KQEDScience

Take a break from the serious business of science with KQED Science.

[kqedscience]

These Fish Are All About Sex on the Beach

During the highest tides, California grunion stampede out of the ocean to mate on the beach. When the party's over, thousands of tiny eggs are left stranded up in the sand. How will their lost babies make it back to the sea?

Celebrate #WorldOceansDay by watching our latest Deep Look episode!

[mothernaturenetwork]

Remember that kid who invented a way to clean up ocean plastic? He’s back, and it’s happening 

Boyan Slat’s solar-powered booms will soon be in the Pacific Ocean

[kqedscience]

Just in time for World Oceans Day!

[nasa]

Meet America’s new astronauts! These 12 humans have been selected as part of our 2017 astronaut class and will report for duty at our Johnson Space Center in August. 

Get to know each of them here: https://nasa.tumblr.com/post/161552645129/meet-americas-newastronauts 

[microscopeuniverse]

Algae and rotifers swimming about. 

[montereybayaquarium]

Thank you to our otterly pawesome members and donors for supporting the rescue and rehabilitation of southern sea otters! With your help, this threatened species is making a recovery in central California.

[scishow]

From dying in figs to cockroach mind control, wasps go to great lengths to ensure the survival of their species.

[kqedscience]

Behind the Scenes with Deep Look: The Diva Decorator Crabs

How long does it take to film a decorator crab putting on its seaweed hat? Hint: It's days, not hours. The Deep Look team is back with a second behind the scenes video! Read more here.

[kqedscience]

Watch these decorator crabs #werk the underwater runway in our latest episode of Deep Look!

[kqedscience]

Decorator Crabs Make High Fashion at Low Tide | KQED Deep Look

When you live by the seashore, one day you're in, the next day you're lunch. So these crabs don the latest in seaweed outerwear and anemone accessories to blend in. Click the link in the title watch these crabs #slay the underwater runway! From @kqedscience and @pbsdigitalstudios

[nasa]

The Start of Cassini’s Grand Finale

Cue drumroll…

For the first time ever, our Cassini spacecraft dove through the narrow gap between Saturn and its rings on April 26. At 5 a.m. EDT, Cassini crossed the ring plane with its science instruments turned on and collecting data. 

During this dive, the spacecraft was not in contact with Earth. The first opportunity to regain contact with the spacecraft is expected around 3 a.m. EDT on April 27.

This area between Saturn and its rings has never been explored by a spacecraft before. What we learn from these daring final orbits will further our understanding of how giant planets, and planetary systems everywhere, form and evolve.

So, you might be asking…how did this spacecraft maneuver its orbit between Saturn and its rings? Well…let us explain!

On April 22, Cassini made its 127th and final close approach to Saturn’s moon Titan. The flyby put the spacecraft on course for its dramatic last act, known as the Grand Finale. 

As the spacecraft passed over Titan, the moon’s gravity bent its path, reshaping the robotic probe’s orbit slightly so that instead of passing just outside Saturn’s main rings, Cassini would begin a series of 22 dives between the rings and the planet.

With this assist, Cassini received a large increase in velocity of approximately 1,925 mph with respect to Saturn.

This final chapter of exploration and discovery is in many ways like a brand-new mission. Twenty-two times, the Cassini spacecraft will dive through the unexplored space between Saturn and its rings. What we learn from these ultra-close passes over the planet could be some of the most exciting revelations ever returned by the long-lived spacecraft.

Throughout these daring maneuvers, updates will be posted on social media at:

@CassiniSaturn on Twitter @NASAJPL on Twitter

Updates will also be available online at: https://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/grand-finale/milestones/ 

Follow along with us during this mission’s Grand Finale!

Make sure to follow us on Tumblr for your regular dose of space: http://nasa.tumblr.com

[kqedscience]

Thank You to Our Deep Look Fans!

Best in Science & Education 2017

Thanks to all our fans that voted, KQED’s Deep Look won the Webby People's Voice Award for best Science & Education film! See you at the Webbys in May!

[kqedscience]

How Do Pelicans Survive Their Death-Defying Dives?

Brown pelicans hit the water at breakneck speed when they catch fish. Performing such dangerous plunges requires technique, equipment, and 30 million years of practice. 

Click the link above to watch KQED Science’s latest episode of Deep Look! Subscribe to our YouTube channel for up-close, ultra-HD nature videos every two weeks!

[kqedscience]

PHOTOS: Your Pics of California’s ‘Super Bloom’

It’s a fantastic year for wildflower lovers, who’ve been flocking to fields of poppies, lupine and golden brush to witness California’s ‘Super Bloom.’ We asked our social media fans for your photos of the spectacle, and you delivered!

[pbsdigitalstudios]

Seen up close, the anatomy of a mosquito bite is terrifying. The most dangerous animal in the world uses six needle-like mouthparts to saw into our skin, tap a blood vessel and sometimes leave a dangerous parting gift. NEW from @kqedscience‘s Deep Look!

[kqedscience]

What California's Wildflower 'Super Bloom' Looks Like From Space

Peak wildflower bloom in southern California may be over, but these satellite images capture the height of the colorful season.

[kqedscience]

Identical Snowflakes? Scientist Ruins Winter For Everyone

We've all heard that each and every snowflake is unique. But in a lab in sunny southern California, a physicist has learned to control the way snowflakes grow. Can he really make twins?

[kqedscience]

Is every snowflake really unique? Scientist ruins winter for everyone in this #DeepLook, via @kqedscience & @pbsdigitalstudios