-
Insights into Putin’s Power Grab in Ukraine and What’s Behind Authoritarian Regimes
After weeks of posturing and the imminent threat of invasion, Russian President Vladimir Putin made the decision to roll tens of thousands of troops across the border into the sovereign country of Ukraine in late February. The campaign was preceded by a prolonged Russian military buildup around Ukraine, as well as numerous Russian demands for…
-
Building Linguistic Knowledge: What You Can Pick Up Just by Listening
What does it mean to know a language? Knowing a language is a continuum. On one end, there’s explicit knowledge – knowing what words and phrases mean and using the language to communicate and talk to one another. On the other end, there’s implicit knowledge, which is typically where children begin and involves understanding what…
-
What’s Behind Racial Resentment?
“I’m not a racist, but…” This instinct to make judgments about “deservingness” in politics often animates those who believe they are “not racist,” but tend to oppose policies and ideas that advance racial justice, and blame racial-ethnic minorities for their social, political, and economic positions. That is one of the many arguments UC Berkeley Goldman…
-
Can 70 Really Be the New 50?
We may be living longer, but are we living healthier? As we age, proper nutrition and exercise can help us live more fulfilling lives and enjoy our extended post-retirement years. Indeed, exercise is medicine. Cindy Chang, MD, a sports medicine physician, shares her training and expertise to provide physical activity goals and guidelines for adults.…
-
COVID-19 and Autism – Finding a Path Forward for Families
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused unprecedented changes in every aspect of our lives. For individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), who often have increased behavioral symptoms with changes in routine, the pandemic has been deeply disruptive to their lives in ways that go beyond access to care. In a compelling video from the recent Autism…
-
Finding the Inspiration Behind “Tattooed Trucks of Nepal”
Throughout Nepal, large freight trucks painted by artists provide visual entertainment for travelers along the highways and dangerous mountain roads of the Himalayas. These trucks captivated UC San Diego Department of Theatre and Dance lecturer emeritus Ron Ranson, who taught theatre design and painting for the stage. Ranson turned his fascination with this colorful art…
-
On the Elephant in the Room
Despite its frequent appearance in our everyday speech, indirectness is not something many people pause to consider. Why do people “beat around the bush”? “Downsize” instead of “terminate?” “Pass away” instead of “die?” What prompts people to say one thing, when both parties in the conversation know that there is another meaning? Harvard College Professor…
-
May Enews and Highlights
Sign up to receive UCTV News and Highlights by e-mail: FEATURED THIS MONTH Violence Has Declined Violence has been in decline for long stretches of time, and we may be living in the most peaceful era in our species existence. Steven Pinker explains the trends by showing how changing historical circumstances have engaged different components…
-
April Enews and Highlights
Sign up to receive UCTV News and Highlights by e-mail: FEATURED THIS MONTH Leo Szilard: The Man Behind the Bomb William Lanouette, author of “Genius in the Shadows: A Biography of Leo Szilard, ” explains how Szilard’s fear of German dominance of nuclear research inspired the Manhattan Project, which led to the creation of the…
-
Millie Dresselhaus on Energy Sustainability
UCTV’s Women in Science kicks off the month of April by celebrating an influential woman in the scientific field, MIT Professor Mildred Dresselhaus. A pioneer in Nanoscience, Dresselhaus is one of the first scientists to open the door to using carbon based materials on a nanoscale. Some of her notable contributions paved the way for…