QUEST Community Science Blog
Be Moved by "Earthquake": A New E-book and iTunes U Course
What are earthquakes? Gain a new perspective on these powerful phenomena with an e-book and iTunes U course co-produced by the California Academy of Sciences and KQED.
Post on Sep 11, 2012 by Andrea Swensrud from QUEST Northern California
Scientific Whimsy: The Magical Art of Tiffany Bozic
Tiffany Bozic, the first Artist-in-Residence at the California Academy of Sciences, named her first child after a rare bird found in Southeast Asia: Tesia olivea.
Post on Sep 11, 2012 by Danna Staaf from QUEST Northern California
The Results Are In For My Genetics Quiz
In my last blog entry, I wrote a quiz that tested some basic knowledge about genetics that experts have found the public struggles with. What I found from the responses I received is that the QUEST public doesn’t struggle with them or, more likely, people only answer quizzes like this if they are pretty confident [...]
Post on Sep 10, 2012 by Dr. Barry Starr from QUEST Northern California
Will the Asteroid Apophis Rock Our World?
With all of the giant rocks flying around in space that can cross Earth's orbit and therefore be a impact threat, what are the odds of one hitting us?
Post on Sep 07, 2012 by Ben Burress from QUEST Northern California
Geological Side Trips from Interstate 80: Griffith Quarry in Penryn
Sometimes you need a break when you're taking Interstate 80 to or from the Sierra. Try this historic quarry in the foothills.
Post on Sep 06, 2012 by Andrew Alden from QUEST Northern California
Braking for Beetles: When Recreation and Conservation Converge
The endangered Ohlone tiger beetle, found only in Santa Cruz County, depends on disturbed landscapes to hunt and breed. Migrating woolly mammoths and more recently grazing elk helped maintain that habitat. Recreational trails might prove a good replacement–as long as mountain bikers follow rules to reduce beetle casualties.
Post on Sep 05, 2012 by Liza Gross from QUEST Northern California
Facebook and Frank Gehry: Will the New Building Be A Marriage of Sustainability?
Facebook hired Frank Gehry to design its new building. Why? If the 'book wanted a green building (and who'd dare to build in the Bay Area without "a big emphasis on being eco-friendly"?), Gehry is a less than obvious choice.
Post on Sep 04, 2012 by Danna Staaf from QUEST Northern California
Should Men Get A PSA Blood Test To Screen For Prostate Cancer?
Medical experts disagree on whether prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood tests are an effective screening technique for prostate cancer. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends against PSA screening for men of any age, but recent research disagrees with this assessment.
Post on Sep 03, 2012 by Jennifer Huber from QUEST Northern California
Waterways of the Largest Estuary on the West Coast
San Francisco Bay's watershed extends to the Sierras. Ponder the waterways of the largest estuary in western North America.
Post on Aug 31, 2012 by Sharol Nelson-Embry from QUEST Northern California
Outdoor Labs: The UC Natural Reserve System
The University of California runs a unique set of 38 pristine properties around the state for scientific research.
Post on Aug 30, 2012 by Andrew Alden from QUEST Northern California
Starbucks' Food Waste Fuels Experimental Biorefinery
Most of our plastics come from petroleum-based chemicals. Now, thanks to engineered microbes, similar materials might be made using food waste from Starbucks.
Post on Aug 29, 2012 by Melissae Fellet from QUEST Northern California
Squid Skin: Why Pigment (But Not Glitter) Will Dance to the Beat
Squid and their relatives–a group of animals known as cephalopods–have the world's best skin. And it's not because they moisturize, lack pimples, or tan without ever burning. It's because their skin is a canvas of endless possibilities.
Post on Aug 28, 2012 by Danna Staaf from QUEST Northern California
NASA's New Mars Rover: Armed and Curious
Space exploration has caught up with science fiction (again): we have deployed laser-armed nuclear-powered robot on Mars, and nearly two weeks after landing, NASA's Mars Science Laboratory, the rover Curiosity, has fired that weapon on a Martian rock.
Post on Aug 24, 2012 by Ben Burress from QUEST Northern California
Energy Geeks Converge at ACEEE's Boot Camp
Every two years the staff of the magazine I edit, Home Energy, is invited down to the Asilomar Conference Grounds in Pacific Grove, California, to publish a daily newsletter for the biennial ACEEE Summer Study of Energy Efficiency in Buildings.
Post on Aug 23, 2012 by Jim Gunshinan from QUEST Northern California
Geoscientists Without Borders
The chance to do good with their tools draws geoscientists to humanitarian projects around the world.
Post on Aug 23, 2012 by Andrew Alden from QUEST Northern California
In Defense of Science: An Interview with NCSE’s Eugenie Scott
Eugenie Scott, longtime director of Oakland's National Center for Science Education, has won numerous awards for helping the public understand science and defending evolution, especially against threats to replace it with “creation science” in public schools. She shares her thoughts on the challenges of communicating science in a climate of denial.
Post on Aug 22, 2012 by Liza Gross from QUEST Northern California
Collaborative Creativity in the Digital World
When you think of digital art, Photoshop or a Wacom tablet may come to mind. And yes, drawing on a screen instead of a pad of paper is certainly one kind of digital art. But digital art can also happen on an entirely different level: art can be made with lines of code.
Post on Aug 21, 2012 by Danna Staaf from QUEST Northern California
Arm Yourselves for the Upcoming (Genetics) Revolution
As a nation, we aren’t teaching the right genetics in our schools. And for those of us out of school, the situation is, if anything, even worse. By and large we lack the fundamental knowledge needed to properly interpret the avalanche of data headed our way.
Post on Aug 20, 2012 by Dr. Barry Starr from QUEST Northern California
Traipsing the Dipsea Trail
A hiking adventure on the Dipsea Trail from Mill Valley to Stinson Beach explores the transect through coastal habitats.
Post on Aug 17, 2012 by Sharol Nelson-Embry from QUEST Northern California
Stanford's Signature Sandstone
Many prestigious schools feature stone buildings, but the golden sandstone of Stanford's historic core is one of a kind.
Post on Aug 16, 2012 by Andrew Alden from QUEST Northern California
