Science (Audio)
Episodes
CARTA: Development and Evolutionary Specializations of Human Cognitive Networks with Nenad Sestan
17 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
The extraordinary abilities of the cerebral cortex are central to what sets humans apart from other species. A defining feature of the cortex is its o...
CARTA: The Costs of Big Brains with Alex Pollen
15 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Human brain expansion is often discussed in terms of the genetic and molecular innovations that drove uniquely human cognitive abilities. Yet evolutio...
Artificial Intelligence in (AI-Driven) Healthcare
13 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
AI in healthcare raises urgent questions about bias, privacy, and power. Safiya U. Noble, Ph.D., examines how AI systems can reproduce social and raci...
CARTA: The Human Brain in its Usual Extraordinary and Compromised States with Bruce Miller
11 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Dr. Bruce Miller, director of the UCSF Edward and Pearl Fein Memory and Aging Center, examines what neurodegenerative disease reveals about the neural...
Germline Epigenetic Imprints Regulate Mammalian Development with Azim Surani 2025 Kyoto Prize Laureate in Basic Sciences
06 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Azim Surani, Director of Research at the Gurdon Institute and Professor Emeritus at University of Cambridge, received the Kyoto Prize in Basic Science...
CARTA: The Transformational Potential of Computer-assisted Brains with Joseph Paradiso
03 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
From stone tools and shelters to symbolic art and abstract thought, human history is shaped by a brain built to form and share ideas. Joseph Paradiso,...
Mapping Cognitive Resilience: How Environment Aging and Inflammation Shape Information Encoding in the Hippocampus
02 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Cognitive resilience depends on how the brain responds to environment, aging, and inflammation. J. Tiago Gonçalves, Ph.D., studies the hippocampus to...
Learning Beyond the Data: Adam Klivans on Distribution Shift and the Future of AI
01 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Trustworthy machine learning requires models that still work when real-world data changes, and Adam Klivans, Ph.D., Director of the Institute for Foun...
CARTA: The Evolution of the Human Brain through Shifts in Gene Regulation with Miles Wilkinson
27 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
A fundamental question in biology is: how did humans acquire their unique characteristics? What allows us to stand upright, while our primate ancestor...
CARTA: Human Brain Specializations Related to Language and Theory of Mind with James Rilling
21 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Humans excel at transmitting ideas, skills, and knowledge across generations, and at building on those competencies in a cumulative manner. James Rill...
CARTA: Hominin Paleoneurology During the Stone Age - and Before! with Dean Falk
17 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
The distinct biology of the human brain, scaffolded by language and culture, allows ideas to be formed, named, shared, and accumulated across generati...
CARTA: Human-specific Alterations in Brain Cellular Proportions with Genevieve Konopka
13 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Our brains are engines of imagination—an “idea organ” that has transformed both our species and the planet. Genevieve Konopka, Chair of the Depa...
CARTA: The Idea Organ - Welcome and Opening Remarks
12 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Humans live in a world of ideas—born in the brain, shared through language, accumulated in culture across generations, and made reality. From the fi...
CARTA: Neanderthalizing Brain Organoids with Alysson Muotri
02 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Humans live in a world of ideas—born in the brain, shared through language, accumulated in culture across generations, and made reality. Professor A...
Science and Seafood: Understanding and Protecting a Precious Natural Resource
23 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
If you love seafood, you’re not alone — but every bite comes from a complex and fragile marine ecosystem. To keep our ocean ecosystems thriving an...
Three Ages and Three Intelligences: Exploit Explore Empower with Alison Gopnik
18 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
A common model of AI suggests that there is a single measure of intelligence, often called AGI, and that AI systems are agents who can possess more or...
Water Wealth and the Ancestral Circular Economy with Kamanamaikalani Beamer
04 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
The extractive linear economy and policies focused on endless growth have produced unparalleled socioeconomic inequality and the climate crisis. Commu...
CARTA: Ancient DNA: New Revelations - Questions Answers and Closing Remarks
01 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Dramatic advances in ancient DNA technologies have revolutionized our understanding of the human past. As part of the CARTA symposium on Ancient DNA, ...
CARTA: Population Genetics of Latin America and Oceania with Andrés Moreno-Estrada
29 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Genetic data is transforming the understanding of our own species and refining historical chapters at different scales around the globe. However, desp...
