Quest
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A Summer Communing With California's Glaciers
Earlier this year, geologists in Yosemite Park came to the sad conclusion that one of California's iconic glaciers, the Lyell, had ground to a halt, having lost too much mass to sustain its downward movement. Knowing that California's approximately 130 glaciers will not be around forever, Tim Palmer spent a summer on a personal quest to climb and photograph as many of these frozen giants as he could manage.
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Could Rooftop Solar Kill Utilities? California Grapples...
Solar power is booming in California. The state is home to more than half of all rooftop solar projects in the country. Trouble is, as more Californians generate their own power, it poses a threat to the state's big utilities. KQED Science reporter Lauren Sommer tells us how the electric companies are planning to insulate themselves from "solar shock" and yes, it could show up on your bill.
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Airborne Lasers Yield Better Measure of California’s...
Snow runoff from the Sierra Nevada provides about a third of the state's water supply. Current estimates of how much water is in the mountains combine patchy measurements with a kind of sophisticated guesswork. But that may be about to change with new technology that's currently being tested.
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In Search of the Bacterial Garden of Eden
Now that scientists are starting to get a handle on what kinds of microbes live in the human body and, roughly, how those populations differ from one individual to another, a key question will be whether there is such a thing as an “ideal” microbiome.
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Another Try For California's Second National...
Just north of the Bay Area is a vast and varied expanse of land and water that could be in line for new federal protections. The proposed Berryessa-Snow Mountain National Conservation Area would link wilderness zones and other lands in five counties. But it’s been a tough sell in some parts.
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Brain Mapping: From the Basics to Science Fiction
Obama's BRAIN Initiative directs $100 million in public money toward basic brain research. But what's the goal?
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Bay Area Biotech Industry Braces for Gene Patenting...
The Supreme Court is hearing a case on a key question: can you patent a human gene?
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Navy Training Raises New Concerns for Whales off...
As the whale migration season reaches its peak, new concerns arise over naval training exercises off the California coast.
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How Flooding Fields Could Alleviate Water Supply Stress
A new approach to small-scale water "banking" could relieve stress on both the water supply and levees in California's San Joaquin Valley.
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San Francisco's Exploratorium is Moving, Growing -- and...
The Exploratorium, a San Francisco icon, will soon reopen as a stunning, new, energy efficient building on the city's Embarcadero.
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San Jose's Green Vision Helps Spur Silicon Valley...
San Jose is trying to lead the country in clean tech innovation. So how is the city doing?
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Attack of the Killer Electrons! New Mission Searches for...
They're out there... lurking in Earth's magnetic fields and damaging any satellite in their path.
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Aboard the Tugnacious With Dr. Doom
The scientist dubbed "Dr. Doom" for his dire pronouncements about California's Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta is retiring after 33 years working on the troubled ecosystem that's central to California's water supply.
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Struggling Herring Make a Tiny Appearance
Not that long ago California’s herring population came perilously close to collapse. While their numbers are increasing, herring in the Bay are still struggling to return to their once prolific numbers.
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Sierra Club Director: Time to Take Climate Action to the...
For the first time in the Sierra Club's 120-year history, its national head was arrested for an act of civil disobedience. It signals a new, more aggressive stance for the organization spawned by John Muir.
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On the Elephant Seal Dating Scene, It’s All About Bravado
They may sound like faulty plumbing, but male northern elephant seals have a unique communication system that's all about reputation.
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Who Gets the Cash for Energy Upgrades from Prop 39?
In November, California voters overwhelmingly passed Proposition 39, closing a corporate tax loophole and using the savings to create the largest state energy efficiency initiative in the country. Now the debate over how to use the money begins.
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In Historic Gold Country, Old Mines Get New Life
It's not the frenzy of 1849, but gold mining is quietly making a comeback in California. While some communities are concerned about the environmental costs, others see the chance for a "greener" gold rush.
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Climate Threat to Dams Overlooked by Regulators
Hydropower provides a good chunk of California's electricity. It relies on a balance of heavy snow in the winter and heavy runoff in the spring. Climate change threatens to throw that balance out of whack, a problem the government isn't examining.
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Stanford Investigates the Hits that Cause Concussions
It's no secret that concussions are endemic in American football at every level, from peewees to the pros, but little is known about the hits that cause them. Stanford University is searching for answers.
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Scientists More Outspoken on Exteme Weather-Climate Links
One of the giants of climate science talks about extreme weather...and trashes California's plan to cut emissions.
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California Prepares First Fracking Regulations
The controversial drilling technique known as hydraulic fracturing has created an oil and gas boom around the country – and that’s left state governments grappling with how to regulate it. Now, California is wading into that fight.
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Today
The new oil-and-gas boom that’s sweeping the country may be coming to California. With it comes the controversy over the drilling technique known as hydraulic fracturing – or fracking.
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Growing Pains for California's Electric Car Charging...
KQED Science explores the growing pains of building an electric car charging network and the fledgling new industry rising up to meet the challenge.
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What Are Richmond Residents Breathing?
Chevron's Aug. 6 fire re-ignited questions many Richmond residents have asked for years. What does it mean to live next to the largest refinery on the West Coast? What are people living in the city breathing?
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Cap-and-Trade 101: How California's Carbon Market Works
This week, California rolls out the heavy artillery in its attack on climate change with a program called “cap-and-trade.” It’s like a stock exchange for carbon emissions, where the state’s biggest polluters have to buy the right to emit greenhouse gases. It’s the most ambitious climate change policy in the country, but not everyone is happy with it.
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Looming Trade War Shakes Up U.S. Solar Industry
Federal officials have put trade tariffs on Chinese solar panels. American solar companies are split on whether it will be good or bad for the industry.
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In Livermore, Still Waiting on Nuclear Fusion
The National Ignition Facility in Livermore, California, has been called a modern-day moon-shot, a project of "revolutionary science," and "the mother of all boondoggles." NIF, as it's known, is a five-billion dollar, taxpayer-funded super laser project whose goal is to create nuclear fusion – a tiny star – inside a laboratory. But so far, that hasn't happened.
