News

The Santa Barbara Independent
independent.com > 02/07/2026 > new-mammalogist-at-s-b-museum-of-natural-history

New Mammalogist at S.B. Museum of Natural History 

New Mammalogist at S.B. Museum of Natural History 1+ hour, 47+ min ago   (423+ words) New Mammalogist at S.B. Museum of Natural History'The Santa Barbara Independent SANTA BARBARA, CA " The Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History (SBMNH) hired a new mammal expert to join its staff of scientists behind the scenes. In addition to providing the…...

The Santa Barbara Independent
independent.com > 02/05/2026 > using-sound-waves-to-map-soil-health

Using Sound Waves to Map Soil Health

Using Sound Waves to Map Soil Health2+ day, 12+ hour ago   (273+ words) New Tools Can Prevent Future Famines and Agricultural Disasters Soil is one of our most precious resources. Ecoacoustics, or the study of environmental sounds, has been around for a century, but it has only recently been applied to understanding soils....

The Santa Barbara Independent
independent.com > 01/28/2026 > new-mobile-survey-asks-central-coast-residents-to-pay-attention-to-wildlife-and-roadkill

New Mobile Survey Asks Central Coast Residents to Pay Attention to Wildlife and Roadkill

New Mobile Survey Asks Central Coast Residents to Pay Attention to Wildlife and Roadkill1+ week, 2+ day ago   (619+ words) Los Padres ForestWatch will Compile Data to Inform Conservation and Land-Use Planning Roadside encounters with local wildlife are routine " deer dart alongside cars on Santa Barbara's Riviera, and neighborhood critters like skunks saunter down city sidewalks. Oftentimes, these animals meet…...

The Santa Barbara Independent
independent.com > 01/16/2026 > santa-barbara-community-invited-to-celebrate-life-of-max-the-great-horned-owl

Santa Barbara Community Invited to Celebrate Life of Max the Great Horned Owl

Santa Barbara Community Invited to Celebrate Life of Max the Great Horned Owl3+ week, 21+ hour ago   (862+ words) S.B. Museum of Natural History and Audubon Society to Host Tribute to One of the Most Recognizable Raptors in a City of Owls Multiple owl species live quietly among us " often unseen, almost always unheard. And in a few weeks, the…...

The Santa Barbara Independent
independent.com > 01/14/2026 > is-ai-the-most-dangerous-drug-dealer-our-kids-have-ever-seen

Is AI the Most Dangerous Drug Dealer Our Kids Have Ever Seen?

Is AI the Most Dangerous Drug Dealer Our Kids Have Ever Seen?3+ week, 2+ day ago   (542+ words) By chance, I recently found myself in an extended exchange with ChatGPT. I wasn't trying to provoke it. I was asking about what engineers often describe as the system's "feel-good" architecture " the design choices meant to make interactions smooth, calming,…...

The Santa Barbara Independent
independent.com > 01/09/2026 > lake-cachuma-fills-to-101-percent-during-weekend-storm

Lake Cachuma Fills to 101 Percent During Weekend Storm

Lake Cachuma Fills to 101 Percent During Weekend Storm4+ week, 1+ day ago   (489+ words) As Santa Barbara County emerged from last weekend's soaking storm, the new focus shifts to the water left behind and where it went." Waterfront Flooding Driven by Rain, Not Tides Along the Santa Barbara waterfront, flooding was visible in familiar…...

The Santa Barbara Independent
independent.com > events > the-walter-h-capps-center-for-the-study-of-ethics-religion-and-public-life-lecture-from-talking-tools-to-metahumans

The Walter H. Capps Center for the Study of Ethics, Religion, and Public Life Lecture: "From Talking Tools to Metahumans"

The Walter H. Capps Center for the Study of Ethics, Religion, and Public Life Lecture: "From Talking Tools to Metahumans"1+ mon, 1+ day ago   (350+ words) The Walter H. Capps Center for the Study of Ethics, Religion, and Public Life Lecture: "From Talking Tools to Metahumans"The Santa Barbara Independent The Walter H. Capps Center for the Study of Ethics, Religion, and Public Life Lecture: "From Talking Tools…...

The Santa Barbara Independent
independent.com > 01/02/2026 > another-storm-heads-for-santa-barbara-as-city-exceeds-normal-annual-rainfall

Another Storm Heads for Santa Barbara as City Exceeds Normal Annual Rainfall

Another Storm Heads for Santa Barbara as City Exceeds Normal Annual Rainfall1+ mon, 5+ day ago   (484+ words) County Officials Warn of Potential Flooding, Power Outages, and Debris Flows Rain is returning to Santa Barbara County heading into the first weekend of January, continuing a storm pattern that has already delivered one of the wettest starts to a…...

The Santa Barbara Independent
independent.com > 12/31/2025 > santa-barbara-to-ring-in-new-year-with-storm-bringing-flood-risk-high-winds-and-beach-hazards

Santa Barbara to Ring in New Year with Storm Bringing Flood Risk, High Winds, and Beach Hazards

Santa Barbara to Ring in New Year with Storm Bringing Flood Risk, High Winds, and Beach Hazards1+ mon, 1+ week ago   (559+ words) Following Last Week's Holiday Rains, County Braces for More Wet Weather and Potential Flash Flooding Another round of heavy rain and gusty winds is forecast to move through Santa Barbara County starting this Wednesday night, bringing the risk of flooding,…...

The Santa Barbara Independent
independent.com > 12/28/2025 > uc-santa-barbaras-2035-initiative-charts-a-clean-heat-future-for-u-s-industry

UC Santa Barbara’s 2035 Initiative Charts a Clean Heat Future for U.S. Industry

UC Santa Barbara’s 2035 Initiative Charts a Clean Heat Future for U.S. Industry1+ mon, 1+ week ago   (566+ words) New Report Maps out Pathway for Electrifying Kind of Industrial Heat Used in Making Everything from Paper and Plastics to Beer and Frozen Pizza In a virtual launch on December 16, UC Santa Barbara's 2035 Initiative unveiled a detailed roadmap for a…...