Big Data Better Answers: Optimization at Scale with Courtney Paquette
27 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Large-scale optimization and machine learning shape modern data science, and Courtney Paquette, Ph.D., McGill University, studies how to design and an...
CARTA: Genetic History of Humans and Animals in South Asia with Maanasa Raghavan
22 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
The human genetic history of South Asia has been shaped by its pivotal location at the crossroads of East and West Eurasia, dramatic landscapes such a...
Stem Cell Pathways Targeting Neurodegenerative Diseases - Medicine Informing Novel Discoveries (MIND)
19 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Stem cell science is reshaping treatment for complex disorders of the brain and spinal cord. Researchers develop cell based therapies to replace lost ...
CARTA: Central Asian Population Genetics and Natural Selection with Ainash Childebayeva
15 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Ancient DNA has revolutionized the study of the human past, providing unprecedented insights into ancient migrations and interactions among population...
Technology's Influence on Self-Esteem
14 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
We’re surrounded by digital devices — from phones and tablets to streaming platforms and social media. In this excerpt, Kristy Hamilton, Assistant...
CARTA: The Genetic History of Europe with Johannes Krause
09 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Over the past decade, archaeogenetics has analyzed more than 15,000 ancient genomes spanning 45,000 years of western Eurasian prehistory, uncovering d...
CARTA: Ancient DNA - New Revelations Welcome and Opening Remarks
08 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Dramatic advances in ancient DNA technologies have revolutionized our understanding of the human past. Since the publication of the first ancient huma...
Harnessing Nature's Innovations from the Sea
05 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
How do most organisms in the natural world communicate? It's through the language of chemistry. Scripps Institution of Oceanography marine biologist...
The Squiggly Line with Katelyn Jetelina
03 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
How do you navigate a nonlinear, “squiggly line” career in science and public health? Dr. Katelyn Jetelina, an epidemiologist and scientific comm...
Technology's Influence on Decision-Making
02 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
We’re surrounded by digital devices — from phones and tablets to streaming platforms and social media. In this excerpt, Kristy Hamilton, Assistant...
CARTA: Human Population History in North and East Asia with Choongwon Jeong
26 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The Kazakh and Mongolian Steppes span 5,000 kilometers west to east along the northern latitude of Asia. This unique ecozone allowed rapid movements o...
CARTA: Human Microbiome Evolution with Christina Warinner
19 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Humans have a deep and complex relationship with microbes. Beyond disease, microbes also profoundly shape human health and behavior through their acti...
CARTA: Evolutionary Switches - How Regulatory Variants Shaped Human Evolution with David Gokhman
09 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
David Gokhman of the Weizmann Institute of Science explores how changes in gene regulation shaped recent human evolution. His team used massively para...
Evolution and Animal Minds with Peter Godfrey-Smith
06 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Peter Godfrey-Smith, Professor of History and Philosophy of Science at the University of Sydney, explores the evolutionary roots of consciousness by s...
CARTA: Archaic Human Genomes with Diyendo Massilani
05 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The sequencing of genomes from archaic humans, such as Neanderthals and Denisovans, has transformed our understanding of human evolutionary history. T...
Dissecting the Biological Complexity of Animal Regeneration
03 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Alejandro Sánchez Alvarado, Ph.D., argues that real progress in understanding regeneration comes from studying whole organisms rather than cells grow...
Economics Always Wins: Climate and Electrification in the 21st Century with Tom Steyer
02 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Climate investor and philanthropist Tom Steyer, recipient of the 2025 Charles David Keeling Memorial Lecture, talks about the current and future state...
CARTA: Archaic Introgression Reveals Human Dispersals with Janet Kelso
24 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The genome sequences of Neandertals and Denisovans have provided a wealth of new information about the origins, migrations, and interactions of ancien...
In Vivo Brain Organoid Model to Study Human Neuronal-glia Interactions
22 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
An in vivo brain organoid platform reveals how human neurons and glia interact across development, aging, and disease. Fred H. Gage, Ph.D., generates ...
Genes Communicate Through Twisting: The Story of Supercoiling in DNA
21 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
It is well known that inside nearly every living cell on this planet, there are instructions powering the dynamics of everything in the cell, known as...
