Connect with us

San Francisco, CA

Hundreds Line Up in San Francisco to See 7-Foot Tall Corpse Flower That Smells 'Like a Porta Potty'

Published

on

Hundreds Line Up in San Francisco to See 7-Foot Tall Corpse Flower That Smells 'Like a Porta Potty'


A corpse flower blooming in San Francisco is drawing in crowds anxious to smell the plant’s unique scent!


The California Academy of Sciences has named the rare plant Mirage, and the museum announced that they were excited to host their first-ever corpse flower bloom this week. 


Advertisement

“It’s happening! Mirage, our corpse flower, is blooming,” the academy said in a tweet on Tuesday. Their post also contained a photo of the roughly seven-foot tall flower. 




Adding that biologist Tim Wong would be hosting a Q&A for interested persons that evening, the academy also noted that Mirage could be seen in-person at the Osher Rainforest starting at 10 a.m. local time on Wednesday. 


“Come catch a whiff!” the post concluded. 

Advertisement


Corpse flowers, known scientifically as Amorphophallus titanum, get their name from the powerful stench they produce while in bloom — which is only for two to three days once every year or two, according to the United States Botanic Garden. 


“It smells like rotten flesh and carrion, so you might get notes of all of those different things, people say garlic, sweaty feet, rotten flesh,” Wong told San Francisco’s ABC News 7 of the extraordinary plant and its extraordinary smell. “I actually kind of thought it smelled a little bit like a porta potty, like a collection of scents.”




Advertisement

He added that those wanting to witness the bloom may want to do so quickly.


Visitors line up to see a corpse flower in bloom.

AP Photo/Jeff Chiu



Advertisement

“The opportunity to see one of these in bloom is so ephemeral, the blooms last about one day so you really have a short window of time to come see the flower open.” 


And Mirage is unique in many ways. 


As of 2021, the USBG estimated that there were fewer than 1,000 individual corpse flowers remaining in the wild — making seeing one of these plants in person a remarkable experience. 

Advertisement


Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.


The San Diego Botanic Garden refers to a corpse flower bloom as “a rare and special event,” stating that “most plants require seven to ten years to produce their first blooms, and bloom only every four to five years thereafter.”


Advertisement

Wong called the timing of the bloom “very unusual” because the academy is at the end of their typical season. 


young corpse flower at the Huntington Library and Botanical Gardens.

Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times via Getty



Advertisement

“If you can take off work, come check out the flower, I would definitely recommend it if you can, it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity for many people,” the biologist said. 


Their natural habitat includes the tropical rainforests of Sumatra, Indonesia, and the bloom can reach heights of up to 8 feet. 


Mirage was just a tiny flowering plant when it was presented as a gift to the California Academy of Sciences on behalf of the Conservatory of Flowers. 

Advertisement


For those unable to attend the special show in San Francisco or see the corpse flower in its natural habitat, a live-stream of the academy’s exhibition can be viewed here.





Source link

San Francisco, CA

Yes, an $8 Burger Exists in Downtown San Francisco

Published

on

Yes, an  Burger Exists in Downtown San Francisco


Sometimes life requires an easy hang, without the need for reservations and dressing up, and preferably with food that’s easy to rally folks behind. The newish Hamburguesa Bar is just such a place, opening in December 2025 and serving a tight food menu of smash and tavern burgers (made with beef ground in-house), along with hand-cut duck fat fries, poutine, and Caesar salad. The best part? Nothing here costs more than $20. Seriously, this spot has so much going for it, including solid cocktails and boozy shakes. It’s become a homing beacon for post-work hangs, judging by a recent weekday crowd.

Hamburguesa Bar’s drinks are the epitome of unfussy: Cocktail standards, four beers on tap, two choices of wine (red or white), boozy and non-boozy shakes, plus 21 beers by the can or bottle. Standards on the cocktail menu are just that, a list of drinks you’ve heard before — such as an Old Fashioned, daiquiri, gin or vodka martini, or Harvey Wallbanger — with no special tinctures or fat-washed liquors to speak of (that we know of, at least). I’m typically split on whether boozy shakes are ever worth it, but the Fruity Pebbles option ($14) makes a convincing case, mixed with a just-right amount of vodka and some cereal bits. (I’ll leave the more adventurous Cinnamon Toast shake made with Fireball to others with more positive experiences with that liquor.)

Downtown and SoMa has a reputation for restaurants closing early, but Hamburguesa Bar keeps later hours, closing at midnight from Monday through Saturday (closed Sundays). It’s also open for lunch at noon during those days, with the exception of Saturdays when it opens at 5 p.m.



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

San Francisco, CA

Iran conflict disrupts flights out of SFO

Published

on

Iran conflict disrupts flights out of SFO


SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — Attacks on Iran by U.S. and Israeli forces have disrupted air travel across the Middle East, leading to thousands of flight cancellations and delays worldwide. The instability has reached the Bay Area, where international flights at San Francisco International Airport have been canceled or grounded. The travel disruptions followed retaliatory strikes […]



Source link

Continue Reading

San Francisco, CA

Hundreds Rally in San Francisco Against U.S.-Israel Strikes on Iran | KQED

Published

on

Hundreds Rally in San Francisco Against U.S.-Israel Strikes on Iran | KQED


She acknowledged that Iranian Americans hold a range of political views, including some who support U.S. intervention, but said she believes the future of Iran should be determined by its people.

“The Iranian people in Iran can decide the future of their country,” she said. “War, I don’t think, is going to help.”

Speaking to the crowd, Mortazavi challenged what she described as a narrative that Iranians broadly support U.S. and Israeli military action.

“They want you to believe that every Iranian … is cheering on the United States and Israel,” she said. “That is unequivocally false.”

Advertisement

She urged attendees to continue organizing beyond the rally and announced plans for additional demonstrations.

A demonstrator holds an Iranian flag as protesters gather outside the San Francisco Federal Building during a “Hands Off Iran” rally Feb. 28, 2026, in San Francisco. The demonstration called for an end to U.S. involvement in the strikes on Iran. (Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)

Dina Saadeh, an organizer with the Palestinian Youth Movement, said multiple groups mobilized quickly in response to the strikes.

“I’m angered today,” Saadeh told KQED. “People here don’t want to see our country engaged in more endless war.”

Saadeh described the protest as part of a broader effort to oppose sanctions, military escalation and what she called U.S. imperialism. She said participants were calling on elected officials to redirect public funds toward domestic needs.

“People want money for jobs and education, not for war and occupation,” she said.

Advertisement

KQED’s María Fernanda Bernal contributed to this story.



Source link

Continue Reading

Trending