University of California Video Podcasts (Video)

The human capacity to change the planet is not something new, but is rooted in our deep evolutionary past. One of the hallmarks of humans is our large brain size, which began to expand about 2 million years ago. This expansion did not come without consequences, and two are particularly important. The first is the additional energy requirements needed to fuel this larger brain size together with the concomitant life history factors such as shorter inter birth intervals, more dependent offspring and longer periods of growth and development, and longer lifespans. The second is the solution to these energy requirements that involve cooperative breeding and the development of the high risk/high return hunting and gathering foraging strategies. From this foundation we trace the increasing capacity of humans to extract more energy from the environment through the development of a reliance on fire, the agricultural revolution leading to the industrial revolution and modern times. Series: "CARTA - Center for Academic Research and Training in Anthropogeny" [Humanities] [Science] [Show ID: 37770]

Cornel West, Ph.D., is a social justice advocate, best-selling author, renowned university professor, and one of the nation's most iconic Black intellectuals. In his dynamic and engaging style, West speaks with middle and high school students about the power of the persistent strength young people possess and what it takes to channel that strength for positive change as a leader today. West shares his personal story and what shaped his worldview. He talks about his lifelong journey as an activist for civil rights, how to know when to speak up and when to take action, as well as how to shift rage over injustice to bring about positive change. Series: "Helen Edison Lecture Series" [Humanities] [Show ID: 37833]

Nicolas Rivron, PhD, shares his lab's work to better understand healthy embryo development. Series: "Stem Cell Channel" [Health and Medicine] [Science] [Show ID: 37672]

Nadia Bolz-Weber is an ordained Lutheran Pastor, founder of House for All Sinners & Saints in Denver, Colorado, and the author of three New York Times bestselling memoirs: "Pastrix: The Cranky, Beautiful Faith Of A Sinner & Saint," "Accidental Saints: Finding God In All The Wrong People," and "SHAMELESS: A Sexual Reformation." In 2017, Bolz-Weber won the coveted Audience Award at the Nantucket Project. Her latest project is a podcast, "The Confessional with Nadia Bolz-Weber," a partnership with PRX and The Moth. As part of the annual Writer's Symposium by the Sea, director of Point Loma Nazarene University's journalism program Dean Nelson has a witty, probing and spiritual conversation with Bolz-Weber about her evolution from youthful rebellion to her journey of spirituality and compassion. Series: "Writer's Symposium By The Sea" [Humanities] [Show ID: 37095]

Sheldon Solomon explores how humans manage the terror of death, and the larger implications of this quest for immortality via death denial.  Series: "CARTA - Center for Academic Research and Training in Anthropogeny" [Science] [Show ID: 32056]

Domesticated species of crops are an interesting group of organisms that have co-evolved with Homo sapiens, and have been important in human survival and fitness. We trace the origin and spread of these domesticated crop species over the last 12,000 years, discussing both their impacts on human society as well as to the climate and human evolution. We will also present the challenges in modern agriculture and food security. Series: "CARTA - Center for Academic Research and Training in Anthropogeny" [Humanities] [Science] [Show ID: 37771]

Do Ho Suh’s work explores the notions of home, cultural displacement, one’s perception of space and how one builds a memory of it. What is home, after all? A place? An idea? A sentiment? A memory? A small cottage has been picked up, as if by some mysterious force, and “landed” atop Jacobs Hall at UC San Diego, where it sits crookedly on one corner, cantilevered out over the ground seven stories below. A lush roof garden of vines, flowers and vegetables, frequented by birds and bees, is a small gathering place with panoramic views of the campus and beyond. Upon entering the house it becomes apparent that the floor and the house itself are at different angles, causing a sense of dislocation – some would say vertigo. One must adjust both physically and mentally in order to accommodate a whole new view of the world. The surroundings are familiar but the feeling is not. Series: "Stuart Collection at UC San Diego" [Arts and Music] [Show ID: 37823]

Veerabhadran Ramanathan has had the privilege and pleasure of collaborating with Paul Crutzen for more than 40 years. During the year 2000, when he announced to the world about his Anthropocene concept, Crutzen and Ramanathan were in the midst of a major field study on Atmospheric Clouds over the Indian Ocean. Crutzen is one of the most creative, innovative and original geo-scientists of his generation. Ramanathan describes the Anthropocene using the lens of a climate scientist. He concludes with speculation about how and when we will transition from the current adolescent age of the Anthropocene subject to multiple assaults on the environment to a mature, sustainable and safe Anthropocene. Series: "CARTA - Center for Academic Research and Training in Anthropogeny" [Science] [Show ID: 37769]

Conservation is common to all societies which learned to live within ecosystem limits. In breaking the evolutionary and biological straight-jackets constricting other species, we became the ultimate multi-niche free-ranging species. Our rise to global conquest and ecological emancipation from nature through domestication and manufacturing expanded conservation for survival to saving whales, elephants, the Acropolis and Mona Lisa. The universal rules for overcoming a tragedy of the commons locally offers hope for combating global warming and sustaining the diversity of life globally—if we use our unique capacity for cooperation and planning. Series: "CARTA - Center for Academic Research and Training in Anthropogeny" [Humanities] [Science] [Show ID: 37776]

The International System of Units (the SI), the modern metric system, has recently undergone its most revolutionary change since its origins during the French Revolution. The nature of this revolution is that all of the base units of the SI are now defined by fixing values of natural constants. Our measurement system is now, both philosophically and practically, strongly quantum. Nobel Prize recipient William Phillips, Ph.D., a Distinguished University and College Park Professor of Physics at the University of Maryland, talks about why this reform was needed and how it is done. Series: "UC Berkeley Graduate Lectures" [Science] [Show ID: 37728]