by  Ursula Newman Rare earth elements (REEs) are a group of elements, including the 15 elements in the lanthanide series, plus scandium and yttrium. This group of elements is considered critical, and has applications in the medical field, electronic displays, magnets and more. Cal Poly Humboldt Chemistry and Biochemistry Professor Jorge Monteiro’s research focuses on REEs and he explained some of the common applications of these elements.Neodymium, an REE, makes for the strongest magnets on earth. Batteries, wind turbines and hard drives are some of the most critical examples of items that need neodymium to function. Other REEs, such as…

by Nick Escalada In view of swaying sailboats moored in the Eureka Harbor, climate activists, tribal members and local fishermen overflowed the seats of a banquet hall on Jan. 18 as U.S. Congressman Jared Huffman discussed the future of their ocean. “Every time there’s some idiot in the White House that thinks, ‘maybe this time they can do it;’ we need to put this to bed once and for all,” Huffman said. “And that means we need to legislate permanent protection for the West Coast.” Humboldt Waterkeeper, EPIC and the Surfrider Foundation held the Offshore Oil Community Forum in the…

by Barley Lewis-McCabe and Ursula Newman Low lying communities of Humboldt Bay faced floods as king tides hit record highs on Jan. 2 and 3, which caused significant damages to the King Salmon and Fields Landing areas. The term king tide is used to describe exceptionally large tides that are influenced by the gravitational pull of the moon and sun.  On Saturday, Jan. 3, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) tide gauge, housed in Humboldt Bay at the north spit measured a high of 10.37 feet, the highest ever recorded since its establishment in 1977. In the days following…

by Nick Escalada Following the demolition of the mold-riddled Campus Apartments, Cal Poly Humboldt’s administration has released broad plans for the future of the now vacant slope by the College Creek parking lot. Aside from a new Student Health building planned to start construction in spring 2027, the university intends to introduce a community of hardy native plants to populate the tract of grass, with a large patch of California poppies already creeping in. This development has opened the way for discussion about plant life across the entire campus, with an enduring point of concern being a large presence of…

The Horn Shark, a misunderstood fish by Ariana Wilson Horn Sharks are solitary, slow-moving predators native to the temperate rocky reefs, algal beds and kelp forests of the Pacific Ocean from California all the way down to western Mexico. They are considered one of the smaller shark species and can grow to four feet long. The majority of their diet consists of clams, mollusks, small crustaceans and sea urchins — which are becoming increasingly abundant on California’s coast. Their mouths are on the underside of their body, positioned to sweep the seabed and crush the hard shells of crustaceans that…

Sebastes mystinus by Ariana Wilson As a west coast diver for over two years, the rockfish is one of the most prolific fish I’ve observed, from Washington State to Southern California. Blue rockfish can be seen as far North as the Bering Sea, West of Alaska and as far south as Punta Baja, Baja California, Mexico. The blue rockfish, or blue seaperch, is a species of marine ray-finned fish that live in shallow rocky habitats and reefs, feeding and, for some species, enjoying a lifelong game of hide-and-seek. Their life expectancy can reach up to a quarter of a century.…

by Nick Escalada In the olden days, the pumpkins sitting in your yard in October would usually be the same ones on your dinner table weeks later. In our era of store-bought pies and soups, many households face an awkward confrontation with their expiring porch decorations post-Halloween and rotting gourds end up lining neighborhood gutters without fail. There are several ways to repurpose or dispose of your pumpkins sustainably according to the folks at Green Spiral Farm located in the Arcata Bottoms. They run a vibrant pumpkin patch that’s just seen a few mushy outliers after a long season and…

The Muraenidae and November’s Coral Bleaching Awareness Month by Ariana Wilson November marks the beginning of Coral Bleaching Awareness Month. Organizations, conservationists and lovers of oceans and coral amplify the voice of the vast oceans to raise awareness about coral bleaching. Coral bleaching occurs when the organisms that give reefs life and color die due to rising ocean temperatures. Their white color is a ‘sign of surrender’ from the sea that humans need to take seriously.  “As ocean temperatures rise, corals face increasing stress that can lead to bleaching and loss of biodiversity,” Chair for Coral Reef and Ocean Health…

by Ryndi Greenwell For the past couple of years, there has been no official botany club on campus. STEM students like botany majors are often so overwhelmed with classwork that mingling with their peers can fall on the back burner. The new campus botany club has the goal to remedy that issue. While the president of the club is technically Holly Popplewell, a senior botany major, she emphasizes that the club structure is more like a council. She thinks that rather than a group with specific leaders, it would be better to ensure all club members feel they can contribute…

Ptychocheilus oregonensis: the largest carp in North America by Ariana Wilson There is one fish that has been stressing scientists along the Pacific Northwest and Northern California — the unassuming pike minnow. Due to its approachable-sounding name, one may infer that it is a small fish no bigger than your hand. The largest reported northern pikeminnow according to the International Game Fish Association world record was seven pounds and 14 ounces. Its counterpart, the Colorado pikeminnow, is the largest North American minnow and is an endangered native of the Colorado River. It has not always been known by its current…