Thanos had to break a few laws of nature before he eradicated half of the universe with a snap. Topics similar to the Marvel villain’s defiance of physics are addressed in “The Biology of Superheroes Podcast,” hosted by Shane Campbell-Staton, a UCLA ecology and evolutionary biology assistant professor. Read more...

Photo: Shane Campbell-Staton, an ecology and evolutionary biology assistant professor, co-hosts the “The Biology of Superheroes Podcast.” Campbell-Staton said he uses superheroes and their powers to understand the overlap between biological reality and futuristic fantasy. The podcast has covered topics such as Spider-Man’s web-slinging and The Walking Dead’s zombie apocalypse. (James Schaap/Daily Bruin)

Festival weekend calls for celebrities and good music – and thousands of books. The Los Angeles Times Festival of Books returned to the University of Southern California campus from Saturday to Sunday, continuing its annual tradition of literary-focused programming. Read more...

Photo: Esmeralda Bermudez moderated a discussion with Sandra Cisneros, the author of “Puro Amor,” during the first day of the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books. The festival took place at the University of Southern California’s campus from Saturday to Sunday. (Kanishka Mehra/Daily Bruin)

This post was updated April 16 at 9:03 p.m. Robes with metallic accents once served as the fashion of upper-class individuals in Syria. Such traditions will be brought into the present through “Dressed with Distinction: Garments from Ottoman Syria,” an exhibition running through Aug. Read more...

Photo: Robes with metallic accents will be part of the Fowler Museum’s exhibit “Dressed with Distinction: Garments from Ottoman Syria.” The pieces were worn by the Syrian elite. The displays will highlight and celebrate Syrian’s lost textile industry, said textile archaeologist Gillian Vogelsang-Eastwood. (Elise Tsai/Daily Bruin)