KQED's QUEST Science Radio
By KQED
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Podcast Description
QUEST is a multi-media series from KQED, exploring local stories and people who impact science, nature and environmental issues across Northern California and beyond. KQED's most ambitious local offering ever, QUEST includes a half-hour weekly HD television program, weekly radio segments, an innovative website and unique education guides. QUEST's geographic coverage spans from Mendocino to Monterey and from Sacramento to Santa Clara, and focuses on 9 content areas: astronomy, biology, chemistry, engineering, environment, geology, health, physics and weather. Recent episodes include: nanotechnology, stem cell research, science of fire, physics of baseball, big waves, bees, otters, lunar missions, and alternative energy. For more information on the series and access to RSS feeds, the QUEST Community Science Blog, geotagged photos and maps, viewer guides for educators, interactive features, and much more.go to http://science.kqed.org/quest. If you are subscriber, please review out podcast and let us know what you think! KQED Public Broadcasting of Northern California operates KQED Public Television one of the nation's most-watched public television stations during prime-time, and KQED's digital television channels, which include KQED HD, KQED World, KQED Life and KQED Kids; KQED Public Radio, the most-listened-to public radio station in the nation with an award-winning news and public affairs program service (88.5 FM in San Francisco and 89.3 FM in Sacramento); and KQED.org, one of the most visited station sites in Public Broadcasting.
| Name | Description | Released | Price | ||
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1 |
The Bay Area's National Park Expands South | The addition of Rancho Corral de Tierra is historic, "the largest land acquisition for Golden Gate National Recreation Area pretty much since it began." | 2/6/12 | Free | View In iTunes |
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2 |
Surgeons Seek Kid-Sized Tools for the Operating Room | If you’ve ever spent time in Silicon Valley or among hi-tech entrepreneurs, you may have heard the term “Valley of Death.” It’s used to describe the huge gulf that can exist between coming up with a new idea, and getting a product to market. Well, this is a real problem in hospitals, too. Especially when it comes to kids. | 1/30/12 | Free | View In iTunes |
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3 |
California Pushes to Get Clean Cars on the Road | California officials are considering the toughest regulations in the country to promote sales of cars powered by batteries, hydrogen fuel cells or other technology that produces little or no air pollution. These kind of tough mandates have been tried before but they failed. So is this finally the right time for the clean car? | 1/23/12 | Free | View In iTunes |
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4 |
Six Bay Area Cities Play the Waiting Game | WThis month may be the moment of truth for six Bay Area communities. Each one is vying to be the new home of a high-profile national research center. But when it comes to development in the Bay Area, there are no easy answers. | 1/16/12 | Free | View In iTunes |
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5 |
Think Tiny: The Science of New Year's Resolutions | Want to keep a New Year's resolution? One Stanford professor says to give up on lofty goals. Instead, focus on tiny habits. | 1/9/12 | Free | View In iTunes |
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6 |
A Census for the Birds | Grab your binoculars and checklist! The annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count is under way. During the last two weeks of the year, from dawn to dusk volunteers spread out over 22,000 count areas, including Peru, Haiti, the U.S. and Canada. Their tally is used by scientists to understand changes in bird populations. | 1/2/12 | Free | View In iTunes |
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7 |
Biofuels Face a Reality Check | Despite the buzz around biofuels, the industry been slow to scale up. But Bay Area researchers are making breakthroughs that could move us one step closer to having our cars run on fuels from plants. | 12/19/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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8 |
Can PTSD Nightmares Be Cured? | The hallmark of a healthy dream is its weirdness. PTSD dreams, in contrast, are like a broken record, the same, real-life event, played over and over again, in some patients, for decades. | 12/12/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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9 |
Porpoises Return to San Francisco Bay | Harbor porpoises haven’t been seen in San Francisco Bay for more than 60 years. Now, they’re returning in growing numbers and researchers are working to understand why. | 12/5/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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10 |
HIV: Searching For a Cure | As we approach World AIDS Day, QUEST's Andrea Kissack talks with one of the worlds top HIV/AIDS researchers about the progress in finding a cure. | 11/28/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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11 |
Is High-Speed Rail Grinding to a Halt? | In 2008, high speed rail seemed like a game changer, the kind of "Big Idea" that California is famous for. But three years later, the plan is in serious trouble. | 11/21/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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12 |
Energy-Saving Windows Get Smarter | Buildings are responsible for 40 per cent of the country’s energy use. So, researchers are trying improve our energy efficiency by making windows dynamic and intelligent. | 11/14/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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13 |
From Swords to Test Tubes: The Million Veteran Program | A massive database like what the VA is building would allow scientists to compare thousands of anonymous medical records with just a few keystrokes, to study conditions such as cancer and PTSD. | 11/7/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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14 |
Up All Night on NASA's Flying Telescope | NASA's new flying telescope is allowing astronomers to see the life cycle of far away stars. Lauren Sommer caught a late-night ride on one of its recent flights. | 10/31/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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15 |
"A Big, Captivating Idea": The Bay Area Ridge Trail | Like the great pyramids of Egypt, the 550-mile Ridge Trail will take generations to complete. Think of it as a local Appalachian Trail for the current crop of two-year olds. | 10/24/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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16 |
The Amazing Transformation of San Francisco's "Sludge Puddle" | Dumping garbage into the bay wasn’t only convenient, it served the larger goal of getting rid of the bay entirely. | 10/17/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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17 |
In a Sea of Energy Data, Utilities Try to Inspire Conservation | Smart meters are providing California households with their hourly and daily energy use information for the first time. Consumers use less electricity, studies have shown, when they can see that data. But getting them to pay attention to energy in the first place may be the biggest hurdle. | 10/10/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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18 |
Clean Tech Earns Its Stripes | The largest energy user in the United States is the U.S. Military. Its annual energy bill runs about $15 billion dollars a year, which is why the Department of Defense has developed a keen interest in finding other ways to meet its energy needs, including investing in alternative energy. | 10/3/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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19 |
Mercury Rises on Coal Costs | Half of the airborne mercury pollution in the US comes from coal-fired power plants. After years of study and debate, the Environmental Protection Agency is planning to announce new limits on mercury from coal plants in November. Meanwhile, utilities are scrambling to meet other new federal regulations and industry groups are asking the government to slow down. | 9/26/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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20 |
A Difficult Path for Clean Coal | Coal generates half of all the electricity in the U.S. It's also the biggest source of global-warming emissions and other air pollution. The coal industry says the answer is not to phase out coal, but instead to produce "clean coal." Anne Glausser of QUEST Ohio reports on the difficult path for clean coal. | 9/26/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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21 |
As Renewables Boom, California Struggles to Quit Coal | California is known for its "green" reputation, so it might be a surprise that residents in Southern California still depend on coal power when they turn on the lights. | 9/26/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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22 |
The View from Coal Country in the Age of Green | Coal produces nearly half the electricity in the U.S., but the mercury, sulfur dioxide and carbon dioxide it emits also makes it one of the most controversial energy sources. For many environmental activists, coal represents an old, dirty source of power, but for coal-mining communities around the country, the story is different. | 9/26/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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23 |
Climate Change Could Mean Cloudy Future for Lake Tahoe | Over the last 15 years, more than a billion dollars has been spent to protect Lake Tahoe's clear waters from runoff and erosion. Now, new threats to lake's clarity are emerging, just as restoration funding is drying up. | 9/19/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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24 |
The Lost Lagoon | Oakland Museum curator Christopher Richard and geologist Janet Sowers function as water detectives, looking for clues of the city’s long-lost aquatic past. Recently, they believe, they solved a mystery that had nagged them for years. | 9/12/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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25 |
San Bruno Marks a Somber Anniversary | "No matter how high you looked," says Tammy Zapata, "all you saw was fire." | 8/29/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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26 |
Who is Matt Rodriquez? | California's new environmental chief is in the first month of his new position. With budget cuts, environmental lawsuits and a mandate to cut green house gasses, Matt Rodriquez has a big job in front of him. | 8/22/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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27 |
The Heat is On for California Wines | You've probably heard of the wines that made Napa and Sonoma famous, like Cabernet Sauvignon or Chardonnay. But what about Negroamaro or Nero d'Avola? They're wine grapes that are well-adapted to hotter temperatures -- the kind of conditions that California may be facing as the climate continues to warm. | 8/15/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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28 |
From Tunnel to Tap: Quake-Proofing Our Water Supply | The Bay tunnel is just one part of a vast overhaul of the Hetch Hetchy system, which carries water 167 miles from the Tuolumne River, near Yosemite, to Bay Area taps. There are 81 projects in all: pipes, water treatment centers, dams, reservoirs, all replaced or retrofitted with stronger, more durable parts. | 8/8/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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29 |
Rough Waters for Sea Level Rise Planning | What do Bay Area airports and some big Silicon Valley companies have in common? They sit right on the edge of San Francisco Bay, where sea level rise is expected to have a big impact by the end of the century. | 8/1/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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30 |
Bioplastic Boom | Companies like Coca-Cola, Pepsi, and Heinz ketchup have determined that plastic made from plants — not oil — makes sense both for the environment and for business. The growing demand has meant a boom in the bioplastic industry. Could this mean the end of the plastic bottle as we know it? | 7/29/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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31 |
Architecture for the Birds | According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, as many as one billion birds die each year in collisions with man-made structures. Recently, lawmakers have started to do something about this problem. | 7/25/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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32 |
Gulls Threaten South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Work | One of the most ambitious wetland restoration projects in the country is underway in San Francisco Bay. Thousands of acres of those ponds are being restored for shorebirds and wildlife. But that is creating an opportunity for a very problematic bird. | 7/18/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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33 |
