has exploded over the last decade.

Lineage says it will spend up to $100 million on Boyle Heights cleanup as air regulators demand action

Tony Briscoe, Alex Wigglesworth — Wed, 5 Aug 2026 19:31:13 GMT

The operator of a cold storage warehouse that burned in Boyle Heights has said it expects to spend $80 million to $100 million to clean up the site.

Discarded SpaceX rocket crashes into moon

Noah Haggerty — Wed, 5 Aug 2026 17:18:51 GMT

Independent scientists said it appears a SpaceX rocket, about the size of a school bus, has crashed into the moon.

Struggling to survive, South L.A.'s MLK hospital seeks greater share of county funds

Connor Sheets — Mon, 3 Aug 2026 10:00:00 GMT

The potential closure of the community hospital serving South Los Angeles would be 'devastating,' said L.A. County's Dr. Naman Shah. 'We would have untold misery from lack of access to care.'

Marmots got money troubles: Cuts to UCLA research lead scientists to OnlyFans

Samantha Masunaga — Mon, 3 Aug 2026 10:00:00 GMT

A UCLA marmot lab has opened an OnlyFans account called OnlyMarms to raise funding for its research. So far, it's raised about $4,000.

California counties monitoring for measles in farmworkers from Arizona

Caroline Petrow-Cohen — Sun, 2 Aug 2026 19:55:42 GMT

The California Department of Public Health has identified agricultural workers in the state who were exposed to measles during an outbreak in Arizona.

The percentage of homes surviving California wildfires is dropping, despite efforts to harden them

Noah Haggerty — Sat, 1 Aug 2026 10:00:00 GMT

At the turn of the century, wildfires destroyed only about 3% of the California homes they came into contact with. By 2020, the rate had risen to 18%, a new study found.

This common 'heat wave mistake' could harm your health as temperatures soar over 95 degrees this weekend

Deborah Vankin — Fri, 31 Jul 2026 23:57:16 GMT

The CDC warns that electric fans can actually raise your body temperature in extreme heat. Learn the safe temperature limits and expert-backed ways to beat the heat.

Proposed ban of forever chemicals for California farms nixed by state lawmakers

Dakota Smith — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Regulators and environmentalists are divided over the PFAS chemicals, which are widely used in agriculture.

Record-breaking El Niño could gut California's crab and salmon fleets

Susanne Rust — Wed, 29 Jul 2026 10:00:00 GMT

A super El Niño could wreak havoc on commercial fishing off the California coast. If the 2015-16 El Niño is any guide, it's not going to be good.

'The child is terrified': Doctors on the front lines of a measles comeback speak out

Amy Maxmen — Tue, 28 Jul 2026 01:03:31 GMT

It looks to be the start of a bad era, not merely a bad year for measles. Confirmed measles cases just hit a 35-year high.

What's the deal with ... people smearing beef tallow on their faces?

Jenna Belhumeur — Mon, 27 Jul 2026 10:00:00 GMT

I put animal-fat skincare to the test for two weeks to see if it's actually beneficial. Here's what happened to my skin, along with what dermatologists and cosmetic chemists say about the science behind the trend.

Why a plan to filter bacteria from the Arroyo Seco is facing fierce opposition

Mack Baysinger — Sun, 26 Jul 2026 10:00:00 GMT

A tiny parcel of land near Highland Park is supposed to be key to filtering out fecal contamination from the Arroyo Seco. But some people don't want the lot — with its trees — to be disturbed.

Measles hits U.S. record not seen since 1991; California seen as vulnerable

Rong-Gong Lin II — Fri, 24 Jul 2026 19:07:59 GMT

There have been 2,318 measles cases reported across the nation this year, according to the CDC. That's higher than in any year since a significant nationwide measles epidemic from 1989 to 1991.

Neurodivergent kids face special mental health risks. New initiative seeks ways to protect them

Corinne Purtill — Fri, 24 Jul 2026 18:11:55 GMT

Jake Collective and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention are launching a $5 million, five-year initiative

4 more states report cyclosporiasis outbreak. Here's how the FDA does a traceback investigation

Karen Garcia — Fri, 24 Jul 2026 17:37:34 GMT

Experts explain how health officials investigate foodborne illnesses amid a second outbreak of cyclosporiasis.

COVID-19 is on the upswing in California. How bad will it get this summer?