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China Tries Greening from the Ground Up
Green building and sustainable design are a trend in California, but nowhere is the urgency greater than in China, where hundreds of millions of people are moving to cities in pursuit of a better life.
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Can Meditation Ease PTSD in Combat Vets?
The crisis of mental disorders such as PTSD has forced the military to rediscover therapies that would have considered from-the-fringes a generation ago.
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Century-Old Battle Over Yosemite's 'Second Valley' Heats...
One of California's oldest environmental battles is on the San Francisco ballot. Hetch Hetchy Valley in Yosemite National Park holds most of San Francisco's water supply. But some environmental groups want to turn back the clock.
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Counting Climate-Challenged Pikas
A group of West Oakland students treks up to the Sierra to try to help a small mammal that may be threatened by climate change.
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Water Banks: A Hedge Against Shrinking Supplies in a...
For years, farms and cities have pumped water out to meet their needs. But now, as water supplies dwindle, there’s a major movement afoot to put some water back.
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West Coast a Test Bed for Ocean Acidification
Scientists say the waters off the West Coast could be hit hard by ocean acidification, but thanks to the natural conditions, it's a good place to study how ocean species might adapt.
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Today
California's warming climate is having a big impact on farmers. Find out more from our multimedia series, "Heat and Harvest."
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Is Nail Biting a Pathology? Or Just a Bad Habit?
Nail biting-- like skin picking and hair tending-- stems from an evolutionarily adaptive behavior: grooming. But in "pathological groomers," as they're known in in the world of psychiatry, that healthy urge goes haywire.
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California's Prop. 37: Are GMO Labels a Scarlet Letter?
Proposition 37 could make California the first state in the country to require "Made with GMO" labels on genetically-engineered foods. But would the labels inform people? Or scare them?
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California Considers Giving Self-Driving Cars Green Light
California is considering rules that would allow self-driving cars on the road, but making rules for robots is no simple task.
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Building a Better, Tastier Tomato
Many tomatoes have been bred to travel well and look appealing, but now researchers are focusing on making them more nutritious and better tasting.
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Internet in Cars: From the Desktop to the Dashboard
Car companies and Silicon Valley tech companies pair up to make smarter cars. But what happens when the internet makes its way into our dashboards?
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NASA's Mars Lander: The Exploration Begins
NASA's Curiosity lander has ended its 352 million-mile journey, landing safely on the surface of Mars. For scientists at NASA Ames in Moffet Field, the work is just beginning.
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California Considers Banning Dogs in Bear Hunts
The legislature is considering a bill that would ban the use of hounds in both bear and bobcat hunting in the state.
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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.
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The Great Cancer Cell Mix Up
Under a microscope many cancer cells look the same. And since cell lines used in cancer research are anonymous, often shared informally between labs, the only way to definitively know where they came from is with DNA. But many scientists don't do this.
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Space Telescope to Begin Search for Black Holes
NASA's newest space telescope, NuStar, will soon begin its hunt for black holes. Scientists are hoping to learn more about how they grow and why they're such messy eaters.
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From Alvin to Robots: Deep Changes in Ocean Science
Ocean technology has come a long ways since the submersible Alvin made its first dive in 1964. Increasingly, scientists rely on robots, rather than manned subs like Alvin, to explore the earth's depths. But can remote-control exploration capture the thrill of science?
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Bio-Robotics: Biology Goes High-Tech
Meet "robo-squirrel." New technology in the emerging field of bio-robotics is helping biologists learn more about animal behavior.
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Diversity in the Valley: The NewME Accelerator (Part Two)
This week we're back in Silicon Valley, with a program called NewME, or New Media Entrepreneurship. It's designed to encourage women and minorities to found technology companies. Seven participants from around the country shared a house in San Francisco for three months, got coached on their business plans and attempted to perfect the art of the pitch.
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Diversity in the Valley: The NewME Accelerator (Part One)
If you look around Silicon Valley, ideas all seem to be coming from the same kind of people. By a recent estimate, one percent of technology entrepreneurs were African American. Only eight percent of companies were founded by women. One program aims to change this by encouraging more women and minorities to launch companies.
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California's Deadlocked Delta: Is Carbon Farming the...
California's Delta has a rich agricultural legacy, but farming there can be a risky business. Dozens of farms have been flooded over the past half century as aging levees have collapsed. Now, scientists are encouraging farmers to switch to a new crop. Instead of growing vegetables, they’d grow something that has all but disappeared in the Delta: wetlands.
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California's Deadlocked Delta: Can We Bring Back What...
California's Delta is a far cry from what it once was. About 97% of its historic marshes have been lost and scientists aren’t quite sure what the Delta once looked like. Now, a Bay Area group is working to reconstruct it through historical detective work.
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California's Deadlocked Delta: Can it Be Fixed?
The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta has been the subject of a decades-long water war, but most Californians have never heard of it. Can the state break the water deadlock?
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Life on The Gate: Working on the Golden Gate Bridge...
This year marks the 75th anniversary of an icon. When it opened in 1937, the Golden Gate Bridge was the longest suspension bridge ever built, constructed in one of the world’s most challenging settings. For the men who poured the concrete, and drove in each iron rivet, it was a life changing experience.
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A Happy, Noisy Mess: Community Science Workshops Take...
One Bay Area man brings "hands-on" science to low-income neighborhoods.
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Is Anyone Out There?
Planet hunters enter a new phase in their search for extra solar planets and alien life.
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The Political Firestorm Inside Your Sofa
To comply with California law, furniture makers treat the foam in cushions with flame-retardant chemicals, up to two pounds of chemicals in an average-sized sofa. Those chemicals can turn up in household dust, blood, and breast milk. But efforts to remove them have been blocked by the chemical industry.