Revisiting Mandatory Recycling | Until very recently Philadelphians recycled a dismal five-percent of their trash. Now residents are diverting nearly 20-percent of their trash – and that’s saving the city fees from expensive landfills. In our continuing series on Recycling in America, Kerry Grens, from WHYY, reports on how a little consequence can go a long way to changing behavior. | 7/13/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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34 |
Boom Times For The Recycling Industry | Here's one silver lining to a slow economy: High recycling rates. Americans are wasting far less, and recycling far more. Nowhere is the trend as strong as in California. As Amy Standen reports for our Recycling in America series, this change is sending ripple effects throughout the economy. | 7/11/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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35 |
The Future of Supercomputers | Supercomputers are becoming increasingly key to modeling complex scientific problems. As they get bigger, they're becoming massive energy hogs, using as much power as a small city. Scientists at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab are hoping reduce that energy load by using technology developed for cell phones. | 6/27/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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36 |
Changes in the Carpool Lane | At the end of this month, some hybrid drivers will lose their solo carpool privileges. Beginning July 1st, only drivers of all-electric and natural gas powered cars will be allowed to drive alone in the carpool lane. How effective was the hybrid perk and what will be the new wave of fuel efficient hybrids that gets this special benefit?. | 6/20/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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37 |
The Search for Alcoholism's Miracle Drug | At one hospital in San Francisco, more than half of the patients in an alcohol abuse program refuse medications that could help them stop drinking. So scientists here in the Bay Area find themselves waging two campaigns: to develop drugs that work, and to convince alcoholics to take them. | 6/13/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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38 |
The Science of Pain | Pain is the most common reason for trips to the doctor’s office. So it makes sense that pain treatment is a huge part of our health care system, costing more than 100 billion dollars a year. But how exactly pain works is still a mystery in many ways. As Lauren Sommer reports, some researchers are trying to understand it better by looking at a very unusual creature. | 6/6/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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39 |
Chemistry By Smell | Blind people are consistently underrepresented in the workforce, but especially in the sciences. Experts say that’s partly due to the fact that so much of early science education is learned through visual-spatial lessons. The Lighthouse for the Blind recently held its first ever chemistry camp for blind kids. The goal is to engage blind kids in the sciences by teaching chemistry through other senses, like touch and smell. | 5/23/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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40 |
Insuring for Extreme Weather | The severe flooding on the Mississippi River has left a lot of damage in its wake. It’s an extreme event that government and insurance companies try to plan for by predicting the risk. But as Lauren Sommer reports, climate change is throwing a wrench in those calculations. | 5/16/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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41 |
Is it Time for SETI to Stop Looking? | Of all the questions in science, few have haunted humans as persistently as this: Are we alone? For more than 50 years, scientists have listened for a signal from intelligent life on other planets... and come up empty. Now, they're running short of money. Is it time to give up? | 5/9/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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42 |
Spotted Owls Face New Threat | Spotted owls are one of the most iconic threatened species in the West. But despite two decades of work to bring them back, their numbers are still declining. That may be due in part to a new threat - not from humans, but from other owls. Lauren Sommer has the story. | 5/2/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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43 |
Toxic Algae on the Loose | Another mysterious fish die-off happened in a southern California harbor last week. Scientists are still trying to figure out what caused six tons of sardines to go belly-up in Ventura. Just six weeks ago a similar event occurred off Newport Beach. Those sardines tested positive for a neurotoxin caused by algae blooms. Meanwhile, commercial shellfish growers say they’re noticing some strange patterns as well, as Amy Standen reports. | 4/25/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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44 |
Combating Bay Invaders | Hundreds of invasive species have been found in San Francisco Bay, according to biologists. That makes the bay one of the most invaded estuaries in the world. Hoping to restore native fish and wildlife, California has passed the strictest rules in the country to prevent ocean freighters from introducing more foreign species to the bay. But as Lauren Sommer reports, the standards are so tough, officials may not be able to enforce them. | 4/18/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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45 |
Earthquake Warning | When a devastating earthquake shook Japan last month, some residents knew it was coming. A series of warning signals were sent out, including over Japanese television. Scientists say we could be just a few years away from launching a similar system here in California. As Amy Standen reports, the science is here but the funding is not. | 4/11/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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46 |
A California Bat Success Story | White-nose syndrome has devastated bat populations back east, and is steadily making its way west. Researchers are keeping close tabs on the Bay Area's 16 bat species, including one thriving colony south of Sacramento. | 4/4/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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47 |
Nuclear's Future in the U.S. | Japan's nuclear power crisis is renewing debate over the topic of safety at nuclear power plants. Andrea Kissack talks with two men with very different opinions on the issue: Bill Magavern, head of the Sierra Club California and Ed Morse, Professor of Nuclear Engineering at University of California, Berkeley. | 3/21/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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48 |
Fighting Fire Where Homes and Wilderness Meet | In California, a state agency called CalFire is charged with fighting fire in rural areas. But over the years, the line between rural and urban has become much less clear. Governor Jerry Brown proposed to scale back CalFire and help trim the state's budget, but that proposal may go down in flames. | 3/7/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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49 |
The Science of Snow | It's been a harsh winter across the US. Snow has blanketed the Sierra Nevada, where the snowpack is well above normal. Lots of snow means good skiing, but it also means an increased danger of avalanches. Lauren Sommer traveled to Lake Tahoe where researchers are trying to understand the inner workings of snow a little bit better. | 2/28/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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50 |
The Heroic Imagination Project | This year marks the 40th anniversary of a notorious psychology experiment: the Stanford Prison Experiment. It showed that average, well-adjusted people could act cruelly, even sadistically, under the right circumstances. Now, the scientist who led those experiments is wondering whether the opposite is true. Can a regular, run-of-the-mill person be made to do extraordinary, even heroic things? | 2/21/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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51 |
Land Preservation on the Chopping Block | Oak-covered rolling hills, grassy meadows and roaming cows are still typical scenes in many parts of California. That’s due in part to a state conservation program known as the Williamson Act. For more than four decades, much of California’s ranchland has been protected by the program. But with the state’s budget woes, it’s on the chopping block. And that has both ranchers and environmentalists concerned --as Lauren Sommer reports. | 2/14/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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52 |
Local Cheese Makers Fear a Raw Deal | After a series of high-profile recalls, the FDA says it's reconsidering rules that allow cheese makers to use unpasteurized milk in their products. That could mean big changes in Northern California, which has become a hub of artisanal cheese making. | 2/7/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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53 |
A Happy Medium For Solar | Solar power is booming in California. Last year, state officials approved an unprecedented amount of new solar energy. But both large solar farms and small home rooftop installations have run into challenges. As Lauren Sommer reports, that’s why a new sector of solar is emerging – one that benefits from being in the middle. | 1/31/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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54 |
How CFLs Got Their Bad Rap | This month begins America's long goodbye to the incandescent light bulb. The most common replacement bulbs, CFLs, are just as bright and warm-colored as the old incandescents. So why do so many people complain about them? | 1/24/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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55 |
California's Basement Bargains on Home Efficiency | After spending hundreds of millions of dollars flooding the market with CFL light bulbs, California utilities are stepping up their efficiency game. | 1/10/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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56 |
Visiting the Dentist Chair of the Future | It probably goes without saying: the dentist’s chair isn’t the most popular place to visit. But going the dentist may soon be a very different experience. As Lauren Sommer reports, researchers at the University of California San Francisco are developing new technology that may make dentists' drills less common. | 1/3/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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57 |
California's Redwoods Face Climate Change | After a century of logging, California’s old growth redwood forests are only a fraction of what they once were. Today, they remain a narrow coastal band that extends from Monterey Bay to the Oregon border. But redwoods are facing a new threat. As Lauren Sommer reports, scientists are trying to understand how these trees are responding to a changing climate. | 12/20/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
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58 |
How Jet Lag Resets the Body Clock | If you plan to take any long plane trips this holiday season, here are a few things to keep in mind: jet lag, scientists say, often hits women harder than it does men. The direction you're flying matters, too. Jet lag is worse when traveling from west to east than east to west. In fact, studies suggests that jet lag can do a lot more than just wear us out. | 12/13/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
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59 |
Fish and Fishermen Go To Market | California fishermen once hauled in groundfish, like rock cod and sole, as if there were an unlimited supply. But over the years, fish stocks have plummeted. Beginning in January, fishermen in California, Oregon and Washington will try something new. They'll become owners of the fishery, much like shareholders in a company. But as Lauren Sommer reports, not everyone is happy about it. | 12/6/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
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60 |
When Teaching Climate Gets Controversial | In the wake of mid-term elections, most pundits agree that a national climate change policy is farther from reach. That puts science museums and aquariums around the state in a bind. Several are currently showing exhibits on climate change in an effort to educate the public on this complicated topic. But as Marjorie Sun reports, these institutions have to walk a fine line through a thicket of sensitive issues. | 11/22/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
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61 |
Albino Redwoods: Ghosts of the Forest | Park rangers in the Santa Cruz Mountains are protecting a decades-old secret: albino redwood trees. Pale and fragile, these so-called “ghost trees” are deliberately off the beaten track, as Amy Standen found out. | 11/15/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
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62 |
VA Doctors Solve a Medical Mystery | As soldiers continue to return from Iraq and Afghanistan, doctors who treat them find themselves at the forefront of scientific research. That's the case at the Veterans Affairs Hospital in Palo Alto, where scientists have made a surprising discovery. Amy Standen reports. | 11/8/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
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63 |
