Unfold: Recent Episodes
UC Davis
Unfold, a podcast that breaks down complicated problems and unfolds curiosity-driven research. Each season, the podcast takes a deep dive into a different topic, including food, climate change, health and curiosity-driven innovation and discovery at UC Davis. Hosted by Amy Quinton and Kat Kerlin.
As another wildfire season begins, Unfold heads into the burn zones of last year’s fires in Los Angeles County. UC Davis and University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources scientists are learning what the fires left behind — both on the ground and in the air. You’ll hear about one Altadena fire survivor’s efforts to save his oak trees and about a highly toxic carcinogen detected in the air over millions of people. Researchers are building a new kind of fire science, because the fires are changing and science is racing to keep up.
In this episode:
- Alessandro Ossola, associate professor, UC Davis Department of Plant Sciences
- Chris Shogren, environmental horticulture advisor, UC Agriculture and Natural Resources
- Michael Kleeman, professor, UC Davis Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Read an in-depth In Focus story on what scientists are learning from the fires in Altadena and the Palisades.
What does the world look like to a cow and why do goats spook so easily? New tools are helping people experience how livestock perceive and respond to their surroundings—leading to safer, lower-stress handling for animals and the people who raise them. UC Davis researchers and veterinarians are bringing these tools to ranchers and others, showing how understanding animal behavior improves welfare in real-world settings. In this episode ofUnfold, we explore where science meets the herd.
In this episode:
- Cassandra Tucker, professor with the UC Davis animal science department and co-founder of Kinder Ground
- Fauna Smith, assistant professor of livestock herd health and reproduction, UC Davis Weill School of Veterinary Medicine
- Thandi Nixon, third-year veterinary student at UC Davis Weill School of Veterinary Medicine
- Temple Grandin, professor of animal science, Colorado State University
- Jen Walker, co-founder of Kinder Ground and herd health veterinarian
- Nathan Medlar, owner, NM Ranch
- Ashlynn Kirk, program manager for the Humane Handling Institute at the University of Wisconsin—River Falls
Want to see what it looks like through the eyes of a cow?
This holiday season, that glass of wine on your table comes with a surprising backstory. Global wine consumption is down. And the reasons are far more complicated than you might expect. The industry is facing a convergence of challenges unlike anything in recent memory. In this episode of Unfold, UC Davis experts unpack what’s behind the trend, what it means for growers, and whether wine’s place on the holiday table is changing.
In this episode:
- Daniel Sumner, agricultural economist with the UC Davis Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics
- Ben Montpetit, microbiologist and chair of the UC Davis Department of Viticulture and Enology
Learn more about UC Davis wine sales at Hilgard631.org
One way to understand climate change is by climbing to extremes. In this episode of Unfold, co-host Kat Kerlin trekked up some of the highest peaks in the Sierra Nevada range with UC Davis forest ecologists with the goal of finding the highest altitude Jeffrey pine trees. Their presence can reveal a lot about our warming planet. We’ll hear about her trip – and how a little bird “gardener” can play a large role in reshaping California’s forests.
In this episode:
Hugh Safford, UC Davis forest ecologist
Sachi Srivastava, UC Davis graduate student
Mike Mahoney, UC Davis doctoral student
Nick Parker, UC Davis undergraduate
Read “An Extreme Tree Hunt in the Sierra Nevada Mountains” to learn more about the research.
Valley fever can infect both humans and dogs. In the second and final installment of our series examining valley fever, you’ll hear the story of Cooper, a boxer mix from California’s Central Valley. He nearly lost his life to the fungal infection. In this episode of Unfold, we’ll talk to UC Davis scientists working across medicine and veterinary care to study valley fever. You’ll hear not only about one dog’s fight for survival but how dogs may hold the key to predicting valley fever’s spread in humans.
In this episode:
Dr. Jane Sykes, small animal veterinarian at UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine with a special interest in infectious diseases
Dr. Glynn Woods, Veterinarian, UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine
Omar and Rosemary Rios, owners of Cooper, a dog with valley fever
Read an in-depth In Focus feature on valley fever in both humans and dogs at https://www.ucdavis.edu/health/news/valley-fever-spreading-across-arid-west
A single breath and a single spore. That’s all it takes for the fungal infection called valley fever to take hold. For most people, it’s a blip — a treatable illness. But for some, like Rex Dangerfield and Kyleigh Cooyar, it can cause debilitating symptoms. Climate change is creating ideal conditions for the fungus to spread beyond the West. It’s popping up in places where people have never heard of it. In this Unfold episode, we hear how valley fever altered the lives of Rex and Kyleigh, and we hear from UC Davis Health scientists searching for new ways to understand, treat and one day prevent the infection.
In this episode:
- George Thompson, professor of medicine and co-director, UC Davis Center for Valley Fever at UC Davis Health
- Kyleigh Cooyar, valley fever patient
- Rex Dangerfield, valley fever patient
Read an in-depth In Focus story on valley fever in both humans and dogs.
This time of year, you’ll hear any number of oinks, neighs and bleats from livestock on show at county fairs. But in California, cock-a-doodle-doos are missing from that chorus. Bird flu has shut down poultry exhibitions. That’s upended life for 4-H members who normally raise chickens and competitively show them at fairs. In this episode of Unfold, guest host Caroline Champlin with University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources visits the Orange County Fair to see how young 4-H-ers are adapting. And we’ll hear from a UC Davis/UC ANR expert on how the virus is adapting to new hosts, including dairy cattle. Is bird flu here to stay?
In this episode:
Maurice Pitesky, associate professor, UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine and University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources Cooperative Extension specialist
You can read a full article on how bird flu is upending life for 4-H-er's at UC ANR's Green Blog.
Processed food is everywhere—and chances are, you're eating more of it than you think. In this episode of Unfold, we go beyond the ingredient list to uncover the science and public perceptions of processed and ultra-processed foods. Are these foods addictive by design, unsafe or just misunderstood? With insights from food scientists and cultural experts, we’ll examine how modern food manufacturing may be shaping our health, our public policy and even our understanding of what food is.
