Biology
When Scientists Were Artists: The Royal Society's Picture Library Goes Digital
A hammerhead shark's baleful stare. A longnose batfish's fierce armor and delicate fins. These masterpieces of expression and scientific detail fill the pages of the world's first ichthyology book, De Historia Piscium, published in 1686 by the Royal Society.
Post on Jun 12, 2012 by Danna Staaf from QUEST Northern California
Tackling the Cause of Cystic Fibrosis One Mutation at a Time
There was big news in the cystic fibrosis (CF) field recently: a new CF drug called ivacaftor (or VX-770 or Kalydeco) has been approved that does more than target the symptoms of CF. It actually works to get the broken gene working again. The good news is that this is the first treatment that has [...]
Post on Jun 11, 2012 by Dr. Barry Starr from QUEST Northern California
The Fungus Among Us Could Help Clean Oily Soil
There’s more to fungi than just mushrooms. Buried in the soil live large fiber networks of fungi. And these fibrous microbes might be able to help clean up polluted soil.
Post on Jun 06, 2012 by Melissae Fellet from QUEST Northern California
The Man Who Made California Safe for Mountain Lions
More than 40 years ago, Sen. John Dunlap (D-Napa) made conservation history when his mountain lion hunting moratorium passed the California Legislature and became law in 1971. He recalls the fight to pass the bill and his guiding principle, "when in doubt, preserve."
Post on May 30, 2012 by Liza Gross from QUEST Northern California
Why Your Newfound Uniqueness is a Nightmare for Your Doctor
A couple of new studies confirm what many of us have feared: each of us is surprisingly unique genetically. This is to be feared because of the impact it will have on the future of personalized medicine.
Post on May 28, 2012 by Dr. Barry Starr from QUEST Northern California
It's Summer Vacation Time for the California Least Tern
The least tern, smallest of our three tern species, will be with us for the summer. They arrive along California’s shore with their tuxedo colors and distinctive white “V” on their forehead in late April.
Post on May 25, 2012 by Sharol Nelson-Embry from QUEST Northern California
California's Deadlocked Delta: Is Carbon Farming the Future?
California’s Delta has a rich agricultural legacy, but farming there can be a risky business. Dozens of farms have been flooded over the past half century as aging levees have collapsed. Now, scientists are encouraging farmers to switch to a new crop. Instead of growing vegetables, they’d grow something that has all but disappeared in the Delta: wetlands.
Audio Report on May 18, 2012 by Lauren Sommer from QUEST Northern California
Making Women Partners in Breast Cancer Research
Dr. Susan Love, breast cancer surgeon and women's health advocate, has long railed against cancer researchers' fixation on treatments and cures. After spending more than $4 billion on breast cancer research, we still don't know what causes the disease or how to prevent it. It's time to focus on looking for causes, she says. And she wants your help.
Post on May 16, 2012 by Liza Gross from QUEST Northern California
Tomorrow’s Science Illustrators Step Up To the Plate
Science illustration began in a time when drawing was the only way to record the anatomy of a bird or the life stages of a flower. But is illustration still useful today, when it seems every cell phone has an 8 MB camera with zoom, auto-focus and image stabilization?
Post on May 15, 2012 by Danna Staaf from QUEST Northern California
Your Videos on QUEST: Kip Evans
Kip Evans is a natural history documentary filmmaker and photographer from Pacific Grove, California. This is an excerpt of his short film, “Isla Holbox: Whale Shark Island."
Video on May 15, 2012 by Amy Miller from QUEST Northern California
Heron Spotting in Golden Gate Park
It's prime time for Great Blue Heron viewing at Golden Gate Park's Stow Lake. Visit in the next couple of weeks to see newly-hatched chicks learning to fly. Heron chicks hatch from eggs that are slightly bigger than a chicken’s and grow to full size in just 10-12 weeks.
Post on May 14, 2012 by Helen Taylor from QUEST Northern California
Personalized Medicine: A Potential Tool for Predicting Disease?
We may finally be at the threshold of the age of personalized medicine. In a recent study, scientists were able to predict that a man was at a higher risk for developing Type 2 diabetes and over a two-year period tracked his health as he developed the disease.
Post on May 14, 2012 by Dr. Barry Starr from QUEST Northern California
Tag Along On Science Adventures: The Field Trip Podcast
Season 2 of the science podcast, "The Field Trip" premieres today.
Post on May 14, 2012 by Jennifer Huber from QUEST Northern California
California's Deadlocked Delta: Can We Bring Back What We've Lost?
California's Delta is a far cry from what it once was. About 97% of its historic marshes have been lost and scientists aren’t quite sure what the Delta once looked like. Now, a Bay Area group is working to reconstruct it through ecological detective work.
Audio Report on May 11, 2012 by Lauren Sommer from QUEST Northern California
“The Art of Nature” Educates and Inspires
The First Friday Art Tour took place on May 4th at the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History's exhibit, "The Art of Nature."
Post on May 08, 2012 by Danna Staaf from QUEST Northern California
Exploring Corals of the Deep
Off California's coastline, thousands of feet below the deep blue ocean where the sun's rays don't reach, teems a diverse community of deep sea corals. Armed with unmanned submarines equipped with robotic arms, sensors and HD cameras, scientists are exploring this treasure trove of corals and the rich marine life living among them.
Video on May 08, 2012 by Sheraz Sadiq from QUEST Northern California
California's Deadlocked Delta: Can it Be Fixed?
The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta has been the subject of a decades-long water war, but most Californians have never heard of it. Why is it so important? And can the state ever break the water deadlock?
Audio Report on May 04, 2012 by Lauren Sommer from QUEST Northern California
Different Deltas: Q&A with Jason Peltier of Westlands Water District
QUEST Radio Reporter Lauren Sommer interviews Jason Peltier, Deputy General Manager of Westlands Water District, a 600,000 acre agricultural district on the west side of the San Joaquin valley.
Post on May 04, 2012 by Lauren Sommer from QUEST Northern California
Different Deltas: Q&A with Barry Nelson of the Natural Resources Defense Council
QUEST Radio Reporter Lauren Sommer interviews Barry Nelson, Senior Policy Analyst with the Natural Resources Defense Council about the pressures on the Delta ecosystem and the competing plans to manage them.
Post on May 04, 2012 by Lauren Sommer from QUEST Northern California
What is California’s Delta?
If you’re like most Californians, you’ve probably never heard of the Delta or why it’s important to the state’s economy and wildlife. In three minutes, we’ll explain how the Delta is a key part of California’s water supply and why it’s been the focus of a decades-long water battle.
Video on May 04, 2012 by Lauren Sommer from QUEST Northern California
