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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GREAT JOURNALISM, SLOW FUNDRAISING

Our team has been on fire lately—publishing sweeping, one-of-a-kind investigations, ambitious, groundbreaking projects, and even releasing “the holy shit documentary of the year.” And that’s on top of protecting free and fair elections and standing up to bullies and BS when others in the media don’t.

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2) If you’re not ready to donate but you’re interested enough in our work to be reading this, please consider signing up for our free Mother Jones Daily newsletter to get to know us and our reporting better. Maybe once you do, you’ll see it’s something worth supporting.

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