Lichen Point to Pollution | Air pollution may seem like an urban problem, but it’s becoming an increasing concern in California’s national parks. Pollution from cars and trucks blows into the Sierra Nevada mountains, where it can have a dramatic impact on the ecosystem. In Yosemite National Park, researchers are trying to gauge that impact and they’re using an unexpected tool: a fungus called lichen. | 11/1/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
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64 |
Environment on the Ballot | QUEST radio looks at a controversial casino project in Richmond that, if approved, would allow a $1.2 billion resort with 4,000 slot machines to be built. Supporters of Measure U say it will bring jobs and tax revenue to a neglected former industrial site. Opponents say a Vegas-style operation would destroy habitat along the Richmond shore. Also on November's ballot are a number of local measures on urban growth boundaries. QUEST has two reports, from Amy Standen and Lauren Sommer. | 10/25/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
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65 |
When Brains Hit The Gym | Can brain performance be improved? The $300 million-a-year "brain-fitness" industry is betting that the answer to that question is yes. Some companies say that an 80-year old brain can perform just as well as a 25-year old brain after some specialized video game training. What about crossword puzzles and regular old exercise? QUEST takes a look at the growing brain fitness industry and the science behind it. | 10/18/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
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66 |
Silicon Valley: The New Detroit? | Detroit has been at the center of the country’s auto industry ever since Henry Ford rolled his first Model T off the assembly line in 1908. But as hard times have fallen on America’s Rust Belt, there's a new region hoping to give Detroit a run for its money. Amidst start-up companies like Google, eBay and Facebook, clean tech entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley are plugging into an emerging electric car industry. Andrea Kissack tells us more. | 10/11/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
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67 |
Looking For A Charge | Every year buzzwords enter the American lexicon. Like "octo-mom" or "crowdsourcing." Next year "range anxiety" may top the list. It’s the fear of being stranded in an electric car because the battery has run out. Andrea Kissack continues to explore the brave new world of electric cars. Today, she goes in search of a charge. | 10/4/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
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68 |
Greening Your Drive | The first mass-produced electric vehicles ever sold in the United States will begin to hit auto show rooms by the end of this year. The Nissan Leaf and the Chevy Volt already have tens of thousands of pre-orders. Until now, electric cars had been the domain of small groups of tech hobbyists and hard core environmentalists. But how feasible are they for everyday drivers? That's what Andrea Kissack wanted to find out. | 9/27/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
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69 |
Backyard Seed Banks | It’s the time of year when backyard gardeners are gathering the last few tomatoes and squash of the summer harvest. But there’s one thing most gardeners don’t harvest: seeds. Seed saving is a technique that has fallen by the wayside in modern agriculture. The idea is to develop plants that are suited for the Bay Area's microclimates and to preserve crop biodiversity. As Lauren Sommer reports, a handful of people are starting their own seed-saving efforts. | 9/20/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
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70 |
California Takes the Lead on Stem Cell Research | A judge's ruling last month that blocks the federal government from funding embryonic stem cell research puts California back in the lead in the field. Scientists say funding from a 2004 state ballot measure has become a lifeline for pioneering work on diseases like Parkinson's and congenital heart disease. Still, the ruling, which may be overturned on appeal, will create challenges in California. | 9/13/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
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71 |
Cow Power Not Cutting It | Take a waste product like cow manure or trash, let it decompose for a bit and you’ll soon end up with methane gas. Methane is powerful contributor to climate change. But it can also be captured and used to make renewable electricity. That’s something farmers are experimenting with across California. But by solving one environmental problem, they’re running headlong into another. Lauren Sommer has more. | 8/30/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
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72 |
All Charged Up Over EMFs | Cell phones, refrigerators, WiFi and your desk lamp: Just like anything you plug into the wall, they all emit EMFs -- electromagnetic fields that vary in strength and design. Communities are scuttling plans for microwave communication dishes in their neighborhoods, citing health concerns about EMFs. Fairfax is just the latest city to put a moratorium on "smart meters" - which transmit energy information wirelessly. So what are EMFs, and how do they affect us? | 8/23/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
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73 |
Plight of the Yellow Legged Frog | This is the classic environmental story: a species in trouble because of what our species is doing. It's happening all over the world. But there are people tackling these problems one by one, coming up with simple ways of changing our behavior. This week we take a look at the plight of the foothill yellow legged frogs. | 8/16/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
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74 |
Renewables on Indian Land | Indian reservations hold an estimated 10 percent of the nation's renewable energy resources -- hot, windy tracts that suddenly seem more valuable than ever. The Campo tribe, near San Diego, has taken the lead, building the country’s only utility-scale wind installation on Indian land. Plans are afoot to triple the project. But tribe members say tax incentives and other federal programs put Indians at a disadvantage. | 8/9/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
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75 |
Energy Storage: The Holy Grail | This week, we continue our series "33 by 20," a look at California's ambitious renewable energy goals. Solar and wind power are booming across the state. But renewables have a downside: there are times when the sun doesn't shine and the wind doesn't blow. That variability causes problems on the state's electric grid. So, California utilities are looking to smooth out those bumps with a new strategy: storing electricity. | 8/2/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
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76 |
Delta Predators | As the state dries out from a long, rainy winter, the battle over water rights in the Sacramento Delta continues. Water contractors are hoping an upcoming court ruling will find that water pumps are not the only threat to the imperiled Delta Smelt. Some of the blame is getting pinned on a bigger fish that happens to have an appetite for endangered species. Alison Hawkes reports. | 7/26/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
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77 |
Using DNA to Stop Dog Fighting | Researchers at UC Davis are collecting DNA from dogs seized in police raids on dogfighting operations. The goal is to create a database to help identify and prosecute the extensive underground breeding programs that sell puppies for as much as $50,000 to dogfighting rings. But the database is controversial among some animal rights activists, who believe it would allow shelters to euthanize dogs whose DNA match fighting lineages. | 7/19/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
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78 |
Protecting Marine Reserves | In April, California continued its ambitious efforts to restore declining ocean fisheries by creating 21 new marine protected areas between Half Moon Bay and Mendocino County. In all, fishing would be banned or reduced in 20 percent of state waters there. But with the state budget crisis, how will California enforce these rules? | 7/12/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
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79 |
Finding a Home for Big Solar - Part Two | California has set ambitious goals for a transition to clean, renewable energy: 33 percent by 2020. Some are skeptical that the goal is within reach.QUEST and Climate Watch continue to examine the promise and pitfalls of this historic transformation. Craig Miller reports on one Silicon Valley company's controversial solar proposal for Panoche Valley. | 6/28/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
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80 |
Finding a Home for Big Solar - Part One | California has set ambitious goals for a transition to clean, renewable energy: 33 percent by 2020. Some are skeptical that the goal is within reach.QUEST and Climate Watch continue to examine the promise and pitfalls of this historic transformation. Craig Miller reports on one Silicon Valley company's controversial solar proposal for Panoche Valley. | 6/21/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
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81 |
Strawberries and Worker Safety - Part Two | Part 2 of 2. The Schwarzenegger Administration plans to approve a new chemical called methyl iodide, which is used by strawberry farmers. Although methyl iodide can cause cancer and miscarriages, regulators say that protective measures like respirators and buffer zones will keep farm workers safe. Scientists consulting for the state say these measures often fail, and methyl iodide is too toxic to take chances. Amy Standen reports. | 6/14/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
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82 |
Strawberries and Worker Safety | Part 1 of 2. Methyl bromide - a powerful fumigant used by strawberry growers to sterilize the soil before plants go in - was found to harm the Earth's ozone layer. Strawberry farmers have been clamoring for a replacement, and they may get their wish if the state approves a chemical called methyl iodide. But some state scientists say it could cause cancer and miscarriages in farm workers and nearby communities. | 6/7/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
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83 |
Race for Renewables | With its wind and solar resources, the state is known as a hotbed of renewable energy. Driving that development is an ambitious goal: By the year 2020, utilities must generate one third of their electricity from renewable sources. But the road to clean energy is full of obstacles, which we will explore over the next several months. First, Lauren Sommer reports on how we got here and the chances of meeting our big green power goals. | 5/24/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Baby Brain Development | Thousands of babies are born each year in the U.S. with brain defects that can cause lifelong disability or even death. UC-San Francisco neurologists and pediatricians are developing better diagnostic tools and treatments to help brain-damaged babies not only survive, but grow up to live more normal lives. | 5/17/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
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85 |
Greening the Grow | Voters in California will consider a measure on the November ballot to legalize and tax marijuana. Amid the debate over pros and cons, another issue has been gaining visibility -- the environmental damage pot cultivation can incur. Illegal pesticide use and creek water diversion at large-scale outdoor operations are well-documented. But environmental concerns are also growing over indoor marijuana cultivation, as Lisa Morehouse reports. | 5/10/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
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86 |
Sea Water Showdown | A plan being considered by California's State Water Resources Control Board would end the practice of allowing power plants along the coast to suck in ocean water to cool their machinery. Environmentalists say it kills millions of fish larvae, small animals and other ocean life, but the power industry says tighter rules would raise California's electricity prices, already among the nation's highest. | 5/3/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
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87 |
Notes From An Environmentalist | The oldest grassroots environmental organization in the U.S. is the Sierra Club and it's undergoing a change in leadership. After 18 years running the organization, Carl Pope has just stepped down as executive director, but he remains involved as ever in his new position as chairman. Andrea Kissack spoke with him about the biggest challenges facing the environmental movement today. | 4/26/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
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88 |
The Changing Bay | Peer into San Francisco Bay and you probably won't see much, thanks to the murky water the bay is known for. But over the past decade, scientists have made a surprising discovery – the bay’s water is clearing. As Lauren Sommer reports, clearer water is not always good news. | 4/19/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
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89 |
Smog Checks Made Easy | Smog check tests, as California air officials have long known, are too easy to cheat. A recent survey found that because of faulty, or even fraudulent testing, half of cars that received repairs to pass the tests failed just a year later. Now, state lawmakers are proposing to revamp the process with a new, computerized smog test that’s almost impossible to rig. Happily for consumers, it'll be cheaper, too. | 4/12/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