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Changing Foghorns
Lightkeeper Peter Berkhout takes QUEST radio reporter Craig Miller to see a genuine rarity: one of perhaps two or three remaining vintage foghorns anywhere in the U.S. that’s still in working order.
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The Salmon are Back! (But Why?)
Biologists say more than 800,00 Sacramento Chinook are off the coast right now. It’s the biggest number they've seen since 2005.
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Feds Pay For Out of the Box Energy Ideas
Did you know the federal government has a clean tech venture fund? It's called ARPA-E, and QUEST talks with the head of the program about some potentially transformational energy ideas.
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Tsunami Program Faces Cuts One Year After Disaster
Just one year after the disaster in Japan, proposed budget cuts could impact the US tsunami warning program.
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Lone Wolf's Historic Trek Provokes Questions and Concerns
OR7, the lone gray wolf from a pack in Oregon, crossed back into his home state yesterday after two months of wandering in Northern California. With OR7’s arrival, California has been thrown into a national debate about how to manage wolves.
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Eavesdropping on the Heart: A Patients Campaign for...
You could call it a sort of Silicon Valley approach to health: Campos has had his genome sequenced; he sleeps with a sleep monitor, and goes nowhere without his pedometer. He wants the same access to the information coming out of his own heart.
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Building Better Roads with Next Generation Pavement
A third of Bay Area roads are in poor condition and funding is dwindling on the state and federal level. That’s something Congress is discussing in Washington this week. Meanwhile, researchers at two University of California campuses are trying to find ways to stretch those sparse dollars, by making pavement quieter, greener and more durable.
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The Bay Area's National Park Expands South
The addition of Rancho Corral de Tierra is historic, "the largest land acquisition for Golden Gate National Recreation Area pretty much since it began."
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Surgeons Seek Kid-Sized Tools for the Operating Room
If you’ve ever spent time in Silicon Valley or among hi-tech entrepreneurs, you may have heard the term “Valley of Death.” It’s used to describe the huge gulf that can exist between coming up with a new idea, and getting a product to market. Well, this is a real problem in hospitals, too. Especially when it comes to kids.
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California Pushes to Get Clean Cars on the Road
California officials are considering the toughest regulations in the country to promote sales of cars powered by batteries, hydrogen fuel cells or other technology that produces little or no air pollution. These kind of tough mandates have been tried before but they failed. So is this finally the right time for the clean car?
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Six Bay Area Cities Play the Waiting Game
This month may be the moment of truth for six Bay Area communities. Each one is vying to be the new home of a high-profile national research center. But when it comes to development in the Bay Area, there are no easy answers.
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Think Tiny: The Science of New Year's Resolutions
Want to keep a New Year's resolution? One Stanford professor says to give up on lofty goals. Instead, focus on tiny habits.
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A Census for the Birds
Grab your binoculars and checklist! The annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count is under way. During the last two weeks of the year, from dawn to dusk volunteers spread out over 22,000 count areas, including Peru, Haiti, the U.S. and Canada. Their tally is used by scientists to understand changes in bird populations.
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Biofuels Face a Reality Check
Despite the buzz around biofuels, the industry been slow to scale up. But Bay Area researchers are making breakthroughs that could move us one step closer to having our cars run on fuels from plants.
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Can PTSD Nightmares Be Cured?
The hallmark of a healthy dream is its weirdness. PTSD dreams, in contrast, are like a broken record, the same, real-life event, played over and over again, in some patients, for decades.
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Porpoises Return to San Francisco Bay
Harbor porpoises haven’t been seen in San Francisco Bay for more than 60 years. Now, they’re returning in growing numbers and researchers are working to understand why.
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HIV: Searching For a Cure
As we approach World AIDS Day, QUEST's Andrea Kissack talks with one of the worlds top HIV/AIDS researchers about the progress in finding a cure.
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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.
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Energy-Saving Windows Get Smarter
Buildings are responsible for 40 per cent of the country’s energy use. So, researchers are trying improve our energy efficiency by making windows dynamic and intelligent.
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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.
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Up All Night on NASA's Flying Telescope
NASA's new flying telescope is allowing astronomers to see the life cycle of far away stars. Lauren Sommer caught a late-night ride on one of its recent flights.
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"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.
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The Amazing Transformation of San Francisco's "Sludge...
Dumping garbage into the bay wasn’t only convenient, it served the larger goal of getting rid of the bay entirely.
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In a Sea of Energy Data, Utilities Try to Inspire...
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.
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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.
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Mercury Rises on Coal Costs
Half of the airborne mercury pollution in the US comes from coal-fired power plants. After years of study and debate, the Environmental Protection Agency is planning to announce new limits on mercury from coal plants in November. Meanwhile, utilities are scrambling to meet other new federal regulations and industry groups are asking the government to slow down.
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A Difficult Path for Clean Coal
Coal generates half of all the electricity in the U.S. It's also the biggest source of global-warming emissions and other air pollution. The coal industry says the answer is not to phase out coal, but instead to produce "clean coal." Anne Glausser of QUEST Ohio reports on the difficult path for clean coal.
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The View from Coal Country in the Age of Green
Coal produces nearly half the electricity in the U.S., but the mercury, sulfur dioxide and carbon dioxide it emits also makes it one of the most controversial energy sources. For many environmental activists, coal represents an old, dirty source of power, but for coal-mining communities around the country, the story is different.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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San Bruno Marks a Somber Anniversary
"No matter how high you looked," says Tammy Zapata, "all you saw was fire."
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Who is Matt Rodriquez?
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.
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The Heat is On for California Wines
You've probably heard of the wines that made Napa and Sonoma famous, like Cabernet Sauvignon or Chardonnay. But what about Negroamaro or Nero d'Avola? They're wine grapes that are well-adapted to hotter temperatures -- the kind of conditions that California may be facing as the climate continues to warm.
