May 16th, 2008 by Lauren Sommer
When you fire up your computer in the morning and go online, chances are you’re not thinking of the environmental impact of the Internet. You might be surprised. The server facilities that keep us all connected gobble up nearly two percent of the electricity used in the U.S. Generating all that power carries a big price tag – in the form of greenhouse gas emissions. As David Gorn reports, scientists and engineers in Silicon Valley are working to reduce the impact of a global network that we have all come to depend upon.
You may listen to the “Server Farms Radio report online, as well as find additional links and resources.
Lauren Sommer is an Associate Media Producer for QUEST.
Tags: energy,
energy conservation,
energy-saving technology,
KQED,
pbs,
QUEST,
Radio,
server farm,
servers
37.394791, -121.955463
Posted in Engineering, Environment, KQED, Radio | Please Comment
May 2nd, 2008 by Lauren Sommer
Nobody likes moving. The packing, taping, lifting, shipping… it can be major hassle. But nobody’s experience compares to what’s going on at the California Academy of Sciences. They’re moving to their new 400,000 square-foot building in Golden Gate Park after three years in downtown San Francisco. But they’ve got a lot more to move than most people. Try 38,000 live animals and 20 million scientific specimens.
From fossils and gemstones to bird eggs and a stuffed Kodiak bear, it takes a lot of creativity to pack their collection. Everything seems to have special requirements. Their fish collection is made up of 200,000 jars - all filled with alcohol. And since it’s a flammable liquid, they’ll need a licensed hazmat driver to take it across town.
The live animals take extra care, of course. In this story, we followed the move of three black tip reef sharks. They hadn’t been fed in a few days (so they wouldn’t make any, um, deposits in their holding tank) and they weren’t easy for the staff to catch, but they made it safely to their new exhibit. Even the largest of the three, F3 as she’s known, made it ok, despite being a little groggy at first from too much oxygen.
As curator Bart Shepherd put it, their new Philippine Coral Reef Exhibit is a giant science experiment. The water for the 200,000 gallon tank comes straight from the Pacific Ocean through a four mile pipe. But most impressively, the Academy has been growing coral just for the exhibit. Just managing the water chemistry alone has been a major project, but now several dozen colonies of coral are happily planted in their new home.
Make sure to check out the audio slide show for this story to see how the new building is shaping up. And check out a few of the posts from QUEST science blogger Cat Aboudara, who is an Academy staff member, for more details on what it takes (here, here and here).
Watch the “Moving Day” audio slide show online, as well as find additional links and resources.
Lauren Sommer is an Associate Media Producer for QUEST.
Tags: aquarium,
Biology,
calacademy,
california academy of sciences,
KQED,
kqedquest,
pbs,
public radio,
Radio,
Science,
sharks
37.7697, -122.466
Posted in Biology, KQED, Radio | 
2 Comments
April 11th, 2008 by Lauren Sommer
There is a lot we don’t know about our DNA and how it works. While there seems to be news every week about genetics, scientists are still in the early stages of finding out what effect our genes have on us (check out this post from another QUEST blogger, Dr. Barry Starr). That’s what the researchers at the Canine Behavioral Genetics Project are doing. But in this case, they’re looking at dog DNA.
It turns out that human intervention in the form of hundreds of years of dog breeding has created a unique genetic experiment. Because purebred dogs are in essence closed gene pools, it’s much easier for scientists to compare of DNA of dogs within a breed. The Canine Behavioral Genetics Project is doing this to find the genes that are associated with behavioral disorders, like anxiety and fear. They also hope to use that information to find the genes in humans that are associated with similar disorders.
Millions of problematic dogs are given up each year in the U.S. And while the UCSF team definitely believes that training is a huge part of dealing with dog behavioral disorders, they’re also hoping to understand the genetic influences. Many owners are starting to use medications to help treat these problems, like doggie Prozac. But Melanie Chang, a member of the UCSF team, made a good point to me. Owners tend to think their dog’s problems are the owner’s fault. Sometimes there are other forces at work.
Listen to “Doggie DNA: Human Genetics through Dogs” online, as well as find additional links and resources. Also, check out the photo set with behind-the-scenes photos.
Lauren Sommer is an Associate Media Producer for QUEST.
