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Lauren Sommer
Science and Environment Reporter
Lauren covers environment and science as a reporter with QUEST - KQED's multiplatform science and environmental series. As part of her day job, she has scaled Sierra Nevada peaks, hunted for newts in the rain, and desperately tried to get her sea legs - all in pursuit of good radio. Originally from the Bay Area, Lauren attended Cornell University and has a background in environmental policy. Before joining KQED, she cruised bunny slopes as a ski instructor in Tahoe, California and ate croissants in France as a travel writer for Frommer's. Her work has appeared on Marketplace, Living on Earth, and NPR's Morning Edition and All Things Considered.
Stories (132 archives)
California Considers Giving Self-Driving Cars a Green Light
It's every commuter's dream. You're stuck in an epic traffic jam and with the press of a button, your car does the driving for you. Now, thanks to companies like Google, robotic car technology is not so far off. This week, the state Legislature is considering a bill that would set up rules for putting self-driving cars on the road. But there are concerns that the technology is moving faster than the regulations.
Brown Rolls Out New Delta Proposal
Farmers, fishers, environmentalists and politicians at the local, state and federal levels are squaring off for a new round of water wars. Gov. Jerry Brown started it with a major project proposal for the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta on Wednesday. It reminded many of the peripheral canal plan Brown introduced in his previous stint as governor back in 1982.
New Delta Proposal Reminds Some of Peripheral Canal
This morning, Gov. Jerry Brown is expected to announce plans for a massive water project in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. The multi-billion dollar proposal is designed to address long-simmering disputes over who gets how much water and at what cost to the Delta's ecosystem. But this proposal looks a lot like one California voters struck down about 30 years ago.
Robo-Squirrel Helps Scientists Unlock Biological Secrets
Biologists working at some of the San Francisco Bay Area's top universities are turning to robots to help them learn more about animal behavior. We meet robo-squirrel, whose mechanical tail mimics the real thing -- and actually fends off rattlesnakes.
Space Telescope to Begin Hunt for Black Holes
Earlier this month, NASA launched a new telescope into space to search for black holes. Scientists on the ground at UC Berkeley are communicating with it, and as Lauren Sommer reports, they're hoping to solve some of the mysteries around these strange space oddities.