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From Tunnel to Tap: Quake-Proofing Our Water Supply
The Bay tunnel is just one part of a vast overhaul of the Hetch Hetchy system, which carries water 167 miles from the Tuolumne River, near Yosemite, to Bay Area taps. There are 81 projects in all: pipes, water treatment centers, dams, reservoirs, all replaced or retrofitted with stronger, more durable parts.
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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.
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Bioplastic Boom
Companies like Coca-Cola, Pepsi, and Heinz ketchup have determined that plastic made from plants — not oil — makes sense both for the environment and for business. The growing demand has meant a boom in the bioplastic industry. Could this mean the end of the plastic bottle as we know it?
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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.
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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. But that is creating an opportunity for a very problematic bird.
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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.
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The Future of Supercomputers
Supercomputers are becoming increasingly key to modeling complex scientific problems. As they get bigger, they're becoming massive energy hogs, using as much power as a small city. Scientists at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab are hoping reduce that energy load by using technology developed for cell phones.
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Changes in the Carpool Lane
At the end of this month, some hybrid drivers will lose their solo carpool privileges. Beginning July 1st, only drivers of all-electric and natural gas powered cars will be allowed to drive alone in the carpool lane. How effective was the hybrid perk and what will be the new wave of fuel efficient hybrids that gets this special benefit?
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The Search for Alcoholism's Miracle Drug
At one hospital in San Francisco, more than half of the patients in an alcohol abuse program refuse medications that could help them stop drinking. So scientists here in the Bay Area find themselves waging two campaigns: to develop drugs that work, and to convince alcoholics to take them.
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The Science of Pain
Pain is the most common reason for trips to the doctor’s office. So it makes sense that pain treatment is a huge part of our health care system, costing more than 100 billion dollars a year. But how exactly pain works is still a mystery in many ways. As Lauren Sommer reports, some researchers are trying to understand it better by looking at a very unusual creature.
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Chemistry By Smell
Blind people are consistently underrepresented in the workforce, but especially in the sciences. Experts say that’s partly due to the fact that so much of early science education is learned through visual-spatial lessons. The Lighthouse for the Blind recently held its first ever chemistry camp for blind kids. The goal is to engage blind kids in the sciences by teaching chemistry through other senses, like touch and smell.
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Insuring for Extreme Weather
The severe flooding on the Mississippi River has left a lot of damage in its wake. It’s an extreme event that government and insurance companies try to plan for by predicting the risk. But as Lauren Sommer reports, climate change is throwing a wrench in those calculations.
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Is it Time for SETI to Stop Looking?
Of all the questions in science, few have haunted humans as persistently as this: Are we alone? For more than 50 years, scientists have listened for a signal from intelligent life on other planets... and come up empty. Now, they're running short of money. Is it time to give up?
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Spotted Owls Face New Threat
Spotted owls are one of the most iconic threatened species in the West. But despite two decades of work to bring them back, their numbers are still declining. That may be due in part to a new threat - not from humans, but from other owls. Lauren Sommer has the story.
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Toxic Algae on the Loose
Another mysterious fish die-off happened in a southern California harbor last week. Scientists are still trying to figure out what caused six tons of sardines to go belly-up in Ventura. Just six weeks ago a similar event occurred off Newport Beach. Those sardines tested positive for a neurotoxin caused by algae blooms. Meanwhile, commercial shellfish growers say they’re noticing some strange patterns as well, as Amy Standen reports.
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Combating Bay Invaders
Hundreds of invasive species have been found in San Francisco Bay, according to biologists. That makes the bay one of the most invaded estuaries in the world. Hoping to restore native fish and wildlife, California has passed the strictest rules in the country to prevent ocean freighters from introducing more foreign species to the bay. But as Lauren Sommer reports, the standards are so tough, officials may not be able to enforce them.
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Earthquake Warning
When a devastating earthquake shook Japan last month, some residents knew it was coming. A series of warning signals were sent out, including over Japanese television. Scientists say we could be just a few years away from launching a similar system here in California. As Amy Standen reports, the science is here but the funding is not.
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A California Bat Success Story
White-nose syndrome has devastated bat populations back east, and is steadily making its way west. Researchers are keeping close tabs on the Bay Area's 16 bat species, including one thriving colony south of Sacramento.
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How Green Is Biomass Energy?
California is hungry for renewable energy. Solar and wind power have taken off thanks to the state’s ambitious clean energy goals. But there’s another way to generate electricity -- by using organic material like agricultural and tree waste. It’s known as biomass power, but as Lauren Sommer reports, some say it’s not as green as it seems.
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Nuclear's Future in the U.S.
Japan's nuclear power crisis is renewing debate over the topic of safety at nuclear power plants. Andrea Kissack talks with two men with very different opinions on the issue: Bill Magavern, head of the Sierra Club California and Ed Morse, Professor of Nuclear Engineering at University of California, Berkeley.
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Fighting Fire Where Homes and Wilderness Meet
In California, a state agency called CalFire is charged with fighting fire in rural areas. But over the years, the line between rural and urban has become much less clear. Governor Jerry Brown proposed to scale back CalFire and help trim the state's budget, but that proposal may go down in flames.
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The Science of Snow
It's been a harsh winter across the US. Snow has blanketed the Sierra Nevada, where the snowpack is well above normal. Lots of snow means good skiing, but it also means an increased danger of avalanches. Lauren Sommer traveled to Lake Tahoe where researchers are trying to understand the inner workings of snow a little bit better.
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The Heroic Imagination Project
This year marks the 40th anniversary of a notorious psychology experiment: the Stanford Prison Experiment. It showed that average, well-adjusted people could act cruelly, even sadistically, under the right circumstances. Now, the scientist who led those experiments is wondering whether the opposite is true. Can a regular, run-of-the-mill person be made to do extraordinary, even heroic things?
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A Happy Medium For Solar
Solar power is booming in California. Last year, state officials approved an unprecedented amount of new solar energy. But both large solar farms and small home rooftop installations have run into challenges. As Lauren Sommer reports, that’s why a new sector of solar is emerging – one that benefits from being in the middle.
