KQED serves the people of Northern California with a public-supported alternative to commercial media. Home to the most listened-to public radio station in the nation, one of the highest-rated public television services and an award-winning education program, and as a leader and innovator in interactive technology, KQED takes people of all ages on journeys of exploration — exposing them to new people, places and ideas.
Contributions from this Station
Dynamic Duo: Antibiotics and Probiotics
Scientific evidence now suggests that taking probiotics with antibiotics can reduce the risk of negative side affects. In a recent combined study, people who took probiotics with antibiotics were 42% less likely to develop diarrhea. However, further research is needed to determine the most effective probiotics and dose.
Post on Dec 10, 2012 by Jennifer Huber
Ladybugs, Ladybugs, Flying Away Home
Ladybugs have returned to the Oakland Hills and Redwood Regional Park. Find out why they're here and how you can help track ladybugs in your own yard or neighborhood.
Post on Dec 07, 2012 by Sharol Nelson-Embry
Side Trips from Interstate 5: The Eastern Klamaths
See America's largest area of rock from the Earth's mantle, west of Mount Shasta.
Post on Dec 06, 2012 by Andrew Alden
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
Still Curious About Mars in 2012
NASA is preparing to make a big announcement concerning Mars and a recent discovery by the SAM instrument on board the rover Curiosity, though has qualified the nature of the announcement to scientifically interesting, and not "earth-shaking" as the blogosphere has hyped it in speculation.
Post on Nov 30, 2012 by Ben Burress
The Mighty Monterey Formation: In Your Future
More valuable than gold, this great rock unit forms part of the Bay Area's landscape.
Post on Nov 29, 2012 by Andrew Alden
Flame Retardants, Redux: From Toxic Couches to Buildings
Last June, Gov. Jerry Brown directed state agencies to change California's flammability standard to ensure fire safety without dousing furniture and other foam products with toxic chemicals. Now activists are focusing on an even bigger market for flame retardants: foam insulation in buildings.
Post on Nov 28, 2012 by Liza Gross
A Thanksgiving Ode to Dungeness Crab and the Bay
Discover the connection between delicious Dungeness crabs and the San Francisco Bay.
Post on Nov 23, 2012 by Sharol Nelson-Embry
Science on the SPOT: Shadows and Spiders– A Secret Cave in California
The rural foothills along the Santa Cruz County Coast hold an ancient secret. Deep below the redwoods, White Moon Cave extends for nearly a mile — making it one of the longest caves in California. But few people have ever been in it. Join the KQED Science team as we squeeze through the narrow clandestine entrance, and meet the uncanny cave inhabitants to bring new light to this hidden realm.
Video on Nov 20, 2012 by Joshua Cassidy
Turkey Trouble: Genetics Gone Too Far?
No, this isn’t a blog about genetically modified organisms — that has been argued enough lately! Instead, in honor of Thanksgiving, I want to talk about regular old selective breeding and the monsters it can create.
Post on Nov 19, 2012 by Dr. Barry Starr
The Leonids Are Back!
The Leonids are back: the annual meteor shower of November that offers us the chance to see a bit of very ancient history disintegrate in a fiery second.
Post on Nov 16, 2012 by Ben Burress
Geological Outings Around the Bay: Los Trancos Open Space
Lidar mapping unveils one of the Bay Area's best places to visit the San Andreas fault.
Post on Nov 15, 2012 by Andrew Alden
Trophy Hunting: For the Love of Blood and Money
Trophy hunters routinely pay thousands of dollars for the chance to kill big game like caribou, moose, black bear and especially grizzly bear. Trophy hunting narratives boast a love of nature. But some sociologists find a different story.
Post on Nov 14, 2012 by Liza Gross
Nothing "Fishy" About Sustainable Seafood
Learn about what we can do to take care of our oceans, both for the fish and ourselves.
Post on Nov 09, 2012 by Sharol Nelson-Embry
Earthquake Landslides: A Widespread Hazard
Earthquakes will always produce landslides, but new knowledge will help us deal with them better.
Post on Nov 08, 2012 by Andrew Alden
Tracing the Origins of the Durian’s Stench
Researchers in Germany have identified compounds in durian that might be responsible for its unique smell.
Post on Nov 07, 2012 by Melissae Fellet
New Clues to Our Ancestors' Mobility
Australopithecus afarensis (the species of the well-known “Lucy” skeleton) was an upright walking species, but the question of whether it also spent much of its time in trees has been hotly debated for 30+ years, partly because a complete set of A. afarensis shoulder blades has never before been available for study.
Post on Nov 05, 2012 by Helen Taylor
Ten Random Astro-Facts to Entertain and Boggle
I decided that instead of blogging on just one topic in astronomy, I'd blog about ten of them!
Post on Nov 02, 2012 by Ben Burress
Watching the Atmospheric Rivers Flow
Researchers are gearing up to monitor the flood-causing weather monsters known as atmospheric rivers.
Post on Nov 01, 2012 by Andrew Alden
Frankenstein vs. Godzilla: What’s in Your Cereal Bowl?
In all of the recent discussion about genetically modified (GM) foods here in California, we’ve overlooked regular foods and how new traits are found (or created) in them. There isn’t usually a monk lovingly breeding peas in the Austrian countryside somewhere. Instead, more often than not, there is someone blasting a seed with radiation and/or harmful chemicals.
Post on Oct 31, 2012 by Dr. Barry Starr
