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A photo shows thousands of monarch butterflies settled on tree trunks.

“The Forest Of The Monarchs,” a photo of the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve in Michoacán, Mexico, taken by National Geographic Explorer Jaime Rojo won the 2024 BigPicture Grand Prize.

2025 BigPicture: Natural World Photography Competition is now open

World-renowned international photo awards spotlight awe-inspiring perspectives on wildlife and conservation

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Academy Building
Letter to the Academy Community

Post-election letter to the Academy community from Executive Director Scott Sampson

Two juvenile reindeer with antlers are pictured nuzzling each other
Holidays Bring Baby Animals, Spirited Performances, Wintry Science Programs, and more to the California Academy of Sciences

Return every two weeks to see pairs of visiting baby reindeer, camels, and yaks.

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Composite of headshots from 2024 new Fellows, Fellows Medalists, and Distinguished Service Awardees

Top row (left to right): Alexis Jackson, PhD; Dave Catania; Elizabeth Kools; Daniel Costa, PhD; David Lindberg, PhD; Andrea Swei, PhD. Middle row (left to right): Sarah Jacobs, PhD; Jorge Ramos, PhD; Desiré Whitmore, PhD; Martín Tresguerres, PhD; Lucia Lohmann, PhD; Jaime Chaves, PhD. Bottom row (left to right): Don Hankins, PhD; Patricia Manley, PhD; Peter Alpert, PhD; Mónica Feliú-Mójer, PhD; Renato Aguilera, PhD; Scott Andrew Morrison, PhD.

California Academy of Sciences Welcomes 14 New Fellows, Bestows Four Prestigious Awards

The new members join the governing group of more than 500 distinguished scientists and other leaders.

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All Releases

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Jack Dumbacher stands against a sunlit cluster of trees near Caples Creek, wearing a striped button down shirt and a wide brimmed hat.

Since 2003, Jack Dumbacher has served as the Academy's curator of ornithology and mammalogy, using both fieldwork and collections to advance research on birds worldwide. Gayle Laird © California Academy of Sciences

Leadership, Science & Sustainability
Ornithologist Jack Dumbacher Named a Patterson Scholar at California Academy of Sciences
May 2, 2024

The curator of birds and mammals is recognized for his collaborative research on biodiversity and conservation.

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A dead gray whale rests on a beach on Angel Island with the ocean right behind it, Golden Gate Bridge and a tugboat visible in the background.

The deceased gray whale rests on Angel Island as researchers prepare for a necropsy. Photo courtesy Barbie Halaska, Marine Mammal Center

Science & Sustainability
Vessel Strike is Likely Cause of Death for Gray Whale Near Alameda
April 30, 2024

The whale’s death is the first in the San Francisco Bay Area since the end of the Unusual Mortality Event.

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National Park Service conservator Fran Ritchie prepares Monarch, one of California's last grizzly bears, for the new exhibit California: State of Nature opening May 24 at the California Academy of Sciences.

National Park Service conservator Fran Ritchie prepares Monarch, one of California's last grizzly bears, for the new exhibit California: State of Nature opening May 24 at the California Academy of Sciences. Gayle Laird © California Academy of Sciences

Exhibits
California Fish and Game Commission Recognizes 100-year Anniversary of Last Grizzly Bear in the State
April 19, 2024

Statement by Paige Laduzinsky, senior exhibit content developer, California Academy of Sciences.

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Composite image of ryan wyatt, left, and peter roopnarine, right, both standing with arms folded and smiling.

Planetarium Director Ryan Wyatt (left) and Geologist Peter Roopnarine (right) were honored by AAAS for their scientific achievements across disciplines. Kathryn Whitney © 2019 California Academy of Sciences

Leadership
Academy Curator Peter Roopnarine and Planetarium Director Ryan Wyatt Elected Fellows of American Association for the Advancement of Science
April 18, 2024

Roopnarine and Wyatt are honored for their contributions to scientific research, advocacy, and education.

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Five content creators stand against a railing on the Academy living roof, with a grassy hill in the background.

The selected creatives will create digital content and host in-person programming to spark conversations about environmental issues. (L-R) Kaua Hermosura, Desiree McGill, Vishal Subramanyan, Chloé Stowell Colón, Kiana Kazemi. Nicole Ravicchio © California Academy of Sciences

Programs & Events
Meet the Digital Creators Shaping the Future of Environmental Storytelling
April 17, 2024

The Academy selects five storytellers to serve as the inaugural class of California Creators for Nature.

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A bleaching Caroppora coral at about 130 feet deep in Australia’s Coral Sea.

A bleaching Caroppora coral at about 130 feet deep in Australia’s Coral Sea. Photo credit: Luiz Rocha, California Academy of Sciences

Science & Sustainability
Statement by Luiz Rocha, Curator of Ichthyology, California Academy of Sciences, on Fourth Global Coral Bleaching Event
April 15, 2024

Rocha just completed the first scientific deep dives in Australia’s Coral Sea at depths of up to 152 meters.

The silvery blue butterfly.
Science & Sustainability
California Academy of Sciences and Presidio Trust repopulate sand dunes with relative of extinct Xerces Blue butterfly
April 15, 2024

The historic reintroduction was made possible by the restoration of the Presidio's native dune habitat.

Academy community science coordinator Olivia VanDamme makes an iNaturalist observation during City Nature Challenge.
Programs & Events
Community scientists across the globe compete in City Nature Challenge, April 26-29, 2024
April 8, 2024

Ninth annual community science event unites people with nature and each other.

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