University of California Audio Podcasts (Audio)

Where did we humans come from? When did we become the dominant species on the planet? Experts take you on an exploration of the last half-decade of new evidence from ancient DNA, fossils, archaeology and population studies that has updated our knowledge about The Origins of Today’s Humans.

Series: "CARTA - Center for Academic Research and Training in Anthropogeny" [Science] [Show ID: 35711]

Socio-economic equality and rights have historically been marginalized in the human rights system but remain a front of racial discrimination. Panelists will engage with this history, identify contemporary patterns, and reflect on the analytical benefit of combining TWAIL (Third World Approaches to International Law) and CRT (Critical Race Theory). Series: "UCLA Law Review Symposium " [Public Affairs] [Show ID: 35630]

The possibilities of the Nicaraguan revolution, the refusal of current government officials to speak on the record, and the importance of recording the stories of an aging generation all arise in this conversation between director/producer Jenny Murray and moderator Bianka Ballina about ¡Las Sandinistas!. In this video, Murray discusses the reemergence of Nicaraguan protests in 2018 and her film’s uncertain future in the Central American nation. Series: "Carsey-Wolf Center" [Public Affairs] [Humanities] [Show ID: 35764]

Johannes Brahm's Symphony No. 3, composed in 1883, is the shortest, subtlest, and most concise of his four symphonies. Each movement demonstrates Brahms' mastery of the form as he ranges from boisterous to introspective, ending on a note of dignified restraint. Series: "La Jolla Symphony & Chorus" [Arts and Music] [Show ID: 35728]

As an agricultural crop, hemp is the strongest natural fiber in the world and can produce crucial resources such as food, rope, clothing, paper, and housing material. The U.S. sales value of hemp-based products is more than $600 million annually and growing. A panel of experts discusses the increasing use of hemp and cannabis in their various forms, including potential benefits and drawbacks, as well as the differences between hemp, THC, and CBD, and their uses both medicinally and recreationally. Series: "Future Thought Leaders" [Health and Medicine] [Agriculture] [Show ID: 35099]

An internationally celebrated American novelist, short story writer, poet, and activist, Walker’s work has been translated into more than two dozen languages, and her books have sold more than fifteen million copies. She wrote The Color Purple, for which she won the National Book Award for hardcover fiction, and the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. Walker’s collected work includes poetry, novels, short fiction, essays, critical essays, and children’s stories. She was the recipient of a Rosenthal Foundation award and an American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters award for In Love and Trouble. Series: "Writer's Symposium By The Sea" [Humanities] [Show ID: 35143]

In her new book, Ecopiety, Sarah McFarland Taylor offers an absorbing examination of the intersections of environmental sensibilities, contemporary expressions of piety and devotion, and American popular culture. Ecopiety evidences the important "work" taking place as mediated popular culture plays an integral role in framing contemporary American environmental moral and ethical sensibilities. Series: "Ethics, Religion and Public Life: Walter H. Capps Center Series" [Humanities] [Show ID: 35620]

Katerina Semendeferi explores if the potential for conditions like autism is a part of the human mind's extraordinary capacities for intellect and social cognition. A class that trains college students to teach computer science to youngsters in informal space, and how the chemistry of water reveals its history. Series: "On Beyond" [Science] [Show ID: 35685]

Bo Peep’s fierce leadership, modeling a character on a puppy, and the differences between writing for animation and live action all arise in this conversation about the Pixar legendary franchise between Stephany Folsom (Toy Story 4) and Pollock Theater Director Matt Ryan. In this video, Folsom and Ryan explore her career, the process of writing Toy Story 4, and her work in the Pixar universe. Series: "Carsey-Wolf Center" [Humanities] [Show ID: 35766]

Social media and big data can have important practical applications in public health, disaster management, transportation, and urban planning. Data scientists are using machine learning algorithms, computer vision, and natural language processing to collect and analyze social media data (such as Facebook and YouTube) and environmental sensor/camera data to study human communications and movements. These big data technologies can be powerful tools to predict short-term future events, such as flu outbreaks, severe air pollution, traffic congestion, the weather, and patterns of disaster evacuation. At the same time, these technologies monitor users’ digital footprints, opinions and geolocations. Ming-Hsiang Tsou, PhD discusses the challenges in social media analytics, including data noise and biases, fake news, and data privacy. Series: "Exploring Ethics" [Humanities] [Science] [Show ID: 35460]