Magma Rising Beneath Edgecumbe One crisp April day, Sitka residents were shocked to see Mount Edgecumbe, the volcano just 15 miles from town, erupting. “Smoke was pouring over the edge of the volcano,” recalls Alice Johnstone. “I never ever called my husband at work, but I was so excited I called to tell him about it. I even phoned FAA to get more information.” Phones rang off the hook at the police station while the Coast Guard dispatched a helicopter to investigate. Spray painted in 50-foot letters at the summit they found the words “April Fools.” It was April 1, 1974. Local prankster Oliver “Porky” Bickar had flown 70 old tires to the summit crater and lit them on fire. The Edgecumbe hoax hit international news and went down as one of the best April Fools jokes of all time. But it was no joke on April 11, 2022, when…
Students have been surveying LeConte Glacier in Southeast since 1983, making it one of the nation’s longest running citizen science projects.
Biologist Dena Matkin has studied killer whales near Glacier Bay for decades. Her work contributed to a deeper understanding of killer whale behavior, predation, and social structure.
Singing voles are vocal little critters found only on St. Matthew Island, and they face threats from climate change and introduced predators.
By doing what they do best — eating — spruce beetles are modifying forests in Alaska. Scientists are tracking the changes and fighting back.
It’s odd smell may make some people skeptics, but Emily Mount argues the highbush cranberry is worth loving.
Researchers used modern archeological techniques to discover the exact location of Tlingit fort Shís’gi Noow (Sapling Fort), the site of an important battle.
It is the superstar of berries, a taste of sunlight from the damp earth, a powerful punch to the palate of almost unendurable bliss. Nothing I have tasted in my life is on the same plane of gastronomic delight as the nagoonberry.
Researcher questions health of Alaska’s most visible whales
A fiery sunset fades into the sea as we crowd against our ship’s railings, eager to witness one of southeast Alaska’s largest inhabitants: the humpback whale.
