Do you have a unique voice that sets you apart from the crowd? Contribute your stories to QUEST!

KQED QUEST is looking to add new voices to our blog, which already offers commentary from our producers, reporters, and local writers from our partner institutions at Chabot Space & Science Center and The Tech Museum.

We're looking to include folks who are actively involved in the science, environment and nature blogging community – e.g. have a blog, guest post on others' site, and comment / participate in relevant discussions. And we're looking locally. Our blog has a strong SF Bay Area focus, though we do occasionally cover and/or perform analysis on how this stuff elsewhere that affects the Bay Area.

What we cover

QUEST’s geographic coverage is from Mendocino to Monterey and from Sacramento to Santa Clara, and generally covers 9 content areas: astronomy, biology, chemistry, engineering, environment, geology, health, physics and weather.

Requirements

• Original posts, 3-500 words with at least 1 image. Schedule determined on availability, but weekly or bi-monthly is preferred.
• Posts should relate back to at least one of our 9 themes for the program: Astronomy, Chemistry, Engineering, Physics, Weather, Geology, Biology, Environment, Health.
• Topic should be something about which you have some expertise and/or passion.
• A unique voice and ability to follow our QUEST writing guidelines (see below).
• Experience with WordPress or similar blogging platform.
• Willingness to occasionally be assigned a post topic by the editor as current events dictate.
• Respect for copyright and fair use.

Would I get paid?

Yes – we offer a small stipend on a per post basis.

Alrighty, then. How do I apply?

Email us a note and bio to questeditor@kqed.org explaining what you'd like to write for us. Please also include some links to relevant blogs you admire, and/or participate in, and why. Send us a writing sample or two (links are fine), and we'll review it in the next couple weeks. Last day to submit is February 1st. Our hope is to bring aboard a few new bloggers by mid-February.

Some beats we're interested in

Although we want to hear from a wide range of writers, here are a few coverage areas we're keen on in particular:

• Bay ecology background and issues
• Science education
• Silicon Valley / engineering innovations
• Hacks, DIY, and hands-on science activities
• Hiking and outdoors (with a science focus)
• Food science
• Convergence of art & science
• Nature & science photography

Writing Guidelines

(As laid out by our managing editor, Paul Rogers)

Why does my grandmother care? A key requirement of QUEST bloggers will be to explain scientific and environmental issues in a way that the general public can understand. Our audience is mostly made up of people who aren’t scientists or environmental activists. Posts should explain why the topics they are writing about are relevant to Bay Area residents.

Get to the point. Studies have shown that readers spend only a minute or two on most web sites before moving on. The average reader reads about 200 words a minute. Write tight, and lively. Keep it interesting and informative.

Avoid jargon. The purpose of good writing is to communicate clearly. Don’t use complex, esoteric scientific terms. Instead of saying "non-point source pollution," say "polluted runoff." Instead of "extravehicular activity," say “space walk.”

Be personal. Relate personal experiences. Speak in the first person. Tell them where you saw the blue herons or which movie best depicts what a real moon base might look like. Find your own voice and write in a compelling, approachable way.

Be passionate. Write about subjects and topics that you care about. Please don’t feel you have to stick to a script or formula. Express yourself.

Drive traffic to the blog. Place a link in your correspondence and comments to the blog. Mention it on other web forums.

Write for the bigger picture. Don’t view the blog as a place just to promote your institution or pet cause. Keep in mind your audience is made up of a wide diversity of people, with wide interests.

Speak your mind, but check your facts. Or your audience will do it for you with painful results.

Know your fellow bloggers. You'll be part of a vibrant community with fresh ideas and discussions nearly every day. Don't be afraid to comment on their posts, or link to their entries. Have fun with it! Dreary bloggers or insufferable policy wonks need not apply.

Multi-spectrum composite image of the galactic core. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ESA/CXC/STScI .

Attention Galileo guys and gals – download any one of these astronomy apps for your smartphone and you can stop star-guessing and start star-gazing like a pro!

