Bay Curious
Episodes
Are There Really More Dogs Than Children in S.F.?
24 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
It's a dog show! We answer how many dogs could fit on a Muni train ... and other pressing canine questions. Reported by Lisa Pickoff-White and Ryan L...
Spinning Rims, Spinning Cars: the History of the Oakland Sideshow
17 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Sideshows have a bad reputation, but they also have a long tradition, East Oakland roots and deep ties to the hyphy movement. Reported by Sandhya Dir...
This S.F. Fortress Is Full of Money That Will Never Be Spent
10 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The prettiest pennies are made in San Francisco. Take a trip inside the S.F. Mint. Reported by Amanda Font. Editing by Jessica Placzek and Julia McEv...
Why Hasn’t the Tenderloin Gentrified Like the Rest of San Francisco?
03 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Tenderloin residents wanted to preserve its affordability. But will they be forced out as improvements come to the neighborhood? Reported by Kelly O'...
Does Anyone Play Polo at the Golden Gate Park Polo Field Anymore?
26 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
We go back in time to the days when polo was king at Golden Gate Park. Reported by Ryan Levi. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Plac...
420 Started in the Bay Area. Meet the Guys Who Invented It
19 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
It all began with a treasure map to secret weed plants abandoned somewhere in Point Reyes. Reported by Olivia Allen-Price and Emmanuel Hapsis. Bay C...
Have Ride-Hailing Apps Made Traffic Worse?
12 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Traffic is worse in the Bay Area. Are Lyft and Uber making it worse? Or could they be our salvation? Reported by Eli Wirtschafter. Bay Curious is mad...
Oil Beneath San Mateo County? You Betcha
05 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Bay Curious travels down the Peninsula and back in time to discover the history of oil drilling in San Mateo County. Reported by Rachael Myrow. Bay C...
How Worried Should You Be About Shark Attacks on the California Coast?
29 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Learn why our coastline is called the Red Triangle and how you can minimize the risk of an encounter with a great white shark. Reported by Jessica Pl...
Name That Team! How the Sharks and the Golden State Warriors Got Their Names
22 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Why are the Warriors the only team with a state nickname in their name? And how did we end up with the San Jose Sharks? Reported by Ryan Levi. Bay Cu...
How Oakland Became a Gnome-Man’s Land
15 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
There are thousands of gnomes nailed into the base of Oakland utility poles. Meet the man who painted them there and learn why he did it.
Why Are People Convinced This California Ghost Town Is Cursed?
08 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Countless people who have stolen items from this deserted town have come to regret it. Reported by Carly Severn. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-...
America’s Emperor, San Francisco’s Treasure: Who Was Emperor Norton?
01 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Almost 140 years after his death, the beloved eccentric is still celebrated and revered in San Francisco. So who was he? Reported by Ryan Levi. Bay C...
The Sculpture Wonderland That Once Delighted I-80 Drivers
22 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Anonymous artists once created sculptures made from driftwood and trash at the Emeryville Mudflats. Reported by Jessica Placzek and Maddie Gobbo. Bay...
Car Break-Ins Are Up in San Francisco. What’s Being Done?
15 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
San Francisco saw more than 30,000 car break ins last year - three times that of 2010. We tag along with police as they try and catch one of these thi...
San Francisco Was Once Aglow With Neon
08 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The city was right up there with places like New York, Los Angeles and even Las Vegas. Market Street alone had hundreds of signs lighting up the night...
Eucalyptus: How California’s Most Hated Tree Took Root
01 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Depending who you ask, eucalyptus trees are either an icon in California or a fire-prone scourge. Reported by Daniel Potter. Bay Curious is Olivia Al...
The Beautiful Bay Bridge Frank Lloyd Wright Never Got to Build
25 Jan 2018
Contributed by Lukas
What would the San Francisco Bay look like if Frank Lloyd Wright got to build the bridge he proposed in 1949? Reported by Rachael Myrow. Produced and...
Unwrapping the Bay Area Origins of the Fortune Cookie
18 Jan 2018
Contributed by Lukas
There are California and Japanese connections to the fortune cookie, going back more than a century.
Why a Tire Shop Built ‘The City’s Biggest Fortune Cookie’
18 Jan 2018
Contributed by Lukas
This sign in front of the tire shop was built in 1958, and it has displayed nothing but quotes ever since. Reported by Jessica Placzek. Bay Curious...
How Joseph Eichler Introduced Stylish Housing for the Masses
03 Jan 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Between 1949 and 1974, when the developer died, his group built roughly 11,000 homes in California, mostly in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Everything You Want to Know About Legal Weed in California
21 Dec 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Reported by Jessica Placzek, Eli Wirtschafter and Ryan Levi. Bay Curious is Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek, Paul Lancour, Suzie Racho, Ryan Levi,...
