Listing of Television/Radio Stories

The Bush Administration has recently passed dozens of so-called "midnight regulations" - last-minute rules and amendments. Many of those new laws affect the environment, including a change to the Endangered Species Act that has California environmentalists deeply worried.

Play this Radio Report Air Date: Jan 5, 2009

Some of the most common building materials - drywall, steel, cement - are among the biggest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions. Manufacturing them requires vast amounts of energy. Now, several Silicon Valley start-ups are looking for cleaner solutions and some of their efforts are drawing major venture capital.

Play this Radio Report Air Date: Dec 22, 2008

Drivers are increasingly looking to their cell phones for advice on steering clear of heavy traffic. New technology from UC Berkeley uses cell phones to plot traffic patterns, giving a real-time picture of how long it takes to get from place to place. QUEST takes a ride with an early adopter.

Play this Radio Report Air Date: Dec 15, 2008

That black, sooty exhaust from old diesel trucks may be a thing of the past. A landmark decision expected next week at the state Air Resources Board would mean California truckers must retrofit their diesel rigs at a price tag of about $5 billion. The cost is high, but given the health complications from diesel emissions, air pollution regulators feel they can't afford not to act.

Play this Radio Report Air Date: Dec 8, 2008

In the U.S., powerful medications are helping many HIV-positive people live longer lives. But doctors are discovering that these patients are developing diseases of old age, like heart disease and dementia, at earlier ages than their uninfected peers. Researchers now suspect that HIV-positive patients might actually be aging at an accelerated rate.

Play this Radio Report Air Date: Dec 1, 2008

What happens when something explodes? Scientists at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory are now getting a first glimpse of the microscopic properties of an explosion.

Play this TV Story Air Date: Nov 25, 2008

Humans and dogs have been partners for thousands of years. Now our canine friends are joining the fight against cancer. Researchers are training dogs to smell cancer in the breath samples of human patients. And by studying cancers in dogs, we may discover new treatments for cancer in human and canine cancer patients.

Play this TV Story Air Date: Nov 25, 2008

If you're looking to buy an all-electric car you can drive on the freeway, your options are limited. $100,000 will buy you an electric sports car from Tesla. But an affordable all-electric vehicle remains elusive, due to the difficulty in making a battery that is powerful, long-lasting, and cheap. QUEST visits a local battery laboratory and investigates the odds of a breakthrough.

Play this TV Story Air Date: Nov 25, 2008

In Monterey Bay, scientists have successfully launched a deep-sea laboratory unlike anything in the world. The $13 million, unmanned lab is expected to revolutionize the way ocean research is done. Scientists ran 32 miles of cable from the shoreline to collect data and to provide uninterrupted power to remote robots, seismometers and real-time video of a world deep below the ocean.

Play this Radio Report Air Date: Nov 24, 2008

Foster City photographer and naturalist John Albers-Mead describes visiting the tide pools near Half Moon Bay as "a treasure hunt that changes by the minute." QUEST joins Albers-Mead on Moss Beach at low tide as he captures these sometimes-sunken treasures with his digital camera.

Play this TV Story Air Date: Nov 18, 2008