Health
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
Is Organic Food Better For Consumers' Health? – 9/4 KQED Science News Roundup
Here's today's roundup of science, nature and environment news from the Bay Area and beyond.
Bulletin on Sep 04, 2012 by Jenny Oh 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
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
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
Doubt and Denialism: Vaccine Myths Persist in the Face of Science
Many people continue to doubt the evidence for climate change, evolution, and vaccine safety, even though the scientific consensus on these issues is rock solid. Among the most troubling evidence-resistant theories is the long-debunked yet persistent myth that vaccines cause autism—a completely unfounded belief–leading to general doubts about vaccine safety, with dangerous public health consequences.
Post on Aug 08, 2012 by Liza Gross from QUEST North Carolina
Rethinking Reproductive Biology
Everyone knows that women are born with all the eggs they can ever make, right? Well, a recent study shows that everyone just might be wrong.
Post on Aug 06, 2012 by Dr. Barry Starr from QUEST Northern California
Newly Discovered Stem Cells Cause Clogged Arteries
Scientists thought they understood how arteries hardened and clogged, but they may have been wrong. New research indicates that a previously unknown type of stem cell is actually the underlying cause of clogged arteries. If confirmed, it could lead to new therapies.
Post on Aug 06, 2012 by Jennifer Huber from QUEST Northern California
Prescription Drug Disposal: Who Should Foot the Bill?
A new ordinance in Alameda County requires the pharmaceutical industry to pay for disposal of extra medicine. The regulation is part of a larger movement to shift responsibility for waste disposal from local governments to companies that make products like paint, medicine and batteries.
Post on Aug 01, 2012 by Melissae Fellet from QUEST Northern California
Pregnant Women Face Big Questions With Cheaper DNA Sequencing
In the very near future, a pregnant woman will be able to learn a whole lot more than she currently can about the fetus she is carrying. And she can find out in a way that poses no risk to the fetus.
Post on Jul 23, 2012 by Dr. Barry Starr from QUEST Northern California
A Unique HIV Case Inspires New Research
More than 34 million people live with HIV/AIDS worldwide but only one person may have been cured of the virus. We look at promising, genetic research that is aimed at replicating this apparent cure.
Audio Report on Jul 20, 2012 by Andrea Kissack from QUEST Northern California
Hope for an Anti-Nicotine Vaccine
Recent research shows that a new vaccine led to consistently high anti-nicotine antibody levels that prevented nicotine from reaching the brain. If these findings are confirmed in people, this vaccine could be an effective therapy to help prevent nicotine addiction.
Post on Jul 16, 2012 by Jennifer Huber from QUEST Northern California
How I Learned to Love Olives and Hate Their Pests
I've always hated olives. I'd pick them off pizzas and out of salads. But in the last few weeks, I've actually started eating them on purpose. It could be because I'm pregnant, a condition which has me craving salt—and few foods are saltier than a nice olive.
Post on Jun 19, 2012 by Danna Staaf 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
Farmworkers Pay a Heavy Price for California's Bounty
California farmworkers work long days for about $7.50 an hour to pick fruit in orchards doused with nitrogen fertilizers. A UC Davis study released in March found that nitrates from fertilizers and dairy waste have contaminated groundwater supplies. Because farmworkers live near the fields they work in, they're at high risk for nitrate-contaminated drinking water.
Post on Jun 13, 2012 by Liza Gross 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
Screening Sunscreens: Environmental Working Group's 2012 Report
It’s time to grab your bottle of sunscreen and head outdoors, but how can you tell if your sunscreen is safe? Use the Environmental Working Group’s new sunscreen guide to make sure your sunscreen isn’t on their “Hall of Shame.”
Post on Jun 11, 2012 by Jennifer Huber 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
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
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