What Are Those Weird, Pink Ponds in San Francisco Bay?
14 Dec 2017
Contributed by Lukas
In the South Bay's colorful salt ponds, a decades-old industry continues to crystalize. Reporter by Lauren Sommer with KQED Science. Bay Curious is O...
Is the Castro Getting Less Gay?
06 Dec 2017
Contributed by Lukas
How economics and cultural acceptance are changing queer communities across the Bay Area. Reported by Ryan Levi. Produced and edited by Olivia Allen-...
Can You Go To Jail For Picking California’s State Flower?
30 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Rumor has it California's golden poppy has some special protections. Is it true? Reported by Jessica Placzek. Produced and edited by Olivia Allen-Pri...
The Buried Ships of San Francisco
23 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
The hulls of several dozen ships can be found below ground in the middle of San Francisco. Reported by Jessica Placzek. Produced and edited by Olivia...
The True History of Irish Coffee and Its San Francisco Origins
16 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Legend has it the Irish coffee was brought to the U.S. by the Buena Vista Cafe in San Francisco. Reported by Kelly O'Mara. Bay Curious is Olivia Alle...
Why Are There Rainbows on the Tunnel Between S.F. and Marin? (Plus Bonus Anniversary Questions)
09 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
It started as a quest to make Bay Area highways more beautiful. Plus, three other bonus questions! Reported by Jessica Placzek and Olivia Allen-Price...
Bay Curious Lightning Round: Inspiration for AT-ATs, the ‘Tenderloin’ and Popeye’s Voice
09 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
This week the Bay Curious podcast is celebrating our one-year anniversary with a lightning round of questions and answers! Is it true that George Luca...
El Camino Not-So-Real: The True Story of the ‘Ancient Road’
02 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Legend has it, El Camino Real is an ancient road that connects the Spanish missions. But is it true? Reported by Rachael Myrow. Bay Curious is Olivia...
Why Are There So Many Dead People in Colma? And So Few in San Francisco?
26 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Reported by Jon Brooks. Bay Curious is Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek, Paul Lancour, Suzie Racho and Julia McEvoy. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Mill...
Wildfires: You’ve Got Questions, We’ve Got Answers
20 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
What does containment mean? How are wildfires named? What happens after your house burns? Reported by Lindsey Hoshaw, Jessica Placzek, Sukey Lewis an...
What are the Mysterious Brick Circles in San Francisco Intersections?
12 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Spend some time walking around San Francisco, and you'll probably notice the large, brick circles decorating the pavement at some intersections. What ...
How San Francisco’s Drag Royalty Does Good, While Looking Fierce
05 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
How an S.F. drag artist founded one of the biggest and most bejeweled charities dedicated to LGBTQ causes. Reported by Chloe Veltman. Bay Curious is ...
Their Country Hated Them, But They Fought for It Anyway
28 Sep 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Bay Curious listener Marcy Ballard wrote to us wanting to know more about the 442nd Regimental Combat Team — a segregated, Japanese-American unit th...
Quake Prep: BART’s Tunnel Plan and the Muni Bus That Could Save You
21 Sep 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Picture a set of binoculars — only a pair the size of a low-rise building. That’s the shape of BART’s Transbay Tube — the dual-bore, 3.8-mile ...
History of the Berkeley Pier: A Ferry Tale
14 Sep 2017
Contributed by Lukas
For years Martin Kunz has been looking down the hill from his office at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, out over the water, at one of the longest piers ...
Parking After the Street Sweeper Passes: Legal or Not?
31 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
There's one "no parking" sign in San Francisco that you can bend the rules on ... if the conditions are right. Reported by Penny Nelson. Bay Curious ...
The History of Nudity in San Francisco Uncovered
24 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Whether at Baker Beach or Bay to Breakers, it’s not unusual to see public nudity in San Francisco. What are the current laws on the matter, and how ...
Rusty Navy: The Bay Area’s ‘Mothball Fleet’ Enters a New Era
17 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Reported by Craig Miller. Bay Curious is Olivia Allen-Price, Vinnee Tong, Paul Lancour, Jessica Placzek, Suzie Racho and Penny Nelson. Theme music by ...
What Gets Shipped Through the Port of Oakland?
10 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Oakland is home to the fifth-busiest container port in the country and all around it, containers are stacked sky high like colorful, life-size Lego br...
Mountain Lions: Real Threat to Bay Area Hikers?
03 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
A Bay Curious listener who hikes a lot wonders: Should he be scared of mountain lions? We find out for him. Reported by Vinnee Tong. Bay Curious is O...
The Mesmerizing Machine That Makes Your Golden Gate Bridge Drive Less Terrifying
27 Jul 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Two years ago, a big steel and concrete median barrier went in on the Golden Gate Bridge, and two yellow machines appeared that move it several times ...