Popular astronomy apps for your iPhone or iPad

Star Search
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/star-search/id324408084?mt=8

Redshift
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/redshift-astronomy/id390436752?mt=8

Pocket Universe
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/pocket-universe-virtual-sky/id306916838?mt=8

Star Walk
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/star-walk-5-stars-astronomy/id295430577?mt=8

Distant Suns
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/distant-suns-3-unleash-your/id363418936?mt=8

SkySafari, aka SkyVoyager
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/skysafari/id319159213?mt=8

GPS Astro
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/gps-astro/id369884042?mt=8

Delux Moon HD
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/deluxe-moon-hd/id428453273?mt=8

Starmap Pro
http://itunes.apple.com/app/starmap-pro/id309367681?mt=8

Star Chart
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/star-chart/id345542655?mt=8

GoSkyWatch Planetarium
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/goskywatch-planetarium-astronomy/id284980812?mt=8

Solar Walk 3D
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/solar-walk-3d-solar-system/id347546771?mt=8

Popular astronomy apps for your Android

Google SkyMap
http://www.appbrain.com/app/google-sky-map/com.google.android.stardroid

Astro Tools
http://www.appbrain.com/app/astro-tools/com.rafdev.astrotoolsalpha1

SkEye

http://www.appbrain.com/app/skeye/com.lavadip.skeye

Star Chart
http://www.appbrain.com/app/star-chart/com.escapistgames.starchart

Star Odyssey
http://www.appbrain.com/app/star-odyssey/org.randyl.starodyssey

Space Junk Pro
http://www.appbrain.com/app/space-junk-pro/us.xyzw.star3map

Space Junk Lite
http://www.appbrain.com/app/space-junk-lite/us.xyzw.spacejunk

Zenith Mobile Telescope
http://www.appbrain.com/app/zenith-mobile-telescope/com.mobilizy.zenith

SkyORB
http://www.appbrain.com/app/skyorb/com.realtechvr.skyorb

Vortex Planetarium
http://www.appbrain.com/app/vortex-planetarium-astronomy/vortex.planetarium.app.vortex

Planetariax Pro
http://www.appbrain.com/app/planetariax-pro/com.digitaloranges.planetariaxfull

Mobile Observatory PRO
http://www.appbrain.com/app/mobile-observatory-pro/com.kreappdev.astroid

Messier Objects
http://market.android.com/details?id…redale.messier

Clear Sky Droid
https://market.android.com/details?id=org.jtb.csdroid&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEsIm9yZy5qdGIuY3Nkcm9pZCJd

Where is Io
https://market.android.com/details?id=net.dague.astro&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEsIm5ldC5kYWd1ZS5hc3RybyJd

Be amazed at the Bay Area Science Festival! Photo: Bay Area Science Festival.

The Bay Area Science Festival, a 10-day celebration of science, starts this week. There are over 50 exciting events throughout the Bay Area, including hikes, lectures, and concerts. From a day of hands-on activities with Stanford’s Genetics department to a hawk talk in the Marin Headlands, from an exploration of food at the farmers’ market to a screening of the movie Contact with astronomer Jill Tarter (on whom Jodie Foster’s character was based), there is something for everyone.

Here are some of the highlights: MythBuster Adam Savage will talk with author Mary Roach about her book Packing for Mars. Science writer Carl Zimmer will talk with two UCSF scientists about tiny friends and foes in Gut Check: The Hidden World of Microbes. RadioLab will be live at Berkeley’s Zellerbach Hall.

Check out Dinosaurs vs. Robots at the Lawrence Hall of Science on Sunday, October 30.

At Dinosaurs vs. Robots at the Lawrence Hall of Science, you can do hands-on activities to see for yourself which is the most awesome: paleontology or engineering. KQED will moderate a discussion, The Challenge and Promise of Artificial Intelligence, with researchers from Microsoft and Google at the Computer History Museum in San Jose. And there are three Discovery Days, packed with free shows, exhibits, and games. The Discovery Days are at Cal State East Bay (10/29), Infineon Raceway (11/5), and AT&T Park (11/6). If you go, keep an eye out for QUEST’s table! Find more fun stuff on the calendar—be sure to click over to see the events in November, too.

