Science (Audio)

Groundwater is often referred to as an invisible resource, hidden beneath our feet. Groundwater wells—the infrastructure used to access groundwater—are small, distributed, and lost among landscapes. By contrast, our surface water infrastructure is large and visible—reservoirs that support water supply and recreation, dams, and . In this talk, Debra Perrone reveals the results of a five-year research project to record the location and construction details of millions of groundwater wells. The research provides vital insights into the haves and have nots of water and identifies strategies to minimize the impacts of groundwater depletion. Series: "GRIT Talks" [Science] [Show ID: 39278]

This episode of TecHype features Yoel Roth, former Head of Trust and Safety at Twitter. Yoel provides first-hand insights into how one of the largest online platforms in the world built out its trust and safety operations to better ensure its service was helpful, harmless, and aligned with user expectations

While at Twitter, Dr. Roth found himself the target of a coordinated harassment campaign on the platform, one instigated by the current CEO Elon Musk. His years of work building out the trust and safety operations had become personal. In this episode, Dr. Roth provides professional and personal perspectives on the real benefits and risks of platform trust and safety efforts, the current state-of-the-art of the field, and where it’s going. Series: "Public Policy and Society" [Public Affairs] [Science] [Show ID: 39285]

Aparna Bhaduri, Ph.D., shares insights into human brain development and its intricate processes. Explore the intriguing reappearance of developmental cell elements in brain cancers like glioblastoma. Series: "Stem Cell Channel" [Health and Medicine] [Science] [Show ID: 38329]

UC Davis Professor, Dr. Frank Mitloehner, and CLEAR Center members took to Mexico to attend the Congress Internationale de la Carne in León, Guanajuato, Mexico, where they met and discussed sustainability efforts with the Minister of Agriculture. In addition to meeting with beef cattle producers and others in the livestock industry to share research coming from the UC Davis CLEAR Center, we got to tour feedlots and discuss sustainable practices that are currently being implemented. For example, rotational grazing can improve forage quality and soil carbon sequestration while implementing shade for cattle can improve efficiencies in production, and promote animal welfare. [Public Affairs] [Science] [Show ID: 39161]

Joan Donovan, a leading disinformation researcher specializing in media manipulation, explains how social media platforms have become the new battleground for public persuasion. Co-author of “Meme Wars: The Untold Story of the Online Battles Upending Democracy in America,” Donovan uncovers the ways memes and social media enable fringe groups to lure in new recruits and spread their ideologies. In this episode, Donovan provides expert guidance on technical and policy strategies necessary to mitigate the weaponization of social media. Series: "Public Policy and Society" [Public Affairs] [Science] [Show ID: 39286]

Toshihiro Kobayashi, Ph.D., presents his research on the mechanisms driving cell fate choices in early mammalian embryos. He also discusses the potential application of these principles in future regenerative medicine. Series: "Stem Cell Channel" [Health and Medicine] [Science] [Show ID: 38328]

Explore UC Davis discoveries that have improved modern life in unexpected ways. Series: "UCTV Prime" [Science] [Show ID: 39211]

TecHype is a groundbreaking series that cuts through the hype around emerging technologies. Each episode debunks misunderstandings around emerging tech, provides insight into benefits and risks, and identifies technical and policy strategies to harness the benefits while mitigating the risks.

This episode of TecHype features Prof. Stuart Russell from UC Berkeley, a world-renowned expert in artificial intelligence and co-author (with Peter Norvig) of the standard text in the field. We debunk misunderstandings around what “AI” actually is and break down the benefits and risks of this transformative technology. Prof. Russell provides an expert perspective on the real impacts AI will have in our world, including its potential to provide greater efficiency and effectiveness in a variety of domains and the serious safety, security, and discrimination risks it poses. Series: "Public Policy and Society" [Public Affairs] [Science] [Show ID: 39284]

Joseph C. Wu, M.D., Ph.D., shares his pioneering research on cardiovascular disease mechanisms using patient-specific stem cells. Learn about accelerated drug discovery, "clinical trials in a dish," and precision medicine's impact on treatment. Explore genomics, stem cells, imaging, and more. Series: "Stem Cell Channel" [Health and Medicine] [Science] [Show ID: 38327]

TecHype is a groundbreaking series that cuts through the hype around emerging technologies to get to what matters. Each episode debunks misunderstandings around emerging tech, provides insight into benefits and risks, and identifies technical and policy strategies to harness the benefits while mitigating the risks of emerging technologies. This episode of TecHype features Prof. Hany Farid from UC Berkeley, a world-renowned expert in the analysis of digitally manipulated images. We take a deep dive into determining what a 'deepfake’ is and explore how these AI-generated images, videos, and audio can be used for both amusing and alarming purposes.

Farid highlights the increasing prevalence of deepfakes and their impact on society. From revolutionizing the entertainment industry, bolstering creativity, and championing advocacy campaigns to their use in impersonating public figures in ways that manipulate elections or personal contacts to commit fraud. The episode concludes with a discussion of targeted strategies that can be pursued to keep you safe from harmful deepfakes, such as digital watermarking and detection tools. Series: "Public Policy and Society" [Public Affairs] [Science] [Show ID: 39244]