On simulated Mars mission, sleep becomes crucial issue

If humans ever journey to Mars, they will face an array of challenges: assault by cosmic rays, the erosion of bone mass and more subtle...

Gadget makers at Consumer Electronics Show embrace connectivity

LAS VEGAS — At this year's International Consumer Electronics Show, everything is getting a bit "smarter."

NASA seeks to lease or sell space shuttle facilities

ORLANDO, Fla. — Does anyone need a 15,000-foot landing strip? How about a place to assemble rocket ships? Or a parachute-packing...

City might shut down persimmon grower

William Johnson has been fighting for several years to keep his small farm alive, but the General Plan that the city of La Cañada...

Backyard vineyards take off in Santa Clarita

A group of friends gathered in Roman Weiser's Newhall garage one September day in 2005.

A solution to La Jolla's smell problem proves elusive

LA JOLLA — There's a political stink rising in this seaside community, blown ashore from the rocks of La Jolla Cove, where myriad...

Trail at Grant Park gives Ventura a new walking point

For 95 years, Grant Park loomed over downtown Ventura without drawing much notice.

Dumped Christmas trees are a gift for Lake Havasu fish

The ghosts of Christmas past can be found in some unusual places. The bottom of Lake Havasu, for instance.

In his San Francisco digs, 'Sutro Sam' is living just as he otter

Since moving into the ruins of the historic seaside baths near the Golden Gate Bridge, the furry river otter has gone from mild curiosity to...

Sahara rock appears to be first meteorite from Mars' crust

Scientists have identified what they believe to be the first meteorite to originate from the Martian crust, a 2.1-billion-year-old...

Transocean agrees to $1.4-billion settlement in 2010 gulf oil spill

WASHINGTON — Offshore oil and gas drilling company Transocean has agreed to a $1.4-billion settlement with the Justice Department to...

Legislators want Army Corps to explain habitat removal decision

Two state senators on Thursday called on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to explain its decision to plow under 43 acres of lush wildlife...

More bears mean more strife at Lake Tahoe

HOMEWOOD, Calif. — She was born under a house on the west shore of Lake Tahoe and quickly became a beloved fixture in this rustic...

Being moderately overweight might not pose health risk

It's a common medical refrain: Carrying extra pounds raises the risk of ills such as heart disease and diabetes and therefore the risk of...

Gray wolf takes to California but is unlikely to find a mate here

Like many out-of-state visitors, the lone gray wolf that trotted across the border from Oregon has taken a liking to California.