The Bay Area Science Festival is part of a growing movement to celebrate science in the community. The festivals bring together different organizations and individuals to engage diverse audiences in science. The Bay Area Science Festival is organized by the Science and Heath Education Partnership at the University of California, San Francisco—along with dozens of partners. Science festivals started in the UK; now there are annual festivals in Philadelphia and Cambridge, Mass. And last year the first USA Science and Engineering Festival descended on the National Mall in Washington DC. To find a science festival near you, check out this map.

I’ll be representing the Lawrence Hall of Science at the Discovery Day in AT&T Park on Sunday November 6—the Festival’s finale. Hope to see you there!

Got science on the brain? Come blog with us.

KQED’s QUEST is looking to add new voices to this here blog, which already offers commentary from our producers, reporters, and local writers from Cal Academy, Lawrence Berkeley National Labs, The Oakland Zoo, Chabot Space & Science Center, and The Tech Museum.

We're looking to include folks who are actively involved in the science, environment and nature blogging community – e.g. having an blog, guest posting on others' site, and commenting / participating in relevant discussions. And we're looking locally. Our blog has a strong SF Bay Area focus, though we do occasionally cover and/or perform analysis on how this stuff elsewhere that affects the Bay Area.

What we cover

QUEST’s geographic coverage is from Mendocino to Monterey and from Sacramento to Santa Clara, and generally covers nine content areas: astronomy, biology, chemistry, engineering, environment, geology, health, physics and weather.

Requirements

• Weekly original posts, 3-500 words with at least 1 image.
• Posts should relate back to at least one of our 9 themes for the program: Astronomy, Chemistry, Engineering, Physics, Weather, Geology, Biology, Environment, Health.
• Topic should be something about which you have some expertise and/or passion.
• A unique voice, and ability to follow our QUEST writing guidelines (see below).
• Experience with WordPress or similar blogging platform.
• Willingness to occasionally be assigned a post topic by the editor as current events dictate.
• Respect for copyright and fair use.

Would I get paid?

Yes – we offer a small stipend on a per post basis.

Alrighty, then. How do I apply?

1. Email us a note and bio to questeditor@kqed.org explaining what you'd like to write for us. Please also include some links to relevant blogs you admire, and/or participate in, and why.
2. Send us a writing sample or two (links are fine), and we'll review it in the next couple weeks.
3. Last day to submit is June 23rd. Our hope is to bring aboard a few new bloggers by July 1st.

Some beats we're interested in

Although we want to hear from a wide range of writers, here are a few coverage areas we're keen on in particular:

• Bay ecology background and issues
• Science education
• Silicon valley / engineering innovations
• Earth sciences
• Hacks, DIY, and hands-on science activities
• Hiking and outdoors (with a science focus)
• Food science
• Convergence of art & science
• Nature & science photography

Writing Guidelines

(As laid out by our managing editor, Paul Rogers)

Why does my grandmother care? A key requirement of QUEST bloggers will be to explain scientific and environmental issues in a way that the general public can understand. Our audience is mostly made up of people who aren’t scientists or environmental activists. Posts should explain why the topics they are writing about are relevant to Bay Area residents.
Get to the point. Studies have shown that readers spend only a minute or two on most web sites before moving on. The average reader reads about 200 words a minute. Write tight, and lively. Keep it interesting and informative
Avoid jargon. The purpose of good writing is to communicate clearly. Don’t use complex, esoteric scientific terms. Instead of saying "non-point source pollution," say "polluted runoff." Instead of "extravehicular activity," say “space walk.”
Be personal. Relate personal experiences. Speak in the first person. Tell them where you saw the blue herons or which movie best depicts what a real moon base might look like. Find your own voice and write in a compelling, approachable way.
Be passionate. Write about subjects and topics that you care about. Please don’t feel you have to stick to a script or formula. Express yourself.
Drive traffic to the blog. Place a link in your correspondence and comments to the blog. Mention it on other web forums.
Write for the bigger picture. Don’t view the blog as a place just to promote your institution or pet cause. Keep in mind your audience is made up of a wide diversity of people, with wide interests.
Speak your mind, but check your facts – or your audience will do it for you with painful results.
Know your fellow bloggers – you'll be part of a vibrant community with fresh ideas and discussions nearly every day. Don't be afraid to comment on their posts, or link to their entries.
Have fun with it! Dreary bloggers or insufferable policy wonks need not apply.