Tags: dna,
dogs,
genes,
genetics,
Health,
KQED,
kqedquest,
pets,
QUEST,
Radio,
UCSF
37.76355, -122.458
Posted in Biology, Health, KQED, Radio | 2 Comments
March 25th, 2008 by Lauren Sommer
Clara soars over San Jose. Credit: Evet Loewen.The remarkable Peregrine Falcons of the Bay Area are making news again. Last year, we followed Jose and Clara, a mating pair that settled directly on San Jose City Hall. Thanks to the efforts of the Santa Cruz Predatory Bird Research Group, a webcam was set up to follow the family’s development. Bay Area viewers watched online as all three of their chicks, Hiko, Spirit and Esperanza, fledged last June. Since then, two of them have been spotted in the Emeryville area.
This year, Clara is back in the City Hall nest box, but early rumors proved true: she had found a new companion. The tiercel (male falcon) was dubbed “Carlos” and it was soon discovered that the bird was likely hacked (released) at Long Marine Lab in Santa Cruz. The pair is now incubating 4 eggs and their fans are hoping the eggs will hatch by the end of April.
Just like last year, you can watch the family drama unfold on the live San Jose webcam or take a look at some of the highlights so far. Both fans and biologists have an online discussion group that tracks their every move.
To catch up on last year’s events, watch QUEST’s Falcon Fascination online, and find additional links and resources.
Lauren Sommer is an Associate Media Producer for QUEST.
Tags: falcon,
KQED,
pbs,
Peregrine Falcons,
san jose,
TV,
webcam
37.337749, -121.88516
Posted in Environment, KQED, TV | 1 Comment
January 24th, 2008 by Lauren Sommer
When football fans tune in on Super Bowl Sunday next weekend, they’ll be watching a greener Super Bowl, according to the NFL. Demand for carbon credits is booming, with companies from Dell Computer to Enterprise Rent-a-Car offering their customers offsets with their purchases. But critics are concerned that consumers don’t know what they’re buying - or might not be getting what they’re promised.
The 2006 Word of the Year was “carbon netural” in the The New Oxford English Dictionary. But there’s still a lot of debate about what it means. Many people compare the U.S. carbon offset market to the Wild West. Since there is no regulation, how do you know what you’re buying?
There are several guides to carbon offsets that have been created by non-profit organizations, designed to help the average consumer (see related resources). But part of the problem is that many people are still debating what a carbon offset should be. And that’s a debate that can be found in the blogosphere.
One place you can find it is on the Grist.org blog which has many bloggers writing about green issues. Forestry offset projects, which sell credits based on the fact that trees sequester– or hold carbon dioxide, have come under fire. You can read about a few of the critiques here, here and here.
Another blog, Treehugger.com, has followed the issue as well. They posted this comparison of offset providers to help their readers do their homework and this more in depth guide on the issues buyers should be aware of.
Of course, one of the earliest debates over offsets was whether offsets would act as “indulgences”, distracting consumers from making concrete changes in their lifestyles to reduce their carbon footprint. Terrapass, one offset retailer, has tried to investigate this by surveying their customers. They found that the majority of them had already had green habits. Still, the virtues of offsets are a matter of personal opinion.
You may listen to the “Cashing in on Carbon” radio report online, as well as find additional links and resources.
Lauren Sommer is an Associate Media Producer for QUEST.
latitude: 37.325510, longitude: -120.640341
Tags: carbon,
carbon credits,
carbon footprint,
carbon market,
carbon neutral,
cows,
global warming,
greenhouse gas emissions,
KQED,
kqedquest,
methane,
offsets,
QUEST,
Science
37.850783, -122.294830
Posted in Environment, KQED, Radio | Please Comment
January 3rd, 2008 by Lauren Sommer
If investment is any guide, California’s renewable energy companies are leaping into the new year. Investors poured billions of dollars into clean tech in 2007 to catapult green technologies to market. In the first three quarters of 2007, U.S. venture capital firms invested $2.6 billion in clean tech companies. That’s compared with $1.8 billion for all of 2006.
Over the past year, a few types of renewable energy have seen a lot of attention. One is solar thermal power - a form of energy that hasn’t been built in decades. In the 1980’s, several large solar thermal plants were built in the Mojave Desert. The technology sounds pretty simple: Mirrors are used to reflect sunlight onto on a liquid or substance, usually water. The water is super-heated by the sun and bingo - becomes steam. The steam is then used to turn large turbines. California utilities are starting to look these plants again, and companies like Ausra in Palo Alto and BrightSource Energy in Oakland are benefiting.
Thin-film solar is another area that has gotten a lot of buzz. Only a few companies are currently selling thin-film. While today’s panels aren’t quite as efficient as silicon solar cells (the kind you see on rooftops), many are hoping they’ll be cheaper and stronger. That makes it easier for companies to manufacture Building Integrated Photovoltaics - building materials like roof tiles with solar built-in.
