About
KQED (kqed.org) has served Northern California for more than 50 years and is affiliated with NPR and PBS. KQED owns and operates public television stations KQED 9 (San Francisco/Bay Area), KTEH 54 (San Jose/Bay Area), and KQET 25 (Watsonville/Monterey); KQED Public Radio (88.5FM San Francisco and 89.3FM Sacramento); the interactive platforms kqed.org, kteh.org, and KQEDnews.org; and KQED Education. KQED Public Television, one of the nation's most-watched public television stations, is the producer of local and national series such as QUEST; Check, Please! Bay Area; This Week in Northern California; Truly CA; and Essential Pépin. KQED's digital television channels include 9HD, Life, World, Kids, and V-me, and are available 24/7 on Comcast. KQED Public Radio, home of Forum with Michael Krasny and The California Report, is one of the most-listened-to public radio stations in the nation with an award-winning news and public affairs program service delivering more than 18 local newscasts daily. KQED Interactive hosts KQED’s cross-platform news service, KQED News, and offers video and audio podcasts and a live radio stream at kqed.org. KQED Education brings the impact of KQED to thousands of teachers, students, parents, and the general public through workshops, community screenings, and multimedia resources.
All Contributions by KQED QUEST:
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 Bay Area scientists find themselves waging two campaigns: to develop drugs that work, and to convince alcoholics to take them.
Audio Report on Jun 13, 2011
Is it Time for SETI to Stop Looking?
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?
Audio Report on May 09, 2011
Earthquake Warning
When a devastating earthquake shook Japan last month, some residents knew it was coming. A series of warning signals was 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.
Audio Report on Apr 11, 2011
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.
Audio Report on Apr 04, 2011
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.
Audio Report on Mar 07, 2011
The Heroic Imagination Project
40 years ago, Stanford psychology professor Phillip Zimbardo's notorious Stanford Prison Experiment demonstrated how good people can do evil things. Now, his "Heroic Imagination Project" takes those lessons to an Oakland high school to see if heroes can also be made.
Audio Report on Feb 21, 2011
Land Preservation on the Chopping Block
For more than four decades, much of California's ranchland has been protected by the Williamson Act. But with the state's budget woes, its funding is threatened – and that has both ranchers and environmentalists concerned.
Audio Report on Feb 14, 2011
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.
Audio Report on Feb 07, 2011
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?
Audio Report on Jan 24, 2011
California's Basement Bargains on Home Efficiency
Once upon a time, the job of your local utility — say, PG&E, or SMUD in Sacramento was simple: to sell you energy. Well, that business model is changing. Amy Standen reports.
Audio Report on Jan 10, 2011
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.
Audio Report on Jan 03, 2011
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 men. The direction you're flying matters, too. Jet lag is worse when traveling from west to east. In fact, studies suggests that jet lag can do a lot more than just wear us out
Audio Report on Dec 13, 2010
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. Several science museums and aquariums 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.
Audio Report on Nov 22, 2010
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.
Audio Report on Nov 08, 2010
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.
Audio Report on Oct 18, 2010
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.
Audio Report on Oct 11, 2010
All Charged Up Over EMFs
The wireless age has introduced countless devices that many of us can't live without, like cell phones, laptop computers and wifi routers. Like all electronics they communicate using electromagnetic frequencies – or EMFs. Some people worry that EMFs are making them sick – and say that technology should slow down, as Amy Standen reports.
Audio Report on Aug 23, 2010
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.
Audio Report on Jul 26, 2010
Strawberries and Worker Safety – Part Two
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.
Audio Report on Jun 14, 2010
Strawberries and Worker Safety
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.
Audio Report on Jun 07, 2010
