Search Results for San Francisco County

The roadway across the Golden Gate Bridge rises and falls as much as 16 feet depending on the temperature. When the sun hits the bridge, the metal expands and the bridge cables stretch. As the fog rolls in, the cables contract and the bridge goes up. Curators from the Outdoor Exploratorium in San Francisco have set up a scope two miles away so you can see how the bridge is moving up or down depending on the weather.

Play this TV Story Air Date: May 4, 2010

What's the coolest critter in the ocean under 4 inches long? The Dwarf Cuttlefish! These little guys can change their color and texture, and feeding time is a show like no other. Get an up-close look at these tiny underwater aliens as QUEST visits them at the California Academy of Sciences.

Play this TV Story Air Date: Apr 27, 2010

Everyone can appreciate the value of a good night's sleep. But did you know that a lack of sleep can have real consequences for your health? QUEST investigates how sleep affects our minds and bodies and uncovers why some people are genetically programmed to need less sleep than others.

Play this TV Story Air Date: Apr 13, 2010

Along with cable cars and seagulls, the Golden Gate Bridge foghorn is one of San Francisco's most iconic sounds. But did you know that if you hear that foghorn off in the distance, you can calculate how many miles you are from the bridge? Using the Speed of Sound exhibit at the Outdoor Exploratorium at Fort Mason, Shawn Lani shows us how sound perception is affected by distance.

Play this TV Story Air Date: Apr 6, 2010

It's been more than two decades since part of the upper deck of the Bay Bridge collapsed in the Loma Prieta earthquake. The new self-anchored suspension bridge being built to replace the vulnerable eastern span of the Bay Bridge is scheduled to open in 2013 and will be seismically and aesthetically revolutionary in its design. QUEST explores the engineering features that will give the new bridge the strength and flexibility to withstand the next "big one".

Play this TV Story Air Date: Apr 6, 2010

The Farallon Islands are prime habitat for the Great White Shark. Sitting 27 miles off the coast of California, they mark the Western tip of an area scientists call the "red triangle." QUEST ventures out to meet the Great White shark and discover that the creature of our imaginations may not be the monster we think it is. See why scientists are tracking the movements of these magnificent animals in hopes of protecting them.

Play this TV Story Air Date: Apr 6, 2010

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.

Play this Radio Report Air Date: Mar 22, 2010

Human beings have used maps to describe the world for thousands of years. Blind people have used Braille for about 150. But there's never been a way for the blind to have easy access to maps of everyday places. Until now. Amy Standen reports.

Play this Radio Report Air Date: Dec 31, 2009

For many Bay Area residents, 'tis the season for egg nog, evenings by the fireplace, and…phone books! The new Yellow and White pages will land on hundreds of thousands of doorsteps this month. But if two California lawmakers get their way, this holiday tradition may soon change. Amy Standen reports.

Play this Radio Report Air Date: Dec 21, 2009

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.

Play this Radio Report Air Date: Dec 7, 2009