Rong-Gong Lin II — Fri, 24 Jul 2026 10:00:00 GMT

It wouldn't be surprising for a summer increase in COVID to begin now. Large numbers of people haven't fallen ill with COVID for quite a while.

Another cyclosporiasis outbreak investigated as cases of diarrhea-causing illness continue to mount

Karen Garcia — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 19:10:33 GMT

Officials have initiated a new investigation into a second cyclosporiasis outbreak and are trying to determine the source.

Measles surges dramatically in California among children and young adults

Rong-Gong Lin II — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 10:00:00 GMT

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said 93% of confirmed measles cases are associated with outbreaks. There have been 34 new outbreaks reported so far this year.

New drug could help people stricken with valley fever

Susanne Rust — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 10:00:00 GMT

A new drug could help people stricken with the most severe forms of valley fever. A small trial showed positive results, with fewer of the side effects affecting other treatments.

Some birds defy overall plunge in bird numbers

Mack Baysinger — Wed, 22 Jul 2026 13:00:00 GMT

Bird multitudes are slipping away on a global scale, but a new study offers hope for how we can make life easier for them.

As North America grapples with destructive wildfires, 'super' El Niño may offer hope

Noah Haggerty — Wed, 22 Jul 2026 10:00:00 GMT

With a very strong El Niño almost certainly on its way, the southern U.S. could see extra precipitation this winter, damping wildfire risk next summer.

Cyclosporiasis cases climb; probe into Taylor Farms produce continues after false positive

Karen Garcia — Mon, 20 Jul 2026 20:48:06 GMT

Despite a false positive sample of lettuce supplied by Taylor Farms, the FDA says it is still looking at produce from the company as the source of the current oubreak.

Lopez: The doctor who helped save her is in another state, and telemedicine follow-up is prohibited

Steve Lopez — Sat, 18 Jul 2026 12:00:00 GMT

"Thousands of cases" highlight barriers to interstate telemedicine care

Rudolph Marcus, Caltech chemist who won Nobel Prize, dies at 102

Corinne Purtill, Scott Wilson — Fri, 17 Jul 2026 18:29:30 GMT

He developed formula that upended scientific understanding of how molecules use energy.

Bass administration quietly replaced chief heat officer a month ago

Noah Haggerty — Thu, 16 Jul 2026 21:05:13 GMT

After L.A. City Council rejected Mayor Bass' proposal to eliminate the city's climate emergency office, her administration quietly replaced its inaugural director with a senior Bass advisor.

After wildfires destroyed 95% of this California tribe's forests, members uncovered 1,200 ancestral sites

Noah Haggerty — Thu, 16 Jul 2026 10:00:00 GMT

After devastating fires turned their forest into a moonscape, members of the Konkow Valley Band of Maidu found evidence of their vibrant tribal history everywhere.

California employer health premiums will cost as much as a new car in 2027

Melody Petersen — Thu, 16 Jul 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Employers are bracing for what could be the highest rise in health insurance premiums in 16 years, driving up the cost of family coverage in California to more than $30,000.

How to eat safely amid outbreak of diarrhea-causing cyclosporiasis

Karen Garcia — Wed, 15 Jul 2026 21:22:53 GMT

An outbreak of diarrhea-causing cyclosporiasis has prompted warnings from experts about how to clean and prepare fruits and vegetables.

Why public health officials are 'cautiously optimistic' about Trump's CDC pick

Corinne Purtill — Wed, 15 Jul 2026 21:01:15 GMT

Dr. Erica Schwartz has the skills for the job running the CDC, doctors say. They just hope she'll be allowed to do it.

Anger grows in Boyle Heights as warehouse fire leaves stench, flies and vermin in its wake

Tony Briscoe — Tue, 14 Jul 2026 20:08:01 GMT

Boyle Heights activists are calling on Gov. Gavin Newsom to order a mandatory evacuation of the neighborhood, saying a recent warehouse fire has poisoned the air.

Nobel Prize winner leaving UC Berkeley for new role in China

Corinne Purtill — Fri, 10 Jul 2026 17:06:18 GMT

Omar Yaghi will lead an AI institute at Tsinghua University in Beijing.

Trump administration proposal would all but end scientific merit in grant funding, critics say

Corinne Purtill — Fri, 10 Jul 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Proposed in late May, the rule would give political appointees unprecedented control over federal grants for research, education and infrastructure.