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How CFLs Got Their Bad Rap
This month begins America's long goodbye to the incandescent light bulb. The most common replacement bulbs, CFLs, are just as bright and warm-colored as the old incandescents. So why do so many people complain about them?
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California's Basement Bargains on Home Efficiency
After spending hundreds of millions of dollars flooding the market with CFL light bulbs, California utilities are stepping up their efficiency game.
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Visiting the Dentist Chair of the Future
It probably goes without saying: the dentist’s chair isn’t the most popular place to visit. But going the dentist may soon be a very different experience. As Lauren Sommer reports, researchers at the University of California San Francisco are developing new technology that may make dentists' drills less common.
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California's Redwoods Face Climate Change
After a century of logging, California’s old growth redwood forests are only a fraction of what they once were. Today, they remain a narrow coastal band that extends from Monterey Bay to the Oregon border. But redwoods are facing a new threat. As Lauren Sommer reports, scientists are trying to understand how these trees are responding to a changing climate.
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How Jet Lag Resets the Body Clock
If you plan to take any long plane trips this holiday season, here are a few things to keep in mind: jet lag, scientists say, often hits women harder than it does men. The direction you're flying matters, too. Jet lag is worse when traveling from west to east than east to west. In fact, studies suggests that jet lag can do a lot more than just wear us out.
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Fish and Fishermen Go To Market
California fishermen once hauled in groundfish, like rock cod and sole, as if there were an unlimited supply. But over the years, fish stocks have plummeted. Beginning in January, fishermen in California, Oregon and Washington will try something new. They'll become owners of the fishery, much like shareholders in a company. But as Lauren Sommer reports, not everyone is happy about it.
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When Teaching Climate Gets Controversial
In the wake of mid-term elections, most pundits agree that a national climate change policy is farther from reach. That puts science museums and aquariums around the state in a bind. Several are currently showing exhibits on climate change in an effort to educate the public on this complicated topic. But as Marjorie Sun reports, these institutions have to walk a fine line through a thicket of sensitive issues.
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Albino Redwoods: Ghosts of the Forest
Park rangers in the Santa Cruz Mountains are protecting a decades-old secret: albino redwood trees. Pale and fragile, these so-called “ghost trees” are deliberately off the beaten track, as Amy Standen found out.
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VA Doctors Solve a Medical Mystery
As soldiers continue to return from Iraq and Afghanistan, doctors who treat them find themselves at the forefront of scientific research. That's the case at the Veterans Affairs Hospital in Palo Alto, where scientists have made a surprising discovery. Amy Standen reports.
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Lichen Point to Pollution
Air pollution may seem like an urban problem, but it’s becoming an increasing concern in California’s national parks. Pollution from cars and trucks blows into the Sierra Nevada mountains, where it can have a dramatic impact on the ecosystem. In Yosemite National Park, researchers are trying to gauge that impact and they’re using an unexpected tool: a fungus called lichen.
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Environment on the Ballot
QUEST radio looks at a controversial casino project in Richmond that, if approved, would allow a $1.2 billion resort with 4,000 slot machines to be built. Supporters of Measure U say it will bring jobs and tax revenue to a neglected former industrial site. Opponents say a Vegas-style operation would destroy habitat along the Richmond shore. Also on November's ballot are a number of local measures on urban growth boundaries. QUEST has two reports, from Amy Standen and Lauren Sommer.
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When Brains Hit The Gym
Can brain performance be improved? The $300 million-a-year "brain-fitness" industry is betting that the answer to that question is yes. Some companies say that an 80-year old brain can perform just as well as a 25-year old brain after some specialized video game training. What about crossword puzzles and regular old exercise? QUEST takes a look at the growing brain fitness industry and the science behind it.
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Silicon Valley: The New Detroit?
Detroit has been at the center of the country’s auto industry ever since Henry Ford rolled his first Model T off the assembly line in 1908. But as hard times have fallen on America’s Rust Belt, there's a new region hoping to give Detroit a run for its money. Amidst start-up companies like Google, eBay and Facebook, clean tech entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley are plugging into an emerging electric car industry. Andrea Kissack tells us more.
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Looking For A Charge
Every year buzzwords enter the American lexicon. Like "octo-mom" or "crowdsourcing." Next year "range anxiety" may top the list. It’s the fear of being stranded in an electric car because the battery has run out. Andrea Kissack continues to explore the brave new world of electric cars. Today, she goes in search of a charge.
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Greening Your Drive
The first mass-produced electric vehicles ever sold in the United States will begin to hit auto show rooms by the end of this year. The Nissan Leaf and the Chevy Volt already have tens of thousands of pre-orders. Until now, electric cars had been the domain of small groups of tech hobbyists and hard core environmentalists. But how feasible are they for everyday drivers? That's what Andrea Kissack wanted to find out.
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Backyard Seed Banks
It’s the time of year when backyard gardeners are gathering the last few tomatoes and squash of the summer harvest. But there’s one thing most gardeners don’t harvest: seeds. Seed saving is a technique that has fallen by the wayside in modern agriculture. The idea is to develop plants that are suited for the Bay Area's microclimates and to preserve crop biodiversity. As Lauren Sommer reports, a handful of people are starting their own seed-saving efforts.
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California Takes the Lead on Stem Cell Research
A judge's ruling last month that blocks the federal government from funding embryonic stem cell research puts California back in the lead in the field. Scientists say funding from a 2004 state ballot measure has become a lifeline for pioneering work on diseases like Parkinson's and congenital heart disease. Still, the ruling, which may be overturned on appeal, will create challenges in California.
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Cow Power Not Cutting It
Take a waste product like cow manure or trash, let it decompose for a bit and you’ll soon end up with methane gas. Methane is powerful contributor to climate change. But it can also be captured and used to make renewable electricity. That’s something farmers are experimenting with across California. But by solving one environmental problem, they’re running headlong into another. Lauren Sommer has more.
