Climate
California's Farm Belt Didn't Dodge the Summer Heat Wave
Autumn is here, so says the calendar. Living on the coast, it might be easy to think that California escaped the heat wave suffered by much of the nation this summer. While that may be true for most of the large coastal population centers, it was a different story for much of the state's interior farm belt.
Post on Sep 24, 2012 by Craig Miller from KQED Science
Heat and Harvest: Calif. Farms on a Climate Collision Course
New pests, a shrinking water supply and rising temperatures will alter agriculture in California.
Post on Sep 24, 2012 by Molly Samuel from KQED Science
Heat, Salt and Pests Threaten California Fields
California's warming climate is having a big impact on farmers. Find out more from our multimedia series, "Heat and Harvest."
Audio Report on Sep 23, 2012 by Craig Miller from KQED Science
The Heat is On For California Wines
You’ve probably heard of the wines that made Napa and Sonoma famous, like Cabernet Sauvignon or Chardonnay. But what about Negroamaro or Nero d’Avola? They’re wine grapes that are well-adapted to hotter temperatures — the kind of conditions that California may be facing as the climate continues to warm.
Audio Report on Sep 04, 2012 by Lauren Sommer 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
Fracking Gives Hydrogen Fuel Cells New Life
In 2009, U.S. Secretary of the Department of Energy Steven Chu dismissed zero-emission hydrogen fuel cell vehicles as an impractical alternative to electric cars. Now an abundant supply of natural gas, from which hydrogen can be extracted, is changing Chu's mind, but that natural gas comes from the controversial hydraulic fracturing process.
Post on Aug 08, 2012 by C.K. Hickey from QUEST Northern California
Getting Back on a Bike: Exploring San Francisco on Two Wheels
I spent a sunny Wednesday cruising through the city alongside a great San Francisco native on a bike tour facilitated by Streets of San Francisco (SoSF) – which is not anywhere near a normal activity for me.
Post on Jul 19, 2012 by Cat from QUEST Northern California
Post on Jul 11, 2012 by Bradley Berman from QUEST Northern California
KQED Science Fan Spotlight
We'd like to share your stories about why you're passionate about science.
Post on Jun 13, 2012 by Jenny Oh from QUEST Northern California
Ford Focus Electric Hits the Market With Faster Charging Times
The all-electric Nissan Leaf first went on sale in December 2010. Until a couple of weeks ago, the Leaf had been the only EV available to U.S. consumers from a major automaker. That changed in mid-May when, according to a report by Reuters, Ford started shipping the 2012 Focus Electric to dealers.
Post on Jun 06, 2012 by Bradley Berman from QUEST Northern California
Brammo Unveils Powerful New All-Electric Motorcycle
Consider these two numbers: 100 and 100, as in 100 miles-per-hour and 100 miles of driving range. Those are the two key metrics for the all-electric Brammo Empulse motorcycle that was launched in Los Angeles earlier this month.
Post on May 22, 2012 by Bradley Berman from QUEST Northern California
A Ribbon Cutting with a Green Twist
On the afternoon of Tuesday, May 15, 2012, I hitched a ride with my closest friend from San Francisco out to Palo Alto to attend the ribbon cutting for the first public fast charger in California for electric vehicles in Stanford Mall.
Post on May 17, 2012 by Cat from QUEST Northern California
Which Are Gassier, Volcanoes or Humans?
Volcanoes release a lot of gas, including carbon dioxide. Can we blame them for climate change instead of us?
Post on May 03, 2012 by Andrew Alden from QUEST Northern California
Plug-in Version of Prius Quietly Rolls Out on California Roads
Toyota's new Plug-in Hybrid Prius quietly enters the auto market.
Post on Apr 24, 2012 by Bradley Berman from QUEST Northern California
Post on Apr 17, 2012 by Andrea Kissack from QUEST Northern California
Natural Gas Cars Remain Niche Choice for Bay Area Commuters
The 2012 Honda Civic Natural Gas is eligible for a white carpool lane decal—granted only to cars that run on compressed natural gas or purely on electricity—but adoption of CNG cars has been slow.
Post on Apr 10, 2012 by Bradley Berman from QUEST Northern California
California Utility Commission Defends $100 Million EV Charging Deal
Electric car drivers cheered last week when the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) and NRG Energy announced plans to invest $100 million in the state’s electric vehicle charging infrastructure.
Post on Mar 30, 2012 by Bradley Berman from QUEST Northern California
Signs of Spring: Earlier this Year?
Seems like Spring is "bustin' out all over" the Bay Area in the last few weeks. Bare branches of deciduous plants, dormant through the short days of winter are swelling with new life.
Post on Mar 02, 2012 by Sharol Nelson-Embry 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
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
