Picture a set of binoculars — only a pair the size of a low-rise building. That’s the shape of BART’s Transbay Tube — the dual-bore, 3.8-mile passageway that connects the West Oakland Station to San Francisco’s Embarcadero Station. Every weekday during peak commute hours, more than 60,000 BART riders cruise through the tube. What most don’t know is that they’re in a trench on the floor of San Francisco Bay. Bay Curious listener Jennifer Schulz rides through the tube a lot and can’t help but to t...
Sep 21, 2017•13 min
For years Martin Kunz has been looking down the hill from his office at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, out over the water, at one of the longest piers in California — the Berkeley Pier. “I see this every day from my office when I have lunch, and I was curious what the history behind this is,” he said. He submitted a question to Bay Curious, so off we went to find the answer. Lately, the Berkeley Pier has primarily been used as a fishing pier, but decades ago it had a very different purpose. Berke...
Sep 14, 2017•9 min
There's one "no parking" sign in San Francisco that you can bend the rules on ... if the conditions are right. Reported by Penny Nelson. Bay Curious is Olivia Allen-Price, Paul Lancour, Jessica Placzek, Penny Nelson, Suzie Racho and Katie McMurran. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller. Ask us a question at BayCurious.org. Follow Olivia Allen-Price on Twitter @oallenprice.
Aug 31, 2017•10 min
Whether at Baker Beach or Bay to Breakers, it’s not unusual to see public nudity in San Francisco. What are the current laws on the matter, and how did the city become known for bodies in the buff? Reported by Jessica Placzek. Bay Curious is Olivia Allen-Price, Vinnee Tong, Paul Lancour, Suzie Racho, Penny Nelson and Julia McEvoy. Our managing editor is Ethan Lindsey. Vice President for News is Holly Kernan. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller. Ask us a question at BayCurious.org. Follow Olivia All...
Aug 24, 2017•14 min
Reported by Craig Miller. Bay Curious is Olivia Allen-Price, Vinnee Tong, Paul Lancour, Jessica Placzek, Suzie Racho and Penny Nelson. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller. Ask us a question at BayCurious.org. Follow Olivia Allen-Price on Twitter @oallenprice.
Aug 17, 2017•12 min
Oakland is home to the fifth-busiest container port in the country and all around it, containers are stacked sky high like colorful, life-size Lego bricks. Listener Ajith Kumar asked Bay Curious: “Why are there millions of containers in West Oakland? How much trade is happening via those containers every month?” Bay Curious gets the answer. Credits: Jessica Placzek, Olivia Allen-Price, Vinnee Tong, Paul Lancour and Julia McEvoy.
Aug 10, 2017•8 min
A Bay Curious listener who hikes a lot wonders: Should he be scared of mountain lions? We find out for him. Reported by Vinnee Tong. Bay Curious is Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek, Vinnee Tong, Paul Lancour, Penny Nelson, Suzie Racho and Julia McEvoy. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller. Ask us a question at BayCurious.org. Follow Olivia Allen-Price on Twitter @oallenprice.
Aug 03, 2017•12 min
Two years ago, a big steel and concrete median barrier went in on the Golden Gate Bridge, and two yellow machines appeared that move it several times a day. Bridge commuters have some questions. Reported by Kelly O'Mara. Bay Curious is Olivia Allen-Price, Vinnee Tong, Paul Lancour, Julia McEvoy, Penny Nelson and Suzie Racho. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller. Ask us a question at BayCurious.org. Follow Olivia Allen-Price on Twitter @oallenprice....
Jul 27, 2017•10 min
Drawbridge was a popular bird hunting destination decades. What happened? Reported by Jessica Placzek. Produced and edited by Olivia Allen-Price, Vinnee Tong, Paul Lancour and Suzie Racho. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller. Ask us a question at BayCurious.org. Follow Olivia Allen-Price on Twitter @oallenprice.
Jul 20, 2017•13 min
If you attended sixth grade anywhere in or near San Jose, there’s a high likelihood you've been to see the largest collection of ancient Egyptian antiquities on public display anywhere west of the Mississippi. I'm talking about the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum. Credits: Rachael Myrow, Olivia Allen-Price, Vinnee Tong, Paul Lancour, Jessica Placzek, Julia McEvoy.
