Amber X. Chen
(She/Her)
As seen in:
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writing @mit 🐣 | prev @insideclimate @aaasmassmedia @thenation & @nbcla | also in @guardian @atmosmag @teenvogue @nobellsblog @dailycal & more
Articles by Amber X. Chen
Emergency repairs on Southside water main disrupt water services
Water services are currently disrupted for 37 connections near Dwight Way and Dana Street due to emergency repairs on a water main. Crews from East Bay Municipal Utility District and the Berkeley Fire Department are currently working on the site, according to Christina Wong, an EBMUD spokesperson. Wong added that EBMUD estimates service to be restored by 4 a.m. Friday. Several apartment buildings are among those connections impacted, according to Wong.
2 people found dead in vehicle at Aquatic Park
Two people were found deceased in a vehicle at Aquatic Park in West Berkeley on April 19. The caller reported to the Berkeley Police Department that there was a “horrible smell” coming from the vehicle, according to BPD Officer Byron White. White added that upon arrival, emergency personnel identified a deceased man and woman inside the vehicle. The Alameda County Coroner also responded to the scene.
Students’ graduation plans in limbo due to rising oil costs
Since the U.S. and Israel launched a joint war against Iran, gas and jet fuel prices have shot up across the world — jeopardizing families’ travel plans for this year’s graduation ceremony. Rising costs have been brought forth by the Iranian blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, which has cut off about 20% of the world’s oil supply.
UC Regents establish new faculty discipline process
The UC Board of Regents unanimously approved revisions to the university’s faculty code of conduct and disciplinary policy at a meeting Wednesday. The new policies specifically address “expressive activities,” which include faculty acts of protest. “These policies do attempt to strike a delicate balance between ensuring due process and timely resolution of cases while leaning on faculty leadership,” UC system Provost and Executive Vice President Katherine Newmansaid during the meeting.
After a Hard Year for Environmental Justice, Chicago Communities Are Picking Up the Pieces
Welcome to EcoTopical Your daily eco-friendly green news aggregator. Leaf through planet Earths environmental headlines in one convenient place. Read, share and discover the latest on ecology, science and green living from the web's most popular sites.
After a Hard Year for Environmental Justice, Chicago Communities Are Picking Up the Pieces
In her 40 years as an environmental justice organizer, Cheryl Johnson had never seen environmental funding as revolutionary as the Community Change grant. “It gave real money to disinvested communities like mine, funding to clean up and to revitalize our communities,” Johnson said.
UC Berkeley, UCSF researchers develop new AI model for medical imaging
Researchers at UC Berkeley and UCSF have developed a new AI foundation model that could help physicians in radiology, or the practice of recognizing and diagnosing medical conditions. The model, named Pillar-0, can interpret 3D volumes, in comparison to current tools that can only interpret 2D data. According to researchers, this means that Pillar-0 can interpret images from a CT or MRI exam more accurately.
Months after federal funding cuts, Berkeley’s art scene is still picking up the pieces
The Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive, or BAMPFA, and the Berkeley Repertory Theatre, or Berkeley Rep, are still figuring out how to maintain their long-term financial health after President Donald Trump’s administration cut federal funding to art institutions across the country.
Illinois Wants Climate Education in Schools. Now Teachers Need to Figure Out How to Make It Happen.
It’s the seventh state to pass a law requiring climate education in public schools. The requirement will kick in next fall. By Amber X. Chen Last year, Laura Stamp asked her eighth-grade students a thought-provoking question: If they could redesign their city, how would they make it more sustainable?
Illinois Wants Climate Education in Schools. Now Teachers Need to Figure Out How to Make It Happen.
Welcome to EcoTopical Your daily eco-friendly green news aggregator. Leaf through planet Earths environmental headlines in one convenient place. Read, share and discover the latest on ecology, science and green living from the web's most popular sites.
Guía: Lo que debe saber sobre ICE
Mientras el gobierno federal escala el cumplimiento de la ley de inmigración a través de esta nación, personas con y sin documentación se enfrentan a una gran incertidumbre. Los riesgos ahora no tienen precedentes. Incluso algunos ciudadanos de los EE.UU alegan que han sido detenidos injustamente o cuestionados por el Servicio de Inmigración y Control de Aduanas, conocido como ICE por sus siglas en inglés.
