KQED Science Video Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Astronomer Dr. Jill Tarter of SETI Institute Apr 09, 2008

Show notes

1/2 HOUR WEB-ONLY QUEST SPECIAL: the complete November 2007 interview with astronomer Dr. Jill Tarter of SETI Institute on site at the Allen Telescope Array in Hat Creek, CA. Tarter is generally thought to be the inspiration for Ellie Arroway, the character played by Jodi Foster in the classic science fiction movie "Contact."

Alzheimer's: Is the Cure in the Genes? Apr 08, 2008

Show notes

By 2050, as our population ages, 15 million Americans will suffer from Alzheimer's disease - triple today's number. Researchers at San Francisco's Gladstone Institutes have found that a gene may hold the key to a cure.

Biofuels: Beyond Ethanol Apr 08, 2008

Show notes

For years there's been buzz - both positive and negative - about generating ethanol fuel from corn. But thanks to recent developments, the Bay Area is rapidly becoming a world center for the next generation of green fuel alternatives. Meet the scientists investigating the newest methods for converting what we grow into what makes us go.

Cool Critters: Sharks of the Bay Apr 08, 2008

Show notes

Do sharks live in San Francisco Bay? QUEST heads out on a shark-tagging expedition to unlock the secrets of some of the bay's biggest and least known predators.

SETI: The New Search for ET Apr 01, 2008

Show notes

Is anyone out there? For over 40 years scientists have been searching for extraterrestrial intelligence, but they've found nothing. Now the new Allen Telescope Array, a string of 350 radio telescopes, is being built 300 miles north of San Francisco and is breathing new life into the search.

QUEST Lab: Aerogel Apr 01, 2008

Show notes

It looks like frozen smoke. And it's the lightest solid material on the planet. Aerogel insulates space suits, makes tennis rackets stronger and could be used one day to clean up oil spills. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory scientist Alex Gash shows us some remarkable properties of this truly unique substance.

The Fierce Humboldt Squid Mar 26, 2008

Show notes

SEASON 2 SNEAK PREVIEW. A mysterious sea creature up to 7 feet long, with 10 arms, a sharp beak and a ravenous appetite has invaded ocean waters off Northern California. Packs of fierce Humboldt Squid attack nearly everything they see, from fish to scuba divers. Marine biologists are working to discover why they've headed north from their traditional homes off South America.

Into the Inferno: The Science of Fire Sep 25, 2007

Show notes

In dry years, fires in California cost billions of dollars and often result in lost lives. QUEST goes inside the fire season, looking at how the history of forest management could be feeding today's flames.

Do-it-Yourself Science: The Maker Faire Sep 25, 2007

Show notes

It's been called "Burning Man for science geeks." The annual Maker Faire attracts thousands of amateur inventors and scientists, displaying their home-made prototypes and gadget hacks. In a world where the technological race is speeding up, the Maker movement has revealed that the do-it-yourself culture is in no danger of dying out.

Second Life: Big Avatar on Campus Sep 25, 2007

Show notes

It's a virtual world, but the transactions are real. Go inside Second Life, an online game where millions of people are creating digital personalities called avatars and are living virtual lives-- meeting other avatars, going to events, and even buying property with real money.

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