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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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Quino checkerspot butterfly is now only found in Riverside and San Diego counties.
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UCLA tells researchers to 'immediately stop spending' after Trump administration freezes grant fundsThe Trump administration cited alleged antisemitism at UCLA as a reason for suspending the funding. Years worth of research could be lost, one UCLA researcher said.
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The new rules for Lake Elsinore and Canyon Lake upstream include stricter limits on common pollutants.
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Native plants, succulents and mulch are important considerations. But you can also improve fire resilience by following some guidelines about spacing and irrigation.
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Flood risk will be elevated into Saturday in mountain and high desert areas, the National Weather Service warns.
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The fire quickly grew Wednesday afternoon in hot, dry conditions.
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Mariner 4, built by JPL in Pasadena, took the images on July 14, 1965. One of the mission's leaders reflects on decades of studying the Red Planet.
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One Southern California fire department was "double-digit busier" on Independence Day compared with a typical day.
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People living on some streets in the Bluebird Canyon area were told to evacuate because of Monday's brush fire.
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Triple digit temperatures are expected Wednesday and Thursday.
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A nonprofit has run tests on sand and water samples and reports that risks to human health appear to be low.
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The project to spare mountain lions and other animals from having to cross the 101 Freeway is set to be completed in the fall of 2026.
