This is a backlit tree at UC Irvine. But what kind of tree is it? I got a few suggestions from the local brain trust, but none of them panned out. So now I turn to you, the denizens of lunchtime photo. What is this, anyway?

UPDATE: Everyone’s first guess was a gingko tree, but I had already ruled that out. However, Jorge Velasquez IDed it as a Chinese tallow tree, Triadica sebifera. I believe that’s our winner.

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What’s independent journalism worth to you?

Our news will always be free to read, watch, and listen to online. But what is its value?

Unbiased reporting on the issues that billionaire-owned newsrooms won’t touch. Fearless research into the dark corners of government and corporations. Ferociously fact-checked news that focuses on the facts, and the facts alone.

It IS free for you and every reader, viewer, and listener to utilize. But it’s not free for our team to make. So, what’s it worth to you? Let us know by making a donation: Make a one-time donation today to support this work. Or make a monthly sustaining donation to help us plan for the future.

Whatever you choose, know that you’re supporting more independent, investigative journalism in a time when we need it most.

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