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Airs Saturday, March 6, 2010 at 10 a.m. on KPBS TV

We'll discuss the seriousness of the whooping cough epidemic and we'll hear what public health officials have to say about the protections vaccines offer.

The bones of two creatures who lived nearly 2 million years ago have been discovered in South Africa. The creatures, which bear resemblance to both the early human Homo genus and the more primitive Australopithecus genus, could unlock clues about evolution and the origins of humans.

Louisiana officials are lobbying for a plan to build giant sandbars around barrier islands threatened by the Gulf oil spill. State officials say the sandbars would protect bird and wildlife sanctuaries. But scientists remain concerned that the sandbars might lead to unintended environmental consequences.

As part of a $61 billion package of cuts, House Republicans passed a proposal to eliminate $430 million in funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB). Republican Congressman Brian Bilbray joins us to talk about why he voted in favor of eliminating funding for the CPB. And, KPBS General Manager Tom Karlo talks about why he thinks federal funds should continue be used to help pay for public broadcasting.

At the Ocean Charter School near Marina del Rey, Calif., 40 percent of the 2008 kindergarten class received vaccination exemptions. Author Michael Specter says the parents in this upscale enclave are prime examples of what he calls "denialism."

Job losses have hit San Diego's biotech sector already. But the major damage from the slumping economy may be yet to come. KPBS Reporter Tom Fudge has more.

Assembly Republicans say they won't support new taxes to get through the state's budget crisis. But, they're offering bills they say will free up funding for schools in the face of potential cuts. Fro

Too many complex back surgeries are being done and people are suffering as a result, according to a new study. The number of these surgeries has increased by 15 times in five years, but researchers say the benefit isn't there.

The discovery that human body cells can be used as stem cells is creating buzz in the scientific community. Experts say the development will likely transform research; in the political world, some say it will end the debate over the need to use human embryos.