University of California Audio Podcasts (Audio)

UC Berkeley’s Ting Xu and her students have come up with one solution for the global problem of single-use plastics: embed enzymes in the plastic, so that once the bag or cup is no longer wanted, it will self-destruct with a little heat and water. Series: "UC Berkeley News" [Science] [Show ID: 37840]

Niki de Saint Phalle (1930-2002) is best known for her oversized figures that embrace contradictory qualities such as good and evil, modern and primitive, sacred and profane, play and terror. De Saint Phalle's "Sun God" was the first work commissioned by the Stuart Collection and was her first outdoor commission in America. Sun God has become a landmark on the UC San Diego campus, with the annual springtime Sun God Festival as the largest event sponsored by the UCSD Associated Students. The grassy area beneath it is a popular site for rendezvous and celebrations, and there have been countless spontaneous responses which embrace the Sun God as a campus character. Series: "Stuart Collection at UC San Diego" [Arts and Music] [Show ID: 37804]

How can we better study the complexities of the brain? Gabriel Silva explains how organoids may be the best way to understand the brain's biologic algorithms. Series: "Sanford Stem Cell Symposium" [Health and Medicine] [Science] [Show ID: 37780]

For the Stuart Collection at the UC San Diego, Adams created a musical composition with and within the signature landscape of the campus: the eucalyptus grove. There are no pre-recorded elements, everything that occurs in "The Wind Garden" is driven by the wind and the light conditions on the site, in real time. This work never repeats itself. Hidden in the trees are 32 small loudspeakers and 32 accelerometers that measure the movements of the trees in the wind. As the velocity of the wind changes so does the amplitude of the sound. The musical foundation of The Wind Garden is two “choirs” of virtual voices – a “day choir” tuned to the natural harmonic series, and a “night choir” tuned to the sub-harmonic series. The rising and falling of these choirs traces the contours of the sun’s movement above, below and around the horizon over the course of the year. Series: "Stuart Collection at UC San Diego" [Arts and Music] [Show ID: 37824]

Everybody (and every body) is unique. Genetics, metabolism, environment and routine all play a role in determining a person's weight. But staying healthy isn’t always easy in the best of times, and the COVID pandemic has caused many of us to exercise much less than during previous years. In this timely discussion, a diverse panel of UC San Diego experts in weight management, psychology, cardiology, and cellular research provide insights into how to maintain a healthy weight.

The Challenges of Weight Control: What if Your Diet Doesn't Work

Eduardo Grunvald, MD

Weight Management and the Brain

William Perry, PhD

Balancing Energy Metabolism: Molecular Insights

Alan R. Saltiel, PhD

Intermittent Fasting for Weight Loss and Improved Cardiovascular Health

Pam R. Taub, MD, FACC Series: "UC San Diego Health Talks" [Health and Medicine] [Show ID: 37763]

Throughout Nepal, large freight trucks painted by artists provide special visual entertainment for travelers along the highways and dangerous mountain roads of the Himalayas. These creatively painted scenes and sayings can be clever, witty and even profound - offering food for thought to the viewer. Former Peace Corps volunteer and UC San Diego lecturer emeritus Ron Ranson, along with filmmaker Sudarson Karki, document the Nepali custom of painting trucks with icons of their country, spiritual life, European sports teams and even major movies like "Titanic." [Humanities] [Arts and Music] [Show ID: 37685]

Richard Fleischner's "La Jolla Project" is located on the Revelle College lawn at UC San Diego. Seventy-one blocks of pink and gray granite are arranged in configurations that refer to architectural vocabulary: posts, lintels, columns, arches, windows, doorways, and thresholds. These elements transform an ordinary, nearly flat lawn into a space with allusions ranging from an ancient ruin to a contemporary construction site. What is most important for Fleischner is to interpret and essentialize a place by using minimal means to delineate natural lines and boundaries, while establishing an interplay of horizontal and vertical elements. La Jolla Project generates a complex set of spatial and historical relationships that invigorate and give meaning to the formerly undefined area it occupies. Series: "Stuart Collection at UC San Diego" [Arts and Music] [Show ID: 37806]

Establishing structure and routines for children, as well as providing prompts and praise, can be helpful for all families, especially in the context of stressors. These practices also demonstrate benefit with vulnerable populations, such as youth with attention and behavior challenges and families experiencing homelessness. Lauren Haack, Ph.D., UC San Francisco psychology professor, offers tips on setting clear, manageable expectations and schedules for your children. Series: "Resilience and Emotional Well-being" [Health and Medicine] [Show ID: 37749]

How are hematopoietic stem cells born during the development of the vertebrate embryo? David Traver, PhD explains his work with zebrafish to understand these processes and the role of the somite in instruction of these cells. Series: "Stem Cell Channel" [Health and Medicine] [Science] [Show ID: 37588]

This program looks at how to treat cancer pain without opioids with Dr. Ann Shah. Series: "Mini Medical School for the Public" [Health and Medicine] [Show ID: 37518]