Gov. Gavin Newsom announces ‘independent review’ into UC Berkeley’s turnover of names to federal government
Gov. Gavin Newsom would not say whether he believed the UC should have turned over the names of 160 campus members to the federal government, a move that resulted in widespread backlash across the country. The governor revealed that he had requested an “independent review” of the turnover from the UC Board of Regents, UC Berkeley Chancellor Rich Lyons and UC President James B. Milliken.
A.I. Is on the Rise, and So Is the Environmental Impact of the Data Centers That Drive It
The demand for data centers is growing faster than our ability to mitigate their skyrocketing economic and environmental costs Key takeaways: A.I. and data centers As the demand for A.I. increases, companies are building more data centers to handle a growing workload. Many of these data centers are more than 30,000 square feet in size and use a lot of power and water.
UC Berkeley to continue work on fire resilience
Since the beginning of this year,UC Berkeley has been collaborating with local agencies to increase fire safety in Grizzly Peak. The Grizzly Peak Vegetation Management Project is a collaborative effort between UC Berkeley; the East Bay Municipal Utilities District, or EBMUD; the Berkeley Fire Department; and the East Bay Regional Park District.
Rabbits With 'Horns' Seen in Colorado Are Going Viral. Here's What's Really Happening
Though the strange growths on these animals may look intimidating, experts say there’s not much to worry about, and they’re caused by a fairly common virus Tentacled monsters? Demon bunnies? Franken-bunnies? Rabbit mutants? Sightings of rabbits in northern Colorado with horn-like growths coming from their heads and near their mouths have recently stirred interest—and disgust—among local residents and across social media.
A Student Spotted a Jawbone at a Beach. It Turned Out to Be a New, Mouse-Sized Mammal That Lived Among Dinosaurs
The species was named for its pointy teeth and could shed light on early mammal adaptations Though dinosaurs dominated the Earth’s land and seas 145 million years ago, they were far from the only creatures around. Early mammals lived among them, carving out their own ecological niches in order to survive—and some of them even made it past the mass extinction event that wiped out the non-avian dinosaurs 66 million years ago.
New, Implanted Device Could Offer a Long-Elusive, Drug-Free Treatment for Rheumatoid Arthritis
The FDA just approved the SetPoint System, which electrically stimulates the vagus nerve to control inflammation from the chronic disease For years, rheumatoid arthritis (RA)—an autoimmune disease that causes inflammation—has often been resistant to treatment. About 1.5 million Americans have the chronic condition, which commonly leads to joint stiffness and pain.
New, Implanted Device Could Offer a Long-Elusive, Drug-Free Treatment for Rheumatoid Arthritis
My earwax buildup was a problem, but this easy-to-use, shower-safe ear cleaner helped I’ve struggled with uncomfortable, unsightly and unhygienic earwax buildup my whole life, but after I stopped using cotton swabs like Q-tips to clean them — they can cut ear canals or perforate eardrums, potentially leading to hearing loss or other injuries, according to CNN — I struggled to find a …
This New Bionic Knee Is Changing the Game for Lower Leg Amputees
Scientists have developed a prosthesis that is directly integrated with muscle and bone in order to improve movement Key takeaways: New bionic knee Amputees have been outfitted with a prosthesis that is integrated with muscle and bone. The new creation allows patients to walk faster and avoid obstacles better than they could with past prostheses. Biomechanists have just created a revolutionary bionic knee that helps amputees with a remarkable range of movement.
Were Humans in Thailand Getting High Off Betel Nuts 4,000 Years Ago?
Scientists believe they have found the earliest biochemical evidence of people chewing the popular psychoactive plant Key takeaways: Ancient betel nut use Scientists analyzed preserved dental plaque from a woman at a 4,000-year-old burial site and said they found evidence of betel nut use. Outside researchers say more evidence is needed to establish that betel nut chewing was happening at that time. From South Asia to the Pacific islands, people chew betel nut.
