-
Listen Listen
Jacob Margolis
What I cover
I cover science, with a focus on environmental stories and disasters, as well as investigations and accountability.
My background
I created, wrote and hosted the LAist Studios podcasts, The Big One: Your Survival Guide and The Big Burn: How To Survive In The Age of Wildfires. I was part of the team that won the 2021 Investigative Reporters and Editors Audio Journalism Award for the series "Hot Days: Heat’s Mounting Death Toll On Workers In The U.S. "Most recently, I’ve published investigations into large scale illegal dumping in L.A. County and previously unreported heavy metal concentrations in fire retardants.
My goals
To uncover how science, policy, and power intersect — so people have the information they need to hold decision-makers accountable and protect their communities.
Best way to reach me
You can reach me by email: jmargolis@laist.com. Or for encrypted communications, I'm on Signal: @jacobmargolis.1.
Stories by Jacob Margolis
-
The failure of El Niño to bring significant rain is a reminder that a La Niña weather pattern does not guarantee a drier-than-normal winter.
-
Twelve years after being placed on the endangered species list, three subspecies of Channel Islands fox will be delisted - the fastest-ever recovery by a mammal.
-
The Perseid meteor shower comes along annually, but this year the sky will be flooded with shooting stars. It's all thanks to Jupiter.
-
Should bottom trawling be allowed or banned? That's what one environmental advocacy group is trying to figure out by mapping the seafloor off of SoCal.
-
You won't be able to walk into a supermarket to buy a joint, but you would likely see recreational pot shops in some cities and businesses that deliver to your door.
-
"The motor controller has some metal parts on it and it was touching a metal screw. Didn’t realize that. Short circuited and then obviously, fire," explained Nishant Desai.
-
Banning short-term rentals wasn't enough to stop sites like Airbnb and VRBO, so Santa Monica stepped it up by citing them for hundreds of violations.
-
The more upscale, health-focused grocery store is a sign of change in a part of Southern California that has long been considered an affordable alternative to L.A.
-
Screeners for The Revenant, Creed and The Big Short have all been leaked to pirate movie sites, and new tools are making it even easier for pirates to watch them.
-
Running in the marathon costs about $200. But to close streets, pay medical staff and clean the streets in LA and Santa Monica, it will likely surpass $1 million.
-
Short-term rentals have become so popular that LA rental listing site RadPad couldn't ignore them any longer. The CEO says people want flexible leasing options.
-
City and county officials affirm their commitment to ending homelessness, but say they will need to find more revenues to fund their plans for the long-term.