In this episode:
Alyson Mitchell, professor and food chemist, UC Davis Department of Food Science and Technology
Charlotte Biltekoff, professor in UC Davis Departments of Food Science and Technology and American Studies
Read our In Focus story: “What to Know about Processed and Ultra-Processed Foods.”
Learn more about processed foods from nutritionists and food scientists in our “Ask the Experts” article.
Read Biltekoff’s latest book, Real Food, Real Facts: Processed Food and the Politics of Knowledge
Consumers once complained about the short range of electric vehicles, but not so much anymore. Now, finding reliable public charging has become the top concern for EV drivers. Chargers can be broken, slow or just inaccessible for multiple reasons. In this episode of Unfold, we talk to UC Davis researchers studying public charging woes and tag along as they drive all over California to test thousands of chargers.
In this episode:
Alan Jenn, assistant professor, UC Davis Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and the UC Davis Institute for Transportation Studies
Gil Tal, director, Electric Vehicle Research Center at the UC Davis Institute for Transportation Studies
If you’ve perused grocery store shelves lately, you may have noticed a trend – food and beverages labeled probiotic or prebiotic. It’s even on sodas! Labels claim the products “support gut health” or “help boost your immune system.” But is this proliferation of probiotics and prebiotics just marketing or are these microbes really good for you? In this episode of Unfold, a UC Davis microbiologist separates hype from health.
In this episode:
Maria Marco, microbiologist and professor in the UC Davis Department of Food Science and Technology
Learn more about probiotics, prebiotics and friendly microbes in this Q&A and test your knowledge with a fun quiz! Go to our website at www.ucdavis.edu/unfold to find links.
Some call it fake meat – but the burgers of the future could come from a lab, a fungus, a plant or a hybrid that combines animal meat with alternative proteins. UC Davis researchers are looking at ways to bring these proteins to market on a large scale. Experts say it may be the only sustainable way to meet the world’s demand for meat. In this episode of Unfold, you’ll learn more about alternative proteins and the challenge of getting meat eaters to embrace them.
In this episode:
David Block, director of the Integrative Center for Alternative Meat and Protein at UC Davis
Ruihong Zhang, professor, UC Davis Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering
Anna Denicol, associate professor, UC Davis Department of Animal Science
Lucas Smith, assistant professor, UC Davis Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior
Cody Yothers, UC Davis graduate student researcher, co-founder Optimized Foods
Zane Starkewolfe, CEO of Optimized Foods
Doni Curkendall, executive vice president of operations, Better Meat Co.
Moran Farhi, executive vice president of technology, Better Meat Co.
Learn more about the Integrative Center for Alternative Meat and Protein in our multimedia feature story, also available at ucdavis.edu/food.
A tiny songbird called a black phoebe is trying to adapt to city life – and it’s not an easy job. They didn’t naturally evolve in the city, and they face different threats than they might in their natural habitat. Black phoebes may encounter tougher predators, more chemical pollution and hotter temperatures in the city. In this episode of Unfold, we’ll talk to researchers hoping to find a way for humans and the backyard bird to happily coexist. What they learn could help us understand how to protect other bird species whose habitat is threatened by urban sprawl.
In this episode:
Sage Madden, UC Davis ecology Ph.D. student
Jacob Johnson, UC Davis animal behavior Ph.D. student
Ian Haliburton, UC Davis master’s candidate in animal behavior
Learn more about Project Phoebe by visiting our webpage, www.ucdavis.edu/unfold.
The world’s largest dam removal project is underway along the 250-mile Klamath River in California and Oregon. By the end of 2024, four of the river’s six dams will be demolished. UC Davis scientists are studying whether it will help salmon populations rebound. The fishes’ ear bones could hold clues to their future. In this episode of Unfold, host Amy Quinton discusses the topic with co-host Kat Kerlin, who has written a multimedia feature story about whether restoring the river to its natural state will also restore decimated salmon populations.
In this episode:
Rob Lusardi, aquatic ecologist, UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences
Beth Rose Middleton Manning, professor, UC Davis Department of Native American Studies
Barry McCovey, director of the Yurok Tribal Fisheries Department
You may not know it, but artificial intelligence may be responsible for the food on your table. AI is transforming nearly every aspect of our food system, from before a seed is planted up to the moment that food is eaten. AI could even help you decide what food you should eat based on your own health profile. In this episode of Unfold, we take you on AI’s journey from seed to plate. Host Amy Quinton and guest co-host Andy Fell examine the ways “Big Data Comes to Dinner.”
In this episode:
Ilias Tagkopoulos, director of the Artificial Intelligence Institute for Next Generation Food Systems at UC Davis
Christine Diepenbrock, assistant professor, UC Davis Department of Plant Sciences
Mason Earles, assistant professor, UC Davis Departments of Biological and Agricultural Engineering and Viticulture and Enology
Christopher Simmons, professor and chair, UC Davis Department of Food Science and Technology
Danielle Lemay, associate adjunct professor, UC Davis Department of Nutrition and USDA-ARS Western Health Nutrition Research Center
Dan Vincent, former president and CEO of Pacific Coast Producers
Can communication with a humpback whale teach us how to talk to extraterrestrials? Researchers from UC Davis and the SETI Institute want to find out. In the waters of Southeast Alaska, scientists believe they’ve had what might be the very first human-whale communication. The interaction was designed to eventually help us detect and interpret signals coming from outer space. In this episode of Unfold, you’ll hear about the scientists’ remarkable 20-minute “conversation” with a humpback named Twain and what we can learn by studying nonhuman communication on Earth.
