Jared Diamond, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of "Guns, Germs and Steel" talks about his new book about what we can learn from traditional societies.

San Diego artists and musicians kick in to help local Burmese refugees. The community is trying to reunite families as the U.S. ends refugee status for Burma.

Discovered in Amsterdam in 1997, a batch of 1940s letters show communication between a teen Dutch Jew working in a labor camp and his parents, revealing life of Dutch Jews in Holland during the Nazi terror in Europe in the 1940s.

It's beer week and if you have a hard time choosing which brewhouse will satisfy your taste buds — help may be on the way.

San Diego is home to the largest concentration of veterans in the country and the effects of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan has left many to deal with life-altering injuries. Many spouses and family members find themselves overwhelmed and alone in a role they've never played before: caregiver.

Early voting is underway and the polls open Nov. 19., so what's the latest on the San Diego mayor's race?

A new study says California will not meet its 2050 greenhouse gas emission reduction goals without major policy changes.

Thanksgiving was one of the few bright spots in the history of whites and Native Americans in America. We discuss education, colonization and the law in Native American history and how that played out in San Diego County.

We remember Martha Longenecker, the founder of San Diego's Mingei International Museum, who died on Oct. 29.

Our Halloween edition of Weekend Preview features a horror movie from the past along with a resurrected local rock band.

The San Diego Regional Walk Scorecard is out: How does your city stack up? We take a look at the county's most walkable cities and why it matters.

The San Diego City Council will vote in January on an ordinance that would ban single-use plastic bags from some stores, joining 85 other California municipalities. But not everyone is on board.

One photograph can capture the essence of an emotion, an event and sometimes even a person. When you combine great photography with historic events, you come as close as you can to experiencing the past.

A new SANDAG study found that methamphetamine use among at-risk groups in San Diego County has risen back to levels not seen since 2006.

Mustaches turn November into Mo-vember, and it's all for a good cause.

San Diego Interim Mayor Todd Gloria gives an update on the business of the city, from the proposed infrastructure bond — to plastic bags.

Fall Is the best time to plant in San Diego. Gardening expert Nan Sterman will explain what to plant now in your fall garden.

When computer code meets DNA we stand at the dawn of digital life. Pioneering biologist J. Craig Venter discusses his new book: Life at the Speed of Light: From the Double Helix to the Dawn of Digital Life.

In 1930, writer Marshal South and his wife moved to a mountaintop for a life of isolation and naturalism, documenting their experiences while raising three children in the desert.

The Compact for Success Program at Sweetwater Union High School District aims to get more students into college.

Award-winning novelist Reyna Grande is out with a memoir about her childhood spent in Mexico — while her parents worked in the United States.

The Colorado River Agreement was signed 10 years ago this month. And while the deal brought more water to San Diego, it's still the source of controversy and legal battles.

The end of life for an elderly relative can be a crisis time for a family, but according to a new approach in geriatric medicine, it doesn't have to be. "Slow medicine" is built around the idea of providing the right kind of care at the right time to older people.

Downtown San Diego planners are prioritizing C Street as an area that needs revamping downtown. It's part of a 20-year plan called Imagine San Diego.

The retrial of Richard Tuite is just the latest episode in the legal drama surrounding the death of 12-year old Stephanie Crowe. And despite a finding of factual innocence, Stephanie's brother is likely to once again be implicated by the defense.

San Diego Infrastructure Committee Chairman and Councilman Mark Kersey explains how the city will determine what gets fixed when and where the money will come from.

A new adaptation of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, now playing at the Old Globe, is likely to appeal to a new generation. The production of "The Last Goodbye" is set to the music of rock icon Jeff Buckley.

An exhibition launching this weekend at the San Diego Museum of Art explores how women during wartime influenced industrialization.

Former San Diego Mayor Bob Filner pleaded guilty to three criminal charges in a plea agreement that will keep him from serving time in jail. We take a look at how plea agreements are reached and who benefits.

San Diego music legend, Tomcat Courtney stops by KPBS to tell stories and sing some songs.

Valerie Plame became a household name back in 2003 when it was revealed she was a covert CIA operative and left the agency. Now she's channeling her experiences into a spy thriller "Blowback." We find out why she's turned to fiction and what it was like being a female in the CIA.

Our series of San Diego mayoral candidate interviews continues with San Diego City Councilman Kevin Faulconer.

An Escondido commission begins a series of public hearings to create city council districts which empower Latino voters.

The California Coastal Commission will decide if it moves forward, but an attorney for two local organizations says the price tag is higher than the figure given for the project.

Our series of San Diego mayoral candidate interviews continues with former San Diego City Attorney Mike Aguirre.

From Ramona to Escondido, Mt. Laguna to Julian, Lakeside to Scripps Ranch, the blaze was responsible for 15 deaths and the destruction of more than 2,200 homes. We take a look at those who survived the blaze and lessons learned.

A new documentary challenges the National Football League on its response to concussions and brain injury.

We take a look at some of the most watched Supreme Court cases this year, from labor unions to copyright law.

Our series of San Diego mayoral candidate interviews continues with former State Assemblyman Nathan Fletcher.

Conflict and violence in a country can affect its people, their surroundings and economy, but what effect does peace have on a nation's commerce? A conference gets underway this week at the University of San Diego examining the link between peace and commerce and how the private sector can get involved.

First-term Councilman David Alvarez is said by some to be the progressive voice in this Mayoral special election. We'll find out where he stands on policy and politics.

It's been 40 years since America declared "war on cancer," sinking hundreds of billions of dollars into research. While survival rates for some forms of cancer have improved, many are just as deadly as they were decades ago. Health writer and former cancer patient Clifton Leaf joins us to explore the topic. He will speak tonight at UC San Diego's Exploring Ethics Series.

A dream 30 years in the making is now reality as the new San Diego Central Library opens its doors to the public.

Summer is over, but that doesn't mean the fun is done — if you're into festivals, music and books, there's plenty to choose from this weekend.

California's second Gold Rush is underway as the oil industry converges on an area known as the Monterey Shale, but how that oil is being removed is causing debate. We take a look at hydraulic fracturing, why it's used and new legislation regulating the process.

The inaugural San Diego Night Market will be held Saturday. The event is part of a larger strategy to draw San Diego's attention to Kearny Mesa's Convoy District.

San Diego is a dog-friendly County, with dozens of dog parks dotting the region. Here are some tips for adopting shelter dogs and becoming a better owner.

Online cyberbullying has become a problem for many school districts. How do you solve the problem while respecting a student's rights under the First Amendment?

Health providers, websites and even the new KPBS Second Opinion app are offering information to the public in advance of the Oct. 1 launch of health insurance exchanges.

San Diego Interim Mayor Todd Gloria sits down to talk about his busy month.