University of California Video Podcasts (Video)

The risk for many chronic diseases is directly linked to metabolic changes in the body and loss of muscle mass often associated with aging. In this program, Dr. Natalie Marshall focuses on the central importance of movement, strength training, and body composition to improve metabolic fitness and tips to help you get started “building muscle for life." Series: "Osher WISE: Well-being and Integrative Science for Everyone" [Health and Medicine] [Show ID: 40071]

The Universe is full of such wonderful mysteries. We know why we have Aurora, as the sun’s energy interacts with the upper atmosphere. But why such beauty in this shimmering dance? Perhaps music can reveal inner harmonies, and help us appreciate these mysteries with awe and joy. French musician Catherine Brisset plays the cristal Baschet, a unique glass keyboard with fanciful metal shapes to help the mysterious sounds resonate. Here, she plays a variation on Bach’s Sonata #2, the Grave movement, with such subtle and emotive touch. We fly over and through the Aurora Australis, so artfully photographed by astronauts of ISS Expedition 67, on June 18, 2022. Series: "Arts Channel " [Arts and Music] [Show ID: 40317]

As distinct from the buildings of termites (interesting though these are), bird nests offer a more apropos point of comparison for human buildings – they are conducted by single vertebrate (or a few) and can be adapted to varied circumstances, with even a small effect of social learning. However, the basic Bauplan remains species-specific, unlike the creativity of the human architect. Since nonhuman primates lack interesting building skills, and so we suggest that bird nest construction may come to play a similar comparative role for architectural design. The static Bauplan of birds can be compared to the near-stasis of human tool use until the end of the Paleolithic, challenging us to assess the changes in human practice that unlocked an increasingly rapid process of cultural evolution. Series: "CARTA - Center for Academic Research and Training in Anthropogeny" [Humanities] [Science] [Show ID: 40159]

Fareed Zakaria, host of the renowned CNN program “Fareed Zakaria GPS,” talks about how to maintain peace in the post-Cold War era. He examines what he calls the geopolitical revolution that's taking place today and compares it with the unusual state of peace that existed from 1989 until the invasion of Ukraine in 2022 - a time without constant and sustained geopolitical rivalry and tension. He looks at current state of conflict and tension, especially with China. He is joined by Stephen Hadley, former National Security Advisor. This talk is part of the the 2024 Susan Shirk Lecture on U.S.-China Relations at UC San Diego's School of Global Policy and Strategy. In its sixth year, the forum on U.S.-China Relations is the only American leadership meeting focused exclusively on China and U.S.-China relations. This year’s theme is “Widening the Aperture: U.S.-China Relations in the Global Context.” Series: "Global Policy and Strategy" [Public Affairs] [Show ID: 40146]

At a global level, Homo sapiens have reshaped the planet Earth to such an extent that we now talk of a new geological age, the Anthropocene. But each of us shapes our own worlds, physically, symbolically, and in the worlds of imagination. This symposium focuses especially on one form of construction, the construction of buildings, while stressing that such construction is ever shaped by diverse factors from landscape to culture and the construction of history embodied in it - and more. After a brief look at birds building their nests as an example of variation on a species-specific Bauplan, we sample a broad sweep of cultural evolution and niche construction from the earliest stone tools of Neanderthals and Homo sapiens through the Neolithic and the rise of cities to the formal and informal architecture of the present day. Finally, we explore the ways artificial intelligence may further change how humans construct their mental and physical worlds. Series: "CARTA - Center for Academic Research and Training in Anthropogeny" [Humanities] [Science] [Show ID: 40169]

Curious about the secret to staying young? Rob Signer shares insights into how our bodies age, focusing on the role of stem cells and a critical protein called HSF1 that helps them cope with stress. Signer explores the delicate balance of keeping these cells healthy without increasing cancer risk and highlighted some promising progress in enhancing the cells' ability to manage waste. Series: "Stem Cell Channel" [Health and Medicine] [Science] [Show ID: 39980]

Step into the historic Chicago Cafe in Woodland, California, a culinary landmark that could potentially be the oldest Chinese restaurant in the U.S. Anchored by the Fong family for over a century, their resilience echoes through the decades of the Chinese Exclusion Act and societal adversity. The cafe offers more than traditional Chinese food. It's a living chapter of Chinese-American history and a beacon of cultural endurance. Series: "UC Davis News" [Humanities] [Show ID: 40176]

Quetzal is a Grammy award-winning ensemble of highly talented musicians, joined for the goal of creating good music that tells the social, cultural, political, and musical stories of people in struggle. Martha Gonzalez (lead singer, percussionist, and songwriter) calls it an “East LA Chicano @ rock group,” summing up its rootedness in the complex cultural currents of life in the barrio, its social activism, its strong feminist stance, and its rock and roll musical beginnings.  Besides being a rock band, the group and its members participate in a much larger web of musical, cultural, and political engagement. Damian DeRobbio will host and conduct a Q&A with the group after their performance. Series: "Arts Channel " [Arts and Music] [Show ID: 40094]

UCSF Neurosurgeon Ethan Winkler, MD, PhD, summarizes the surgical treatment options for patients with brain aneurysms and describes the decision-making process for choosing the best treatment for each individual. Series: "UC San Francisco News" [Health and Medicine] [Show ID: 40238]

Quetzal is a Grammy award-winning ensemble of highly talented musicians, joined for the goal of creating good music that tells the social, cultural, political, and musical stories of people in struggle. Martha Gonzalez (lead singer, percussionist, and songwriter) calls it an “East LA Chicano @ rock group,” summing up its rootedness in the complex cultural currents of life in the barrio, its social activism, its strong feminist stance, and its rock and roll musical beginnings.  Besides being a rock band, the group and its members participate in a much larger web of musical, cultural, and political engagement. Damian DeRobbio will host and conduct a Q&A with the group after their performance. Series: "Arts Channel " [Arts and Music] [Show ID: 40093]