Unfold

UC Davis
  • 4.9 (51)
  • SCIENCE
  • UPDATED MONTHLY
Unfold

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 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.

  1. APR 22

    The Science and Politics of Processed Foods

    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

    18 min

  2. FEB 19

    EV Woes

    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

    14 min

  3. 11/19/2024

    The Proliferation of Probiotics

    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.

    15 min

  4. 09/09/2024

    The Promise of Alternative Proteins

    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.

    22 min

  5. 08/19/2024

    Little Bird, Big City

    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.

    18 min

  6. 07/15/2024

    That Dam Removal Project

    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

    11 min

  7. 04/29/2024

    Harvesting Intelligence: AI’s Journey From Farm to Table

    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

    18 min

  8. 03/07/2024

    Close Encounters of the Whale Kind

    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

    20 min
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Trailers

4.9
out of 5
51 Ratings

About

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 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.

Information

  • Creator
    UC Davis
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2025
  • Episodes
    60
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2019 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Unfold

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