Diarrhea-causing cyclosporiasis causes hundreds to fall ill in U.S. What Californians should know

Karen Garcia — Fri, 10 Jul 2026 01:27:26 GMT

A parasitic disease that causes debilitating diarrhea has been reported in California this year. Officials explain how to fend off an infection.

'I'd rather my house burn down than get cancer': Two California communities fight to save their forests

Noah Haggerty — Thu, 9 Jul 2026 10:00:00 GMT

A U.S. Forest Service plan to use glyphosate in a burned forest spurs a reckoning in Tahoe: How much should people do to bring forests back?

Not everyone is leaving California. A new commercial battery maker just landed in Sacramento

Blanca Begert — Wed, 8 Jul 2026 21:02:23 GMT

A factory in Sacramento will be first in the country to make a new alternative to lithium-ion at commercial scale.

Contributor: The crucial medical question that AI can't ever answer

James N. Weinstein and Ogan Gurel — Wed, 8 Jul 2026 10:00:00 GMT

AI can be very knowledgeable. Doctors can have excellent judgment. But ultimately the patient's own priorities often determine which treatment approach is best.

What's the deal with ... coffee enemas?

Shelby Hartman — Wed, 8 Jul 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Are coffee enemas actually good for you? We look into the buzz and examine the science, risks and benefits behind the controversial gut-health trend.

Fans slam FIFA's cooling breaks. Why the U.S. World Cup team doctor disagrees

Corinne Purtill — Tue, 7 Jul 2026 21:22:03 GMT

This year's World Cup, hosted across the U.S., Canada and Mexico, is the hottest played since the tournament began in 1930. If venues are air conditioned, are FIFA's hydration breaks necessary?

14 propositions that could remake California taxes, housing, healthcare and elections

Iris Kwok, Nicole Nixon — Mon, 6 Jul 2026 10:00:00 GMT

In addition to high-stakes U.S. House races, California voters in November will also weigh in on a slew of ballot measures.

New FireSat satellites promise faster wildfire detection over California and beyond

Eric Niiler — Mon, 6 Jul 2026 10:00:00 GMT

A trio of satellites set to launch early Tuesday will give wildland firefighters more time to respond and scientists more information about fire-prone regions across the globe.

July Fourth fireworks may bring 'hazardous' air quality to Southern California. What you need to know

Corinne Purtill — Sat, 4 Jul 2026 11:00:00 GMT

Hazardous levels of air pollution are expected across central and southern Los Angeles County, northern Orange County, Riverside and San Bernardino counties from 5 p.m. Saturday evening through 3 p.m. Sunday.

Contributor: Alcohol should be marginalized like smoking

Emma Fenske — Thu, 2 Jul 2026 19:28:00 GMT

Drinking causes 1 in every 20 deaths worldwide. Perversely, because its harms are so widespread and longstanding and well known, many people accept them.

Boyle Heights blaze choked parts of L.A. with astronomical soot pollution

Tony Briscoe, Hayley Smith — Thu, 2 Jul 2026 10:00:00 GMT

The warehouse fire exposed residents to smoke and soot that was worse than the 2025 Los Angeles County fires.

After Trump axed federal employees running climate site, thousands crowdfund its comeback

Mack Baysinger — Wed, 1 Jul 2026 23:58:42 GMT

Federal employees axed during waves of cuts by the Trump administration have fought back against the dismantling of a key climate science website.

ER visits spiked during toxic Boyle Heights warehouse fire

Hayley Smith — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 10:00:00 GMT

The weeklong Lineage warehouse fire coincided with a surge in hospital visits from Angelenos concerned about throat pain and breathing problems, The Times has learned.

After bold pledge, EPA shelves microplastics testing in U.S. drinking water

Susanne Rust — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 10:00:00 GMT

In April, EPA Chief Lee Zeldin and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. held a news conference declaring their dedication to studying microplastics, in the human body and in drinking water. But a new EPA drinking water testing rule leaves them out.

Water from Boyle Heights warehouse fire carries foam into L.A. River, sparks testing

Mack Baysinger — Sat, 27 Jun 2026 10:00:00 GMT

The copious water needed to put out the Lineage warehouse fire in Boyle Heights over a week is now running into the LA River.