The Island Ghost Town in the Middle of San Francisco Bay
20 Jul 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Drawbridge was a popular bird hunting destination decades. What happened? Reported by Jessica Placzek. Produced and edited by Olivia Allen-Price, Vin...
What Is the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum and Why Is It in San Jose?
13 Jul 2017
Contributed by Lukas
If you attended sixth grade anywhere in or near San Jose, there’s a high likelihood you've been to see the largest collection of ancient Egyptian an...
Why the ‘O’ in San Francisco’s Airport Code, SFO?
29 Jun 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Why the "O" in SFO? And why is one of Chicago's airports coded ORD? And IAD for Dulles? Reported by Jessica Placzek. Bay Curious is Olivia Allen-Pric...
Living Without a Home in San Francisco: 3 stories and 4 questions
22 Jun 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Since Bay Curious first answered your questions on homelessness in 2017, the cost of living has continued to rise in the Bay Area and with it, the num...
Homelessness: You’ve Got Questions, We’ve Got Answers
22 Jun 2017
Contributed by Lukas
What causes homelessness? What's the best way to help people you see on the street? And what other cities have had success in solving homelessness? R...
What Would Really Happen if a Tsunami Hit the Bay Area?
15 Jun 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Our question-asker saw a tsunami hit San Francisco in the movie San Andreas, and wonders: would it really be like? Reported by Johanna Varner and Oli...
What’s With the Bison in Golden Gate Park?
08 Jun 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Reported by Jessica Placzek. Bay Curious is Olivia Allen-Price, Vinnee Tong, Paul Lancour, Suzie Racho, Penny Nelson and Julia McEvoy. Theme music by ...
What Dinosaurs Roamed the Bay Area?
01 Jun 2017
Contributed by Lukas
The answer is satisfyingly full of toothy prehistoric beasts. Reported by Daniel Potter. Bay Curious is Olivia Allen-Price, Vinnee Tong, Paul Lancour...
You Live in S.F. and Your Home Was Built in 1906: True or False?
25 May 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Ask around in the more historic parts of San Francisco and you’ll find a good number of the homes were built in 1906. Or so people have been told. ...
Are Plastic Bag Bans Actually Helping the Environment?
18 May 2017
Contributed by Lukas
California became the first state to ban single-use plastic bags in November. A middle-schooler from Sacramento wants to know if the ban actually help...
Can’t Get That Camping Spot? It Could Be Bots
11 May 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Some people are using bots to get campsites at state and national parks. Is it legal? Is it fair? Credits: Jessica Placzek, Olivia Allen-Price, Paul ...
It’s-It! The San Francisco Treat That Sparked a Cult Following
04 May 2017
Contributed by Lukas
San Franciscans have been having a love-affair with this ice cream treat since 1928. Reported by Alyssa Kapnik Samuel and Seth Samuel. Bay Curious is...
Who’s Behind the Colorful Lights at San Francisco City Hall?
27 Apr 2017
Contributed by Lukas
It used to take hours or days to change the lights at city hall lights. Now it's done with a few clicks. Reported by Jessica Placzek. Produced and ed...
What Makes San Francisco Sourdough Unique?
20 Apr 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Reported by Julia Scott. Bay Curious is Olivia Allen-Price, Vinnee Tong, Paul Lancour, Suzie Racho, Jessica Placzek, Penny Nelson and Julia McEvoy. T...
Why Do Giants Fans Hate the Wave? Oakland Started It.
13 Apr 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Reported by Olivia Allen-Price and Adam Grossberg. Bay Curious is Olivia Allen-Price, Vinnee Tong, Paul Lancour, Jessica Placzek, Suzie Racho, Penny N...
These Colorful Dots Are For Your Health
06 Apr 2017
Contributed by Lukas
They look like a work of abstract art, but these colorful dots on Bay Area streets have a big purpose. Reported by Jessica Placzek. Bay Curious is ...
It’s a Mushroom Bonanza This Year! What’s the Deal?
30 Mar 2017
Contributed by Lukas
It’s been a wet winter across Northern California this year, and that means a bounty of mushrooms. Get ready for a lesson in fungi from KQED Science...
What Would It Take to Make Lake Merritt Swimmable?
23 Mar 2017
Contributed by Lukas
It would take a lot of money, work and imagination to turn Lake Merritt into a swimmable body of water. Reported by Jessica Placzek. Bay Curious is ...
What’s That Thing Off 280? The Flintstone House
16 Mar 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Take a tour inside this unique Peninsula home that architects find whimsical. Would you live there? Reported by Rachael Myrow. Bay Curious is Olivia ...
How Does Rain Create More Potholes?
09 Mar 2017
Contributed by Lukas
This year's rainy winter has left San Francisco Bay Area roads riddled with potholes. Why? And will Caltrans fix them? Reported by Penny Nelson. Bay ...
