Most people believe that Monterey Jack Cheese originated in ... Monterey. And while the name 'Monterey Jack' establishes a clear claim, this week we're asking: Where is this silky cheese really from? You might be surprised. This episode originally aired on the podcast in 2022. Additional Reading: Move Over Monterey? Pacifica Lays Claim to Iconic Jack Cheese Read the transcript of this episode here Check out our kid-friendly playlist of Bay Curious favorites Buy the Bay Curious Book here! Sign up for our Newsletter Enter out Sierra Nevada Brewing Company monthly trivia contest Your support make ..read more

One of San Francisco's purported “ghosts,” has a remarkable real-life story often left out of San Francisco's history books. Today we bring back an episode that first aired in 2018, about the remarkable, yet complicated life of Mary Ellen Pleasant. Additional Reading: Read the transcript for this episode Ghost of a Legend: How a San Francisco Civil Rights Icon Was Made a Monster Register for KQED Fest Sign up for our newsletter Enter our Sierra Nevada Brewing Company monthly trivia contest Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donat ..read more

There are dozens of shipwrecks in and around San Francisco Bay. And Bay Curious listener Brian Teaff wonders: Is there treasure down there? In some ways yes, but it may not be the type of treasure you're imagining. Additional Reading Is There Treasure At The Bottom Of The Bay? Read episode transcript Sign up for our newsletter Enter our Sierra Nevada Brewing Company monthly trivia contest Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts This story was reported by Anna Marie Yanny. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price ..read more

The Wave Organ is an environmental sculpture that goes below the surface of the bay to create a unique sonic experience for visitors. Listener Robbie Rock has been visiting The Wave Organ since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, and came to Bay Curious looking to learn who built it, why and how. Reporter Ana De Almeida Amaral takes us on the sonic journey that ensues when the moon, tides, human creativity and San Francisco history collide. Additional Reading: San Francisco’s Wave Organ Brings Sounds of the Bay to Life Episode Transcript A Kid-Friendly Spotify Playlist of Bay Curious Favo ..read more

When people think of the Black Panthers, most imagine militant Black men in berets carrying guns. While that's not an inaccurate picture, the Black Panthers did much more than just fight back against racist policing. They created a whole host of community programs. This week, we bring you an excerpt from the Mindshift podcast about one of them — an elementary school in Oakland that made a big impact on education. Additional Reading: 5 Ways the Black Panthers Shaped U.S. Schools Read a transcript of this episode Sign up for our newsletter Enter our Sierra Nevada Brewing company monthly trivia c ..read more

These days, Glen Canyon Park is a tranquil urban park with hiking trails, soccer fields and a playground, which makes it all that more difficult to imagine that it was once home to the first dynamite factory in the United States. Today we’ll join reporter Gabriela Glueck to learn how dynamite made its way to San Francisco and why it was such a transformative product in this state. Plus, we'll explore the stories of Chinese laborers who often had the most dangerous jobs of all in the high explosives industry. Additional Reading: The Explosive History Hidden in Glen Canyon Park Read a transcript ..read more

There are plenty of 'haunted' places in the Bay Area. But some locations are said to attract ghosts, even if they don't have a connection to the place. Ghost hunters say the USS Hornet, a retired WWII aircraft carrier docked in Alameda, is one such place. Reporter Katherine Monahan recently took a late night tour of the ship with a group of paranormal enthusiasts, and took along her recorder to see if she could pick up any ghostly communications. Additional Reading: The USS Hornet in Alameda Is a Destination for Paranormal Enthusiasts — and You Can Spend the Night There Read a transcript of th ..read more

We're presenting an episode of Close All Tabs, a new miniseries from KQED that explores the intersection of internet culture and politics. In this episode, host Morgan Sung examines the rise of “stan culture” in politics, where passionate supporters rally around political figures with the same fervor typically reserved for pop stars. Read the transcript here. Want to give us feedback on the series? Shoot us an email at podcasts@KQED.org ..read more

Burying the dead in San Francisco has long been banned, but at the Presidio pet cemetery hundreds of dogs, cats, fish, iguanas, and turtles have been laid to rest. This week, Bay Curious Intern Ana De Almeida Amaral takes us to the Presidio to learn about the history of the pet cemetery and to ask "Can I bury my pet here?" Additional Reading: Read a transcript of this episode Web version: The Presidio Pet Cemetery: A Resting Place for Furry Friends Join us for KQED Fest 2024! Sign up for our newsletter Enter our Sierra Nevada Brewing company monthly trivia contest Your support makes KQED podca ..read more

In 2014, Californians passed Prop 47, a criminal justice reform measure aimed at sending fewer low-level offenders for drug and theft crimes to prison. Now, Californians are being asked if they want to roll back some of those reforms, and increase the penalties. KQED Politics Correspondent and co-host of Political Breakdown Marisa Lagos takes us through the history, data and arguments of this prop. This is the final episode in our 10-part Prop Fest series, examining the propositions on California's 2024 ballot. We'll be back to regular programming next week. Additional Reading: Read a transcri ..read more