New Zealand's Massive Green Parrots Have Narrowly Avoided Extinction. But Many of Their Parasites Did Not Survive
A study examining fossilized droppings reveals the kākāpō has faced a decline in the diversity of its parasites—and that might not be a good thing With its bright green feathers and round, owl-like features, the kākāpō, to put it plainly, is adorable. Add to that its endearingly flightless nature and friendly demeanor—perhaps you’ve seen the viral video of zoologist Mark Carwardine being mistaken for a female kākāpō—and the world’s heaviest parrot has the makings of a media darling.
See 11 Stunning Images of Mangrove Forests and Their Wildlife, Showcasing the Trees' Beauty and Fragility
The winners of the Mangrove Photography Awards shed light on the ecologically valuable but highly threatened coastal ecosystems This year’s Mangrove Photography Awards put the beauty, strength and vulnerability of the world’s mangrove ecosystems into clear focus.
More Than 90 Percent of the World's Fungal 'Hotspots' Are Not Protected, New Study Suggests
Mycorrhizal fungi play an essential role in climate regulation and ecosystem health, and researchers have used A.I. to predict the locations that host a high diversity of these underground organisms When you think of biodiversity, what comes to mind first? Perhaps you imagine the lush tropical rainforests of the Amazon or Madagascar, teeming with tens of thousands of unique animal and plant species. But the Earth’s biodiversity is not limited to above-ground habitats.
U.S. Measles Cases Reach a Record High Since the Disease Was Declared Eliminated 25 Years Ago
With nearly six months left in the year, the total number of cases so far in 2025 has surpassed every year since 1992 Measles cases in the United States have reached a record high since the disease was declared eliminated from the country 25 years ago. Officials had declared measles eliminated in 2000, when there had not been continuous transmission for more than a year.
These Cod Have Been Shrinking Dramatically for Decades. Now, Scientists Say They've Solved the Mystery
Eastern Baltic cod grow to much smaller sizes than they did just 30 years ago, because overfishing altered their genes, according to new research A new study reveals that decades of overfishing have altered the evolution of cod in the eastern Baltic Sea. The research, published in the journal Science Advances on June 25, aimed to answer a question that had puzzled scientists for decades: What’s behind the dramatic size change in eastern Baltic cod? These fish used to be enormous.
Mysterious Radio Pulses Found in Antarctica Seem to Defy Physics, and Researchers Are Trying to Trace Their Origins
Strange signals detected by a NASA instrument more than a decade ago have continued to confound scientists, but a new paper rules out cosmic neutrinos as a source Nearly ten years ago, scientific instruments picked up strange radio pulses in Antarctica. Now, in a study recently published in Physical Review Letters, researchers take us a step closer to figuring out their origins.
Texas Will Invest $50 Million in Ibogaine Research, Testing the Psychedelic Drug's Medical Potential
The state’s new law marks one of the largest government investments into psychedelics to date, with advocates citing the drug’s potential to help veterans with traumatic brain injury and PTSD Last week, Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed into law a new bill that will invest $50 million into research on ibogaine, a drug that has shown promise for treating neurological conditions and opioid addiction.
How the Wildfires Could Reshape the Climate Movement in California
How the Wildfires Could Reshape the Climate Movement in California As the city debates how it can best address the impacts of increasingly devastating natural disasters, organizers hope to seize the moment. Ad Policy The Eaton fire in the Altadena area of Los Angeles County, California on January 8, 2025. (Josh Edelson / Getty) This story was produced for StudentNation, a program of the Nation Fund for Independent Journalism, which is dedicated to highlighting the best of student journalism.
Your School Burned in the LA Fires. What Happens Now? Original
When Jackson Brooks and Dayton Johansen, both juniors at Marshall Fundamental Secondary School in Pasadena, California, got to school on Tuesday, January 7, the Santa Ana winds were starting to pick up in intensity. Some of their peers were already growing concerned. Later that day, the Eaton fire erupted in the Altadena-Pasadena area, forcing many students and teachers to evacuate.
Altadena residents question why evacuation warnings came so late
Nikki High is used to the annual Santa Ana winds that whip through her home in Altadena, where she has lived for 47 years. High, who owns the local bookstore Octavia’s Bookshelf, had enough experience to know that the wind storm two weeks ago was going to be a bad one. On Jan. 7, she powered up her devices and downloaded TV shows in preparation to weather out the storm at home with her dogs. And she figured that if she were in danger, officials would warn her. They did not.