A Closer Look at...Stem Cells and Clinical Trials
14 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Clinical trials turn scientific discoveries into real options for patients and volunteers, advancing care while safeguarding participants. Sheldon Mor...
Following Nature's Lead: Chemistry in Water
10 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Nature has been running chemistry experiments for over 4 billion years—yet today, much of modern organic chemistry still depends on wasteful, resour...
Thinking in a Digital World
03 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We’re surrounded by digital devices—from phones and tablets to streaming platforms and social media. With so many options at our fingertips, each ...
Sustainably UC Davis Episode 4: Zero Waste
03 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What does it really mean to go zero waste? At UC Davis, the answer is both innovative and inspiring. Episode 4 of ‘Sustainably UC Davis’ explores...
That May Be the Chancellor - Episode 12
03 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Wine down with Chancellor May as he meets up with some of the students, staff and faculty from the Department of Viticulture and Enology — recognize...
The Challenge of Building Better Batteries
27 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Batteries have become an essential component of our daily life. They power our smartphones, laptops, tablets, and many of the cars around us. They are...
Stem Cells for Conservation: Trials and Tribulations of a Non-Model System
17 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Marisa Korody, Ph.D., leads groundbreaking work at the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance’s Beckman Center for Conservation Research, where scientists ...
Stem Cells and Precision Regenerative Medicine in Breast Cancer - Medicine Informing Novel Discoveries (MIND)
11 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Advances in precision medicine and patient advocacy are transforming the way cancer is understood and treated. Nikoo McGoldrick shares her personal jo...
Targeting the MLL Complex in Leukemia
01 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Scott A. Armstrong, M.D., Ph.D., of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, studies how certain aggressive forms of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) develop and...
Lessons from La Jolla Shores
29 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
For many people, a personal connection to the ocean ties into bigger issues like conservation and climate change. As the biodiversity of marine life a...
Inspiring Young People To Get Out in Nature
25 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What’s the best way to get college students interested in nature? By getting them outside and teaching them valuable skills in wildlife conservation...
Scientists Find the BEST Lighting Color for Emotional Well-Being
22 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 ca...
Sustainably UC Davis Episode 2: The Student Farm
22 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Enzymes Are Everywhere: Here’s How Our Students Design Them
21 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
UC Davis students from multiple disciplines are learning to design enzymes that address challenges in food, energy and health. Through the Design2Data...
From Uncertainty to Early Warning: Advancing Sundowner Wind Science to Reduce Wildfire Risk
19 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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...
The History of Food: The Universalization of Regional Food Practices
17 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Stanley Chodorow, Emeritus Professor of History at UC San Diego, traces the evolution of food preservation, preparation, and production from ancient t...
From Labs to Lives: How Research Funding Solves Real-World Problems
16 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
UC Davis is a powerhouse for breakthroughs and impact. Our interdisciplinary research plays a vital role in building the region’s economy. Our resea...
The Hematopoietic Stem Cell Niche and Implications for Clinical Transplantation
15 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Sean Morrison, Ph.D., from the Children’s Medical Center Research Institute at UT Southwestern, investigates how stem cells function, regenerate, an...
Sustainably UC Davis Episode 3: Food and Dining
15 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
From sourcing ingredients to sorting waste, sustainability is baked into every part of campus dining. Episode 3 of ‘Sustainably UC Davis’ highlig...
Cellular Reprogramming in Human Disease
13 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Deepak Srivastava, MD, explores how cellular reprogramming offers new hope for treating heart disease. He highlights innovative strategies to regenera...
Bach Lives!
09 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Considered the godfather of A.I. music, UC Santa Cruz professor and composer David Cope, who died in May, 2025, developed the computer program EMI, or...
The Exploration of Space Asteroids: The Fossils of the Universe
06 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Asteroids, often called “fossils of the solar system,” are remnants from its formation that offer clues about planetary origins and the potential ...
This Fungus Turns Food Waste Into Cuisine
05 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Chef-turned-chemist Vayu Hill-Maini has a passion: to turn food waste into culinary treats using a fungus called Neurospora intermedia. Visit the post...
Stem Cells and Next Generation Regenerative Medicine Therapies - Medicine Informing Novel Discoveries (MIND)
26 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Hear about cutting-edge advances in regenerative medicine, from lab breakthroughs to patient impact. Catriona Jamieson, MD, PhD, introduces efforts at...
