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How to Identify a Bullet
Last month, the FBI released a report showing violent crime has dropped for the second year in a row… down nearly two percent in 2008, from a year earlier. Still, many homicide cases go unsolved. A new technology called "bullet microstamping" aims to help change that. But will it work? Amy Standen reports.
Audio Report on Oct 05, 2009 by KQED QUEST staff from QUEST Northern California
The Quietest Place I've Been: Reporter's Notes for Soundscapes of National Parks
Plopped down on a sand dune in Death Valley, one gains a certain appreciation for both the national parks and natural "quiet."
Post on Sep 25, 2009 by Craig Miller
Predicting Swine Flu
Why do some people get severely sick from swine flu and others barely feel it? As flu season ramps up, scientists at UCSF's Viral Discovery Center are racing to learn more about the 2009 H1N1 virus, including how it's evolving, and whether our current treatments will remain effective.
Audio Report on Sep 21, 2009 by KQED QUEST staff from QUEST Northern California
Reporter's Notes: Predicting Swine Flu
The last time we reported on Swine flu, or 2009 H1N1 virus, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was considering whether or not to invest in a vaccine for the new influenza strain.
Now, after several delays, the first batches of vaccines — first, a nasal spray version, then an injectible vaccine — is due to hit hospitals and clinics across the country.
Post on Sep 18, 2009 by Amy Standen
Personalized Medicine
We all know that, thanks to our DNA, each of us is a little bit different. Some of those differences are obvious, like eye and hair color, but others are not so obvious, like how our bodies react to medication. Researchers are beginning to look at how to tailor medical treatments to our genetic profiles. Some of the biggest breakthroughs have been in cancer treatment.
Audio Report on Sep 14, 2009 by Lauren Sommer from QUEST Northern California
Reporter's Notes: Personalized Medicine
You've probably heard about some of the breakthroughs in personal genome sequencing, where companies take a look at your DNA and send back your risk profile. But there's a flip side to all this genetic research that doesn't have to do with risk: personalized medicine.
Post on Sep 11, 2009 by Lauren Sommer
The Politics of Green Wine
Wine grapes are one of the most sprayed crops in California. A growing number of farmers are choosing not to spray and are doing other things for the environment, too. The challenge is there are now so many choices when it comes to green wines, it can be baffling for the eco-conscious consumer. Organic, sustainable, biodynamic, natural… what does it all mean?
Audio Report on Sep 07, 2009 by KQED QUEST staff from QUEST Northern California
Reporter's Notes: The Politics of Green Wine
I often look at the chemical ingredients in what I buy. I shop at farmers markets for organic produce and use green cleaning supplies. So, it caught me off guard when a friend remarked, "you are so aware of what you eat, why aren't you just as curious about what you drink?"
Post on Sep 04, 2009 by Andrea Kissack
Getting to Zero Waste
As of September 2009, San Francisco residents faced warnings, and even fines, if they failed to recycle, as the city aims to keep ever more garbage out of its landfills. But, after twenty years of curbside recycling and, more recently, composting programs, Californians produce more waste than ever.
Audio Report on Aug 31, 2009 by KQED QUEST staff from QUEST Northern California
New Nuclear
In California, nuclear power has long been a subject that's "radioactive." But recent polls suggest that Californians may finally be warming up to the idea and a new study suggests that a clean energy future may not happen without it. Craig Miller reports on the prospects for a "nuclear revival" in the Golden State.
Audio Report on Aug 24, 2009 by KQED QUEST staff from QUEST Northern California
Reporter's Notes: Do We Need Nuclear?
More people appear to be saying "yes" these days, even if grudgingly. The question is: Is it too late?
Post on Aug 21, 2009 by Craig Miller
Playing with Lead – Part 2
Months after the federal government enacted stricter standards intended to keep lead out of children's toys, a KQED investigation found merchandise that violates the law still sitting on many Bay Area store shelves. In part two of the series, QUEST looks at the challenges of keeping leaded toys out of stores.
Audio Report on Aug 17, 2009 by KQED QUEST staff from QUEST Northern California
Playing with Lead – Part 1
Congress recently passed tougher limits on lead levels due to the large number of recalls of imported toys. But the new law, which went into effect in February, doesn't seem to be keeping dangerous items off store shelves, as reporter Oanh Ha found out.
Audio Report on Aug 10, 2009 by KQED QUEST staff from QUEST Northern California
Reporter's notes: Playing with Lead – Part 1
Suddenly, parents, including me, eyed the toys in our homes and on store shelves with suspicion. Extensive research links lead exposure in children to lower IQ scores, neurological and behavioral problems, even anemia.
Post on Aug 07, 2009 by Andrea Kissack
The Economics of Household Recycling
Once they leave your driveway, your discarded bottles, newspapers, and other recyclables become part of a multi-billion dollar global commodities market. Last month's phone bill, for example, might be sent to China to be reincarnated as next month's iPhone packaging.
Audio Report on Aug 03, 2009 by KQED QUEST staff from QUEST Northern California
Reporter's Notes: The Economics of Household Recycling
Part of the problem of recycling programs is that the rules change depending on where you live, the result of a schizophrenic system wherein local municipalities contract with private companies or non-profits to design their own, local recycling programs.
Post on Jul 31, 2009 by Amy Standen
Journey to the Farallones
They've been called "California's Galapagos." Nearly 30 miles west of the Golden Gate Bridge lie the Farallon Islands. This year marks their 100th anniversary as a national wildlife refuge. While the islands are off limits to tourists, reporter Lauren Sommer caught a ride with marine researchers to learn about how changes are affecting life there.
Audio Report on Jul 27, 2009 by Lauren Sommer from QUEST Northern California
Reporter's Notes: Journey to the Farallones
Our trip to the Farallon Islands was certainly eventful: seasickness (me), bug bites (me) and immersion in one of the most unique wildlife habitats in the world (luckily). This chain of windblown rocks, about 27 miles from San Francisco, is teeming with 300,000 seabirds in the spring and summer.
Post on Jul 24, 2009 by Lauren Sommer
Postpone that Home Depot trip, Household appliances are getting a makeover
This is old news to many of the folks at California Energy Commission , who have pushed for such changes for decades. But the real news is that these aren't just recommendations anymore. They're policy, or soon will be.
Post on Jul 22, 2009 by Amy Standen
Depression Advancements
One in six Americans will experience a major episode of depression at some point in their lives. And yet the drugs commonly used to treat the disease have been described as "blunt instruments"
by researchers. Newer approaches use magnets to stimulate some of the neurological signals that underlie depression.
Audio Report on Jul 20, 2009 by KQED QUEST staff from QUEST Northern California
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