Teacher Resources (Video)

Global prosperity over the last century has been powered by low-cost fossil fuels. Unfortunately, they are a finite resource and pose significant risks to our environment; therefore, they must be replaced. For the transition to a future energy economy making use of hydrogen as a fuel produced by nuclear power and renewables, Professor Eric McFarland predicts that methane will be the most important molecule for prosperity in the next century. McFarland’s research has shown that the methane in abundant natural gas can be cost-effectively converted by pyrolysis in high-temperature molten metals and salts to solid carbon and hydrogen gas. The cheapest heat and electricity in the U.S. comes from burning natural gas; however, increasingly major markets (e.g. California and Germany) have imposed carbon taxes which make this CO2-free process competitive today. Series: "Institute for Energy Efficiency" [Science] [Show ID: 35161]

The ALERTWildfire camera network across California provides rapid confirmation of emergency wildfire 911 calls, situational awareness, and in the worst-case scenarios real-time data to help sequence evacuations. Join Neal Driscoll to learn how the great state of California is using technology to help firefighters and improve public preparedness during wildfire disasters. Series: "Jeffrey B. Graham Perspectives on Ocean Science Lecture Series" [Science] [Show ID: 35176]

The authors of a provocative new paper maintain that many of the behaviors common to autism—including low eye contact, repetitive movements, and the verbatim repetition of words and phrases—are misinterpreted as a lack of interest in social engagement. On the contrary, they say, many people with autism express a deep longing for social connection. Series: "Autism Awareness Programs" [Health and Medicine] [Science] [Show ID: 35251]

Scientists, including from UC Davis, have successfully sequenced the coast redwood and giant sequoia genomes, completing the first major milestone of a five-year project to develop the tools necessary to study these forests’ genomic diversity. Over the past 150 years, 95 percent of the ancient coast redwood range and about one-third of the giant sequoia range have been logged. If diversity has declined, it could leave the redwoods vulnerable to drought, fire and other stressors related to climate change. Series: "UCTV Prime" [Science] [Show ID: 35170]

With the capacity to form any tissue in the human body, induced pluripotent stem cells, or iPSCs, are critical to the work of the UC San Diego Stem Cell program in studying disease and potential cures - but how are they made? This short primer outlines the basic steps to how these special cells are derived. Series: "Stem Cell Channel" [Health and Medicine] [Science] [Show ID: 34455]

When heavy rain falls over the Indian Ocean, Southeast Asia and the eastern Pacific Ocean temperatures in California's Central Valley will reach 100 F (38 C) in 4 to 16 days, according to a collaborative research team from UC Davis, and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Climate Center in Busan, South Korea. Researchers, including UC Davis Department of Land, Air and Water Resources professor Richard Grotjahn, were able to link the heat waves to the phases of a large, traveling atmospheric circulation pattern called the Madden-Julian Oscillation, or MJO. Series: "UCTV Prime" [Science] [Show ID: 35169]

Why do Zebras have stripes? Scientists have learned it is to avoid biting flies. But, what is it about stripes that so disrupts a biting fly’s ability to land on a zebra and suck its blood? UC Davis Professor Tim Caro led a series of unique experiments for this study to better understand how stripes manipulate the behavior of biting flies as they attempt to come in for a landing on a zebra. Series: "UCTV Prime" [Agriculture] [Show ID: 35166]

Climate change and atmospheric rivers are bringing flood water to people’s homes, devastating communities. Entire towns are moving to escape rising waters, which is called managed retreat. Flood experts at UC Davis, including Nicholas Pinter, are visiting dozens of communities who have moved off the floodplain and to higher ground to avoid flooding. Series: "UCTV Prime" [Public Affairs] [Science] [Show ID: 35171]

At the 24th meeting of the Parties to the UN Climate Change Convention, governments completed the so-called Paris Rulebook, the set of guidelines for implementing the Paris Climate Change Agreement, and attention is shifting to implementation of measures that cut greenhouse gas emissions. Mark Radka, Chief of the Energy and Climate Branch at UN Environment, describes how the UN works with countries, companies, and people to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases. Series: "Bren School of Environmental Science & Management" [Public Affairs] [Science] [Show ID: 34900]

A group of scientists and doctoral students from UC Davis recently traveled to Antarctica where they became the first group to collect turbulence measurements from beneath an ice shelf. With this data, scientists will be able to better understand how quickly ice shelves are melting and to make predictions of how these rates will change under future climate scenarios. Series: "UCTV Prime" [Science] [Show ID: 35167]