Clothes, toiletries - and a free stylist: the LA teen creating a space for peers amid the fires
Cars lined up outside an art studio in eastern Los Angeles on Sunday morning, packed with boxes of feminine care products, pimple patches, skincare, clothes, underwear, makeup and more. Some volunteers had driven for hours to support a unique mutual aid effort. As fires in Los Angeles continue to rage, people across the city are springing into action to meet the needs of the thousands of families who have been displaced.
The “Save Chinatown” Coalition Goes on the Defensive in Philadelphia
The Nation Weekly Fridays. A weekly digest of the best of our coverage. By signing up, you confirm that you are over the age of 16 and agree to receive occasional promotional offers for programs that support The Nation’s journalism. You may unsubscribe or adjust your preferences at any time. You can read our Privacy Policy here. To Null, what makes sports teams unique is that their social importance exceeds their economic impact—a phenomenon that makes arena developments so popular.
UAW 4811 reaches tentative agreement with UC to extend contract
The United Auto Workers, or UAW, union 4811 bargaining committee reached a tentative agreement with the University of California to extend their current contract. UAW 4811 is the union representing 48,000 academic workers across the UC system. This tentative agreement, reached Nov. 15, is simply about giving the union more time to bargain for its next full contract, according to Tanzil Chowdhury, the statewide ASE chair for UAW 4811.
Will “Serious” Republicans Block Any of Trump’s Freak-Show Cabinet Picks?
Politics / November 19, 2024 Will “Serious” Republicans Block Any of Trump’s Freak-Show Cabinet Picks? Will they stand up to even the scariest of these nominees? I’m not optimistic. Edit Ad Policy President-elect Donald Trump at a House Republicans conference meeting on Capitol Hill on November 13, 2024.
Why Trump Picked Lee Zeldin to Lead the Environmental Protection Agency
Why Trump Picked Lee Zeldin to Lead the Environmental Protection Agency With a Republican majority in Congress and Zeldin promising to “deregulate” the EPA, the new Trump administration will prioritize fossil fuel interests over environmental protection. Ad Policy Donald Trump participates in a roundtable discussion with former Republican representative from New York Lee Zeldin.
The Future of Rent Control Is on the Ballot in California
Politics / StudentNation / October 21, 2024 The Future of Rent Control Is on the Ballot in California Proposition 33 could overturn the controversial Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act, which has limited rent control policies in the state for decades. Ad Policy The People’s Rose Parade protests for more affordable housing and rent control in Pasadena, California.
Kamala Harris Doesn’t Need to Backtrack on Fracking
The Nation Weekly Fridays. A weekly digest of the best of our coverage. By signing up, you confirm that you are over the age of 16 and agree to receive occasional promotional offers for programs that support The Nation’s journalism. You may unsubscribe or adjust your preferences at any time. You can read our Privacy Policy here. But Jerolmack also emphasizes that fracking’s economic effects are a cause for concern: The economic prosperity the industry promised has simply not been delivered.
Moral attitudes towards effort and efficiency: a comparison between American and Chinese history - Humanities and Social Sciences Communications
Abstract In some cultures, merely exerting effort is considered virtuous, even when the effort is inefficient. Our study examines how this moral attitude towards effort (relative to efficiency) has evolved historically across two distinct sociopolitical and linguistic contexts: the People’s Republic of China and the United States, using natural language processing techniques.
LA County Board of Supervisors re-establishes $20,000 reward in Mitrice Richardson case
The LA County Board of Supervisors re-established a $20,000 reward Monday for information in the mysterious disappearance and death of Mitrice Richardson. Richardson went missing nearly 15 years ago in Sept. 2009, after she was released from the Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff's Station in Agoura. At 24, she had recently graduated from Cal State Fullerton. The cause of her death was never determined.