EPA touts crackdown on smuggled pesticides in L.A. visit

Hayley Smith — Fri, 26 Jun 2026 10:00:00 GMT

EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin announced a crackdown on pesticide smuggling into the United States.

Drug overdoses in L.A County drop for third straight year. Here's why

Karen Garcia — Thu, 25 Jun 2026 12:00:00 GMT

Los Angeles County Public Health Department officials say accidental drug overdose deaths are down for the third year in a row.

Health concerns mount as Boyle Heights warehouse fire stretches into a week

Tony Briscoe, Kori McNair, Mack Baysinger — Tue, 23 Jun 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Toxic air has covered the San Gabriel Valley and beyond at times, as the fire continues to burn and the wind shifts the pall in different directions.

What's the deal with ... microdosing Ozempic?

Shelby Hartman — Tue, 23 Jun 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Can a smaller dose of GLP-1s cut side effects and costs? Experts weigh in on the rising trend of microdosing Ozempic and Wegovy.

Here's why the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool went green so fast

Mack Baysinger — Sat, 20 Jun 2026 00:53:46 GMT

The reflecting pool turned an interesting shade of green awfully fast. Here is why.

This plant extract can make a lethal drug cocktail. Can it also treat opioid addiction?

Karen Garcia — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 10:00:00 GMT

The U.S. will begin to test kratom for its potential to treat opioid disorder. In California, a complaint targets a business accused of violating kratom restrictions.

El Niño turns crumbling California pier into climate battleground over what to save — and who pays

Susanne Rust — Tue, 16 Jun 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Rep. Sam Liccardo wants to rebuild the Pacifica pier with help from the federal government. But does investing in this kind of infrastructure make sense?

Californian is infected with rare tick-borne illness. What to know about the deadly bacteria

Karen Garcia — Tue, 16 Jun 2026 02:21:11 GMT

The fourth person in the U.S., the third California resident, has been infected with the bacterium Rickettsia lanei.

What COVID is teaching doctors about the relationship between viruses and cancer

Corinne Purtill — Mon, 15 Jun 2026 10:00:00 GMT

The pandemic has left some evidence that viral infection may play a role in reawakening dormant cancer cells already present in a patient's body before infection.

Oliver Tree, musician and Santa Cruz native, dies in helicopter crash

Tony Briscoe, August Brown — Sun, 14 Jun 2026 21:47:04 GMT

The genre-defying singer-songwriter and Santa Cruz native was one of six killed when two helicopters collided Sunday morning in Brazil.

Infant formula recalled after California baby sickened with botulism

Melody Petersen — Sun, 14 Jun 2026 17:35:22 GMT

Nara Organics recalled its baby formula after a California child and two others were sickened by potentially fatal infant botulism, federal officials said.

New MLK hospital program brings amputations to zero for at-risk diabetic patients

Corinne Purtill — Sun, 14 Jun 2026 10:00:00 GMT

A new program has boosted patients' health while avoiding painful, costly surgeries. In its four years, only one high-risk diabetes patient has needed an amputation.

Scientists find a whale graveyard in the Indian Ocean that's millions of years old

Adithi Ramakrishnan — Sun, 14 Jun 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Scientists have documented a whale graveyard in the Indian Ocean with some carcasses dating back 5.3 million years, and it's supporting a thriving community of marine life.

NorCal braces for dry, dangerous fire season as SoCal faces typical conditions

Noah Haggerty — Sat, 13 Jun 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Fire officials are bracing for an active fire season in Northern California as high temperatures dry out forests. Southern California will likely see a typical season.

Warning of cuts to medical services, L.A. County health officials ask state for emergency funds

Corinne Purtill — Fri, 12 Jun 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Measure ER isn't enough, according to the head of L.A. County's Department of Health Services, which has joined other California health systems in lobbying for emergency funds.

UC Davis favored less qualified Black, Latino med school applicants, Justice Department claims

Andrew J. Campa — Thu, 11 Jun 2026 04:04:42 GMT

The U.S. Justice Department said an investigation by its Civil Rights Division found racial bias in admissions at UC Davis' School of Medicine.

Why new dads shouldn't panic about low testosterone

Keith Wagstaff — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 10:00:00 GMT

While a plummeting hormone level can trigger depression and irritability, experts say a modest decline can make men more invested, less stressed co-parents.

