University of California Video Podcasts (Video)

How do you find hope in a deeply fractured and polarized world? In this timely and powerful conversation, Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist Nicholas Kristof pulls from decades of reporting from global conflict zones and overlooked American communities to bring a deeply human perspective to today’s most urgent moral and civic challenges. In an era marked by division and misinformation, this program explores how truth, empathy and ethical courage can shape a more just and compassionate world. This program is presented by the Burke Lectureship on Religion and Society, and moderated by The World's Marco Werman and UC San Diego Theater professor Allan Havis. Series: "Burke Lectureship on Religion and Society" [Public Affairs] [Show ID: 40914]

Neurosurgeons at UCSF, led by Drs. Edward Chang and Anthony Lee, present a “contactless” microvascular decompression (MVD) approach for trigeminal neuralgia using a pericranium sling. This technique repositions the offending blood vessel with the patient’s own pericranial tissue, avoiding synthetic materials like Teflon. By eliminating foreign implants, it reduces risks of inflammation, granuloma formation, persistent nerve compression, and implant movement. These doctors report that transposition techniques using either pericranium or Teflon slings may provide more durable pain relief than interposition methods. However, all MVD approaches studied significantly reduced pain for patients with this debilitating condition, offering safer and potentially longer-lasting outcomes. Series: "UC San Francisco News" [Health and Medicine] [Show ID: 41038]

Enjoy an aerial tour of Storke Tower at UC Santa Barbara. Series: "UC Landmarks" [Arts and Music] [Show ID: 40984]

At the UC Davis Student Farm, students bring sustainable food systems to life.

In Episode 2 of 'Sustainably UC Davis', we explore student-led efforts in sustainable agriculture. Environmental and social sustainability remain central to the Student Farm’s mission, from organic practices to food justice. Hear about these topics and more from Colin Dixon, Director of the Student Farm, as well as staff and student leads from the Market Garden, Fresh Focus, and Green Fellowship programs. Series: "UC Davis News" [Public Affairs] [Science] [Agriculture] [Show ID: 41057]

Why does amber light ease stress and anxiety? One theory is that it’s similar to the natural orange light experienced in nature, like sunsets and campfires. Thanks to interest and funding in color psychology research, discoveries like this will improve emotional and mental health for everyone, especially those who need it most like hospital patients and those in elder care housing. Series: "UC Davis News" [Health and Medicine] [Science] [Show ID: 41054]

Radiologist Dr. Julian Hong plains how stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) is used to treat oligometastatic prostate cancer—cases where cancer has spread but only to a few limited sites. This approach targets small clusters of metastases with high-dose, image-guided radiation in five or fewer sessions. Hong reviews clinical trial evidence showing that adding focal radiation can improve outcomes, especially when all visible metastases are treated. He highlights the value of modern imaging, like PET scans, in identifying lesions and shaping personalized treatment plans. Studies suggest SBRT offers effective disease control with low toxicity and minimal impact on quality of life, making it a promising option for patients with limited metastatic spread. Series: "Prostate Cancer Patient Conference" [Health and Medicine] [Show ID: 40807]

UC Davis students from multiple disciplines are learning to design enzymes that address challenges in food, energy and health. Through the Design2Data program, they gain hands-on experience in enzyme engineering, preparing for careers in science and research that make a real-world impact. See how our students contribute to solving important human needs. Series: "UC Davis News" [Science] [Show ID: 41052]

Mona Damluji (Film and Media Studies, UCSB) and Elisabeth Weber (German and Slavic Studies, UCSB) join moderator Bishnupriya Ghosh (English and Global Studies, UCSB) to discuss the film project From Ground Zero, an anthology of films made by Palestinian filmmakers since the beginning of the war in Gaza. They discuss how the films present a unique vision of Gaza, showing a vibrant society dealing with the outbreak of war, and how the films urge the audience to become informed viewers. Series: "Carsey-Wolf Center" [Humanities] [Show ID: 40923]

Coastal Santa Barbara is considered one of the most idyllic locations on the North American West Coast, but its beauty is frequently disrupted by fast-spreading, wind-driven wildfires. The east-west oriented Santa Ynez Mountains (SYM), rising abruptly over 1,000 meters from the coastal plain, create a distinct climatic environment by separating the cool, stable air over the Pacific from the much drier atmosphere of the Santa Ynez Valley. This topography leads to unique regional wind patterns, including the Sundowner winds, which occur along the southern slopes of the SYM. Leila Carvalho, Professor of Geography and a researcher at the Earth Research Institute at UC Santa Barbara, studies regional and large-scale climate variability and change, including monsoon dynamics, tropical-extratropical interactions, extreme precipitation and temperature events, mountain weather and climate, and regional modeling. Series: "GRIT Talks" [Science] [Show ID: 41039]

Stanley Chodorow, Emeritus Professor of History at UC San Diego, traces the evolution of food preservation, preparation, and production from ancient times to the modern era. He explores early methods such as drying, salting, and ice cellars, advances like iceboxes, refrigeration, and flash freezing, and innovations in cooking technology from open fires to gas and electric stoves. Chodorow examines the domestication of animals, the development of agriculture, and transformative tools like the wheeled plow and horse harness. He highlights the rise of industrialized food, refrigerated transport, and global trade in products such as sugar, chocolate, and processed foods. Concluding with the health impacts of dietary changes since the shift from hunter-gatherer to agricultural societies, he offers a sweeping view of how technology has shaped what—and how—we eat. Series: "Osher UC San Diego Distinguished Lecture Series" [Health and Medicine] [Science] [Show ID: 40966]