In this episode:
Brenda McCowan, professor, UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine
Josephine Hubbard, postdoctoral researcher, UC Davis
Laurance Doyle, astrophysicist, SETI Institute
Fred Sharpe, president, Olympic Peninsula Prairies
Imagine this: A man rubs a hormonal gel on his shoulders once daily, and after a few months his sperm count is zero, giving him and his partner peace of mind that they won’t conceive. That’s been the reality for one couple taking part in a clinical trial for male hormonal birth control at UC Davis Health – and around the world. In this episode of Unfold, we’ll learn more about how the gel works from the physician running the trial, and we’ll chat with the couple about how using the gel has changed their lives.
In this episode:
Mitchell Creinin, professor of obstetrics and gynecology and a family planning specialist at UC Davis Health
Matthew Treviño and Emily Fletcher, couple taking part in the clinical trial
Edward Elizarraras, clinical research coordinator at UC Davis Health
If you’ve ever asked Siri or Alexa something, you may have noticed you speak MORE LOUDLY, slowly or make your words “clear-er.” UC Davis researchers say most of us speak differently when talking to our devices. Voice artificial intelligence may even be changing our social behavior. In this episode of Unfold, we’ll talk to two UC Davis linguists to find out why voice AI is changing the way we operate.
In this episode:
Georgia Zellou, associate professor, Department of Linguistics, UC Davis
Michelle Cohn, postdoctoral researcher, Department of Linguistics, UC Davis
You’ve probably heard of groundwater — the water stored underground in aquifers that is a critical natural resource for the western U.S. Did you know that in California, these aquifers provide nearly 40 percent of the water used by farms and communities? During a drought, that figure is even more — nearly 60 percent. Groundwater is vital for growing crops. But California is using this underground resource faster than it can be replenished. In this episode of Unfold, learn how UC Davis researchers are working to make groundwater more sustainable while also helping California remain the most productive agricultural state in the nation.
In this episode:
Isaya Kisekka, director of the Agricultural Water Center at UC Davis
Thomas Harter, hydrologist and distinguished professor in the UC Davis Department of Land, Air and Water Resources
Mallika Nocco, assistant professor of Cooperative Extension in soil-plant-water relations and host of the podcast Water Talk
Patrick Brown, distinguished professor in the UC Davis Department of Plant Sciences
Matthew Roby, research scientist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture
Nick Edsall, orchard manager of Bullseye Farms in Yolo County, CA
Kirk Pumphrey, owner of Westwind Farms in Yolo County, CA
Unfold, a UC Davis podcast about science, innovation and discovery, unfolded through storytelling. We make complex topics relatable and reveal answers to questions you’ve always been curious about. Each episode takes you into the field with leading researchers and scholars who are working to tackle big picture problems – like how we’re going to feed a growing population, adapt to climate change and improve the health of people, animals and the planet. Hosted by public radio veteran Amy Quinton. Co-hosted by Kat Kerlin and Marianne Russ Sharp. Sponsor free. Learn more at ucdavis.edu/unfold.
There are two kinds of people in this world: Those who love daylight saving time, and those who don’t. UC Davis Health sleep medicine expert Heinrich Gompf is not a big fan of the clock change — or at least not the way we currently do it in the United States. In this episode of Unfold, he tells us why it’s so darn difficult for our bodies to adjust to the time change (the suprachiasmatic nucleus!) and offers tips to help you prepare and adapt when we do spring forward.
In this episode:
Heinrich Gompf, sleep researcher, Department of Neurological Surgery, UC Davis Health
No better way to celebrate Valentine’s Day on Unfold than to “partner” with another UC Davis podcast, The Backdrop, hosted by Soterios Johnson. In this episode, you’ll learn a little about the science of relationships from a conversation Soterios had last year with UC Davis Psychology Professor Paul Eastwick. Eastwick investigates how people initiate romantic relationships and the psychological mechanisms that help romantic partners remain committed and attached. Discover what the science says about whether you’ll find the perfect mate if you “swipe right.”
In this episode:
Paul Eastwick, UC Davis Professor of Psychology
Hear the entire interview with Eastwick on The Backdrop.
Two episodes of Unfold are finalists in the Signal Awards. You can help us win Listener’s Choice by voting online at the Signal Awards website or find links at our website, ucdavis.edu/unfold, before December 22. We have been singled out as one of the best podcasts in the industry. Hear excerpts that are finalists in the individual episodes category and then vote:
Vote for “Why is That Song Stuck in My Head?” (Season 3) in the Science and Education Category
Vote for “How Climate Change is Punishing the World’s Poor,” (Season 2) in the Sustainability and Environment Category.
Since the fall of Saigon in 1975, more than 1.2 million Southeast Asian refugees have resettled in the U.S. Many of them have experienced significant trauma. Now, many Vietnamese refugees in the U.S. are at ages where they’re beginning to develop dementia. But like other underrepresented groups in the U.S, they also face barriers to seeking treatment for trauma and dementia. In this episode of Unfold, we talk to a UC Davis researcher embarking on the first long-term study examining early life contributors to dementia in Vietnamese communities.
In this episode:
Oanh Meyer, social psychologist at Alzheimer's Disease Center at UC Davis Health
Duy Nguyen, former child refugee from Vietnam, recent graduate of UC Davis School of Medicine and psychiatry resident at UCSF Fresno
Nearly half of all arm amputees choose not to use their prosthesis, despite improvements in technology. Prosthetics can be too difficult to operate, unintuitive, and don’t allow amputees to sense pressure or temperature. At UC Davis, engineers, neuroscientists and surgeons are collaborating to solve this problem. In this episode of Unfold, we look at how the combination of surgery and machine learning is making life easier for amputees.
