Education
Thinking Like a Pirate – or a Scientist
New understandings about how scientists think inspire changes in school science standards.
Post on May 16, 2013 by Clancy J. Wolf from QUEST Northwest
Do Now #74: Earth Day
Calling all students on this Earth Day: Do you make it a regular practice to care for the environment? If so, what do you do? If not, why?
Post on Apr 22, 2013 by Andrea Swensrud from QUEST Northern California
Two Local Kids Are Semi-Finalists in a National Wildlife Art Contest
A pair of local young artists have won a big environmental prize.
Post on Apr 22, 2013 by Amy Standen from QUEST Northern California
Richard Misrach’s Cancer Alley: Documenting the Poisoning of America’s Wetland
In the new exhibition on display at Stanford's Cantor Arts Center, "Revisiting the South: Richard Misrach's Cancer Alley," the Berkeley photographer takes a hard look at the environmental consequences of our dependence on petroleum.
Post on Apr 03, 2013 by Liza Gross from KQED Science
Exploratorium’s Science with Spirit Transcends Place
A record number of visitors mobbed San Francisco's Exploratorium on its last day at the Palace of Fine Arts. The mood was bittersweet–not just visitors but a good part of the staff grew up at this place. But for the Exploratorium, the magic of science is where you make it.
Post on Jan 09, 2013 by Liza Gross from QUEST Northern California
Can Earth Survive Without Scientist-Citizens?
Last summer, a group of top scientists warned that our penchant for growth and consumption may be pushing earth toward an irreversible tipping point. The days when scientists could share their results with just their colleagues are over, says NOAA Administrator Jane Lubchenco. It's time for scientists to help solve our "wicked problems."
Post on Dec 12, 2012 by Liza Gross from QUEST Northern California
Information Is Beautiful Competition: San Francisco Design Company Takes Top Prize
The Bay Area is a magnet for both artistic spirits and data freaks. So, although the inaugural Information is Beautiful award competition drew entries from around the world, perhaps it isn't too surprising that the ultimate prize was snagged by San Francisco design company Stamen.
Post on Oct 16, 2012 by Danna Staaf from QUEST Northern California
California Wildlife Mural Celebrates Its Third Birthday
In 2009, after West Valley College built its brand new biology building, a group of faculty stood in the natural history lab staring at a blank wall. "It's too empty," they agreed. "How about a mural?" suggested biology and genetics instructor Molly Schrey.
Post on Sep 18, 2012 by Danna Staaf from QUEST Northern California
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
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
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
Illustrating Science: Int'l Science and Engineering Fair Student Projects Beautifully Visualized
ISEF student projects can be just as esoteric as Nobel laureates' research. But this year, those of ISEF's student scientists lucky enough to be paired with professional artists will see their research translated into compelling and accessible posters for the public.
Post on Jul 24, 2012 by Danna Staaf from QUEST Northern California
Soaring in Space: Citizen Science at 103,000 Feet
Citizen scientist Marc Labriet and students from Valley Christian High School in Dublin, CA collaborated on a special balloon project to retrieve images from near space as well as test theories on gamma rays and radiation repercussion yields.
Post on Jun 14, 2012 by Cat from QUEST Northern California
Diversity in the Valley: The NewME Accelerator (Part Two)
This week we’re back in Silicon Valley, with a program called NewME, or New Media Entrepreneurship. It’s designed to encourage women and minorities to found technology companies. Seven participants from around the country shared a house in San Francisco for three months, got coached on their business plans and attempted to perfect the art of the pitch.
Audio Report on Jun 08, 2012 by Amy Standen from QUEST Northern California
Field Notes: Oakland Zoo in Uganda
In this "Field Notes" segment, Amy Gotliffe, director of conservation at the Oakland Zoo, shares her photographs and stories from Uganda, where the zoo's Bodongo Snare Removal Project works to protect endangered chimpanzees from illegal poaching.
Video on May 08, 2012 by Amy Miller from QUEST Northern California
Gigapans: Panoramas that Bring You All the Way There
These gigantic, zoomable photographs bring all the glory of great places to your screen. They also bring you geologic lessons of all sizes.
Post on Feb 23, 2012 by Andrew Alden from QUEST Northern California
Explaining Earthquakes
Dig into the science of earthquakes! Learn the basics, check out an animation on seismic waves, test your quake knowledge, and hear from a Bay Area geophysicist.
Explainer on Feb 07, 2012 by Jenny Oh 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
Top KQED QUEST Stories of 2011
From hackerspaces to banana slugs, flying telescopes to cheese – it's been a quite a diverse year of storytelling here at QUEST. Here's a round-up of the top 10 video and audio stories and blog posts that you've enjoyed from the past year.
Post on Dec 21, 2011 by Jenny Oh from QUEST Northern California
Wanted: Scientist Comments
If you’ve ever talked to a scientist, you know they usually have pretty strong opinions that they are not shy about expressing. Except, apparently, in the comments section of general science blogs. Here the silence is scary and, depending on whether these comment sections matter or not, potentially dangerous.
Post on Dec 03, 2012 by Dr. Barry Starr from QUEST Northern California