Biology
Millipede Mystery: A New Fluorescent Subspecies on Alcatraz?
During a routine February survey on Alcatraz Island, surveyors found no sign no rats. Instead, they discovered a colony of millipedes glowing with an intense white light.
Post on Mar 14, 2012 by Thibault Worth from QUEST Northern California
Grazing a New Trail
In California's arid San Joaquin Valley, scientists propose a novel approach to managing the landscape to benefit the threatened lizards, kangaroo rats, and squirrels who call it home. Livestock grazing, often demonized in the conservation world, can actually help create livable habitat for smaller creatures when well-managed.
Post on Mar 13, 2012 by Helen Taylor from QUEST Northern California
The Fact and Fiction of Fantastic Hybrids
Have you heard of the Poisonous Fiddlerfrog, whose tadpoles grow up into crabs? Or the Hummingshrew, who eats flies as well as nectar? These animals aren't real, so you'd only know about them if you've seen Voyage Through a Hidden World.
Post on Mar 07, 2012 by Danna Staaf from QUEST Northern California
Reproduction Unleashed
Stem cell technology may one day help infertile couples conceive. And it might even allow same sex couples to conceive as well.
Post on Mar 05, 2012 by Dr. Barry Starr from QUEST Northern California
Lone Wolf’s Historic Trek Provokes Questions and Concerns
OR7, the lone gray wolf from a pack in Oregon, crossed back into his home state yesterday after two months of wandering in Northern California. With OR7’s arrival, California has been thrown into a national debate about how to manage wolves.
Audio Report on Mar 02, 2012 by Lauren Sommer from QUEST Northern California
Fantastic Voyage: The Salmon's Uphill Struggle for Survival
California's critically endangered coho salmon are at a crossroads. Hundreds of thousands of fish once returned to our streams to spawn. But dams, water diversion, and habitat destruction have pushed the coho to the brink of extinction. Without heroic habitat restoration and water conservation efforts, we may lose our storied silver fish.
Post on Feb 29, 2012 by Liza Gross from QUEST Northern California
Beautiful Slime
Ross's film Leviathans is on display at the Vast and Undetectable exhibit in the San Francisco Arts Commission Gallery.
Post on Feb 21, 2012 by Danna Staaf from QUEST Northern California
Evolution, Easy as Can Be
Evolving from something simple like a single celled beast into a slug, mushroom, cactus or a human seems impossibly hard. The series of precise DNA changes you need is mind-boggling to think about. Unless, of course, the changes are easier than we imagine.
Post on Feb 20, 2012 by Dr. Barry Starr from QUEST Northern California
A Birder’s-Eye View of Conservation
The Great Backyard Bird Count gives novice Bay Area wildlife watchers the chance to play field biologist in their own backyards and help scientists gather data on the incidence, abundance, and distribution of birds. Researchers will use sightings to identify trends that will help conserve these valuable indicators of biodiversity.
Post on Feb 15, 2012 by Liza Gross from QUEST Northern California
One Whale's Tale
A rooftop is a long way from the deep blue sea, so when I learned that the skull of a juvenile minke whale was resting atop the California Academy of Sciences' living roof, my curiosity was piqued.
Post on Feb 13, 2012 by Helen Taylor from QUEST Northern California
What Can Lake Vostok Tell Us About Europa?
Does the prospect of life in subglacial Lake Vostok really point to the same on the icy satellite Europa? The answer may surprise you.
Post on Feb 09, 2012 by Andrew Alden from QUEST Northern California
California’s Gray Wolves
When a gray wolf wearing a GPS collar crossed from Oregon into California in December, it was the first wild gray wolf to tread on California soil since the 1920s. It is debatable whether this lone wolf is a sign of things to come, but if wolves return to California, their role in the ecosystem will be different than it was in times past.
Post on Feb 06, 2012 by Jennifer Skene from QUEST Northern California
Science Fair for the Rest of Us
If you want to do a science fair project, one of the best places to do one in the South Bay is at Schmahl Science.
Post on Feb 06, 2012 by Dr. Barry Starr from QUEST Northern California
Feeling Biocurious? How To Get Your DIY Bio On
Maybe you have an idea to make bacteria that can sense or even break down mercury in the environment. Or you just always wanted to do some biology. Where can you turn?
Post on Jan 23, 2012 by Dr. Barry Starr from QUEST Northern California
The Benefits of Radioactive Fallout
Wildlife seems to be thriving in the radioactive areas around Chernobyl. For now it looks like if animals had to choose, they'd choose radioactivity over humans.
Post on Jan 09, 2012 by Dr. Barry Starr from QUEST Northern California
Got Science on the Brain? Come Blog with QUEST
Got science on the brain? Come blog with us. KQED’s QUEST is looking to add new voices to our blog, which already offers commentary from our producers, reporters, and several writers from science organizations in our region. pply by February 1st.
Post on Jan 02, 2012 by Craig Rosa from QUEST Northern California
Homegrown Fruit in the New Year
Is your new year’s resolution to eat more fruits and veggies? Or eat more local produce? You can do both at once by growing your own fruit—you can’t get more local than fruit you harvest in your own backyard.
Post on Jan 02, 2012 by Jennifer Skene from QUEST Northern California
We Don’t Want the Funk (in our Wine)
Scientists are using DNA sequencing to protect our wines by keeping future sulfite-resistant forms of the yeast Brettanomyces bruxellensis at bay.
Post on Dec 26, 2011 by Dr. Barry Starr from QUEST Northern California
Got Mercury? The New EPA Ruling And The San Francisco Bay
This week, after decades of legal delays and foot dragging by the coal and power industry, the EPA unveiled a new rule protecting public health from mercury and other toxins.
Post on Dec 23, 2011 by David McGuire from QUEST Northern California
Sand: Hold a Mountain in Your Hand
Sand . . . we play in it, we stroll on it, we make castles out of it, but what do we really know about it? The size, shape and location of a grain a sand can tell us a lot about it's origin, makeup and history.
Post on Dec 22, 2011 by Terri Kirby-Hathaway from QUEST North Carolina