Jul 13, 2017•14 min
Why the "O" in SFO? And why is one of Chicago's airports coded ORD? And IAD for Dulles? Reported by Jessica Placzek. Bay Curious is Olivia Allen-Price, Vinnee Tong, Paul Lancour, Suzie Racho, Penny Nelson and Julia McEvoy. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller. Ask us a question at BayCurious.org. Follow Olivia Allen-Price on Twitter @oallenprice.
Jun 29, 2017•7 min
Since Bay Curious first answered your questions on homelessness in 2017, the cost of living has continued to rise in the Bay Area and with it, the number of people living without a home. In the nine county Bay Area, just over 34,000 people are experiencing homelessness, according to point-in-time counts conducted in January by most counties In at least five of the nine counties, the recent count revealed an increase in the number of homeless people from the last time the count was done in 2017. ...
Jun 22, 2017•18 min
What causes homelessness? What's the best way to help people you see on the street? And what other cities have had success in solving homelessness? Reported by Jessica Placzek, Olivia Allen-Price and Vinnee Tong. Production help from Paul Lancour and Julia McEvoy. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller. Ask us a question at BayCurious.org. Follow Olivia Allen-Price on Twitter @oallenprice.
Jun 22, 2017•20 min
Our question-asker saw a tsunami hit San Francisco in the movie San Andreas, and wonders: would it really be like? Reported by Johanna Varner and Olivia Allen-Price. Bay Curious is Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek, Paul Lancour, Vinnee Tong, Suzie Racho, Penny Nelson and Julia McEvoy. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller. Ask us a question at BayCurious.org. Follow Olivia Allen-Price on Twitter @oallenprice.
Jun 15, 2017•12 min
Reported by Jessica Placzek. Bay Curious is Olivia Allen-Price, Vinnee Tong, Paul Lancour, Suzie Racho, Penny Nelson and Julia McEvoy. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller. Ask us a question at BayCurious.org. Follow Olivia Allen-Price on Twitter @oallenprice.
Jun 08, 2017•10 min
The answer is satisfyingly full of toothy prehistoric beasts. Reported by Daniel Potter. Bay Curious is Olivia Allen-Price, Vinnee Tong, Paul Lancour, Suzie Racho, Penny Nelson and Jessica Placzek. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller. Ask us a question at BayCurious.org. Follow Olivia Allen-Price on Twitter @oallenprice.
Jun 01, 2017•13 min
Ask around in the more historic parts of San Francisco and you’ll find a good number of the homes were built in 1906. Or so people have been told. Reported by Penny Nelson. Produced and edited by Olivia Allen-Price, Vinnee Tong, Paul Lancour, Suzie Racho and Julia McEvoy. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller. Ask us a question at BayCurious.org. Follow Olivia Allen-Price on Twitter @oallenprice.
May 25, 2017•9 min
California became the first state to ban single-use plastic bags in November. A middle-schooler from Sacramento wants to know if the ban actually helps the environment.
May 18, 2017•12 min
Some people are using bots to get campsites at state and national parks. Is it legal? Is it fair? Credits: Jessica Placzek, Olivia Allen-Price, Paul Lancour, Vinnee Tong, Julia McEvoy
May 11, 2017•14 min
San Franciscans have been having a love-affair with this ice cream treat since 1928. Reported by Alyssa Kapnik Samuel and Seth Samuel. Bay Curious is Olivia Allen-Price, Vinnee Tong, Paul Lancour, Penny Nelson, Suzie Racho and Julia McEvoy. Our managing editor is Ethan Lindsey. Vice President for News is Holly Kernan. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller. Ask us a question at BayCurious.org. Follow Olivia Allen-Price on Twitter @oallenprice.
May 04, 2017•9 min
It used to take hours or days to change the lights at city hall lights. Now it's done with a few clicks. Reported by Jessica Placzek. Produced and edited by Olivia Allen-Price, Vinnee Tong, Paul Lancour and Julia McEvoy. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller. Ask us a question at BayCurious.org. Follow Olivia Allen-Price on Twitter @oallenprice.
