Cleaning Up Oil in the Bay
It has been nine days since a Chinese freighter hit the Bay Bridge spilling 58-thousand gallons of bunker fuel into the Bay. After a massive effort only 25 percent of the oil has been cleaned up. And experts say they may not be able to recover much more. Amy Standen reports.
Audio Report on Nov 16, 2007 by Amy Standen from QUEST Northern California
To the Moon
NASA has announced a new effort to send humans back to the moon, possibly to build an outpost by 2020. Mountain View's NASA Ames Research Center identifies scientific investigations that could be performed there on everything from geology to global warming. But some critics question the space agency's priorities.
Audio Report on Nov 08, 2007 by KQED QUEST staff from QUEST Northern California
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.
Audio Report on Nov 02, 2007 by KQED QUEST staff from QUEST Northern California
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.
Audio Report on Oct 26, 2007 by KQED QUEST staff from QUEST Northern California
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?
Audio Report on Oct 19, 2007 by KQED QUEST staff from QUEST Northern California
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.
Audio Report on Oct 11, 2007 by KQED QUEST staff from QUEST Northern California
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.
Audio Report on Oct 04, 2007 by Lauren Sommer from QUEST Northern California
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?
Audio Report on Sep 28, 2007 by KQED QUEST staff from QUEST Northern California
Perilous Diesel (radio)
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.
Audio Report on Sep 20, 2007 by KQED QUEST staff from QUEST Northern California
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.
Audio Report on Sep 07, 2007 by KQED QUEST staff from QUEST Northern California
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.
Audio Report on Aug 30, 2007 by KQED QUEST staff from QUEST Northern California
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.
Audio Report on Aug 23, 2007 by KQED QUEST staff from QUEST Northern California
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.
Audio Report on Aug 17, 2007 by KQED QUEST staff from QUEST Northern California
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?
Audio Report on Aug 10, 2007 by KQED QUEST staff from QUEST Northern California
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.
Audio Report on Aug 03, 2007 by KQED QUEST staff from QUEST Northern California
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.
Audio Report on Jul 27, 2007 by KQED QUEST staff from QUEST Northern California
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.
Audio Report on Jul 20, 2007 by KQED QUEST staff from QUEST Northern California
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.
Audio Report on Jul 13, 2007 by KQED QUEST staff from QUEST Northern California
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.
Audio Report on Jul 05, 2007 by KQED QUEST staff from QUEST Northern California
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.
Audio Report on Jun 29, 2007 by KQED QUEST staff from QUEST Northern California