Jonathon Schofield, assistant professor in the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department, College of Engineering
Wilsaan Joiner, neuroscientist and associate professor in the Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, College of Biological Sciences
Andrew Li, assistant professor of plastic and reconstructive surgery, UC Davis Health
Clifford Pereira, associate professor of plastic and reconstructive surgery, UC Davis Health
Laduan Smedley, certified prosthetist-orthotist and biomedical engineer, UC Davis Health
Fehran Maher, certified prosthetist-orthotist, UC Davis Health
David Brockman, retired firefighter, hand amputee with prosthesis
About 1,000 people live in Knights Landing, California, a rural agricultural area in Yolo County. Because of its small size, the community lacks most services, including doctors and veterinarians - except on one Sunday every month. In this episode of Unfold, learn about the Knights Landing One Health Center, where veterinarians, physicians and their students team up to help some of the most vulnerable and underserved animals and people in the county.
In this episode:
Kristin Jankowski, faculty director, Knights Landing One Health Clinic and access-to-care chief at UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine
Susan Adams, associate professor, Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing at UC Davis Health
Erik Olstad, assistant professor, UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine
Tiaira Washington, nursing student, Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing at UC Davis Health
Sydney Rasmussen, nursing student, Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing at UC Davis Health
Izzie Hack, veterinary student, UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine
Carlos Ayala, Knights Landing One Health Clinic client
Santos Lopez, Knights Landing One Health Clinic client
Stephanie Hernandez, Knights Landing One Health Clinic client
In this special Halloween encore episode from last season's Unfold, we discuss a macabre trend from the 1700s in Germany. To avoid eternal damnation for the sin of committing suicide, a number of people began committing child murder so they could be forgiven by a priest before being executed. In this Unfold episode, we look at how imagined child murders can create a culture of actual killings. Warning: this subject matter might not be suitable for all audiences.
In this episode:
Kathy Stuart, associate professor, UC Davis Department of History
Dogs 10 years and older have a 50% chance of dying from cancer. They also develop the same types of cancers that humans do because their immune system is closely related to ours. Now human oncologists are studying cancer in canines in the hopes of benefiting both animals and humans. In this episode of Unfold, you’ll learn how UC Davis veterinarians and physicians are collaborating to help human cancer patients and their furry best friends.
In this episode:
Robert Canter, surgical oncologist with UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center
Michael Kent, radiation oncologist and director of the UC Davis Center for Companion Animal Health, School of Veterinary Medicine
Danae Unti, owner of Boone, dog who completed a cancer clinical trial
Spina bifida is the most common cause of lifelong childhood paralysis in the United States; approximately four children are born with this spinal defect every day. Standard care usually involves surgery, but it still leaves more than half of children unable to walk. But a combination of surgery and stem cell treatment may offer hope to children. In this episode of Unfold, we examine the world’s first human clinical trial using stem cells before birth to treat the most serious form of the disease.
In this episode:
Diana Farmer, pediatric surgeon and chair of surgery at UC Davis Health
Maya Evans, medical director of the Shriners Spina Bifida program and associate professor in the department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at UC Davis
Michelle Johnson, mother of baby enrolled in spina bifida clinical trial
Jeff Maginnis, father of baby enrolled in spina bifida clinical trial
Spina bifida is the most common cause of lifelong childhood paralysis in the United States; approximately four children are born with this spinal defect every day. Standard care usually involves surgery, but it still leaves more than half of children unable to walk. Dogs are also sometimes born with spina bifida and most are euthanized at birth. But a combination of surgery and stem cell treatment may offer hope to both children and dogs. In the first of two episodes of Unfold, we examine the first clinical trial to treat bulldogs with spina bifida.
In this episode:
Beverly Sturges, professor emeritus, neurosurgeon at UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine
Aijun Wang, biomedical engineer with UC Davis School of Medicine
Diana Farmer, pediatric surgeon and chair of surgery at UC Davis Health
Katie Teykaerts, owner of Myrtle, a dog with spina bifida enrolled in a clinical trial
Season 4 of Unfold explores the most cutting-edge technologies and treatments that advance the health of both people and animals. Hosts Amy Quinton and Marianne Russ Sharp unfold the story of a courageous couple going through the first human clinical trial that uses surgery and stem cells to treat their developing baby’s spina bifida. You’ll hear how veterinarians and physicians are working together to fight cancer. You’ll learn why amputees often abandon their high-tech prosthetic devices and how surgeons and engineers are working together to solve that problem. You’ll hear lots of remarkable and hopeful stories about health in Season 4 of Unfold.
Just when you thought Unfold was done for the season, we decided to bug you with one last episode. UC Davis boasts one of the largest insect collections in North America, so how could we not take you on a tour? The Bohart Museum of Entomology holds more than 7 million specimens, from the beautiful to the downright terrifying. Its entomologists have even helped homicide investigations, thanks to the bug scrapings left behind. You’ll hear about beautiful butterflies, jewel beetles, murder hornets and cuckoo wasps — as well as why we’re calling this episode “Cockroaches for Dessert.”
In this episode:
Lynn Kimsey, professor, UC Davis Department of Entomology and director of Bohart Museum of Entomology
Scholars who write about or analyze poetry read out loud usually do so in a subjective and impressionistic way. But UC Davis experts have empirically analyzed the complexities of these vocal performances, based on pitch patterns and speed, volume, pauses, repetition and other characteristics. Now researchers are analyzing the performances of 101 African American women poets. In this episode of Unfold, we discuss why they embarked on the project and what they’ve discovered.
In this episode:
Marit MacArthur, lecturer with the UC Davis University Writing Program and faculty affiliate with the Performance Studies Graduate Group
Howard Rambsy, professor of literature, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
In this episode of Unfold, we mix comic book superhero action and science. No better pairing, since many of the heroes and villains in comics started out as scientists or are connected to scientists. The things they create and the materials they use can tell us a lot about the real world too — everything from physics to engineering. We’ll talk with Ricardo Castro, who teaches engineering students to think outside the box and to contemplate the unlikely, but not always impossible, real-world applications of materials science based on the powers of superheroes.