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All Charged Up Over EMFs
Cell phones, refrigerators, WiFi and your desk lamp: Just like anything you plug into the wall, they all emit EMFs -- electromagnetic fields that vary in strength and design. Communities are scuttling plans for microwave communication dishes in their neighborhoods, citing health concerns about EMFs. Fairfax is just the latest city to put a moratorium on "smart meters" - which transmit energy information wirelessly. So what are EMFs, and how do they affect us?
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Plight of the Yellow Legged Frog
This is the classic environmental story: a species in trouble because of what our species is doing. It's happening all over the world. But there are people tackling these problems one by one, coming up with simple ways of changing our behavior. This week we take a look at the plight of the foothill yellow legged frogs.
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Renewables on Indian Land
Indian reservations hold an estimated 10 percent of the nation's renewable energy resources -- hot, windy tracts that suddenly seem more valuable than ever. The Campo tribe, near San Diego, has taken the lead, building the country’s only utility-scale wind installation on Indian land. Plans are afoot to triple the project. But tribe members say tax incentives and other federal programs put Indians at a disadvantage.
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Energy Storage: The Holy Grail
This week, we continue our series "33 by 20," a look at California's ambitious renewable energy goals. Solar and wind power are booming across the state. But renewables have a downside: there are times when the sun doesn't shine and the wind doesn't blow. That variability causes problems on the state's electric grid. So, California utilities are looking to smooth out those bumps with a new strategy: storing electricity.
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Delta Predators
As the state dries out from a long, rainy winter, the battle over water rights in the Sacramento Delta continues. Water contractors are hoping an upcoming court ruling will find that water pumps are not the only threat to the imperiled Delta Smelt. Some of the blame is getting pinned on a bigger fish that happens to have an appetite for endangered species. Alison Hawkes reports.
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Using DNA to Stop Dog Fighting
Researchers at UC Davis are collecting DNA from dogs seized in police raids on dogfighting operations. The goal is to create a database to help identify and prosecute the extensive underground breeding programs that sell puppies for as much as $50,000 to dogfighting rings. But the database is controversial among some animal rights activists, who believe it would allow shelters to euthanize dogs whose DNA match fighting lineages.
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Protecting Marine Reserves
In April, California continued its ambitious efforts to restore declining ocean fisheries by creating 21 new marine protected areas between Half Moon Bay and Mendocino County. In all, fishing would be banned or reduced in 20 percent of state waters there. But with the state budget crisis, how will California enforce these rules?
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Finding a Home for Big Solar - Part Two
California has set ambitious goals for a transition to clean, renewable energy: 33 percent by 2020. Some are skeptical that the goal is within reach.QUEST and Climate Watch continue to examine the promise and pitfalls of this historic transformation. Craig Miller reports on one Silicon Valley company's controversial proposal for Panoche Valley.
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Finding a Home for Big Solar - Part One
California has set ambitious goals for a transition to clean, renewable energy: 33 percent by 2020. Some are skeptical that the goal is within reach.QUEST and Climate Watch continue to examine the promise and pitfalls of this historic transformation. Craig Miller reports on one Silicon Valley company's controversial proposal for Panoche Valley.
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Strawberries and Worker Safety - Part Two
Part 2 of 2. The Schwarzenegger Administration plans to approve a new chemical called methyl iodide, which is used by strawberry farmers. Although methyl iodide can cause cancer and miscarriages, regulators say that protective measures like respirators and buffer zones will keep farm workers safe. Scientists consulting for the state say these measures often fail, and methyl iodide is too toxic to take chances. Amy Standen reports.
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Strawberries and Worker Safety
Methyl bromide - a powerful fumigant used by strawberry growers to sterilize the soil before plants go in - was found to harm the Earth's ozone layer. Strawberry farmers have been clamoring for a replacement, and they may get their wish if the state approves a chemical called methyl iodide. But some state scientists say it could cause cancer and miscarriages in farm workers and nearby communities.
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Race for Renewables
With its wind and solar resources, the state is known as a hotbed of renewable energy. Driving that development is an ambitious goal: By the year 2020, utilities must generate one third of their electricity from renewable sources. But the road to clean energy is full of obstacles, which we will explore over the next several months. First, Lauren Sommer reports on how we got here and the chances of meeting our big green power goals.
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Baby Brain Development
Thousands of babies are born each year in the U.S. with brain defects that can cause lifelong disability or even death. UC-San Francisco neurologists and pediatricians are developing better diagnostic tools and treatments to help brain-damaged babies not only survive, but grow up to live more normal lives.
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Greening the Grow
Voters in California will consider a measure on the November ballot to legalize and tax marijuana. Amid the debate over pros and cons, another issue has been gaining visibility -- the environmental damage pot cultivation can incur. Illegal pesticide use and creek water diversion at large-scale outdoor operations are well-documented. But environmental concerns are also growing over indoor marijuana cultivation, as Lisa Morehouse reports.
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Sea Water Showdown
A plan being considered by California's State Water Resources Control Board would end the practice of allowing power plants along the coast to suck in ocean water to cool their machinery. Environmentalists say it kills millions of fish larvae, small animals and other ocean life, but the power industry says tighter rules would raise California's electricity prices, already among the nation's highest.
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Notes From An Environmentalist
The oldest grassroots environmental organization in the U.S. is the Sierra Club and it's undergoing a change in leadership. After 18 years running the organization, Carl Pope has just stepped down as executive director, but he remains involved as ever in his new position as chairman. Andrea Kissack spoke with him about the biggest challenges facing the environmental movement today.
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The Changing Bay
Peer into San Francisco Bay and you probably won't see much, thanks to the murky water the bay is known for. But over the past decade, scientists have made a surprising discovery – the bay’s water is clearing. As Lauren Sommer reports, clearer water is not always good news.
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Smog Checks Made Easy
Smog check tests, as California air officials have long known, are too easy to cheat. A recent survey found that because of faulty, or even fraudulent testing, half of cars that received repairs to pass the tests failed just a year later. Now, state lawmakers are proposing to revamp the process with a new, computerized smog test that’s almost impossible to rig. Happily for consumers, it'll be cheaper, too.