Why Do Some Hate the Nickname ‘Frisco’?
02 Mar 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Not long after people started using it, others started hating it. They said only out-of-towners used it. Reported by Vinnee Tong. Produced and edited...
This Lumberjack Frat Once Had the Coolest Clubhouse in S.F.
23 Feb 2017
Contributed by Lukas
A Cupertino couple wondered where the street name "Hoo Hoo Way" came from. Turns out, it's a long story. Reported by Jessica Placzek. Bay Curious is ...
Why is Marin County So White?
16 Feb 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Marin County is the whitest county in the Bay Area -- but why? Reporter Ericka Cruz-Guevarra takes us through some pivotal moments in Marin history th...
How Many Are Being Displaced by Gentrification in Oakland?
09 Feb 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Putting a number on displacement is a tall order, but we do have an idea about who is leaving Oakland. Produced and edited by Olivia Allen-Price, Vin...
Why Does San Jose Have So Many Urban Islands?
02 Feb 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Bay Curious listener Kristin Seitz was looking at a map of San Jose when she noticed an awful lot of holes. The city's territory isn't one undivided s...
For Sale: San Francisco Air
26 Jan 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Owners of historic buildings might be able to sell the air space above their building, allowing developers elsewhere to build higher.
Is Air Quality in the Bay Area Getting Worse?
26 Jan 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Listener Jenny Wread has noticed the Bay Area's smog on her commute. And she's hearing more Spare the Air alerts. How is the air quality doing in the ...
Ode to the Foghorn: The Sound of the Sea
19 Jan 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Take a trip around the San Francisco Bay and get to know our local foghorns -- where they are, how they work, who turns them on. Reported by Laura Kl...
For Whom The Foghorn Blows
19 Jan 2017
Contributed by Lukas
If you live in the Bay Area, a foggy day can be a good excuse for some guilt-free time indoors. If you live near the water, days like that bring so...
Why Aren’t There Any Strip Clubs in the East Bay?
12 Jan 2017
Contributed by Lukas
In the 1960s, San Francisco was in the midst of a sexual revolution. Officials across the Bay in Oakland wanted none of it. Reported by Adizah Eghan....
Sutro Tower: The Origins of an ‘Eyesore’
05 Jan 2017
Contributed by Lukas
When Sutro Tower was first proposed, nearly everybody hated it. How did it get built? Reported by Jessica Placzek. Produced and edited by Olivia Alle...
Does San Jose Deserve the Nickname ‘Man Jose’?
29 Dec 2016
Contributed by Lukas
The Big Apple, Sin City, the Big Easy -- all famous nicknames for American cities. But have you heard of Man Jose? This week we explore if San Jose ...
There’s a Secret Message to Decode in San Jose
28 Dec 2016
Contributed by Lukas
f you’ve walked past Adobe’s corporate headquarters in downtown San Jose, you may have spotted them: four big orange LED lights that look like fla...
How Much Truth Is There to Those ‘Speed Enforced by Aircraft’ Signs?
22 Dec 2016
Contributed by Lukas
We've all seen the signs warning us of eyes in the sky looking for speeders. A Bay Curious listener wanted to find out if someone really was up there ...
What Happens to San Francisco’s Recycling Once It Leaves the Curb?
15 Dec 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Take a trip to Recology's Recycle Central, where San Francisco's waste is sorted and sent off for processing. Join the Bay Curious team as they test y...
Did the Emptying of Mental Hospitals Contribute to Homelessness?
08 Dec 2016
Contributed by Lukas
After patients were released from mental hospitals, there wasn't always a place for them to go. On this week's episode, we explore if deinstitutionali...
Where Did the Wild Parrots of San Francisco Come From?
24 Nov 2016
Contributed by Lukas
The busy streets of San Francisco seems like the last place you'd find wild parrots. And yet, there they are. How'd they get here? Reported by Jessic...
Where Did The Word ‘Hella’ Come From?
17 Nov 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Long associated with the Bay Area, the word 'hella' has gained widespread use. But how was the word born?
The Origins of ‘Hella’
17 Nov 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Long associated with the Bay Area, the word 'hella' has gained widespread use. But how was the word born? Ask a question at baycurious.org Follow Oli...
Why Are BART Trains So Loud?
10 Nov 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Sometimes the noise on BART is so loud you can hardly think. Why such a racket? And could it possibly damage your hearing? Sam Harnett and Eli Wirtsch...
Why Are Ships Buried Under San Francisco?
04 Nov 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Ships from the Gold-Rush era are hidden deep underground throughout the city. How did they get so far from the shoreline?
Welcome to the Bay Curious Podcast
02 Nov 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Bay Curious gets to the bottom of the mysteries — both profound and peculiar — that give the Bay Area its unique identity. And we do it with your ...