LA Sparks' Dearica Hamby shares Olympics bronze win with 7-year-old daughter
The Los Angeles Sparks’ Dearica Hamby was a part of the US women's basketball team that won bronze in the 3x3 game after defeating Canada 16-13. Hamby said that the best part of her Olympics experience has been being able to share the experience in Paris with her 7-year-old daughter. “Even starting from her flight here,” Hamby said.
Los Angeles officials call on more state help to clear homeless encampments
Los Angeles leaders Monday called on the state to step in and help them clear homeless encampments on LA’s Westside. “I’m pleased to hear from Governor Newsom is this commitment to getting it done, which in part is why we are reaching out to the state now and saying here are some locations,” Councilmember Traci Park, who represents City District 11, which includes West LA, the Pacific Palisades and Venice, said. “If you want to clear encampments, let’s go.
La policía de Irvine investiga un tiroteo policial donde murió una persona
La policía de Irvine investiga el hallazgo de un cuerpo y un tiroteo policial ocurrido un hora después, la madrugada del lunes. Los oficiales respondieron a una llamada aproximadamente a las 2:15 a.m. en 33 Whistling Swan donde un hombre fue encontrado muerto. No estaba claro cómo murió la persona. También vieron que un SUV se vio chocado contra el garaje de la casa, pero no estaba claro cómo esto influyó un incidente.
Mujer dice que Southwest Airlines la sacó de un vuelo en el aeropuerto de Burbank por su condición médica
Una enfermera de California afirma que fue discriminada por su condición médica, luego de ser obligada a bajarse de un vuelo de Southwest Airlines en el aeropuerto de Burbank. Brianna Solari tiene neurofibromatosis, una condición genética que hace que crezcan tumores no cancerosos en su sistema nervioso y en su piel. Solari dijo que inicialmente voló desde su casa en Sacramento a Los Ángeles para una cirugía el miércoles, la cual ayudará a reducir los tumores en su cuerpo.
Woman says Southwest Airlines removed her from flight at Burbank airport over medical condition
A California nurse is claiming that she was discriminated against for her medical condition, after being forced off of a Southwest Airlines flight at Burbank Airport. Brianna Solari has neurofibromatosis, a genetic disorder that causes non-cancerous tumors to grow on her nervous system and skin. Solari said that she initially flew from her home in Sacramento to Los Angeles for a surgery on Wednesday to help reduce tumors on her body.
Woman found critically injured in downtown LA apartment complex
Police are still investigating after a woman was found critically injured in a downtown LA apartment complex on Tuesday night. Residents of the Wren Apartment Complex on the corner of Hill Street and Pico Boulevard, just a few blocks away from the Crypto.com arena, said they came home to a large police presence around their complex. “I was just coming from Union Station and there was a private investigator car right there, a couple of cop cars on this side,” resident Luke Estoleno said.
LA Mayor Karen Bass will have a key role in the Paris Olympics Closing Ceremony
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass will make a second trip to Paris to take part in the Olympic Games closing ceremony on Aug. 11. Bass returned from her first trip to Paris on Monday, after attending the Opening Ceremony of the Paris Olympics on July 26 alongside first lady Jill Biden as a part of the official Presidential Delegation.
Snoop Dogg gives tennis star Coco Gauff custom Olympics pin
In an Instagram reel on Monday, Snoop Dogg shared a pin he gifted Team USA tennis star Coco Gauff after she won against Argentina’s Maria Lourdes Carle in the second round of singles. In the video, the hip hop icon can be seen wearing a custom shirt with a photo of the 20-year-old tennis prodigy in action. The pin featured the rapper in a blue tracksuit, blowing out smoke in the shape of the Olympic rings symbol. “Hey, Mr. Snoop, thank you for this pin,” Gauff said in response.
Philadelphia isn’t prepared to help people struggling with addiction and homelessness, but that isn’t slowing down Mayor Parker’s plans to end Kensington’s open-air drug market - Grid Magazine
On May 8, the City of Philadelphia cleared a homeless encampment that stretched two blocks on Kensington Avenue between East Allegheny Avenue and Orleans Street under the Market-Frankford Line. This clearing marked the first step of Mayor Cherelle Parker’s five-phase plan to dramatically improve Kensington, whose residents contend with extreme poverty, open-air drug markets and the modern fentanyl crisis.
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