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90 |
Ghost Fleet On The Move | For decades, more than 70 Navy and merchant ships known as the "ghost fleet" have been anchored in Suisun Bay, waiting for disposal. While many served in World War II, today they're the subject of a lawsuit filed by environmental groups who are concerned about the pollution these aging vessels are leaching into the bay. Now, some of the ships are finally on the move. | 4/5/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Lessons From Chile | The 8.8 magnitude earthquake that struck Chile last month may offer some clues for how California would withstand such a massive quake. Andrea Kissack spoke with one Bay Area engineer who just returned from Chile where he was looking at how U.S. building codes held up in the quake. | 3/29/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
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92 |
Alcatraz Goes Green | Alcatraz, the iconic, former prison in the bay goes green. Extra stimulus funds have made it possible to replace two aging diesel generators with solar energy that will power up to 60-percent of the island. Amy Standen reports on how the National Parks Service plans to hide more than 13-hundred dark blue solar panels from public view. | 3/22/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
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93 |
Battle Over Public Power | This week, voters on both sides of a contentious measure set for California's June ballot will take the stage in a public hearing in San Francisco. Proposition 16 has to do with how electricity will be delivered to our homes, and by whom. The issue is shaping up to be an epic showdown between local non-profit groups and the utility giant PG&E. Amy Standen has more. | 3/15/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
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94 |
Wither The Lawn | After three years of drought, California is finally getting some wet relief. Yet a series of strong storms doesn't end the state's need to conserve water. A new California law will impose restrictions on landscaping for decades to come. Katharine Mieszkowski reports on the future of the suburban lawn. | 3/8/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
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95 |
Teaching the Brain To See | Thanks to stem cells and other cutting-edge technologies, doctors hope they may one day be able to restore sight to people who were born without it, or lost it, later in life. But a rare case here in the Bay Area suggests that curing blindness may be more than meets the eye. | 3/1/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
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96 |
Bay Area Ant Invasion | Like rainstorms and chilly weather, they seem to show up every winter. Ants. If your kitchen is currently under siege, chances are it’s by one particular species: Argentine Ants. These invasive insects have spread across California, forming one of the largest colonies on Earth and threatening native ecosystems. How can we stop them? Well, what if -- as Lauren Sommer reports -- we could speak their language? | 2/22/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
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97 |
The Godfather of Green | Art Rosenfeld is retiring, stepping down from his post with the California Energy Commission. The 83-year-old nuclear physicist pushed California to enact some of the toughest energy efficiency standards in the world. QUEST talks with Rosenfeld about his passion for saving kilowatts. Andrea Kissack reports. | 2/15/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
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98 |
Is The Drought Over? | The recent rain storms have drenched Northern California, dumping in some places almost twice as much rain as we'd expect to see at this time of year. That's great news for a state that's suffered three years of drought. But are we finally in the clear? Amy Standen went in search of answers. | 2/8/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
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99 |
Saving Coho | Coho salmon conservationists in Marin County are losing hope they'll see large numbers of the fish return to spawn this year, even after our recent rains. Marine biologists say the future looks grim after a series of drought years, and they’re looking for ways to stop the fish from being sucked into what they call "the vortex of extinction." Dan Brekke reports. | 2/1/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
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100 |
Truckers Clean Up Their Act | This month, truckers at the Port of Oakland face new rules on diesel rigs.The rules call for expensive filters that cut down the amount of soot the trucks spew out. Many truckers say they can't afford the new gear, especially amid a recession. But treating the health effects of diesel pollution may be much more expensive. | 1/25/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
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101 |
Power Up With Leftovers | Americans throw away a staggering 31 million tons of food each year. As those scraps decompose they create methane - a powerful greenhouse gas - that could be harnessed to light our homes one day. As Tara Siler reports, a wastewater treatment plant in the Bay Area is leading the way. | 1/11/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
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102 |
Solar Theives | Solar panels are a hot commodity these days and not just for residents and business owners who want to go green. It turns out that thieves are also embracing clean technology: Solar panel thefts are on the rise. And among the most popular targets are California wineries. | 12/28/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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103 |
The Future of Phone Books | The white pages, required by law in most states, have been estimated to consume 5 million trees a year to produce. They create challenges for recycling centers and with 90 percent of Americans using cell phones, they’re largely irrelevant. The white pages will be nearly eliminated, thanks to a bill facing the state legislature in 2010. But what will happen to the few Californians who still rely on an outmoded resource? | 12/21/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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104 |
Rainwater Harvesting: Is It All Wet? | It's an El Niño year, which raises hopes for significant rainfall this winter. But after years of drought, some local homeowners aren't counting on it. They're conserving water by reviving the ancient practice of rainwater harvesting. But how much can they really save? Katharine Mieszkowski reports. | 12/14/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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105 |
Boom Time for Open Space | This month marks an anniversary no one will celebrate: Two years ago, the economic downturn many call "The Great Recession" began. Here in Northern California, like just about everywhere else, housing prices have tumbled. But for some, there's a silver lining to the real estate bust, as Amy Standen reports. | 12/7/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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106 |
Building an Artificial Leaf | At UC Berkeley, scientists studying how to feed our growing need for energy have turned to a surprising source. As Lauren Sommer reports, researchers there are trying to produce the next generation of green power by mimicking something every weekend gardener works to clean up. | 11/23/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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107 |
A Bumpy Ride for High Speed Rail | Last year a majority of California voters approved a multi-billion-dollar high-speed rail project. Now comes the hard part: squeezing a 220-mph train system into California's densely populated cities. Some communities that voted in favor of the train now say they don't want it rolling through their neighborhoods. QUEST looks at the stretch between San Francisco and San Jose and how the train might change the local landscape. | 11/16/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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108 |
Getting Paid to Go Solar | If you have solar panels on your house, you can count on reducing your electricity bill. Maybe you’ll pay nothing at all. But what if you produce more than you use? Well, until recently in California, you could consider it a gift to the local utility. But now, thanks to a new law, that will soon change. Amy Standen reports. | 11/9/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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109 |
Saving Our Parks | It may seem that California's parks dodged a bullet recently when the Governor announced that all of the state's financially strapped parks will remain open, but state parks still have to cut $14 million in spending this year. This may lead to rolling closures, maintenance cuts and layoffs. Hoping to solve a chronic funding problem, environmentalists are considering a ballot proposal that would place a fee on car registrations to help fund parks. | 11/2/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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110 |
Catching the Drift - Part Two | Conflicts over pesticide use have increased as new suburbs push up against farming areas in California. In the second part of our series, Sasha Khokha looks at how community residents are looking to document the impact of pesticides on their own health when those chemicals drift off the farm. | 10/26/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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111 |
Catching the Drift | Every year California farmers spray more than 150 million pounds of pesticides to keep insects from ravaging crops like almonds, oranges, and grapes. But when those toxins drift onto nearby farmworkers and communities, they sicken hundreds of people each year. California legislators tried to fix the problem five years ago, but new laws don't appear to have made much of a difference. | 10/19/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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112 |
Predicting the Next Big One | It's been twenty years since the Loma Prieta Earthquake ravaged downtown Santa Cruz and damaged San Francisco's Marina District and the Bay Bridge. QUEST looks at the dramatic improvements in earthquake prediction technology since 1989. But what can be done with ten seconds of warning? | 10/12/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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113 |
How to Identify a Bullet | Last month, the FBI released a report showing violent crime has dropped for the second year in a row... down nearly two percent in 2008, from a year earlier. Still, many homicide cases go unsolved. A new technology called "bullet microstamping" aims to help change that. But will it work? | 10/5/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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114 |
Soundscapes of National Parks | This week, conservationists will issue a list of the most endangered national parks, including some in California. There are many ways to measure the health of a park, including the air and the water. This week, Craig Miller looks at an often overlooked vital sign -- the sound. | 9/28/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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115 |
Predicting Swine Flu | Why do some people get severely sick from swine flu and others barely feel it? As flu season ramps up, scientists at UCSF's Viral Discovery Center are racing to learn more about the 2009 H1N1 virus, including how it's evolving, and whether our current treatments will remain effective. | 9/21/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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116 |
Personalized Medicine | We all know that, thanks to our DNA, each of us is a little bit different. Some of those differences are obvious, like eye and hair color, but others are not so obvious, like how our bodies react to medication. Researchers are beginning to look at how to tailor medical treatments to our genetic profiles. Some of the biggest breakthroughs have been in cancer treatment, as Lauren Sommer reports. | 9/14/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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117 |
The Politics of Green Wine | Wine grapes are one of the most sprayed crops in California. A growing number of farmers are choosing not to spray and are doing other things for the environment, too. The challenge is there are now so many choices when it comes to green wines, it can be baffling for the eco-conscious consumer. Organic, sustainable, biodynamic, natural... what does it all mean? | 9/8/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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118 |
Getting to Zero Waste | A few weeks from now, San Francisco residents will start facing warnings, and even fines, if they fail to recycle, as the city – like many in California – aims to keep ever more garbage out of its landfills. But, after twenty years of curbside recycling and, more recently, composting programs, Californians produce more waste than ever. Amy Standen reports, recycling can only take us so far. | 9/1/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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119 |
