A pale body half-submerged in dark water, eyelids slack, body motionless. Visitors tended to arrive at “the Swamp”—a live ...

Cal Academy opens at 9:30 a.m. Mon.–Sat. and 11 a.m. Sun. 10:30 a.m. Learn about our charismatic African penguin colony from an Academy biologist. Daily, 10:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. 11:15 a.m. Observe your ...

It may be the waddling. Or their sophisticated tuxedoes. Or perhaps it's the fact that they are highly social and form long-term bonds. Whatever the reason, penguins have a knack for capturing our ...

The Academy is one of the world’s leading institutions in the study of mesophotic coral ecosystems. In these deep reefs, every minute of exploration is precious, and because working time is so limited ...

SAN FRANCISCO, CA (February 18, 2025) — Academy researchers and partners made the first discovery of both a new genus and species of plant in a U.S. national park in nearly 50 years. The ...

SAN FRANCISCO, CA (December 19, 2024) — Researchers at the California Academy of Sciences described 138 new animal, plant, and fungi species in 2024, enriching our understanding of Earth’s ...

SAN FRANCISCO, CA (July 21, 2023) — In a major milestone for marine conservation, the Verde Island Passage (VIP) in the Philippines has been named a Hope Spot by international ocean conservation ...

A drawing of a Steller's sea cow, an extinct marine megaherbivore. (Biodiversity Heritage Library, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons) If you are a journalist and would like to receive Academy press ...

SAN FRANCISCO, CA (August 11, 2025) — The California Academy of Sciences is gearing up to celebrate one of our most iconic residents: Claude, the beloved albino alligator, who turns 30 on September 15 ...

SAN FRANCISCO, CA (December 16, 2021) — In 2021, researchers at the California Academy of Sciences added 70 new plant and animal species to the tree of life, enriching our understanding of Earth’s ...

SAN FRANCISCO, CA (August 15, 2022) — California now has two new scorpions on its list of species, thanks to the efforts of two keen-eyed high school students from the Bay Area and the California ...