OK – go.

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Water and cornstarch make a non-Newtonian fluid when mixed: messy but great fun!

Fast-forward fifteen years to the beginning of the present school year and the Internet has given us all a huge leg-up in finding hands-on ways to learn science. These are demonstrations rather than experiments–an important difference for those entering a fair. Nevertheless, I have included two of my favorites below.

Homemade Oobleck:

Pay tribute to Dr. Seuss's book Bartholomew and the Oobleck by whipping up this mixture that is both solid and liquid at the same time! The simplest version is listed below, but adding a few more bells and whistles can increase the demonstration's awe-factor a bunch.

What to do: You need a mixing bowl, water, and cornstarch. Fill the mixing bowl with about 1 cup of cornstarch, and add roughly an equal volume of water. Mix, incrementally adding cornstarch or water until the mixture attains an appropriate blend of goopiness and firmness. Enjoy the fluid's bizarre properties by squishing and kneading it with your hands.

What's going on? Nearly all fluids have some intrinsic flow resistance. This property, called viscosity, is the reason water flows more easily than honey and at least partly why Usain Bolt can run 100 meters in under 10 seconds while it takes Michael Phelps well over a minute to swim the same distance. Our water/cornstarch mixture has a very special viscosity, making it easy to dip your hand into the mixture slowly, but quite hard to push it in quickly. (Technically, this is an example of a non-Newtonian fluid.) Science class will teach you that almost all matter can be classified into either a solid, liquid, or gas, but this is at least one example where the distinctions blur.

Bernoulli's Hair Dryer:

In 1738 the mathematician Daniel Bernoulli (pronounced Ber-NEW-lee) published a theory of fluids that has influenced the designs of airplane wings and sailboats ever since. Exploit this concept to suspend a balloon or ping-pong ball precariously in mid-air with a hair dryer.

What to do: You need a hair dryer and a small round balloon (or a ping-pong ball, depending on the hair dryer's strength). Turn the hair dryer on, point it upward, and place the balloon in the vertical column of air. If the ceiling is not too high, you should be able to balance the balloon in mid-air this way. Now begin to tilt the hair dryer and watch the balloon stay suspended almost magically.

What's going on? Everyday experience helps us understand why the balloon or ball stays suspended when the hair dryer is pointed vertically: air blowing upward pushes on the balloon, and this in turn counteracts gravity. But why doesn't the balloon fall off to the side when we begin to tilt the hair dryer? The answer lies in Bernoulli's principle, which states that, all other things being equal, a fluid loses pressure as it picks up speed. The air coming out of the hair dryer is moving faster than the room's air so its pressure is lower. This pressure difference helps keep the balloon suspended, even when you tilt the hair dryer.

Water and cornstarch make a non-Newtonian fluid when mixed: messy but great fun!

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Kids will want to keep learning science when they see how fun it is.

These programs tend to be more expensive than other programs and so are natural targets for the axe.  For example, at my kids' school, they are cutting 5^th grade science camp.

Kids go off for a 5 day trip to a place out in the woods to study nature.  The kids have a blast and can see that science is more than memorizing phyla or sedimentary, igneous and metamorphic rocks.  Instead they get to explore nature and use books to figure out what they're seeing.

And if history is any guide, there will be a big fall off in field trips to zoos and museums too.  These are more places where kids can see that science is actually a lot of fun.