New Nuclear | In California, nuclear power has long been a subject that's "radioactive." But recent polls suggest that Californians may finally be warming up to the idea and a new study suggests that a clean energy future may not happen without it. Craig Miller reports on the prospects for a "nuclear revival" in the Golden State. | 8/31/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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120 |
Playing with Lead - Part 2 | Months after the federal government enacted stricter standards intended to keep lead out of children's toys, a KQED investigation found merchandise that violates the law still sitting on many Bay Area store shelves. In part two of the series, QUEST looks at the challenges of keeping leaded toys out of stores. | 8/25/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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121 |
Playing with Lead - Part 1 | Congress recently passed tougher limits on lead levels due to the large number of recalls of imported toys. But the new law, which went into effect in February, doesn't seem to be keeping dangerous items off store shelves, as reporter Oanh Ha found out. | 8/10/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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122 |
The Economics of Household Recycling | Once they leave your driveway, your discarded bottles, newspapers, and other recyclables become part of a multi-billion dollar global commodities market. Last month's phone bill, for example, might be sent to China to be reincarnated as next month's iPhone packaging. But when those markets collapse -- as they did last winter -- neighborhood recycling programs are hit hard. | 8/3/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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123 |
Journey to the Farallones | They've been called "California's Galapagos." Nearly 30 miles west of the Golden Gate Bridge lie the Farallon Islands. This year marks their 100th anniversary as a national wildlife refuge. While the islands are off limits to tourists, reporter Lauren Sommer caught a rare - and rough ride with marine researchers to learn about how unpredictable changes in our climate could be affecting life there. | 7/27/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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124 |
Depression Advancements | One in six Americans will experience a major episode of depression at some point in their lives. And yet the drugs commonly used to treat the disease have been described as "blunt instruments" by researchers in the field. One newer, FDA-approved approach uses magnets held against the patient's forehead to stimulate some of the neurological signals that underlie depression. | 7/20/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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125 |
Museum 2.0 | Call it Museum 2.0. One of our most traditional institutions is undergoing a 21st century re-design. In an effort to keep up with changing times, more and more museums are turning to Twitter, Wikis and online communities to ask for the public's help in designing their exhibits. | 7/13/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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126 |
Stem Cells and Horses | At UC Davis Veterinary Hospital, competitive performance horses receive stem cell treatments that are still off limits to humans. Veterinarians say their success may pave the way for other animals... like us. | 6/22/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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127 |
Where's my Hydrogen Highway? | Five years ago, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger announced his vision for the Hydrogen Highway, a bold and ambitious program that promised to launch an alternative energy revolution in California. Right now, that highway is not as smooth as its planners had hoped and government funding is in danger of drying up. In the midst of the pile-up of bad news, the California hydrogen fuel cell program keeps chugging along. | 6/15/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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128 |
Cash for Clunkers | How would you like the government to help you buy a newer, more fuel-efficient set of wheels? That's the idea behind a so-called Cash for Clunkers program that Congress is considering. But is this a boon for the environment, or just a hand-out to Detroit automakers? The plan, which has become mired in Beltway politics, is not so novel. California has had a similar program for a decade. | 6/8/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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129 |
Crash Landing | NASA scientists in Mountain View are building a spaceship they will deliberately crash into the moon in 2009, sending up a 37-mile high cloud of debris. Their goal? To possibly find water in the form of ice buried deep within one of the moon's poles. | 6/1/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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130 |
Sea Lion Rescue | Next month, the Marine Mammal Center in the Marin Headlands opens its doors to the public for the first time in four years. The Center treats sea lions, elephant seals, and other marine mammals that run into trouble along our coast. They swallow fishing lines, get hit by boat propellers and, increasingly, come down with a bacterial infection that scientists say they still don't understand. | 5/25/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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131 |
Do-It-Yourself Mini-Satellites | NASA will soon attempt to launch an unusual satellite. Most satellites are the size of a car, but this one is small enough to fit inside a glove compartment. Mini-satellites are reaching space in increasing numbers, thanks also to a do-it-yourself satellite program at Stanford University. | 5/18/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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132 |
Sudden Oak Death | As California continues to respond to an outbreak of swine flu – plant biologists are dealing with a deadly epidemic of a different kind. Sudden Oak Death is devastating oak forests along the coast, killing trees that are key to the ecology of the coastal hills. Researchers have found a way to inoculate individual trees from the disease, but are struggling in their search to find a more sweeping answer to the threat. | 5/11/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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133 |
Let's Weatherize | It's easy to get excited about installing solar panels on our houses, but most of us could significantly cut our energy bills at a much lower cost with a simple trip to Home Depot. Thanks to the new federal stimulus package, $411 million is coming to California to help the state's buildings become more energy efficient. One program, which helps low-income families weatherize their homes, is seeing its budget triple. | 5/4/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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134 |
Swine Flu and You | Why are health officials so worried about swine flu? A major reason is that against it, we are almost defenseless. Apart from the drugs Tamiflu and Relenza, which must be taken in the first 48 hours, swine flu is untreatable. But the swine flu scare is only the latest chapter in an ongoing arms race between humans and viruses. But some scientists believe the end may be in sight. | 5/4/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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135 |
Goodbye to the Bevatron | Fifty-five years after its construction, the Bevatron, a landmark particle accelerator at Lawrence Berkeley National Labs that helped pioneer physics discoveries and win several Nobel prizes, is about to be demolished. Why was it so important? | 4/20/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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136 |
Smart Grid at Home | President Obama's stimulus plan set aside billions for clean energy. Funding will go to some familiar projects – like wind and solar power – and to some not so familiar ones, like the smart grid. So what is the smart grid? And how will it affect your home energy use? | 4/13/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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137 |
Sewage Spills Increasing | How much sewage makes its way into our water? Plenty. Statewide, it's likely that last year's record number, 20 million gallons of raw sewage dumped in California waterways, is going to be broken this year. Decrepit pipes, lack of money and the growing severity of storms could all add up to a disaster of septic proportions. | 4/7/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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138 |
High Tech in the Vineyards | When it comes to water conservation, you might want to toast some of the state's vintners. Grape growers are among the best at curbing water use and many are increasingly relying on an array of high-tech gadgetry to help them do it. | 3/30/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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139 |
Medicine from the Ocean Floor | Scientists at UC Santa Cruz are using robots to sort through thousands of marine chemicals in search of cures for diseases like cholera, breast cancer, and malaria. | 3/23/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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140 |
Changes at the Pump | By April 1st, the vast majority of California's 11,000 gas stations must have new, state-of-the-art fuel pumps that keep toxic fumes from escaping. State officials say the new pumps mean cleaner, safer air, particularly for those suffering from asthma and other respiratory diseases. But, amid a recession and record unemployment, will the new rules force mom and pop gas stations out of business? | 3/16/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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141 |
Tracking Carbon through Your Cell Phone | A group of high school students in San Francisco are using high-tech GPS cell phones to track their daily carbon footprint - and to gauge their daily environmental risk. The GPS tracks the students' trips and shows them how much carbon they use and are exposed to each week. As cell phones become more powerful, organizers hope to spread this movement virally. | 3/12/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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142 |
Playing with Lead | Even in small amounts, lead can be poisonous. The California Attorney General's office is suing several manufacturers of artificial turf after lead was found in the pigment used to color it. Lead is especially harmful to children and that could be bad news around the state for anyone who has installed turf in playgrounds, soccer fields, child care centers and homes. | 3/2/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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143 |
Redesigning the Bay | The predictions for climate change all warn that San Francisco Bay waters will rise. The latest estimate is the bay will be about 5 feet higher by the end of this century, and 16 inches higher by 2050. If the water rises high enough, a lot of expensive Bay-front property could be inundated. What can we do about it? And how do we plan for that? That's the subject of an innovative design contest that launches this week. | 2/26/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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144 |
Mass Transit Housing Plan | A single-family home with a yard and two-car garage may be the American dream for many Californians. But with real estate at a premium and traffic congestion getting worse, there is a new urban way of living that is becoming increasingly popular. Quest reports on the rise of the transit village and just why the trend has taken so long. | 2/25/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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145 |
Investigating Darwin's Legacy | This year marks the 200th birthday of Charles Darwin - and the 150th anniversary of his landmark work, "On the Origin of Species". One of the iconic fossils that supports Darwin's theory of evolution is called the Archaeopteryx and it was recently flown out to Stanford University for an unusual test. Scientists are bombarding this dino-bird with high-tech gadgetry to unlock even more information about how we came to be here. | 2/11/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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146 |
Putting a Price on Nature | As the economy struggles, a lot of people are thinking about prices these days. That's the focus of a new project at Stanford University, too, but their aim is to put a value on something that's never had a price tag - nature. | 2/2/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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147 |
Birds vs. Planes | Following the recent crash landing of a U.S. Airways jet into the Hudson River, QUEST takes a look at local efforts to avoid collisions between planes and birds. Every year pilots in the U.S. report more than 7,000 bird strikes. The Sacramento International Airport has one of the highest incidences of bird strikes in the nation, thanks to its location next to the Pacific Flyway. | 1/26/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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148 |
New Life for Embryonic Stem Cell Research | Now that Barack Obama is sworn in as President, he is expected to reverse the ban on federal funding for embryonic stem cell research. The resulting boom in this cutting-edge medical technology will benefit California's research institutes in a big way. | 1/21/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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149 |