In this episode:
Ricardo Castro, associate dean of research and graduate studies, UC Davis Department of Materials Science and Engineering
Gary S. May, UC Davis chancellor
In this episode of Unfold, you’ll hear about Chonk, a pink, baby-faced axolotl who has become a bit of a superstar on Twitter. This fully aquatic salamander is helping developmental biologists understand neural crest cells. These cells help form our face, skin color and peripheral nervous system. Discovering more about these cells can help researchers understand congenital disorders and certain types of cancer.
In this episode:
Crystal Rogers, assistant professor, UC Davis Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Cell Biology at the School of Veterinary Medicine
We discuss a macabre trend from the 1700s in Germany in this special Halloween episode of Unfold. To avoid eternal damnation for the sin of committing suicide, a number of people began committing child murder so they could be forgiven by a priest before being executed. In this Unfold episode, we look at how imagined child murders can create a culture of actual killings. Warning: this subject matter might not be suitable for all audiences.
In this episode:
Kathy Stuart, associate professor, UC Davis Department of History
Nine thousand years ago, a woman was buried in the Andean mountains of Peru next to tools normally associated with big-game hunting. Before you think she was just a badass, UC Davis researchers found that many females in the early Americas were big-game hunters and we shouldn’t be so quick to project our own gender stereotypes and current cultural values on ancient societies. In this episode of Unfold, we dig a little deeper to learn more about this archaeological discovery.
In this episode:
Randy Haas, archaeologist and assistant professor, UC Davis Department of Anthropology
Monique Borgerhoff Mulder, distinguished research professor emeritus, UC Davis Department of Anthropology
Glendon Parker, adjunct associate professor, UC Davis Department of Environmental Toxicology
Kim Senklip Harvey, indigenous theorist and cultural evolutionist with the Tsilhqot’in and Syilx nations
California boasts hundreds of caves, many of them hidden in the Sierra Nevada foothills. These caves hold much more than beautiful icicle-like stalactites and stalagmites. Trapped inside the stalagmites are tiny droplets of fossilized precipitation from climates long ago. In “Nature Tells Its Story Part 2” of Unfold, UC Davis researchers discuss how these water droplets provide a “climate archive” that may help us predict future shifts in rain, snow and drought.
In this episode:
Isabel Montañez, distinguished professor, UC Davis Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences
Barbara Wortham, doctoral student, UC Davis Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences
A fish can’t talk, but its eyes and ears can. Scientists have discovered that each layer of a fish’s lens reveals a different part of its life history, including what it’s eaten throughout its life. While you’ve probably never heard of fish otoliths, these ear bones tell us not only a fish’s age, but what rivers it has traveled. Understanding this could help wildlife managers know what habitats to protect to help imperiled species. In “Nature Tells Its Story Part 1,” Unfold looks at the eyes and ears of fish.
In this episode:
Miranda Bell Tilcock, assistant specialist researcher, UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences
Carson Jeffres, senior researcher and fish biologist, UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences
Earworm, brainworm, whatever word you choose, it’s that song that gets stuck in your head. Research shows that more than 90% of us experience earworms. UC Davis researchers have found that they may play an important role in helping us form memories, not just for the song, but for life events. In this episode of Unfold, we examine music, memory and what earworms can teach us about how the brain works.
In this episode:
Petr Janata professor, UC Davis Department of Psychology and Center for Mind and Brain
Ben Kubit, postdoctoral researcher, UC Davis Center for Mind and Brain
Coming Sept. 28, Unfold brings you stories of awe, wonder and discovery as we explore how UC Davis researchers are driven by curiosity. Curiosity can lead to some of the greatest discoveries, like why songs get stuck in your head or what real-world engineering concepts you can learn from comic book superheroes. This season, we examine an archaeological discovery that raises new questions about the sexual division of labor in early hunter-gatherer societies. UC Davis researchers reveal what they found by peeling back the layers of a fish’s eye and by studying cute, pink, baby-faced axolotls. We have lots of surprising and curious stories to tell this season — even a spooky, dark and murderous one, just in time for Halloween.
In Kenya, climate change is threatening a way of life for pastoralists. It’s driving families deeper into poverty. When drought hits, men travel for weeks in search of water and greener pastures for their livestock herds. The women and children are left behind with no stable source of food or income. UC Davis agricultural economists are researching the pairing of two intervention programs, including a type of climate insurance policy, to keep these vulnerable populations from falling so deep into poverty that they have no way to recover.
In this episode:
Michael Carter, professor of agricultural and resource economics, and director of the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Markets, Risk and Resilience at UC Davis, with research in Kenya funded by USAID.
Tom Lenaruti, Project Coordinator, BOMA Project
Nathan Jenson, economist at the International Livestock Research Institute
In California, 40 percent of greenhouse gas emissions comes from transportation. Emissions from this sector will make it difficult to meet the state’s 2030 climate goals. There is a myriad of solutions: electric vehicles, public transportation, ride share, e-scooters and more. But people’s behaviors and habits as well as bad land-use planning make this one of the most difficult sectors to decarbonize. In this encore episode of Unfold, we’ll look at how we can transition to low-carbon transportation.
In this episode:
Giovanni Circella, Director of 3 Revolutions Future Mobility Program, Institute of Transportation Studies at UC Davis
Lew Fulton, Sustainable Transportation Energy Pathways Program Director, Institute of Transportation Studies at UC Davis
Dan Sperling, founding Director of the Institute of Transportation Studies and California Air Resources Board Member
A quarter of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions comes from heating and electricity. In this encore episode of Unfold, we talk with Alissa Kendall, professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering about our energy use. We’ll discuss renewable energy and other decarbonizing technologies and the importance of life-cycle analysis when discussing climate change solutions.
In this episode:
Alissa Kendall, professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Oceans have always done us a favor, absorbing carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. But now rising greenhouse gases are warming the ocean and changing its chemistry. All of this is putting marine species and ecosystems at risk, threatening food security and the livelihoods of people along its shores. In this encore episode of Unfold, we’ll take a deep dive into the ocean to examine the effects of climate change.
