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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Using sound and laser technology, researchers have begun to reveal the secrets of the ocean floor from the Sonoma Coast to Monterey Bay. By creating complex 3-D maps, they're hoping to learn more about waves and achieve ambitious conservation goals.
The human brain was once a black box, but scientists are finding ways to peer inside and explore some of our most complicated thought processes. Using MRI scanners in innovative ways, Stanford scientists are learning how children's brains process words when they read.
For more than 100 years, south San Francisco Bay has been a center for industrial salt production. Now federal and state biologists are working on a 40-year, $1 billion project to restore the ponds to healthy wetlands for fish, wildlife and public recreation.
QUEST launches a new photography feature about viewers like you who love documenting science, environment and nature imagery here in the Bay Area. This week, meet Russ Morris, who takes pictures using 2 cameras at once-- one old, one new-- to create unique images.ment officials to find creative solutions for at-risk areas like West Oakland, California.
Can earthquakes be predicted? Northern California researchers are now identifying the slow-moving clues that may foreshadow violent quakes. Their work may provide even a few seconds of warning to open elevator doors, slow down trains or alert firefighters.ment officials to find creative solutions for at-risk areas like West Oakland, California.
Have we found the fountain of youth? Scientists are discovering ways to make animals live dramatically longer through calorie restriction. While the technique has attracted a small, but devout following, skepticism abounds.
The urban forest is going digital. Thanks to volunteers with laptops and handheld devices, San Francisco is creating an online map of every street tree in the city, getting a leg up on keeping the urban landscape healthy and growing. interfering with the way grapes ripen. Local scientists and wineries are beginning to look at how to prepare.
In search of the common ancestor of all mammals, UC Santa Cruz scientist David Haussler is pulling a complete reversal. Instead of investigating fossil remains, he's comparing the genomes of living mammals and constructing a map of our common ancestors' DNA. His technique holds promise for providing a better picture of how life evolved on Earth.
What's the most harmful kind of air pollution? It's soot generated by diesel engines found in trucks, buses and ships. Diesel engines are the durable workhorses of transportation, but as they get older, they spew unhealthy soot. They are now challenging community activists and government officials to find creative solutions for at-risk areas like West Oakland, California.
Compared to traditional incandescent light bulbs, new compact fluorescent bulbs use at least two-thirds less energy and last up to 10 times longer. Many say that widespread use would produce major energy savings and reduce global warming emissions. But some people say their lighting is too harsh. QUEST sheds some light on the bulb debate.
Do other planets like Earth exist? To find out, a team of astronomers from the University of California is building a new telescope in the hills east of San Jose. QUEST finds out how the team searches for planets and why it matters.
The Napa and Sonoma microclimates produce world famous wines, but what happens if the climate changes? Scientists are predicting that global warming could increase the number of super-hot days in the California wine region, interfering with the way grapes ripen. Local scientists and wineries are beginning to look at how to prepare.
When it comes to these Bay Area internet celebrities, you can peak into their homes 24 hours day. QUEST visits a famous pair of Peregrine Falcons in downtown San Jose, whose family dramas-- from courtship to parenthood-- are caught on webcam.
Bay Area residents may not get to see the northern lights, but Bay Area scientists are playing a key role in understanding them. Find out more about the spectacular light shows up north and what scientists at UC Berkeley are discovering about the earth's magnetic field.
The United States has the highest rate of premature births of any developed nation in the world. But why? QUEST meets some of the Bay Area researchers working to answer that question, and discovers some of the technology and cutting-edge medical procedures used to care for the most vulnerable newborns.
What do kids age 5-8 think about science? Young authors from the KQED Reading Rainbow Young Writers and Illustrators Contest read their science-themed contest entries.
With its rolling hills and winter storms, the Bay Area has been a landslide hotspot, putting houses and lives at risk. Meet the geologists working to understand and predict these natural disasters.
California farmers depend on bees to pollinate the state's multi-million dollar fruit and nut crops, but last season thousands of bee colonies disappeared around the country. Meet two Northern California researchers looking for ways to make sure we always have bees to pollinate our crops.
Silicon Valley is planning one of the world's largest wireless networks, providing outdoors Web access to all and services to police and first responders. But how exactly does the technology known as Wi-Fi work?
Over 100,000 acres of wetlands are being restored in the Bay Area, but how do we know what to restore them to? QUEST discovers how historical ecologists are recreating San Francisco Bay wetlands that existed decades ago.
It may look like waste, but to some people it's green power. Find out how California dairy farms and restaurants like Jardiniere are taking their leftover waste and transforming it into clean energy.
Hoping to leave today's silicon solar cells behind, the Palo Alto company NanoSolar is creating paper-thin solar panels harnessing nanotechnology, a product that could revolutionize solar power.
From body work and acupuncture for giraffes, to pachyderm pedicures, come see how the Oakland Zoo is using alternative treatments to guarantee the well-being of its residents.
At UC Berkeley, a team of undergrads is experimenting with velocity, force, and aerodynamics. But you won't find them in a lab-- they work on a baseball diamond, throwing fast balls, sliders and curve balls.