Tracking Urban Lions | As the Bay Area has become more urban, many wild animals have disappeared. But not mountain lions. These large cats live surprisingly close to us, and yet they're not as dangerous as many believe. Now, researchers in the mountains north of Santa Cruz are using new technology to learn more about these elusive animals. | 1/12/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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150 |
Building Blocks Go Green | Some of the most common building materials - drywall, steel, cement - are among the biggest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions. Manufacturing them requires vast amounts of energy. Now, several Silicon Valley start-ups are looking for cleaner solutions and some of their efforts are drawing major venture capital. | 1/6/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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151 |
Last Minute Rules | The Bush Administration has recently passed dozens of so-called "midnight regulations" - last-minute rules and amendments. Many of those new laws affect the environment, including a change to the Endangered Species Act that has California environmentalists deeply worried. | 1/6/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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152 |
Dialing in on Traffic | Drivers are increasingly looking to their cell phones for advice on steering clear of heavy traffic. New technology from UC Berkeley uses cell phones to plot traffic patterns, giving a real-time picture of how long it takes to get from place to place. QUEST takes a ride with an early adopter. | 12/30/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
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153 |
Get the Soot Out | That black, sooty exhaust from old diesel trucks may be a thing of the past. A landmark decision expected next week at the state Air Resources Board would mean California truckers must retrofit their diesel rigs at a price tag of about $5 billion. The cost is high, but given the health complications from diesel emissions, air pollution regulators feel they can't afford not to act. | 12/8/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
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154 |
The Graying of HIV | In the U.S., powerful medications are helping many HIV-positive people live longer lives. But doctors are discovering that these patients are developing diseases of old age, like heart disease and dementia, at earlier ages than their uninfected peers. Researchers now suspect that HIV-positive patients might actually be aging at an accelerated rate. | 12/1/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
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155 |
Underwater Laboratory | In Monterey Bay, scientists have successfully launched a deep sea laboratory that is unlike anything in the world. The $13 million dollar project is expected to revolutionize the way ocean research is done. Scientists ran 32 miles of cable out from the Monterey shoreline to power remote research equipment such as robots, seismometers and real-time video of a world deep below the ocean. | 11/24/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
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156 |
Looking for Mars Life on Planet Earth | Last week, NASA declared the Mars Phoenix Lander mission completed as the lander succumbed to Martian winter and lost radio contact. NASA scientists are already preparing their next mission: to send a rover to search for evidence of life on the red planet. But to help decide what signs to look for, scientists are studying extreme life forms on our own planet. | 11/17/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
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157 |
Food Safety | Here's another item for President-Elect Barack Obama's to-do list when he takes office in January: food safety. Especially imported foods. Recent scares over melamine-laced cookies from China and salmonella-tainted Mexican jalapenos have raised stark questions: Who's monitoring the safety of imported food? And does the system work? | 11/10/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
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158 |
Oil Spill Anniversary | It's been a year since 53,000 gallons of oil from the Cosco Busan cargo ship spilled into the San Francisco Bay. More than half of that heavy bunker fuel is still around. Now, one challenge is trying to put the long-term effects of the spill into dollar terms, and then seek a settlement with the ship's owners. Officials say this work may set the national standard for handling man-made crises. | 11/3/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
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159 |
Closing the Science Gap | The Bay Area is synonymous worldwide with high-tech innovation. Meanwhile, its students have some of the lowest math and science scores in the country. Quest takes a look at the state of public school science education in California, and asks how the state can nurture a homegrown workforce equipped to take on 21st century challenges. | 10/27/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
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160 |
Condor Return | Fire recently scorched much of the Big Sur area - and it also threatened one of the rarest birds in the world. The California condor sanctuary in Big Sur went up in flames. Although the birds were rescued, scientists have a major job rebuilding holding pens and other equipment. But California has a lot of condor lovers, and money and volunteers have been pouring in. | 10/20/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
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161 |
The Hayward Fault: A Tectonic Timebomb | It was 19 years ago this month that the earth shook so violently under Santa Cruz and San Francisco that portions of a major highway and a segment of the Bay Bridge collapsed. Sixty three people died. Even though we generally are aloof to the possibility of a major temblor, the reality is we are surrounded by active faults and one East Bay faultline has geologists particularly worried. | 10/13/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
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162 |
Big Solar on the Ballot | Proposition 7 is all about renewable energy generation. The initiative requires all utilities to generate 20 percent of their power from renewable energy by 2010 and 50 percent by 2025 and speeds up approval of renewable energy plants. You would think most leading environmental groups would be on board -- but many are not. | 10/6/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
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163 |
Sea Lion Rescue | As emblematic of Northern California as cable cars and cracked crab, sea lions are a big attraction at San Francisco's Pier 39 and Monterey's Cannery Row. But many of these animals are getting sick from a bacterial infection that seems to be on the rise this year. | 9/29/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
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164 |
Fast Trains | Imagine traveling from San Francisco to Los Angeles in about two-and-a-half hours, without getting on a plane. That's the idea that could become reality this November. A $10 billion bond project is on the ballot to build high-speed rail. With higher gas prices and concern about climate change, supporters hope the time is finally right to approve this massive mass-transit project. But technical and political obstacles remain. | 9/22/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
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165 |
Beyond Alzheimer's | When we think about what happens to our brains as we age, one disease tends to dominate our thoughts and fears: Alzheimer's. In fact, Alzheimer's only accounts for about half of degenerative brain diseases. Many others are far tougher to diagnose and treat. Amy Standen reports on one under-diagnosed brain disease, frontotemporal dementia, and its often baffling effects. | 9/15/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
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166 |
Air Conditioning Reinvented | It's that time of year again. Temperatures are hot, so we're cranking up the air conditioning. That means more electricity from the power grid, more greenhouse gas emissions, more global warming and -- with warmer temperatures -- even more air conditioning! There are a few ways to halt this vicious cycle, one of which starts with a makeover for the machine itself. | 9/8/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
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167 |
Sea of Plastic | When you order your double latte to-go at the corner coffee shop, the empty cup and lid may end up in a giant pit of plastic ocean litter off the coast of California. Some cities and counties are so concerned about the garbage in the so-called North Pacific Gyre that they've passed ordinances to try to limit the amount of plastic in our lives. | 8/25/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
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168 |
Decoding the Emotional Brain | People with pseudobulbar affect -- a neurological condition common in patients with Lou Gehrig's disease -- have overwhelming emotions at inappropriate times. Scientists at UC San Francisco believe that by putting these people into MRI scans, they can learn more about how emotions are created and controlled in the human brain - and what happens when those systems break down. | 8/18/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
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169 |
Acidic Seas | Melting glaciers, rising temperatures and droughts - all are impacts of global warming. What receives much less attention is the toll that climate change is taking on the health of our oceans. The sea, it turns out, absorbs carbon dioxide emissions, which are causing it to become more acidic. Changing pH levels threaten the entire marine food chain from coral reefs to salmon. | 8/11/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
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170 |
Beyond Solar: Do It Yourself Home Energy | Forget solar panels - how about having your own wind turbine? Your own solar thermal power generator? Your own geothermal well? San Francisco homeowners are some of the first to experiment with these DIY home-energy technologies, and they are getting some help from the city to do it. | 8/4/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
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171 |
Disappearing Plants (audio only) | Scientists say the state's plants are at risk of collapse unless they migrate or are moved to refuges. According to a new study, two-thirds of California's unique plants, some 2,300 species that grow nowhere else in the world, could be wiped out across much of their current geographic ranges by the end of the century because of rising temperatures and changing rainfall patterns. | 7/28/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 172 | VideoDisappearing Plants (special SLIDESHOW version) | Scientists say the state's plants are at risk of collapse unless they migrate or are moved to refuges. According to a new study, two-thirds of California's unique plants, some 2,300 species that grow nowhere else in the world, could be wiped out across much of their current geographic ranges by the end of the century because of rising temperatures and changing rainfall patterns. | 7/28/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
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173 |
Drugs In Our Drinking Water | Earlier this year a report came out showing that trace amounts of pharmaceuticals -- everything from ibuprofen to birth control pills -- are showing up in America's drinking water. Today, water agencies and consumers are still grappling with some unanswered questions: Do these tiny amounts of drugs pose any health risk? And if so, what can we do about them? | 7/14/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
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174 |
California Ablaze | Hot, dry conditions have made this one of the worst fire seasons in California history. With firefighters and equipment stretched thin, hundreds of remote blazes are left to simply burn. Is this a sign of fire seasons to come, and are we prepared to deal with it? | 7/7/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
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175 |
Wildlife CSI | An age-old environmental crime has become an increasing problem. Poachers illegally hunt down everything from abalone to black-tailed deer, on private lands, parks and wilderness areas. But catching poachers can be tough because of California's vast size, so state fish and game wardens are trying something new -- high-tech tools right out of TV crime lab shows. | 6/30/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 176 | VideoHow to ID a Bullet (special SLIDESHOW version) | What if you could imprint every bullet with the unique signature of the gun which fired it? That's the goal of California's bullet microstamping law, which takes effect in 2010. But does microstamping work? Scientists studying the technology say it will produce more false hopes and high costs than evidence. Supporters say that victims, families, and investigators deserve all the help they can get. | 6/23/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
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177 |
How to ID a Bullet (audio only) | What if you could imprint every bullet with the unique signature of the gun which fired it? That's the goal of California's bullet microstamping law, which takes effect in 2010. But does microstamping work? Scientists studying the technology say it will produce more false hopes and high costs than evidence. Supporters say that victims, families, and investigators deserve all the help they can get. | 6/23/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
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178 |
