Science on the SPOT HD Video Podcast

44 Episodes

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Predatory Plant: Lure of the Cobra Lily

2014-03-0305:35

The cobra lily (Darlingtonia californica) uses deception and patience to trick unsuspecting insect prey into its highly specialized pitcher traps.

Science of Beer: Tapping the Power of Brewer's Yeast

2014-02-1106:40

Whether it’s a lager or ale, sour or bitter, dark or light, most beer has one thing in common: yeast. KQED Science visits a commercial yeast laboratory and a local brewery to reveal how this key ingredient is a major player in both science history and beer production.

200 Geeks, 24 Hours: Science Hack Day in San Francisco

2013-12-0306:40

A diverse group of "hackers" -- from developers and designers to scientists and students -- works side-by-side to see what they can quickly create within 24 consecutive hours.

ZomBees: Flight of the Living Dead

2013-10-3106:21

Something strange and unsettling is happening to Bay Area honeybees. Entomologists at San Francisco State University have identified the culprit: a tiny parasitic fly is causing the bees to exhibit bizarre nocturnal behaviors before suffering a gruesome demise.

Chasing Pumas: Science on the SPOT

2013-09-1306:20

Join a research team from University of California, Santa Cruz as they track, tranquilize and collar a wild puma. The special GPS collars collect data on the puma’s location and behavior, and they reveal how the big cats survive in their shrinking habitat in the Bay Area.

The Glowing Millipedes of Alcatraz: Science on the SPOT

2013-03-1906:09

More than a million visitors visit Alcatraz every year, but a recent discovery has revealed another attraction that lives within the shadows of this historic prison.

Preserving the Forest of the Sea: Science on the SPOT

2013-02-0507:33

The University Herbarium at the University of California - Berkeley boasts one of the largest and oldest collections of seaweed in the United States, dating back to the time of the U.S. Civil War. Kathy Ann Miller, a curator at the herbarium, is leading a massive project to digitize nearly 80,000 specimens of seaweed collected from the west coast of North America.

Shadows and Spiders-- A Secret Cave in California: Science on the SPOT

2012-11-2008:02

The rural foothills along the Santa Cruz County Coast hold an ancient secret. Deep below the redwoods, White Moon Cave extends for nearly a mile -- making it one of the longest caves in California. But few people have ever been in it. Join the KQED Science team as we squeeze through the narrow clandestine entrance, and meet the uncanny cave inhabitants to bring new light to this hidden realm.

Up all Night with SOFIA, NASA's Flying Observatory: Science on the SPOT

2012-06-2707:35

SOFIA is more than a telescope tucked into a re-purposed commercial airliner. It's a complete flying astronomical observation platform which carries a dozen or more astronomers, observers and crew far above the clouds to observe objects and phenomena too cold to be seen in visible light.

New Hope for Heart Repair: Science on the SPOT

2012-04-1806:02

Scientists in San Francisco have coaxed mouse hearts to repair themselves from within. The breakthrough could lead to treatments for the 5 million people in the United States living with a damaged heart.

Monarch Meetup: Science on the SPOT

2012-04-0506:06

Conservation Biologist Stu Weiss uses specialized photographic equipment to study what makes good Monarch overwintering habitat.

National Wildlife Health Center Investigates: Science on the SPOT

2011-11-2306:40

The USGS National Wildlife Health Center investigates animal die-offs and threats to endangered species through on-site investigation and necropsies--animal autopsy--at its headquarters in Madison, Wisconsin.

Resurrecting the Dead: Science on the SPOT

2011-11-0907:09

QUEST travels to the Cleveland Museum of Natural History to meet Dr. Spurlock, an anatomist and forensic reconstruction artist who uses clay to re-construct the faces of ancient humans in order to show what they looked like when alive. She also sketches more recently deceased individuals using only their remains in order to help law enforcement solve crimes.

The Science of Salt Glaze Pottery: Science on the SPOT

2011-10-2705:54

The art and science of salt glaze pottery requires skills and techniques acquired over generations of trial and error. Ben Owen III combines his family’s experiential knowledge of ceramics and additional scientific knowledge to create and improve his unique works of art.

Dark Matter- Inside the Compost Cycle: Science on the SPOT

2011-09-0605:51

How does San Francisco’s 600 tons of compostable waste become a nutrient-rich material that improves the quality of our local wines? Agronomist Bob Shaffer, Northern California's "compost guy," takes QUEST into the composting process.

Salt Creek Tiger Beetles: Science on the SPOT

2011-08-2606:34

The Salt Creek tiger beetle is one of the most endangered species in the United States, with only 200 to 500 beetles left. They're found only in a small saline wetland area just north of Lincoln, Nebraska. QUEST Nebraska reports.

Northern Pacific Rattlesnake Tracker: Science on the SPOT

2011-08-1705:53

Katie Colbert, a naturalist at the Sunol-Ohlone Regional Wilderness, shares with us how she tracked dozens of Nothern Pacific Rattlesnakes and what she learned about their movements and behaviors.

Rendezvous With Horseshoe Crabs: Science on the SPOT

2011-08-1004:49

Watch as thousands of prehistoric horseshoe crabs take over a beach in Delaware.

Bats Beneath Us: Science on the SPOT

2011-08-0308:08

Every summer, 250,000 bats take up residence under a freeway bridge in California's Central Valley. And each night, they exit the bridge in a stunning ribbon-like formation.

Green Eggs By The Gram - Sustainable Caviar: Science on the SPOT

2011-07-2707:15

Once an exotic product associated with royalty and overfishing, caviar is now being farmed sustainably right here in California.

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