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Ghost Fleet On The Move
For decades, more than 70 Navy and merchant ships known as the "ghost fleet" have been anchored in Suisun Bay, waiting for disposal. While many served in World War II, today they're the subject of a lawsuit filed by environmental groups who are concerned about the pollution these aging vessels are leaching into the bay. Now, some of the ships are finally on the move.
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Lessons From Chile
The 8.8 magnitude earthquake that struck Chile last month may offer some clues for how California would withstand such a massive quake. Andrea Kissack spoke with one Bay Area engineer who just returned from Chile where he was looking at how U.S. building codes held up in the quake.
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Alcatraz Goes Green
Alcatraz, the iconic, former prison in the bay goes green. Extra stimulus funds have made it possible to replace two aging diesel generators with solar energy that will power up to 60-percent of the island. Amy Standen reports on how the National Parks Service plans to hide more than 13-hundred dark blue solar panels from public view.
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Battle Over Public Power
This week, voters on both sides of a contentious measure set for California's June ballot will take the stage in a public hearing in San Francisco. Proposition 16 has to do with how electricity will be delivered to our homes, and by whom. The issue is shaping up to be an epic showdown between local non-profit groups and the utility giant PG&E. Amy Standen has more.
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Wither The Lawn
After three years of drought, California is finally getting some wet relief. Yet a series of strong storms doesn't end the state's need to conserve water. A new California law will impose restrictions on landscaping for decades to come. Katharine Mieszkowski reports on the future of the suburban lawn.
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Teaching the Brain To See
Thanks to stem cells and other cutting-edge technologies, doctors hope they may one day be able to restore sight to people who were born without it, or lost it, later in life. But a rare case here in the Bay Area suggests that curing blindness may be more than meets the eye.
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Bay Area Ant Invasion
Like rainstorms and chilly weather, they seem to show up every winter. Ants. If your kitchen is currently under siege, chances are it’s by one particular species: Argentine Ants. These invasive insects have spread across California, forming one of the largest colonies on Earth and threatening native ecosystems. How can we stop them? Well, what if -- as Lauren Sommer reports -- we could speak their language?
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The Godfather of Green
Art Rosenfeld is retiring, stepping down from his post with the California Energy Commission. The 83-year-old nuclear physicist pushed California to enact some of the toughest energy efficiency standards in the world. QUEST talks with Rosenfeld about his passion for saving kilowatts. Andrea Kissack reports.
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Is The Drought Over?
The recent rain storms have drenched Northern California, dumping in some places almost twice as much rain as we'd expect to see at this time of year. That's great news for a state that's suffered three years of drought. But are we finally in the clear? Amy Standen went in search of answers.
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Saving Coho
Coho salmon conservationists in Marin County are losing hope they'll see large numbers of the fish return to spawn this year, even after our recent rains. Marine biologists say the future looks grim after a series of drought years, and they’re looking for ways to stop the fish from being sucked into what they call "the vortex of extinction." Dan Brekke reports.
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Truckers Clean Up Their Act
This month, truckers at the Port of Oakland face new rules on diesel rigs. The rules call for expensive filters that cut down the amount of soot the trucks spew out. Many truckers say they can't afford the new gear, especially amid a recession. But treating the health effects of diesel pollution may be much more expensive.
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Power Up With Leftovers
Americans throw away a staggering 31 million tons of food each year. As those scraps decompose they create methane - a powerful greenhouse gas - that could be harnessed to light our homes one day. As Tara Siler reports, a wastewater treatment plant in the Bay Area is leading the way.
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Solar Theives
Solar panels are a hot commodity these days and not just for residents and business owners who want to go green. It turns out that thieves are also embracing clean technology: Solar panel thefts are on the rise. And among the most popular targets are California wineries.
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The Future of Phone Books
The white pages, required by law in most states, have been estimated to consume 5 million trees a year to produce. They create challenges for recycling centers and with 90 percent of Americans using cell phones, they’re largely irrelevant. The white pages will be nearly eliminated, thanks to a bill facing the state legislature in 2010. But what will happen to the few Californians who still rely on an outmoded resource?
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Rainwater Harvesting: Is It All Wet?
It's an El Nio year, which raises hopes for significant rainfall this winter. But after years of drought, some local homeowners aren't counting on it. They're conserving water by reviving the ancient practice of rainwater harvesting. But how much can they really save? Katharine Mieszkowski reports.
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Boom Time for Open Space
This month marks an anniversary no one will celebrate: Two years ago, the economic downturn many call "The Great Recession" began. Here in Northern California, like just about everywhere else, housing prices have tumbled. But for some, there's a silver lining to the real estate bust, as Amy Standen reports.
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Building an Artificial Leaf
At UC Berkeley, scientists studying how to feed our growing need for energy have turned to a surprising source. As Lauren Sommer reports, researchers there are trying to produce the next generation of green power by mimicking something every weekend gardener works to clean up.
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A Bumpy Ride for High Speed Rail
Last year a majority of California voters approved a multi-billion-dollar high-speed rail project. Now comes the hard part: squeezing a 220-mph train system into California's densely populated cities. Some communities that voted in favor of the train now say they don't want it rolling through their neighborhoods. QUEST looks at the stretch between San Francisco and San Jose and how the train might change the local landscape.
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Getting Paid to Go Solar
If you have solar panels on your house, you can count on reducing your electricity bill. Maybe you'll pay nothing at all. But what if you produce more than you use? Well, until recently in California, you could consider it a gift to the local utility. But now, thanks to a new law, that will soon change. Amy Standen reports.
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Catching the Drift - Part Two
Conflicts over pesticide use have increased as new suburbs push up against farming areas in California. In the second part of our series, Sasha Khokha looks at how community residents are looking to document the impact of pesticides on their own health when those chemicals drift off the farm.