Apr 27, 2017•12 min
Reported by Julia Scott. Bay Curious is Olivia Allen-Price, Vinnee Tong, Paul Lancour, Suzie Racho, Jessica Placzek, Penny Nelson and Julia McEvoy. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller. Ask us a question at BayCurious.org. Follow Olivia Allen-Price on Twitter @oallenprice.
Apr 20, 2017•13 min
Reported by Olivia Allen-Price and Adam Grossberg. Bay Curious is Olivia Allen-Price, Vinnee Tong, Paul Lancour, Jessica Placzek, Suzie Racho, Penny Nelson, Ethan Lindsey and Julia McEvoy. Our Vice President for News is Holly Kernan. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller. Ask us a question at BayCurious.org. Follow Olivia Allen-Price on Twitter @oallenprice.
Apr 13, 2017•8 min
They look like a work of abstract art, but these colorful dots on Bay Area streets have a big purpose. Reported by Jessica Placzek. Bay Curious is Olivia Allen-Price, Vinnee Tong, Paul Lancour, Suzie Racho, Penny Nelson, Jessica Placzek, Julia McEvoy, Ethan Lindsey and Holly Kernan. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller. Ask us a question at BayCurious.org. Follow Olivia Allen-Price on Twitter @oallenprice.
Apr 06, 2017•8 min
It’s been a wet winter across Northern California this year, and that means a bounty of mushrooms. Get ready for a lesson in fungi from KQED Science reporter Lesley McClurg. Reported by Lesley McClurg. Bay Curious is Olivia Allen-Price, Vinnee Tong, Paul Lancour, Suzie Racho, Jessica Placzek and Julia McEvoy. Vice President for News is Holly Kernan. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller. Ask us a question at BayCurious.org. Follow Olivia Allen-Price on Twitter @oallenprice....
Mar 30, 2017•12 min
It would take a lot of money, work and imagination to turn Lake Merritt into a swimmable body of water. Reported by Jessica Placzek. Bay Curious is Olivia Allen-Price, Vinnee Tong, Paul Lancour, Suzie Racho and Julia McEvoy. Our Vice President for News is Holly Kernan. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller. Ask us a question at BayCurious.org. Follow Olivia on Twitter @oallenprice and use the #BayCurious hashtag.
Mar 23, 2017•9 min
Take a tour inside this unique Peninsula home that architects find whimsical. Would you live there? Reported by Rachael Myrow. Bay Curious is Olivia Allen-Price, Vinnee Tong, Paul Lancour, Jessica Placzek, Suzie Racho and Julia McEvoy. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller. Ask us a question at BayCurious.org. Follow Olivia Allen-Price on Twitter @oallenprice.
Mar 16, 2017•13 min
This year's rainy winter has left San Francisco Bay Area roads riddled with potholes. Why? And will Caltrans fix them? Reported by Penny Nelson. Bay Curious is Olivia Allen-Price, Vinnee Tong, Paul Lancour, Suzie Racho, Jessica Placzek and Julia McEvoy. Our Vice President for News is Holly Kernan. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller. Ask us a question at BayCurious.org. Follow Olivia Allen-Price on Twitter @oallenprice.
Mar 09, 2017•9 min
Not long after people started using it, others started hating it. They said only out-of-towners used it. Reported by Vinnee Tong. Produced and edited by Paul Lancour, Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek, Paul Lancour, Vinnee Tong and Julia McEvoy. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller. Ask us a question at BayCurious.org. Follow Olivia Allen-Price on Twitter @oallenprice.
Mar 02, 2017•14 min
A Cupertino couple wondered where the street name "Hoo Hoo Way" came from. Turns out, it's a long story. Reported by Jessica Placzek. Bay Curious is Olivia Allen-Price, Vinnee Tong, Paul Lancour, Julia McEvoy, Suzie Racho, Holly Kernan, David Weir and Ethan Lindsey. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller. Ask us a question at BayCurious.org. Follow Olivia Allen-Price on Twitter @oallenprice.
Feb 23, 2017•13 min