A Closer Look at…Genetic Medicine and Artificial Intelligence
19 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
AI and genetic medicine are converging to transform how we diagnose, treat, and prevent disease. Gene Yeo, Ph.D., unites RNA biology with artificial i...
The Art of Scientific Storytelling
28 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Science communication expert Lisa Warshaw and scientist Rob Signer, Ph.D., offer a practical guide to turning complex research into clear, memorable s...
Bottom-Up Midbrain-Subthalamic Control of Feeding
25 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
UCLA’s Avishek Adhikari, PhD, presents new research on the role of GABAergic neurons in the brain’s periaqueductal gray (PAG) region. Previously s...
Kumeyaay Ha Kwaiyo - Indigenous Ocean Culture: A Renaissance
23 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The land we now call Scripps Oceanography has been home to the Kumeyaay people for thousands of years. A history of encroachment, colonization and dis...
Seas the Day: A New Narrative for the Ocean
15 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
It's time for a new narrative for the ocean, one that reflects current scientific knowledge and acknowledges innovative new partnerships and solutions...
Science in the White House: Integrating Solutions to the Triple Crises of Climate Change Loss of Biodiversity and Inequality/Inequity
09 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Three major global challenges – climate change, loss of biodiversity and its benefits, and inequality and inequity among people – are typically ta...
CARTA: Mismatch: Human Origins and Modern Disease - Questions Answers and Closing Remarks
06 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The human body has traits that evolved at different times, from 1.5 billion to 2 million years ago, each bringing health benefits and risks. Multicell...
CARTA: Three Smokes in the Evolution of the Human Exposome with Caleb Finch
03 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Humans have long been exposed to three main types of smoke: from early domestic fires, modern wildfires, and more recently, tobacco and fossil fuel po...
CARTA: The Industrialized Gut Microbiome with Justin and Erica Sonnenburg
27 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The human gut microbiome is tightly linked our health. Our analyses of diverse human populations from around the globe, ranging from hunter-gatherer t...
CARTA: Biocultural Reproduction: The Human Style of Hyper-cooperation with Barry Bogin
23 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The essence of Being Human is the practice of Biocultural Reproduction (BCR). BCR is defined as the set of marriage and kinship based rules for extra-...
CARTA: Osteoarthritis Back Problems Difficult Birth - Scars of Our Evolution? with Martin Häusler
20 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Musculoskeletal disorders are one of the most important challenges of modern medicine worldwide. They are often attributed to maladaptations of our bo...
CARTA: Primate Skeletal Gene Regulation: Risks of Human Skeletal Disease Specifically Osteoarthritis with Genevieve Housman
16 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Phenotypic variation within the skeleton has biological, behavioral, and biomedical functional implications for individuals and species. Thus, it is c...
Walking the Pier: Women in Scripps Plankton Research
15 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The Birch Aquarium celebrates the incredible contributions of women in the rich history of marine plankton research at Scripps. Judit Hersko performs ...
CARTA: Does the Placenta Drive the Evolution of Cancer Malignancy with Günter Wagner
13 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The rate of cancer and cancer malignancy differ greatly among mammalian species. The placental – maternal interface is also highly variable between ...
CARTA: Is There a Point to Periods? The Evolutionary History of Menstruation and Implications of Women's Health with Deena Emera
09 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Menstruation is the cyclical shedding of the endometrium triggered by falling progesterone levels. Menstruation is a rare trait found in less than 2% ...
Defining the Limits of Metabolic Flexibility of Squamous Cell Carcinoma with William Lowry - Sanford Stem Cell Symposium 2023
05 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
William Lowry, Ph.D., discusses manipulating metabolic pathways in hair follicle stem cells to inhibit tumorigenesis. By blocking glycolysis and gluta...
CARTA: The Evolution of Powerful Yet Perilous Immune Systems with Andrea Graham
02 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Pressures of life on Earth experienced by our ancestors – as multicellular beings, as hosts to parasites, and as home to microbes – shaped the evo...
Superradiance: Embodying Earth
01 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Superradiance: Embodying Earth is a multiscreen video and sound installation by artists Memo Akten and Katie Peyton Hofstader that serves as a centerp...
