News
HIV: Searching For a Cure
As we approach World AIDS Day, QUEST's Andrea Kissack talks with one of the world's top HIV/AIDS researchers about progress in the search to find a cure.
Audio Report on Nov 24, 2011 by Andrea Kissack from QUEST Northern California
Is High-Speed Rail Grinding to a Halt?
In 2008, high speed rail seemed like a game changer, the kind of "Big Idea" that California is famous for. But three years later, the plan is in serious trouble.
Audio Report on Nov 18, 2011 by Amy Standen from QUEST Northern California
From Swords to Test Tubes: The Million Veteran Program
A massive database like what the VA is building would allow scientists to compare thousands of anonymous medical records with just a few keystrokes, to study conditions such as cancer and PTSD.
Audio Report on Nov 04, 2011 by Amy Standen from QUEST Northern California
"A Big, Captivating Idea": The Bay Area Ridge Trail
Like the great pyramids of Egypt, the 550-mile Ridge Trail will take generations to complete. Think of it as a local Appalachian Trail for the current crop of two-year olds.
Audio Report on Oct 21, 2011 by Amy Standen from QUEST Northern California
The Amazing Transformation of San Francisco's "Sludge Puddle"
Dumping garbage into the bay wasn’t only convenient, it served the larger goal of getting rid of the bay entirely.
Audio Report on Oct 14, 2011 by Amy Standen from QUEST Northern California
In a Sea of Energy Data, Utilities Try to Inspire Conservation
Smart meters are providing California households with their hourly and daily energy use information for the first time. Consumers use less electricity, studies have shown, when they can see that data. But getting them to pay attention to energy in the first place may be the biggest hurdle.
Audio Report on Oct 07, 2011 by Lauren Sommer from QUEST Northern California
Clean Tech Earns Its Stripes
The largest energy user in the United States is the U.S. Military. Its annual energy bill runs about $15 billion dollars a year, which is why the Department of Defense has developed a keen interest in finding other ways to meet its energy needs, including investing in alternative energy.
Audio Report on Sep 30, 2011 by Amy Standen from QUEST Northern California
As Renewables Boom, California Struggles to Quit Coal
California is known for its "green" reputation, so it might be a surprise that residents in Southern California still depend on coal power when they turn on the lights.
Audio Report on Sep 23, 2011 by Lauren Sommer from QUEST Northern California
Climate Change Could Mean Cloudy Future for Lake Tahoe
Over the last 15 years, more than a billion dollars has been spent to protect Lake Tahoe's clear waters from runoff and erosion. Now, new threats to lake's clarity are emerging, just as restoration funding is drying up.
Audio Report on Sep 16, 2011 by Lauren Sommer from QUEST Northern California
The Lost Lagoon
Oakland Museum curator Christopher Richard and geologist Janet Sowers function as water detectives, looking for clues of the city’s long-lost aquatic past. Recently, they believe, they solved a mystery that had nagged them for years.
Audio Report on Sep 09, 2011 by Amy Standen from QUEST Northern California
California Gets New Environmental Chief
California's new environmental chief is in the first month of his new position. With budget cuts, environmental lawsuits and a mandate to cut green house gasses, Matt Rodriquez has a big job in front of him.
Audio Report on Aug 19, 2011 by Andrea Kissack from QUEST Northern California
From Tunnel to Tap: Quake-Proofing Our Water Supply
The Bay Area's vast Hetchy Hetchy system, "a dream in granite, concrete, and steel," is getting an overhaul. The system carries water 167 miles from Yosemite to Bay Area taps; pretty soon that voyage will include the Bay's first true tunnel.
Audio Report on Aug 05, 2011 by Amy Standen from QUEST Northern California
Rough Waters for Sea Level Rise Planning
What do Bay Area airports and some big Silicon Valley companies have in common? They sit right on the edge of San Francisco Bay, where sea level rise is expected to have a big impact by the end of the century.
Audio Report on Jul 29, 2011 by Lauren Sommer from QUEST Northern California
Architecture for the Birds
According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, as many as one billion birds die each year in collisions with man-made structures. Recently, lawmakers have started to do something about this problem.
Audio Report on Jul 25, 2011 by Amy Standen from QUEST Northern California
Gulls Threaten South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Work
One of the most ambitious wetland restoration projects in the country is underway in San Francisco Bay. Thousands of acres of those ponds are being restored for shorebirds and wildlife.
Audio Report on Jul 15, 2011 by Lauren Sommer from QUEST Northern California
Boom Times For The Recycling Industry
Here's one silver lining to a slow economy: High recycling rates. Americans are wasting far less, and recycling far more. Nowhere is the trend as strong as in California. As Amy Standen reports, this change is sending ripple effects throughout the economy.
Audio Report on Jul 08, 2011 by Amy Standen from QUEST Northern California
Resolving Clouds in Climate Change Models
As supercomputers grow, so does their energy appetite. Researchers are trying to solve that problem by using a smaller, more pervasive technology.
Post on Jun 24, 2011 by Lauren Sommer
Supercomputers Hit an Energy Wall
As supercomputers grow, so does their energy appetite. Researchers are trying to solve that problem by using a smaller, more pervasive technology.
Post on Jun 24, 2011 by from QUEST Northern California
The Search for Alcoholism's Miracle Drug
Alcoholism is a very treatable disease, but still, there are some challenges.
Post on Jun 10, 2011 by Amy Standen
The Science of Pain
Pain is the most common reason for trips to the doctor's office. But how exactly pain works is still a mystery in many ways.
Post on Jun 03, 2011 by Lauren Sommer
