University of California Audio Podcasts (Audio)

The modern world is not disenchanted. On the contrary, it is full of gods and heroes and myths and magic. In this talk, Philip Gorski sketches out a new narrative of Western modernity that can account for this state of affairs: the fragmentation of the sacred. Series: "Ethics, Religion and Public Life: Walter H. Capps Center Series" [Humanities] [Show ID: 39810]

What can you do today to improve or maintain your brain health? Join Sarah Banks, Ph.D., a leading expert in healthy aging, dementia, and Alzheimer's disease, as she discusses the latest research on the effects of exercise on brain health. Stay informed and proactive about maintaining cognitive function as you age with insights from cutting-edge research. Series: "Stein Institute for Research on Aging" [Health and Medicine] [Show ID: 40062]

Humans are a spectacular outlier among the millions of species of life on planet earth, with incredibly unique biological success. Slowly, scientists have begun to understand the traits that interacted to make us unique, such as cumulative culture, unique scales of cooperation, cognitive abilities, language, and a unique life history and mating system. However, the sequence of evolutionary events that led to our unique species was very much a mystery until the discovery of early bipedal hominins like the australopithecine, Lucy. Here, Kim Hill explains how we have learned so much about this improbable sequence and evolutionary pathway by discovering that early hominins were fully bipedal but still had small brains and little evidence for human mating and life history patterns or cumulative cultural evolution. Lucy helped us understand why the evolution of bipedality was a critical first step that led to an amazing evolutionary sequence that resulted in our spectacular outlier species. Series: "CARTA - Center for Academic Research and Training in Anthropogeny" [Humanities] [Science] [Show ID: 39825]

Director Nicole Newnham joins moderator Kyna McClenaghan (Film and Media Studies, UCSB) for a discussion of her film The Disappearance of Shere Hite. They discuss the origin of the film and her interest in Shere Hite, as well as the archival research undertaken in making the documentary. Together, they also detail the work of Shere Hite in the context of the feminist movement of the time, the sexist backlash she received, and the enduring impact of The Hite Report and other studies. Series: "Carsey-Wolf Center" [Humanities] [Show ID: 39973]

Human activities can increase levels of harmful microorganisms and pollutants in our water systems that have the potential to make us sick or threaten our food supply. Join microbial ecologist Dr. Sarah Allard as she presents emerging research from Scripps Oceanography that sheds light on seafood-related food borne illnesses. Series: "Jeffrey B. Graham Perspectives on Ocean Science Lecture Series" [Health and Medicine] [Science] [Show ID: 40082]

Yale Strom’s Hot Pstromi is a U.S.-based klezmer ensemble. Much of the repertoire comes from Strom's many years of ethnographic research he has conducted in Eastern Europe. Many of the melodies and Yiddish songs come from Jews and Roma who played before and after the Holocaust and that Strom interviewed and with whom he performed. The band’s New York-based lineup includes: Peter Stan, Norbert Stachel, Elizabeth Schwartz, Sprocket and Klezmatics co-founder David Licht. Series: "Arts Channel " [Arts and Music] [Show ID: 40028]

The connection between paleoanthropology and primatology began with Darwin's theory of human origins. Lucy's discovery challenged existing ideas, coinciding with observations of wild primates. This sparked a surge of research on primate behavior, enriching our understanding of human evolution. Despite behavior not fossilizing, studying living primates has deepened insights into ancestral lifestyles. By examining their social and ecological dynamics, researchers unravel the origins of complex behaviors like cooperation and culture, shedding light on human adaptations. This interdisciplinary approach has refined methods for studying social processes and their biological effects. Fifty years since Lucy's find, these tools continue to shape our understanding of human evolution and its relevance today.

Series: "CARTA - Center for Academic Research and Training in Anthropogeny" [Humanities] [Science] [Show ID: 39824]

What can you do today to improve or maintain your brain health? Join Sarah Banks, Ph.D., a leading expert in healthy aging, dementia, and Alzheimer's disease, and discover actionable steps you can take to protect your brain health. Series: "Stein Institute for Research on Aging" [Health and Medicine] [Show ID: 40061]

Filmmaker Jess X. Snow joins UCSB's Heidi Amin-Hong to discuss a selection of Snow’s films and their broader artistic journey. As a multidisciplinary artist, Snow's work encompasses poetry, visual art, and film, often addressing themes like the model minority myth, community care, mutual aid, and the Asian-American immigrant experience. They also explore how their films depict queer intimacy and the romantic and erotic agency of Asian-Americans. The conversation provides a deep dive into Snow’s creative process and how their diverse body of work challenges stereotypes and offers empowering narratives for marginalized communities. Series: "Carsey-Wolf Center" [Humanities] [Show ID: 39972]

Giorgia Quadrato, Ph.D., explores cerebral organoids as models for neural development and disease research. Using live calcium imaging, Quadrato observes increased neuronal coordination attributed to inhibitory neurons, validated through pharmacological and genetic methods. Quadrato contrasts their organoid generation protocol with previous methods, emphasizing complex patterning, long-term cultures, and co-culture with mouse brain cells for improved physiological relevance. Microfluidics are utilized for enhanced oxygenation and physiological conditions. Future efforts focus on incorporating microglial cells for synaptic pruning studies and overcoming challenges in cryopreservation. Overall, the research aims to advance understanding of neural mechanisms and diseases, enhancing organoid fidelity for biomedical applications. Series: "Women in Science" [Health and Medicine] [Science] [Show ID: 39456]