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What Do the Beatles Have to Do With the Fossil Lucy?
The story starts on November 24, 1974, following a long, hot morning of mapping and surveying fossils at the site of Hadar in Ethiopia. Before leaving to head back to camp, paleoanthropologist Donald Johanson and graduate student Tom Gray decided to investigate a small gully that had previously been checked twice before by other workers. […]
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Spinal Cord Injury: Pioneering New Approaches to Healing and Recovery
In a recent seminar from the Southern California Stem Cell Seminar Series, Dr. Michael Lane, a leader in spinal cord injury research, shed light on groundbreaking strategies that may change how we think about nerve repair and recovery. If you or a loved one has been affected by spinal cord injuries, these insights offer a […]
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Astronauts Offer Unique Window on Earth
Welcome to Earth orbit, and the glory of music! In partnership with the Association of Space Explorers, UCTV is the proud new home for the Earth Music project, a collection of movies featuring breathtaking views of Earth captured by astronauts aboard the International Space Station, set to music by world-class musicians. The first movie to […]
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Fighting Climate Change Along the U.S.-Mexico Border
San Diego shares nearly 60 miles of border with its neighbors to the south, stretching from the Pacific Ocean in Imperial Beach to the eastern part of the county near the Otay Mountain Wilderness. While many news stories have highlighted the raw sewage issue affecting the Tijuana River Valley, where runoff pollutes the waters and […]
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Following in the Footsteps of a Famous Father
For many people, it would be hard to follow in the footsteps of a famous father. But for Rev. Dr. Bernice King, her calling to serve is a natural progression of being the daughter of Martin Luther King, Jr. “There’s good in the worst of us and there’s bad in the best of us. I […]
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Unlocking the Secrets of Stem Cells: A Path to Prolonged Human Longevity
What if the key to living longer and healthier lies within our own cells? Recent discoveries in stem cell research might bring us closer to that reality. Understanding aging is one of the most intriguing challenges in modern science, and recent research has uncovered complex biological processes that influence how we age, particularly through changes […]
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The Supreme Court’s Influence on American Democracy
In a recent discussion, Michael Waldman from the Brennan Center for Justice examined the Supreme Court’s significant role in shaping American democracy. Waldman emphasized how pivotal the Court’s decisions have been throughout history, especially during times of political and social upheaval. While understanding our history is crucial, Waldman noted, it shouldn’t confine how we interpret […]
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How the FBI Gave Rise to White Christian Nationalism
What happens when a professor of religious studies sues the FBI? For Lerone Martin, it ends up becoming the book “The Gospel of J. Edgar Hoover: How the FBI Aided and Abetted the Rise of White Christian Nationalism.” “I started out thinking I was going to write a book on religious radio…how religious radio shaped […]
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Celebrating Walter Capps’ Impact on Religious Studies
In a celebration of legacy and learning, the UC Santa Barbara Department of Religious Studies recently hosted a panel featuring renowned scholars of religion who were once graduate students of the late Walter Capps. The current chair of the department, Juan Campos, moderated the panel, which highlighted Capps’ enduring influence on the academic community and […]
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Rain from a River in the Sky
Have you ever heard your local weather forecaster mention terms like “pineapple express” or “atmospheric river”? These intriguing phenomena might sound whimsical, but they play a crucial role in our weather patterns. So, what exactly are they, and is global warming to blame? What is an Atmospheric River? An atmospheric river is like a giant, […]