… With a five-year, $3.7 million grant from the Heising-Simon Foundation, the Pacific Coastal Fog Research project is poised to lift the veil on the rather mysterious meteorological phenomenon. The scientists will record the fog’s chemical composition, examine how it helps support redwood forests and other ecosystems, and look at the possible effects of climate change and pollution from human activities. … Coastal fog is a dominant provider of water during dry seasons, supporting coastal vegetation, including redwoods. In the past, fog research has mainly focused on how it is affected by weather patterns, but the realization that fog may be vulnerable to contamination from human activities has sparked interest in more interdisciplinary research.