University of California Video Podcasts (Video)

Our planet has been continually bombarded by asteroids since its formation, 4.5 billion years ago. While the frequency of large impacts has decreased, many potential Near-Earth Object threats remain undiscovered, so if or when they will impact Earth remains unknown. Fortunately, if an Earth-threatening asteroid is discovered in time, there are ways to mitigate or even prevent a disaster. Scientists at LLNL provide computer simulations in preparation these scenarios so if the time comes where an asteroid is headed our way, we will be prepared. Series: "Lawrence Livermore National Lab Science on Saturday" [Science] [Show ID: 35698]

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: 35713]

An update on why to maintain social distancing in the COVID-19 pandemic. Series: "Excerpts" [Science] [Show ID: 35853]

In times of stress, anxiety, and isolation finding effective strategies to understand our emotions and how we relate to the world at large often brings comfort. Mindfulness, meditation, and compassion have long been championed as helpful strategies but how do they impact our well being, if at all? Fadel Zeidan joins William Mobley to discuss his work applying scientific methods to these practices to quantify and discover how and why they work. Series: "Brain Channel" [Health and Medicine] [Humanities] [Science] [Show ID: 35824]

UC San Diego infectious disease researchers provide an overview of the biology and evolution of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, cause of COVID-19 disease which is sweeping the globe in a pandemic. They share their expertise in the dynamics of host-pathogen interactions and viral life-cycles and how they relate to this global challenge. [Science] [Show ID: 35811]

UC San Diego professor of biology Justin Meyer, who specializes in infectious disease research presents his course The Evolution of Infectious Diseases with special attention to the SARS-CoV-2 virus, the COVID-19 disease and its pandemic spread throughout the world. Series: "The Evolution of Infectious Diseases with Justin Meyer" [Science] [Show ID: 35816]

Lack of emergency medical care is an important factor contributing to lower survival rates of critically ill children in low resource settings, such as in Tanzania. Dr. Carol Chen works with the African Federation for Emergency Medicine working group of pediatric emergency medicine and global health experts to create freely available curriculum to train providers across the continent of Africa. Series: "Mini Medical School for the Public" [Health and Medicine] [Show ID: 35573]

How Zebrafish help in the search to produce blood stem cells, California's Alpha Clinics, the extraordinary UC Natural Reserve system, and developing an innovative crowd-sourced network of remote sensors to track change in the ocean - on surfboards. Series: "On Beyond" [Science] [Show ID: 35686]

Exploring the undersea world has always presented challenges in terms of cost and accessibility. However, recent advances in ocean observing technology are allowing researchers to explore heretofore unexplored worlds at reasonable cost. Join oceanographer Jules Jaffe as he describes his career as an ocean explorer and technology innovator. Learn how new, cost effective instruments and platforms present unprecedented opportunities for students of all ages to engage in designing, building and experimenting with ocean observing technologies with examples from underwater robots and underwater microscopes. Series: "Jeffrey B. Graham Perspectives on Ocean Science Lecture Series" [Science] [Show ID: 35351]

The challenge of representing global environmental change on screen, the complex process of documentary editing, and the difficulties of location shooting in sensitive areas all arise in this conversation between UC Santa Barbara film and media professor Alenda Chang and co-director Jennifer Baichwal about Anthropocene: The Human Epoch. In this video, Baichwal reflects on the conflicts environmental media makers face between the desire to produce films to raise awareness and the need to limit their own carbon footprints. Series: "Carsey-Wolf Center" [Humanities] [Show ID: 35807]