Santa Monica Mountains' last steelhead trout survived the Palisades fire — and even had babies

Lila Seidman — Tue, 9 Jun 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Scientists feared the Santa Monica Mountains' last endangered steelhead trout were wiped out by the Palisades fire. Then, they found them alive in Topanga Creek.

Farewell, my Smilodon: La Brea Tar Pits to close for two years

Corinne Purtill — Sat, 6 Jun 2026 10:00:00 GMT

A massive renovation will highlight new science in an L.A. institution

L.A. region begins the year with the smoggiest first 5 months in a decade

Tony Briscoe — Sat, 6 Jun 2026 10:00:00 GMT

So far this year, the South Coast air basin, which includes Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties, has seen 39 days when the concentration of lung-irritating ozone exceeded the federal standard, according to preliminary state air quality data.

One label, many risks: how grouping Asian Americans hides deadly cancer patterns

Meg Tanaka — Sat, 6 Jun 2026 10:00:00 GMT

A nationwide effort that includes many California researchers seeks to find out why some Asian American communities have high rates of certain cancers.

A flesh-eating worm from the 1960s is re-invading the U.S. Are CA cattle at risk?

Karen Garcia — Sat, 6 Jun 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Officials recently detected the flesh-eating New World Screwworm in a calf born in Texas. The once-eradicated parasite could tax a beef industry already experiencing increased prices. Will the discovery impact California farms?

Scientists probe cosmic visitor from deep space, come up empty in search for alien life

Ruben Vives — Sat, 6 Jun 2026 02:42:04 GMT

The object, called 3I/ATLAS, is only the third interstellar visitor ever detected passing through our Solar System.

Pacifica pier cracks, another coastal casualty as seas continue to rise

Susanne Rust — Fri, 5 Jun 2026 20:29:24 GMT

The Pacifica Municpal Pier was abruptly closed Thursday after city workers found cracks and missing concrete. It's one more coastal landmark that has begun to crumble as the ocean slowly rises around it.

Emergency room visits during heat waves available to the public in 'near-real time' in L.A. County

Blanca Begert — Thu, 4 Jun 2026 10:00:00 GMT

A new dashboard makes public for the first time heat-related deaths and emergency room visits in near-real time.

How Google's 32-million mosquito project could change California's battle against dengue

Lila Seidman — Thu, 4 Jun 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Can Silicon Valley solve California's mosquito problem? Google is seeking federal approval to unleash millions of bacteria-infected, non-biting mosquitoes in the Golden State.

Competition to run JPL comes at fraught moment of federal budget cuts, project overruns, management missteps

Corinne Purtill — Tue, 2 Jun 2026 16:47:25 GMT

A competitive contract isn't necessarily a bad thing, experts say. But the administration's anti-science record raises suspicion.

Nearly 400,000 Californians cancel health coverage after losing federal aid

Melody Petersen — Tue, 2 Jun 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Facing higher premiums and the loss of federal subsidies, 374,000 Californians canceled their health insurance coverage in the first three months of the year.

Baby crocodile smuggler from Oxnard headed to federal prison

Lila Seidman — Fri, 29 May 2026 20:08:24 GMT

Jose Manuel Perez trafficked reptiles worth more than $739,000 into the U.S. from Mexico and Hong Kong, using social media to make deals, according to federal officials.

Parental mental health — not medication — drives autism correlation, new study finds

Corinne Purtill — Wed, 27 May 2026 10:00:00 GMT

A new study finds no evidence that antidepressant medications cause autism.

Orange County leaders say previously evacuated area is safe. Experts say risks linger

Tony Briscoe, Clara Harter — Tue, 26 May 2026 23:02:42 GMT

Although many environmental experts praised the efforts of first responders, they remained skeptical that no toxic substances had been released.

Potential crack found on Garden Grove chemical tank, reducing explosion risk

Deborah Netburn, Rong-Gong Lin II, Summer Lin — Sun, 24 May 2026 22:56:21 GMT

Orange County fire official says a potential crack found on a pressurized chemical tank in Garden Grove might alleviated internal pressure, reducing risk of a catastrophic explosion.

Some experts say they've never seen bees swarm so early — and that's concerning

Blanca Begert — Sat, 23 May 2026 10:00:00 GMT

A warm winter and dry spring could be making bees more vulnerable.