Energy efficiency is another area companies are getting into, and in this case, it’s energy management. Several companies are working on devices would manage energy use in your home. They could feed power from a solar system back to the grid and turn on your appliances late at night, when power is cheapest. PG&E is taking a step forward by installing Smart Meters in homes now - new digital electric meters that provide real-time data to customers and utilities. After that comes real-time electricity pricing for those who want it, meaning it’s not just how much you use, it’s when you use it.
You may listen to the “The New Clean Tech” radio report online, as well as find additional links and resources.
Lauren Sommer is an Associate Media Producer for QUEST.
latitude: 37.2647, longitude: -121.79
Tags: clean tech,
energy,
KQED,
kqedquest,
nanosolar,
plug-in hybrid,
QUEST,
renewable energy,
Science,
solar,
solar thermal
,
Posted in Engineering, Environment, Radio | Please Comment
November 1st, 2007 by Lauren Sommer
The DARPA Grand Challenge is one of the most unusual car races in the world. In this race, the cars drive themselves - no remote controls needed. And the contest is not a game. It could change the way all of us drive. We visited the leading Bay Area team, the Stanford Racing Team, as they geared up for this year’s race.
The race is sponsored by the Department of Defense’s research division, known as DARPA. Their goal is to convert one-third of their ground vehicles to unmanned vehicles. That’s where the contest comes in– to develop the technology needed for such an application. Early uses could be surveillance on the ground or convoy missions, but they haven’t ruled anything out. What are your thoughts on the wartime purpose of this contest?
The Stanford team, like many others, see this technology being used far and wide in the future. The laser sensors that the robots use are much more accurate than human eyes. So, robotic cars could follow each other very closely, which could have major impacts on traffic and the need for new roads. Autonomous vehicles could help elderly and disabled drivers, too. It sounds like science fiction, but scientists are on their way. Would you use a robotic car?
UPDATE: The Stanford Team’s car, Junior, took second place in the race this past weekend. I’ve heard it was a very close race with six team completing the whole course. Check out the full race results or read a San Francisco Chronicle article on the finals.
You may listen to the “Robot Car Race” Radio report online, as well as find more resources. Also, don’t miss our behind-the-scenes photos for this story on flickr.com.
Lauren Sommer reports for QUEST and Radio News at KQED-FM.
latitude: 37.4265, longitude: -122.077
Tags: DARPA,
KQED,
kqedquest,
QUEST,
race,
robot,
Science,
Stanford
,
Posted in Engineering, KQED, Partners, Radio | Please Comment
October 4th, 2007 by Lauren Sommer
We’ve all heard the latest health advice: Avoid transfats. Eat more fruits and vegetables. You may notice those changes on grocery store shelves, but for many school children, their cafeteria lunch menus haven’t caught up. This year, an effort to get healthy foods to the school lunch table is tied up in a much larger debate - national farm policy.
What do you think should be in a school lunch? School lunch programs face major challenges. In addition to buying food, they must cover overhead and staffing. Often the products that bring most money come from vending machines.
What about demand? Should schools be responsible for changing the way kids eat, replacing the french fries with veggies? Tell us your thoughts by leaving a comment below.
You may listen to the “What’s for Lunch” Radio report online, as well as find more resources.
Lauren Sommer reports for QUEST and Radio News at KQED-FM.
Tags: KQED,
kqedquest,
QUEST,
Science
,
Posted in Environment, Health, KQED | 3 Comments
August 23rd, 2007 by Lauren Sommer
NASA has created a Centennial Challenges series - contests for everyday people to develop new technologies that may offer inspiration for the space agency. The most famous of these is the space elevator challenge, where teams create a solar powered elevator prototype. The one that gets to the top the fastest wins. Others include space gloves and lunar landers. Quest looks at this month’s competition: personal aircraft.
If you’ve ever found yourself stuck in Bay Area traffic, you’ve probably found yourself wishing you could fly right over it. Flying cars are usually the stuff of science fiction, but a group of engineers at NASA is hoping to change that. They’re sponsoring a technology contest to revolutionize small planes – and it’s open to the general public.
With congestion increasing in the Bay Area, many argue we’ll need new innovations to tackle it, including mass transit and personal air vehicles. What do you think the future of transportation should look like? Do you think government agencies like NASA should spend more on research?
You may listen to the “NASA Flying Car Challenge” Radio report online, as well as find additional links and resources.
Lauren Sommer reports for QUEST and Radio News at KQED-FM.
Tags: KQED,
kqedquest,
QUEST,
Science
,
Posted in Astronomy, Engineering, KQED, Radio | 3 Comments
Posts