Some might argue that if money is limited these programs should be cut.  This is true only if we want a workforce that can't do the jobs that are becoming available in our information based economy.

To do well in the future job market, people are going to need a good basic understanding of science and/or engineering.  Think about what an auto mechanic does these days.  Or a nurse or a radiologist.

We need to keep people studying science for their own good.  And frankly, for the good of the U.S. as well.

One of the keys to getting more people to take the science they need is to show them how fun and exciting it is.  We need to let them see that science is actually about studying the mysteries of the natural world and applying them to make that world a better place.

This is what the programs that are going to be cut do.  Without them, schools will continue to turn kids away from science.  And the U.S. will fall behind other countries.

I have no idea what programs should be cut instead and I am sure that other people see higher priorities than science camp.  But I think it is time that public schools recognized that science is as important to a student's future as are the three R's.  Someone needs to come up with a way to make science into an R so we can have the four R's.  Any ideas?

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After some cajoling from the wife, I trekked down to the library to check out the science section. I was amazed at the bevy of great pop science books. Most are accessible, quick reads on pretty much every science topic under the sun. However, I'm a social creature, I wanted to discuss science books with peers.

A few quick searches and voila! Science book clubs exist right here in the Bay Area (one of them hosted by myself so I'd have more control on book selection). Lively discussion and science books, it's a good combination.

Down to a Science Book Club

Book: "How We Decide" by Jonah Lehrer

When: Monday, May 25th, 7-9 PM

Where: Books Inc, 601 Van Ness @ Turk, 2 blocks north of SF City Hall

Details: Ever had a experience of option paralysis? Like when you are looking at the 11 different types of Cheerios in the cereal aisle? If you're anything like me, decision making is an "interesting" process. Jonah Lehrer tackles the neurobiology of decision making and points out a few ways you may be able to overcome that paralysis. Watch Jonah discuss decision making at the Commonwealth Club or listen to him discuss Choice on RadioLab.

California Academy of Science Book Clubs

Teens Talk Books: Underwater Explorations

Book: Shark Life: True Stories about Sharks and the Sea by Peter Benchley

When: June 6th, 11:00 am in Education Classroom

Where: California Academy of Sciences

Coming face to face with the jaws of a great white shark.  Chasing leaping orcas near Vancouver.  Swimming with hoards of hammerheads in the Sea of Cortez.  Benchley, the author of Jaws, shares his many underwater adventures with sharks and other marine creatures, while helping the reader learn more about these majestic creatures, how to swim with them safely, and why it is vital for us to protect our oceasn.  Join us for a discussion of Benchley's fascinating read!

Reservations: Free with admission to the museum, but participants should call the Naturalist Center at 415-379-5494 to reserve a space.

Bookworms (Adult Book Group): Why Do Oceans Matter?

Book: Sea Change: A Message of the Oceans by Sylvia Earle

When: June 16th, 6:30 pm in the Naturalist Center

Where: California Academy of Sciences

Details: In recognition of World Ocean Day this month, the group will read and discuss noted marine biologist Sylvia Earle's book which is both a plea for ocean conservation and a very personal story of her own lifelong exploration of life in the deep.

Reservations: Free.  Reserve a space by calling 415-379-5494.

This Week In Science Online Book Club – Hosted by TWIS.org

An Ocean of Air: Why the Wind Blows and Other Mysteries of the Atmosphere

Details: Most of the time we hardly notice that we're moving through air. But when a storm system whips it into a whirling mass that grows into a tornado or a hurricane, then the air around us makes headlines. Science consultant Walker (Snowball Earth) presents a lively history of scientists' and adventurers' exploration of this important and complex contributor to life on Earth, from Galileo's early attempts to show that it has weight to the explorations by 20th-century scientists Oliver Heaviside and Edward Appleton of the ionosphere, which acts as a giant mirror bouncing radio waves from one side of the globe to another. Walker provides readers with easy-to-follow discussions of the science behind the discovery that carbon dioxide levels are rising exponentially.

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