Science on the SPOT HD Video Podcast

KQED Science

The Science on the SPOT original web video series from KQED Science goes behind the scenes at local Bay Area labs, follows breaking discoveries, and gets you special access to obscure science locations & collections, plus much more.

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44 episodes
Updated Mar 3, 2014

Episodes44

Newest first

Mar 3, 2014 · 5 min
Predatory Plant: Lure of the Cobra Lily
The cobra lily (Darlingtonia californica) uses deception and patience to trick unsuspecting insect prey into its highly specialized pitcher traps.
Feb 11, 2014 · 6 min
Science of Beer: Tapping the Power of Brewer's Yeast
Whether it’s a lager or ale, sour or bitter, dark or light, most beer has one thing in common: yeast, a major player in both science history and beer production.
Dec 3, 2013 · 6 min
200 Geeks, 24 Hours: Science Hack Day in San Francisco
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.
Oct 31, 2013 · 6 min
ZomBees: Flight of the Living Dead
Entomologists at San Francisco State University are researching why some local honeybees exhibit bizarre nocturnal behaviors before suffering a gruesome death.
Sep 13, 2013 · 6 min
Chasing Pumas: Science on the SPOT
Join a research team from University of California, Santa Cruz as they track, tranquilize and collar a wild puma.
Mar 19, 2013 · 6 min
The Glowing Millipedes of Alcatraz: Science on the SPOT
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.
Feb 5, 2013 · 7 min
Preserving the Forest of the Sea: Science on the SPOT
A UC Berkeley scientist is leading a massive project to digitize nearly 80,000 specimens of seaweed collected from the West Coast.
Nov 20, 2012 · 8 min
Shadows and Spiders-- A Secret Cave in California: Science on the SPOT
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.
Jun 27, 2012 · 7 min
Up all Night with SOFIA, NASA's Flying Observatory: Science on the SPOT
SOFIA is a 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.
Apr 18, 2012 · 6 min
New Hope for Heart Repair: Science on the SPOT
Scientists in San Francisco have coaxed mouse hearts to repair themselves from within.
Apr 5, 2012 · 6 min
Monarch Meetup: Science on the SPOT
Monarch Butterflies migrate from all over the western United States to overwinter along the California coast. Conservation Biologist Stu Weiss uses specialized photographic equipment to study what makes good Monarch overwintering habitat.
Nov 23, 2011 · 6 min
National Wildlife Health Center Investigates: Science on the SPOT
The USGS National Wildlife Health Center investigates animal die-offs and threats to endangered species at its headquarters in Madison, Wisconsin.
Nov 9, 2011 · 7 min
Resurrecting the Dead: Science on the SPOT
QUEST travels to the Cleveland Museum of Natural History to meet Dr. Spurlock, an anatomist and forensic reconstruction artist.
Oct 27, 2011 · 5 min
The Science of Salt Glaze Pottery: Science on the SPOT
Ben Owen III combines his family’s experiential knowledge of ceramics and additional scientific knowledge to create and improve his unique works of art.
Sep 6, 2011 · 5 min
Dark Matter- Inside the Compost Cycle: Science on the SPOT
How does San Francisco's 600 tons of compostable waste become a nutrient-rich material that improves the quality of our local wines?
Aug 26, 2011 · 6 min
Salt Creek Tiger Beetles: Science on the SPOT
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.
Aug 17, 2011 · 5 min
Northern Pacific Rattlesnake Tracker: Science on the SPOT
Katie Colbert, a naturalist at the Sunol-Ohlone Regional Wilderness, shares with us how she tracked dozens of Nothern Pacific Rattlesnakes.
Aug 10, 2011 · 4 min
Rendezvous With Horseshoe Crabs: Science on the SPOT
Watch as thousands of prehistoric horseshoe crabs take over a beach in Delaware.
Aug 3, 2011 · 8 min
Bats Beneath Us: Science on the SPOT
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.
Jul 27, 2011 · 7 min
Green Eggs By The Gram - Sustainable Caviar: Science on the SPOT
Once an exotic product associated with royalty and overfishing, caviar is now being farmed sustainably right here in California.