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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
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It doesn’t have to be complicated.
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The Great ShakeOut returns on Oct. 16, 2025. If you have the MyShake app, you'll get an alert at that time. If you don't have the app, what are you waiting for?
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The area is a longstanding concern for fire experts because it has just a handful of narrow roads to evacuate thousands of residents.
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Bell Canyon residents started training and preparing on their own after witnessing the power and speed of the Woolsey Fire.
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And potentially lower your insurance rates.
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They were all but extinct. Now there are so many that scientists need your help tracking and studying them as they spread upriver.
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If you miss it Wednesday night, you’re going to have to wait until 2037 to see the next one.
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All bets are off when the Santa Ana winds arrive.
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A strong earthquake struck near Ojai in Ventura County as Tropical Storm Hilary intensifies in strength.
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As predicted, the desert and mountain areas were the hardest hit.
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The tropical cyclone is going to bring a ton of moisture, which poses a threat to many communities.
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For those wondering just how rare this event is.