In this episode:
Priya Shukla, Ph.D. student at Bodega Marine Laboratory, Department of Environmental Science and Policy
Tessa Hill, professor and oceanographer, Bodega Marine Laboratory.
Agriculture is responsible for 24 percent of our global greenhouse gas emissions. Despite this, UC Davis researchers say agriculture holds huge potential to be one of the biggest solutions to climate change. Carbon farming may hold the key. In this encore episode of Unfold, we examine how scientists are adding rock dust to crops to see if it can sequester carbon while also increasing yields for farmers.
In this episode:
Ben Houlton, affiliate faculty member, former director of the John Muir Institute of the Environment at UC Davis
Maya Almaraz, program manager in the Houlton Lab and terrestrial biochemist
Iris Holzer, graduate student in the Houlton Lab
Derek Azevedo, executive vice president, Bowles Farming Company in Los Banos, California
George Dias, Specialty Granules in Ione, California
California wildfires burned more than four million acres in 2020, destroying entire towns and killing people. As wildfires become more difficult to control and more deadly, scientists say it will only get worse. Now, wind-driven wildfires like the Santa Anas that Southern California experiences, are moving further north and striking when conditions are hotter and drier. This encore episode of Unfold examines how fire is changing California’s landscapes and how we might manage this going forward.
In this episode: Malcolm North, UC Davis associate professor and research forest ecologist, United States Forest Service Pacific Southwest Research Station
Andrew Latimer professor, Department of Plant Sciences at UC Davis
Derek Young, postdoctoral researcher, Andrew Latimer Lab, Department of Plant Sciences
Hugh Safford, affiliate faculty in the Department of Environmental Science and Policy, United States Forest Service Pacific Southwest Region
Emma Underwood, research scientist at the Information Center for the Environment, Department of Environmental Science and Policy
By 2100, Sacramento is expected to feel much like Phoenix, which in 2019 had more than 100 days over 100 F. In this encore Unfold episode, co-host Kat Kerlin discusses her “Becoming Arizona” series, which looks at how to prepare for a hotter future. We also examine how cities nationwide are dealing with triple threats: rising temperatures, racial inequities and a pandemic. And we’ll discuss the efforts needed to build socially just, climate-resilient communities.
In this episode:
Mary Cadenasso, professor, and landscape and urban ecologist at UC Davis
Stephen Wheeler, professor of landscape architecture and urban design at UC Davis
Helene Margolis, associate adjunct professor in the Department of Internal Medicine, UC Davis School of Medicine
Adrienne Lawson, senior director for the UC Davis Office for Health Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
Victoria Dearborn, graduate student in the Cadenasso Landscape and Urban Ecology Lab
Victoria Vasquez, South Sacramento NeighborWoods organizer, Sacramento Tree Foundation
The coronavirus pandemic stay-at-home orders and lockdowns resulted in a huge drop in global greenhouse gas emissions — the largest reductions since World War II. The reductions were short-lived as the U.S. and other countries opened back up, but there are lessons we can take away from the pandemic about global climate change and how we’re handling both crises. In this encore episode of Unfold from last September, we look at surprising similarities between the climate crisis and the coronavirus pandemic.
In this episode:
Fraser Shilling, co-director, Road Ecology Center at UC Davis
Ben Houlton, affiliate faculty member, former director of the John Muir Institute of the Environment at UC Davis
Helene Margolis, associate adjunct professor in the Department of Internal Medicine, UC Davis School of Medicine
Tracey Goldstein, associate director, One Health Institute at UC Davis
Millions of people plan to make online purchases today for deals on Cyber Monday. In this encore episode of Unfold, you'll hear how impulse buying, fast shipping and returns can all lead to a higher carbon footprint. Miguel Jaller with the UC Davis Institute of Transportation Studies will unfold all the complexities of e-commerce.
In this episode:
Miguel Jaller, Co-director of the Sustainable Freight Research Center at the UC Davis Institute of Transportation Studies
Unfold travels to Kenya, where climate change is threatening a way of life for pastoralists. Climate change is driving families deeper into poverty. When drought hits, men travel for weeks in search of water and greener pastures for their livestock herds. The women and children are left behind with no stable source of food or income. UC Davis agricultural economists are researching the pairing of two intervention programs, including a type of climate insurance policy, to keep these vulnerable populations from falling so deep into poverty that they have no way to recover.
In this episode:
Michael Carter, professor of agricultural and resource economics, and director of the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Markets, Risk and Resilience at UC Davis, with research in Kenya funded by USAID.
Tom Lenaruti, Project Coordinator, BOMA Project
Nathan Jenson, economist at the International Livestock Research Institute
In California, 40 percent of greenhouse gas emissions comes from transportation. Emissions from this sector will make it difficult to meet the state’s 2030 climate goals. There is a myriad of solutions: electric vehicles, public transportation, ride share, e-scooters and more. But people’s behaviors and habits as well as bad land-use planning make this one of the most difficult sectors to decarbonize. In this episode of Unfold, we’ll look at how we can transition to low-carbon transportation.
In this episode:
Giovanni Circella, Director of 3 Revolutions Future Mobility Program, Institute of Transportation Studies at UC Davis
Lew Fulton, Sustainable Transportation Energy Pathways Program Director, Institute of Transportation Studies at UC Davis
Dan Sperling, founding Director of the Institute of Transportation Studies and California Air Resources Board Member
A quarter of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions comes from heating and electricity. In this episode of Unfold, we talk with Alissa Kendall, professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering about our energy use. We’ll discuss renewable energy and other decarbonizing technologies and the importance of life-cycle analysis when discussing climate change solutions.
In this episode:
Alissa Kendall, professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Agriculture is responsible for 24 percent of our global greenhouse gas emissions. Despite this, UC Davis researchers say agriculture holds huge potential to be one of the biggest solutions to climate change. Carbon farming may hold the key. In this episode of Unfold, we examine how scientists are adding rock dust to crops to see if it can sequester carbon while also increasing yields for farmers.