Eating a Low Carbon Diet | Local, organic, fair trade... Consumers looking for a sustainable diet face a lot of choices and recently, another one has been added to the list: low-carbon. But it turns out reducing your meal's carbon footprint isn't so easy. | 6/16/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
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179 |
Who Will Revive the Electric Car? | This week General Motors announced it will close four of its pickup and SUV plants and may end production of the Hummer. The news comes as gas tops four dollars and thirty cents a gallon in the Bay Area. As drivers increasingly look toward hybrids and mass transit for some relief, has the time finally come for one car technology that needs no gasoline at all? Amy Standen reports. | 6/9/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
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180 |
Exoplanets | Since 1995, astronomers have identified more than 200 new planets, but these planets aren't in our solar system. Known as exoplanets, they're the planets orbiting other suns and Bay Area scientists are leading the search. QUEST reports on some of the latest efforts to find new planets-- and maybe even life-- in outer space. | 6/2/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
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181 |
California's Fire Future | Scientists predict we'll be seeing hotter conditions and drier forests in the near future. The Summit Fire that's been burning in the Santa Cruz Mountains is likely a part of that trend. QUEST talks to Malcolm North with the U.S. Forest Service. He says any area that's burned before is vulnerable to burning again, including the coast range and Sierra Nevada. | 5/26/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
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182 |
Server Farms | Server farms - those huge collections of computers that run the networks of Google, Yahoo, and other companies - are enormous users of energy. QUEST looks at efforts to make the information superhighway more efficient. | 5/19/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
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183 |
Bike to Work | With gas prices rising, parking a headache, and a desire to reduce their carbon footprint, more and more San Franciscans are cycling. What are cities like San Francisco doing to help people who want to pedal rather than drive? | 5/12/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
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184 |
Moving Day (audio only) | For the past three years, the California Academy of Sciences, the oldest natural history museum in the West, has been housed in a temporary building in downtown San Francisco. Now the Academy is moving into a new, 400,000-square foot green building in Golden Gate Park. But when the residents are fish, penguins and millions of scientific specimens, moving in is no simple task. | 5/5/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 185 | VideoMoving Day (special SLIDESHOW version) | For the past three years, the California Academy of Sciences, the oldest natural history museum in the West, has been housed in a temporary building in downtown San Francisco. Now the Academy is moving into a new, 400,000-square foot green building in Golden Gate Park. But when the residents are fish, penguins and millions of scientific specimens, moving in is no simple task. | 5/5/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
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186 |
Mercury in the Bay - Part 2 | Last week, we took a look at how mercury enters the San Francisco Bay. This week: Now that it's here, how is it affecting us? QUEST talks to local fisherman, a physician, and a Bay ecologist to find out how we're contending with the Bay's worst toxin. | 4/28/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
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187 |
Mercury in the Bay - Part 1 (audio only) | You might not know it from the textbooks, but California's gold rush was also a mercury rush. Quicksilver mines near San Jose provided gold miners with the mercury they needed to separate gold from ore. 150 years later, we're still facing the consequences of gold-rush era mercury, much of which is lodged in the Bay's mud and in its fish. Quest reports on the legacy of mercury mining, and how Bay Area agencies are attempting to clean it up. | 4/21/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 188 | VideoMercury in the Bay - Part 1 (special SLIDESHOW version) | You might not know it from the textbooks, but California's gold rush was also a mercury rush. Quicksilver mines near San Jose provided gold miners with the mercury they needed to separate gold from ore. 150 years later, we're still facing the consequences of gold-rush era mercury, much of which is lodged in the Bay's mud and in its fish. Quest reports on the legacy of mercury mining, and how Bay Area agencies are attempting to clean it up. | 4/21/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
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189 |
Doggie DNA: Human Genetics Through Dogs | It's often said dogs and their owners resemble each other. Now, researchers at UC-San Francisco are looking for those connections on a whole new level. They're searching for the genes that cause common psychiatric problems in humans - by looking at the DNA of dogs. | 4/14/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
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190 |
Cement - A Dirty Business | Thought California has consigned coal-burning to the scrap bin? Think again! California has 11 coal-fired power plants, all used to heat limestone into cement -- making us one of the biggest cement-producing states in the country. In addition to cement, these kilns produce 95% of the state's airborne mercury pollution and 2% of its greenhouse gas emissions. Mostly, they've slipped under the radar of regulators, but that is changing fast. | 4/7/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
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191 |
Wild Prices for Wild Salmon | The expected shutdown of this year's salmon season in California is bad news not only for fishermen but for consumers too. It means that anyone buying wild salmon this year is going to pay some wild prices. There is another choice, of course, cheaper, farmed salmon. But that prospect has some consumers cringing... and it has some fish farmers thinking of new ways to please wild salmon fans. | 3/28/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
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192 |
Chevron's Plans | Richmond city officials are expected to approve a controversial upgrade to the Chevron refinery plant. Quest reports on the decision and explores the debate around Chevron's billion dollar proposal. | 3/21/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
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193 |
It's Not Easy Going Green | Many Bay Area cities are trying to clean up their acts by putting in place new green initiatives. But from San Jose to Berkeley, some city leaders are finding out it's not always so easy to turn over a new leaf. QUEST looks at the challenges municipalities face with budget constraints, legal restrictions and reluctance, on the part of some residents, to change. | 3/14/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
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194 |
Stamping out the Apple Moth | A tiny moth, new to California, is at the center of a controversy pitting state officials against Bay Area residents and politicians. The Light Brown Apple Moth is seen as a threat to California crops. Now the State Department of Food and Agriculture is planning to spray a synthetic hormone over Bay Area neighborhoods this summer to stop the moth from reproducing, but some angry residents are worried it would be unsafe. | 3/7/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
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195 |
The Toxic Business of Dry Cleaning | A new law is forcing California's dry cleaners to switch to eco-friendlier cleaning technologies. But what will the cost of envronmental progress be for these small family businesses? And will customers put up with the changes? | 2/29/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
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196 |
Sewage Happens | Last month, a Mill Valley wastewater treatment plant dumped five million gallons of sewage into the San Francisco Bay. The real shocker: Sewage spills happen all the time, even in the eco-conscious Bay Area. Much of the blame lies beneath our feet, in a deteriorating network of clay pipes, some of which date back to the Gold Rush. QUEST investigates. | 2/22/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
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197 |
Designer Biofuels | Concern over global warming and rising gas prices has just about everyone, including presidential candidates, touting biofuels. Taking the energy from plants and making a gasoline alternative to run our cars has great promise but there are huge problems to solve. The next answer may not come from Saudi Arabia but from a UC Berkeley lab, a Silicon Valley start up or a local researcher working in the jungles of Costa Rica. | 2/15/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
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198 |
The Right to Sunlight: Solar vs. Redwood Trees | In Silicon Valley, a battle between neighbors has turned into a different kind of face off: solar energy versus trees. It turns out that growing redwood trees can actually be a crime in California, if they block solar panels... as one couple in Sunnyvale found out the hard way. | 2/8/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
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199 |
Tactile Maps | Human beings have used maps to describe the world for thousands of years. Blind people have used Braille for about 150. But there's never been a way for the blind to have easy access to maps of everyday places. Until now. Amy Standen reports. | 2/1/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
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200 |
Cashing in on Carbon | This month, the Federal Trade Commission is looking at carbon offsets. Demand is booming for these green credits, where customers cancel out their greenhouse gases emissions by paying companies to preserve forests or subsidize renewable energy. Critics wonder, however, if consumers are really getting what they are paying for. | 1/25/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
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201 |
An Asteroid's Close Call | This has been a month of dashed hopes for astronomers around the world. Last month it seemed possible that an asteroid the size of a Boeing 737 jet was due to collide with Mars on January 30. Today that seems far less likely, but, as Amy Standen reports, astronomers consider it a wake up call. | 1/18/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
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202 |
Super Laser | It's one of the most expensive high-tech projects the United States has ever attempted, and some say it will never work. QUEST visits the National Ignition Facility in Livermore, where scientists will soon aim the world's largest laser at a target the size of a pencil eraser. The goal? Nuclear fusion -- and, they say, the answer to the world's clean energy needs. | 1/11/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
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203 |
The New Clean Tech | If investment is any guide, California's renewable energy companies are leaping into the new year. Investors poured billions of dollars into clean tech firms in 2007 to catapult green technologies to market. Lauren Sommer followed the trail to several Bay Area companies to see what breakthroughs lie ahead. | 1/4/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
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204 |
Cutting Tailpipe Emissions: What Next? | California is making headlines around the world this week after federal environmental officials denied the state's request to slash greenhouse gas emissions from cars and trucks. QUEST went looking for answers about what other options the state can pursue. Amy Standen reports. | 12/21/07 | Free | View In iTunes |
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205 |
Paper or Plastic? | This November, San Francisco became the first city in the country to outlaw plastic check out bags at large supermarkets, arguing that the bags are dangerous to marine life and hard to recycle. But some studies say paper bags can be just as harmful for the environment. So why target plastic? | 12/14/07 | Free | View In iTunes |
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206 |
Rising Seas | At the United Nations Climate Conference in Bali this week more than 2-hundred leading scientists issued a warning. They say that if immediate action is not taken, millions of people will be at risk from extreme events such as heat waves and floods. Here in California scientists say that as the climate warms and polar ice melts, coastal sea levels could easily rise by another three feet by the end of this century. That would have a dramatic impact on San Francisco Bay, as Craig Miller reports. | 12/7/07 | Free | View In iTunes |
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207 |
The Traffic Tax | San Francisco is studying a London-style plan to charge drivers a fee when they travel to high-traffic areas, like downtown San Francisco, or Doyle Drive during peak commute hours. But is congestion pricing a boon for public transportation? Or the death of downtown? | 11/30/07 | Free | View In iTunes |
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208 |