CARTA: Cancer is Normal Development Spun Out of Control with Steve Frank
28 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Cancer is normal development spun out of control. It is the great plasticity and power of development, without the overarching controls that guide nor...
CARTA: Mismatch: Human Origins and Modern Disease - Welcome and Opening Remarks
28 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The human body has traits that evolved at different times, from 1.5 billion to 2 million years ago, each bringing health benefits and risks. Multicell...
Artificial Intelligence and Security: A Conversation with Yaron Singer
21 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Yaron Singer, Vice President of AI and Security at Cisco, co-founded a company specializing in artificial intelligence solutions, which was acquired b...
The History of Metamaterials
12 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Metamaterials are special structures made of tiny components that give them unique electromagnetic properties not found in nature. One key feature is ...
3rd Annual Global Astrobiotechnology Hub
05 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The 3rd Annual Global Astrobiotechnology Hub focuses on advancing the intersection of space exploration, biotechnology, and innovation. The program br...
Stem Cells and Science in Space - Medicine Informing Novel Discoveries (MIND)
02 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Scientists, leaders, and patients discuss the intersection of cutting-edge science and real-world impact. They explore the importance of patient persp...
Dancing Continents and Frozen Oceans: Reading Earth's Diary in Natural Stone Tablets with Paul Hoffman 2024 Kyoto Prize Laureate in Basic Sciences
28 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Paul Hoffman is the 2024 Kyoto Prize Laureate in Basic Sciences. He is an adjunct professor at the University of Victoria, has conducted groundbreakin...
Metamaterials Open New Horizons in Electromagnetism with Sir John Pendry 2024 Kyoto Prize Laureate in Advanced Technology
21 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Sir John Pendry is the 2024 Kyoto Prize Laureate in Advanced Technology. He serves as a professor of Theoretical Solid State Physics at Imperial Colle...
Figuring Out Atmospheric Rivers
19 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The meteorology that causes atmospheric rivers is complex, but scientists at the Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes (CW3E) are working to h...
Cervical Cancer Prevention Innovation and Community Based Research
18 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Cervical cancer remains a significant public health concern, but innovative approaches and community-based research are transforming prevention effort...
From the Laboratory to the Ocean: The Scripps Ocean-Atmosphere Research Simulator (SOARS)
07 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
At 120-feet long, and holding 36,000 gallons of water, the Scripps Ocean-Atmosphere Research Simulator (SOARS) is a unique facility at Scripps Institu...
Machine Learning Fairness and AI: A Conversation with Adam Kalai
31 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
OpenAI researcher Adam Kalai sits down with UC San Diego professor Mikhail Belkin to discuss his work in machine learning, algorithmic fairness, and a...
CARTA: Origins of Love - Questions Answers and Closing Remarks
29 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Human beings show a range of emotional attachment, affection, and infatuation often referred to as “love”. Love promotes long-lasting and secure r...
CARTA: The Biology of Fatherhood in Humans: Evolutionary Origins and Cross-Cultural Perspectives with Lee Gettler
28 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Human fathers exhibit hormonal shifts in testosterone, prolactin, and oxytocin, enabling flexible responses to parenting. In species with costly pater...
CARTA: Love Monogamy and Fatherhood in Latin American Monkeys with Eduardo Fernandez-Duque
24 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The titi and owl monkeys of South America live in socially-monogamous groups where the male and female establish a pair bond and share parental duties...
Ebb and Flow: Giant Kelp Forests through Art Science and the Archive
24 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This film explores the dynamic fusion of science, art and historic collections, set against the stunning backdrop of La Jolla’s hidden underwater wo...
Stem Cells Space and Liver Metabolism - Medicine Informing Novel Discoveries (MIND)
17 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Explore the cutting-edge intersection of space travel, biology, and health. Experts dive into the effects of microgravity and space radiation on mitoc...
CARTA: The Biology of Grandmaternal Love with James Rilling
10 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Grandmothers play a key role as alloparents in human families. A leading hypothesis suggests that the inclusive fitness benefits of grandmaternal care...
Falling in Love with Nature: The Values of Latinx Catholic Environmentalism
03 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Through a focus on Spanish-speaking Catholics, Amanda Baugh sheds light on environmental actors hiding in plain sight. Drawing from ethnographic resea...