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Catching the Drift
Every year California farmers spray more than 150 million pounds of pesticides to keep insects from ravaging crops like almonds, oranges, and grapes. But when those toxins drift onto nearby farmworkers and communities, they sicken hundreds of people each year. California legislators tried to fix the problem five years ago, but new laws don't appear to have made much of a difference.
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Predicting the Next Big One
It's been twenty years since the Loma Prieta Earthquake ravaged downtown Santa Cruz and damaged San Francisco's Marina District and the Bay Bridge. QUEST looks at the dramatic improvements in earthquake prediction technology since 1989. But what can be done with ten seconds of warning?
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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?
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Soundscapes of National Parks
This week, conservationists will issue a list of the most endangered national parks, including some in California. There are many ways to measure the health of a park, including the air and the water. This week, Craig Miller looks at an often overlooked vital sign — the sound.
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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.
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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, as Lauren Sommer reports.
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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?
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Getting to Zero Waste
A few weeks from now, San Francisco residents will start facing warnings, and even fines, if they fail to recycle, as the city - like many in California - 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. Amy Standen reports, recycling can only take us so far.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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. But when those markets collapse — as they did last winter — neighborhood recycling programs are hit hard.
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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 rare - and rough ride with marine researchers to learn about how unpredictable changes in our climate could be affecting life there.
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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 in the field. One newer, FDA-approved approach uses magnets held against the patient's forehead to stimulate some of the neurological signals that underlie depression.
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Museum 2.0
Call it Museum 2.0. One of our most traditional institutions is undergoing a 21st century re-design. In an effort to keep up with changing times, more and more museums are turning to Twitter, Wikis and online communities to ask for the public's help in designing their exhibits.
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Stem Cells and Horses
At UC Davis Veterinary Hospital, competitive performance horses receive stem cell treatments that are still off limits to humans. Veterinarians say their success may pave the way for other animals... like us.
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Where's my Hydrogen Highway?
Five years ago, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger announced his vision for the Hydrogen Highway, a bold and ambitious program that promised to launch an alternative energy revolution in California. Right now, that highway is not as smooth as its planners had hoped and government funding is in danger of drying up. In the midst of the pile-up of bad news, the California hydrogen fuel cell program keeps chugging along.
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Cash for Clunkers
How would you like the government to help you buy a newer, more fuel-efficient set of wheels? That's the idea behind a so-called Cash for Clunkers program that Congress is considering. But is this a boon for the environment, or just a hand-out to Detroit automakers? The plan, which has become mired in Beltway politics, is not so novel. California has had a similar program for a decade.
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Crash Landing
NASA scientists in Mountain View are building a spaceship they will deliberately crash into the moon in 2009, sending up a 37-mile high cloud of debris. Their goal? To possibly find water in the form of ice buried deep within one of the moon's poles.
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Sea Lion Rescue
Next month, the Marine Mammal Center in the Marin Headlands opens its doors to the public for the first time in four years. The Center treats sea lions, elephant seals, and other marine mammals that run into trouble along our coast. They swallow fishing lines, get hit by boat propellers and, increasingly, come down with a bacterial infection that scientists say they still don't understand.
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Do-It-Yourself Mini-Satellites
NASA will soon attempt to launch an unusual satellite. Most satellites are the size of a car, but this one is small enough to fit inside a glove compartment. Mini-satellites are reaching space in increasing numbers, thanks also to a do-it-yourself satellite program at Stanford University.
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Sudden Oak Death
As California continues to respond to an outbreak of swine flu - plant biologists are dealing with a deadly epidemic of a different kind. Sudden Oak Death is devastating oak forests along the coast, killing trees that are key to the ecology of the coastal hills. Researchers have found a way to inoculate individual trees from the disease, but are struggling in their search to find a more sweeping answer to the threat.
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Swine Flu and You
Why are health officials so worried about swine flu? A major reason is that against it, we are almost defenseless. Apart from the drugs Tamiflu and Relenza, which must be taken in the first 48 hours, swine flu is untreatable. But the swine flu scare is only the latest chapter in an ongoing arms race between humans and viruses. But some scientists believe the end may be in sight.
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Let's Weatherize
It's easy to get excited about installing solar panels on our houses, but most of us could significantly cut our energy bills at a much lower cost with a simple trip to Home Depot. Thanks to the new federal stimulus package, $411 million is coming to California to help the state's buildings become more energy efficient. One program, which helps low-income families weatherize their homes, is seeing its budget triple.
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Goodbye to the Bevatron
Fifty-five years after its construction, the Bevatron, a landmark particle accelerator at Lawrence Berkeley National Labs that helped pioneer physics discoveries and win several Nobel prizes, is about to be demolished. Why was it so important?
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Smart Grid at Home
President Obama's stimulus plan set aside billions for clean energy. Funding will go to some familiar projects - like wind and solar power - and to some not so familiar ones, like the smart grid. So what is the smart grid? And how will it affect your home energy use?
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Sewage Spills Increasing
How much sewage makes its way into our water? Plenty. Statewide, it's likely that last year's record number, 20 million gallons of raw sewage dumped in California waterways, is going to be broken this year. Decrepit pipes, lack of money and the growing severity of storms could all add up to a disaster of septic proportions.
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High Tech in the Vineyards
When it comes to water conservation, you might want to toast some of the state's vintners. Grape growers are among the best at curbing water use and many are increasingly relying on an array of high-tech gadgetry to help them do it.
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Medicine from the Ocean Floor
Scientists at UC Santa Cruz are using robots to sort through thousands of marine chemicals in search of cures for diseases like cholera, breast cancer, and malaria.
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Changes at the Pump
By April 1st, the vast majority of California's 11,000 gas stations must have new, state-of-the-art fuel pumps that keep toxic fumes from escaping. State officials say the new pumps mean cleaner, safer air, particularly for those suffering from asthma and other respiratory diseases. But, amid a recession and record unemployment, will the new rules force mom and pop gas stations out of business?
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