Nature Deficit Disorder | A growing number of parents, children's advocates and political leaders are worried that our culture's disconnection from nature is harming kids. Concerns about long-term health consequences like obesity have spawned a movement to "leave no child inside." | 11/23/07 | Free | View In iTunes |
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209 |
Cleaning up Oil in the Bay | As clean-up crews in hazmat suits scour the beaches, scientists say they'll be dealing with the aftermath of last week's oil spill for months, if not years. Why is it so hard to clean up oil, and what will happen to the thousands of gallons of spilled oil that won't be recovered? | 11/16/07 | Free | View In iTunes |
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210 |
Robot Car Race | It's one of the most unusual car races in the world. In the DARPA Grand Challenge, the cars drive themselves - no remote controls needed. And the contest is not a game. It could change the way all of us drive. | 11/2/07 | Free | View In iTunes |
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211 |
The Return of the Canal | Is California's most controversial water proposal making a comeback? QUEST reports on the fervent politics behind the Peripheral Canal - a $5 billion plan to build a pipeline around the delta, sending Sierra water directly to the state water project. | 10/26/07 | Free | View In iTunes |
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212 |
One Fish, Two Fish: The Science of Protecting Sea Life | This fall, fishing was banned or sharply limited in 18 percent of California's ocean waters from Half Moon Bay to Santa Barbara under a landmark state plan. But that was only the first part. Now, scientists need to see how fast sea life recovers. QUEST finds out: how do you count the fish in the sea? | 10/19/07 | Free | View In iTunes |
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213 |
Geothermal Heats Up | When it comes to alternative energy, most people think of solar or wind. But the hills just north of Sonoma wine country are a world leader in another kind of clean power, and under an ambitious new project, they are about to produce even more. | 10/12/07 | Free | View In iTunes |
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214 |
What's for Lunch | We've all heard the latest health advice: avoid transfats. Eat more fruits and vegetables. But for many school children, their cafeteria lunch menus haven't caught up. This year, an effort to get healthy foods to the school lunch table is tied up in a much larger debate-- national farm policy. | 10/5/07 | Free | View In iTunes |
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215 |
Oysters on the Outs | QUEST radio takes a trip to Point Reyes, where a tug of war is underway over the management of an estuary. What is most ecologically healthy for the estuary-- the preservation of pristine wilderness, or the sustainable stewardship of land and water through farming? | 9/28/07 | Free | View In iTunes |
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216 |
Perilous Diesel | Your tennis shoes. That radio you're listening to. If it wasn't made in the U.S., chances are it passed through the Port of Oakland, the fourth busiest Port in the country. But there's a downside to that convenience and those affordable prices, as Amy Standen reports. | 9/21/07 | Free | View In iTunes |
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217 |
Greening Man | Burning Man is going green. QUEST heads out to the Nevada desert to see how clean tech CEOs are tapping into this counter-culture art festival. | 9/7/07 | Free | View In iTunes |
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218 |
Sharks of the San Francisco Bay | Great white sharks outside the Golden Gate Bridge may get all the attention, but a new tagging program seeks to unlock the secrets of the considerable shark population inside the bay. | 8/31/07 | Free | View In iTunes |
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219 |
NASA Flying Car Challenge | Flying cars are usually the stuff of science fiction, but a group of engineers at NASA is hoping to change that. They're sponsoring a technology contest to revolutionize small planes - and it's open to the general public. | 8/24/07 | Free | View In iTunes |
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220 |
The Salty Water Solution | Is desalination the solution to the California's chronic water woes? Four Bay Area agencies think it might be -- and are studying whether to build the largest desalination plant in the country. | 8/17/07 | Free | View In iTunes |
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221 |
Science of Bridge Safety | After the Loma Prieta earthquake in 1989, almost all of the Bay Area's toll bridges underwent major upgrades. Yet even with the focus on retrofitting, there are still 40 Bay Area bridges that rate lower than the one that collapsed in Minneapolis. How do we know which bridges are safe? | 8/10/07 | Free | View In iTunes |
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222 |
Quest for Longevity | Americans have made an enormous leap in life expectancy over the past century. Now, Bay Area scientists are looking to extend lifespan, and "healthspan" to 100 years and beyond. | 8/3/07 | Free | View In iTunes |
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223 |
What's in your Shampoo? | Just how safe is your shampoo, eye liner or aftershave? No one really knows. In an effort to shed more light on the ingredients in everyday cosmetics and toiletries, California lawmakers passed the Safe Cosmetics Act, which takes effect this year. It requires manufacturers to report all toxic or carcinogenic ingredients to the state and lets the public decide what is safe. | 7/27/07 | Free | View In iTunes |
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224 |
Graywater Guerrillas | Over the last few years we've all been asked to tread more lightly on the planet - use less energy, less gasoline and less water. Now a growing movement of do-it-yourself-eco plumbers are testing the limits of just how green you can get before running into trouble with the law. | 7/20/07 | Free | View In iTunes |
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225 |
Big Plans for Big Oil | As Chevron hatches expansion plans for one of California's largest oil refineries, Richmond's Green Party mayor considers the future of her city, and the state. | 7/13/07 | Free | View In iTunes |
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226 |
Eco Golf Anyone? | Golf courses may look green, but they aren't that kind of "green." For many environmentalists, golf courses take away valuable habitat and use too many resources. But there's a movement afoot to make them more eco-friendly. | 7/6/07 | Free | View In iTunes |
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227 |
Harnessing Power from the Sea | Although not yet widely used, many believe tidal power has more potential than wind or solar power for meeting alternative energy needs. Quest radio looks at plans for harnessing power from the sea by San Francisco and along the northern California coast. | 6/29/07 | Free | View In iTunes |
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228 |
The Science of Making Decisions | Have you ever looked at your credit card bill and thought you needed to have your head examined? Stanford University is using complex brain imaging to study how humans make shopping decisions, and are finding that emotions play a large role in everyday purchases. | 6/22/07 | Free | View In iTunes |
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229 |
Wi-Fi Revolution | Silicon Valley is planning what will be the country's biggest wireless network, serving 40 cities and 2.4 million people. How will it work, and what are the real costs? | 6/15/07 | Free | View In iTunes |
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230 |
Cleaning Up Hunters Point | The Hunter's Point Naval Shipyard bears traces of a toxic -- and historic-- military legacy. It could also be the site of the new 49ers stadium. But cleaning up this 500 acre Superfund site is costly and time consuming. | 6/8/07 | Free | View In iTunes |
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231 |
Abandoned Boats | Abandoned boats in the San Francisco Bay and Delta do more than take up space in marinas and harbors. They can become a wellspring of pollutants, including leaking battery acid, oil, fuel, and lead from paint. But what do you do with these rusting relics? | 6/1/07 | Free | View In iTunes |
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232 |
Reconsidering Nuclear Power | Not long ago, nuclear power was unthinkable among environmentalists, particularly in California, where a moratorium on new power plants has put a lid on the industry for thirty years. But that sentiment may be changing. | 5/25/07 | Free | View In iTunes |
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233 |
Legacy of Salt | QUEST radio takes a look at the largest wetlands restoration in the West-- the South Bay Salt Ponds Restoration Project. It will take decades and cost up to $1 billion to roll back the clock to the Bay's pre-industrial conditions. | 5/18/07 | Free | View In iTunes |
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234 |
Sniffing Out Indoor Air Pollution | Most people think of their house as a sanctuary from toxic air, but indoor air pollution can be at least as potent -- and often much more so -- as what you breathe outdoors. | 5/11/07 | Free | View In iTunes |
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235 |
Falcon Fascination | Two pairs of Peregrine falcons are carrying out their mating season under the gaze of thousands of observers, online and in two Bay Area cities. QUEST Radio reports. | 5/4/07 | Free | View In iTunes |
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236 |
Relaxing the Rules on Toxics Reporting | For 20 years, U.S. factories that put toxic chemicals into the air and water had to report them to the federal government and the public. The Bush Administration recently lowered those requirements by rewriting E.P.A rules. QUEST radio reports. | 4/27/07 | Free | View In iTunes |
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237 |
Earth Day Radio Special: The History of Environmental Justice | QUEST radio takes a look at the history of the environmental justice movement, and where it's going. | 4/20/07 | Free | View In iTunes |
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238 |
Ask a Scientist: Science Cafes | It is a typical evening at a popular SF cafe - cappuccinos, beer, conversation... and a lecture on mathematical theorems? Bay Area "science cafes" have exploded in popularity, putting scientists and everyday folks face-to-face for casual science lectures and Q&A. | 4/13/07 | Free | View In iTunes |
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239 |
Drive by Extinction | A sure sign of spring in San Mateo County was once the emergence of the Bay Checkerspot Butterfly until one Spring it wasn't there. Now after a six-year absence, it has returned-- with assistance-- to Edgewood Park and Natural Preserve. | 4/6/07 | Free | View In iTunes |
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240 |
Devil's Slide | An infamous stretch of Route 1 is on its way to becoming the site of California's first highway tunnel in 43 years. For those working on the project, it's an opportunity of a lifetime. | 3/30/07 | Free | View In iTunes |
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241 |
Stormwatchers Predict Flooding | Global warming and seasonal storms are putting California's low-lying areas at risk. A new network of high-tech weather sensors is making the streams, tributaries and dams of the American River the country's most closely-monitored water system. | 3/23/07 | Free | View In iTunes |
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242 |
Bringing Back Urban Bees | Spring may be in the air, but our pollinators may not be. The U.S. bee population has declined, especially in urban areas. In the San Francisco Bay Area, there's a new buzz to bring wild, native bees to the urban landscape. | 3/16/07 | Free | View In iTunes |
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243 |
Video Games for New Audiences | Video games are becoming so popular that last year's sales in the U.S. surpassed movie ticket revenue. The almost 50 million people that are living with a disability in the U.S. are wanting a voice in how the games are designed. | 3/9/07 | Free | View In iTunes |
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244 |
America's Last Whaling Station | The Bay Area was home to the last whale hunting fleet in the United States - only a generation ago. Quest investigates how Richmond, California was part of a historic moment, and what remains today. | 3/2/07 | Free | View In iTunes |
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245 |
Investing in Clean Tech | Silicon Valley investors are betting that clean power is the Valley's next boom. With solar and other alternative energy industries evolving into big business, how are the faces of the environmental movement changing? | 2/23/07 | Free | View In iTunes |
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246 |
Urban Heat Islands | Buildings, concrete, asphalt, tar roof tops and industry have caused cities to reach higher temperatures than surrounding rural areas. Now, green-minded architects are taking cooler approaches to their designs. | 2/16/07 | Free | View In iTunes |
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247 |
AB32: California's New Global Warming Law | Last fall, Governor Schwarzenegger signed a landmark piece of legislation-- the first in the nation-- to reduce greenhouse gas emissions across the state. But signing the The Global Warming Solutions Act was the easy part. | 2/9/07 | Free | View In iTunes |
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248 |
Biodiesel Road Trip | It's pretty easy to drive a converted biodiesel car when you live in the Bay Area, but what about a road trip? Our Quest producers drive to LA. and back in a biodiesel van to see how easy it is to be green. | 2/2/07 | Free | View In iTunes |
| Total: 248 Episodes |
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