In this episode:
Ben Houlton, affiliate faculty member, former director of the John Muir Institute of the Environment at UC Davis
Maya Almaraz, program manager in the Houlton Lab and terrestrial biochemist
Iris Holzer, graduate student in the Houlton Lab
Derek Azevedo, executive vice president, Bowles Farming Company in Los Banos, California
George Dias, Specialty Granules in Ione, California
It’s so easy. One click of your mouse and you’ve ordered just what you want, delivered to your doorstep in just a few days or even a few hours. Since COVID-19, our online shopping habits, particularly all those groceries, have increased dramatically. What that has meant for our carbon footprint might just surprise you. Miguel Jaller with the UC Davis Institute of Transportation Studies will unfold all the complexities of e-commerce in this brief bonus episode of Unfold.
In this episode:
Miguel Jaller, Co-director of the Sustainable Freight Research Center at the UC Davis Institute of Transportation Studies
California wildfires burned millions of acres this year, destroying entire towns and killing people. As wildfires become more difficult to control and more deadly, scientists say it will only get worse. Now, wind-driven wildfires like the Santa Anas that Southern California experiences, are moving further north and striking when conditions are hotter and drier. This episode of Unfold examines how fire is changing California’s landscapes and how we might manage this going forward.
In this episode:
Malcolm North, UC Davis associate professor and research forest ecologist, United States Forest Service Pacific Southwest Research Station
Andrew Latimer professor, Department of Plant Sciences at UC Davis
Derek Young, postdoctoral researcher, Andrew Latimer Lab, Department of Plant Sciences
Hugh Safford, affiliate faculty in the Department of Environmental Science and Policy, United States Forest Service Pacific Southwest Region
Emma Underwood, research scientist at the Information Center for the Environment, Department of Environmental Science and Policy
By 2100, Sacramento is expected to feel much like Phoenix, which last year had more than 100 days over 100 F. In this Unfold episode, co-host Kat Kerlin discusses her “Becoming Arizona” series, which looks at how to prepare for a hotter future. We also examine how cities nationwide are dealing with triple threats: rising temperatures, racial inequities and a pandemic. And we’ll discuss the efforts needed to build socially just, climate-resilient communities.
In this episode:
Mary Cadenasso, professor, and landscape and urban ecologist at UC Davis
Stephen Wheeler, professor of landscape architecture and urban design at UC Davis
Helene Margolis, associate adjunct professor in the Department of Internal Medicine, UC Davis School of Medicine
Adrienne Lawson, senior director for the UC Davis Office for Health Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
Victoria Dearborn, graduate student in the Cadenasso Landscape and Urban Ecology Lab
Victoria Vasquez, South Sacramento NeighborWoods organizer, Sacramento Tree Foundation
The coronavirus pandemic stay-at-home orders and lockdowns resulted in a huge drop in global greenhouse gas emissions — the largest reductions since World War II. The reductions were short-lived as the U.S. and other countries opened back up, but there are lessons we can take away from the pandemic about global climate change and how we’re handling both crises. In this episode of Unfold, we look at surprising similarities between the climate crisis and the coronavirus pandemic.
In this episode:
Fraser Shilling, co-director, Road Ecology Center at UC Davis
Ben Houlton, affiliate faculty member, former director of the John Muir Institute of the Environment at UC Davis
Helene Margolis, associate adjunct professor in the Department of Internal Medicine, UC Davis School of Medicine
Tracey Goldstein, associate director, One Health Institute at UC Davis
The Earth’s climate is changing. Temperatures around the world are rising. Traditional weather patterns are shifting and extreme weather events are happening more often. In Season 2 of Unfold, hosts Amy Quinton and Kat Kerlin will talk to researchers who believe this unprecedented crisis calls for unprecedented solutions, including projects that pull carbon dioxide out of the air. From carbon farming to electric cars, we’ll examine the best ways to transition to a low-carbon future. We’ll travel from California to Kenya to examine how climate change is punishing the world’s poor and how insurance might protect them when drought hits. We’ll also examine what the coronavirus crisis is teaching us about the climate crisis.
Breeding for pest and disease resistance in plants is common practice in modern agriculture. Scientists typically focus on breeding for traits that result in higher yields and a longer shelf-life to keep up with supply and demand. But in this Bonus Bite episode, we shift into a conversation about breeding for flavor, a mostly neglected trait up until now. Flavor breeding is considered “the last frontier of plant breeding” by some experts and could bring tastier products to our tables. This episode covers the work of UC Davis researchers in search of a tastier fruit.
California wine country tempts visitors from across the globe with its famous fruit. But the Golden State wouldn’t be able to boast its world-class bounty without UC Davis wine scientist, Maynard Amerine. This Bonus Bite episode centers around the pioneering researcher and his contributions to the California wine industry. The former professor and viticulture chair passed away in 1998 but left behind a legacy of work including his co-development of the Winkler Index, which is still used to determine optimal wine grape growing regions. Amerine is also credited with helping develop an objective way of judging wine quality, elevating the market for wine.
After nearly 40 years in the beer business, Charlie Bamforth holds the crown as “The Pope of Foam.” The now-retired UC Davis professor kicks off Unfold’s first Bonus Bite episode in a light-hearted discussion about the hoppy beverage. Bamforth describes some of the strangest beers he’s come across throughout decades in the business and takes some playful jabs at beer’s rival, wine.
As we discussed the topic of how to sustainably feed two billion more people on the planet by 2050, one thing became perfectly clear to us: food is controversial. Everyone has an opinion about what you should or shouldn’t eat and why. In this Unfold episode, we explore why we get into heated debates and arguments when we talk about food.
A California carrot farmer invented the baby-cut carrot while trying to reduce food waste. Perhaps he knew that nearly one-third of all the food grown or produced in the world is wasted. In this episode of Unfold, we’ll examine how and why food gets wasted on the farm and in the supply chain. We’ll take you to a landfill to show you what happens to the food that you scrape off your plate. The episode examines the unexpected reasons why we waste so much food and how finding solutions to the problem can help feed a growing population.
How much do you know about GMOs? If you’re like most consumers, you’re probably aware of the non-GMO label that appears on so many organic foods. Organic farming and genetic engineering appear be on opposite ends of the political debate in agriculture. But in this episode of Unfold, we talk to two UC Davis experts who believe that organic farming and genetic engineering don’t have to be so antagonistic. They argue a blend of both types of agriculture is key to helping sustainably feed more people.
Cattle have been getting a bad rap as environmentally unfriendly sources of climate-changing greenhouse gases. They belch methane, which is shorter-lived than carbon dioxide but more potent in warming the atmosphere. These facts have advocates urging the public to eat less beef. But animal-sourced food also plays a vital role in global nutrition. In this Unfold episode, we look more closely at cattle’s environmental hoofprint and look at how UC Davis scientists are researching ways to make livestock more sustainable.
Breeding for pest and disease resistance in plants is common practice in modern agriculture. Scientists typically focus on breeding for traits that result in higher yields and a longer shelf-life to keep up with supply and demand. But in this Bonus Bite episode, we shift into a conversation about breeding for flavor, a mostly neglected trait up until now. Flavor breeding is considered “the last frontier of plant breeding” by some experts and could bring tastier products to our tables. This episode covers the work of UC Davis researchers in search of a tastier fruit.
California produces more than 80 percent of U.S. wine and comes in fourth in world wine production, generating more than $57 billion in state economic impact. With those numbers, it’s easy to see why it’s important for California’s vineyards to stay healthy. This Bonus Bite episode explores the future of California wine under a changing climate. Grape geneticist Andy Walker chats with Unfold about the role Texas could play in helping California vineyards adapt to warmer temperatures.
California wine country tempts visitors from across the globe with its famous fruit. But the Golden State wouldn’t be able to boast its world-class bounty without UC Davis wine scientist, Maynard Amerine. This Bonus Bite episode centers around the pioneering researcher and his contributions to the California wine industry. The former professor and viticulture chair passed away in 1998 but left behind a legacy of work including his co-development of the Winkler Index, which is still used to determine optimal wine grape growing regions. Amerine is also credited with helping develop an objective way of judging wine quality, elevating the market for wine.
After nearly 40 years in the beer business, Charlie Bamforth holds the crown as “The Pope of Foam.” The now-retired UC Davis professor kicks off Unfold’s first Bonus Bite episode in a light-hearted discussion about the hoppy beverage. Bamforth describes some of the strangest beers he’s come across throughout decades in the business and takes some playful jabs at beer’s rival, wine.
As we discussed the topic of how to sustainably feed two billion more people on the planet by 2050, one thing became perfectly clear to us: food is controversial. Everyone has an opinion about what you should or shouldn’t eat and why. In this episode, we explore why we get into heated debates and arguments when we talk about food.
Imagine you could know exactly where your food comes from, how it was grown, what kind of soil it was grown in and how it was handled and distributed. What if you could find out whether you should eat it based on your dietary needs or how you should cook it based on your own preferences? UC Davis experts are helping build this food information superhighway, known as the Internet of Food. In this episode, we’ll talk to a UC Davis expert working to engineer the new computable infrastructure about how the Internet of Food will help make food more transparent, traceable and personalized.
Genetic modification may get a lot of consumers’ attention, but plant breeders have newer tools for creating crops. Food that’s been gene-edited using CRISPR is now on store shelves. In this episode, we look at biotechnologies such as gene-editing and CRISPR and how they could potentially help reduce food waste and create higher-yielding or disease-resistant crops. We’ll examine how these new techniques could produce a healthier potato and a longer-lasting tomato. And we’ll look at what biotechnology could mean for animal agriculture. We’ll talk to UC Davis experts working with these new tools and discuss what their work could mean for the future of food.
A California carrot farmer invented the baby-cut carrot while trying to reduce food waste. Perhaps he knew that nearly one-third of all the food grown or produced in the world is wasted. In this episode of Unfold, we’ll examine how and why food gets wasted on the farm and in the supply chain. We’ll take you to a landfill to show you what happens to the food that you scrape off your plate. The episode examines the unexpected reasons why we waste so much food and how finding solutions to the problem can help feed a growing population.
How much do you know about GMOs? If you’re like most consumers, you’re probably aware of the non-GMO label that appears on so many organic foods. Organic farming and genetic engineering appear be on opposite ends of the political debate in agriculture. But in this episode of Unfold, we talk to two UC Davis experts who believe that organic farming and genetic engineering don’t have to be so antagonistic. They argue a blend of both types of agriculture is key to helping sustainably feed more people.
Cattle have been getting a bad rap as environmentally unfriendly sources of climate-changing greenhouse gases. They belch methane, which is shorter-lived than carbon dioxide but more potent in warming the atmosphere. These facts have advocates urging the public to eat less beef. But animal-sourced food also plays a vital role in global nutrition. In this Unfold episode, we look more closely at cattle’s environmental hoofprint and look at how UC Davis scientists are researching ways to make livestock more sustainable.
How do we feed a growing population? Climate change threatens to make sustainably feeding two billion more people by 2050 a seemingly impossible task. We’ll need to grow more food, more efficiently and waste less. In Season 1, hosts Amy Quinton and Alexa Renee unfold this complicated problem. They discuss solutions to the challenges that lie ahead with UC Davis researchers working to make agriculture more sustainable. Unfold will examine new technologies and innovations that could help feed more people while sustaining the planet. And for those of you who can’t stomach this feast of information on such a serious subject, Unfold will have a few more easily digestible and flavorful bites that pair well with wine and beer.