Golden Nuggets: Top Mars Travel Tips, "60 Minutes", and Lifting Ancient Curses

Welcome to the New Year!

Hello and welcome to Golden Nuggets, our weekly recap article where we try to highlight all the fun, funny, or interesting things you might have missed roughly over the last week across Bear Territory (the whole damn world of course). Think of it like a cheat sheet for small talk about Cal.

After two weeks off, there’s a lot out there, and I won’t be able to cover it all, but here we go!

Top 10 Things to Do on Mars

The popular podcast Science Friday posted their Tuesday episode (I know I know) yesterday and it explores what exactly NASA or other space agencies should prioritize when exploring Mars for the first time (step 1, declare the whole damn Mars Bear Territory). The guest of the episode is Dr. Lindy Elkins-Tanton, a planetary scientist, head of NASA’s Psyche mission and director of UC Berkeley’s Space Sciences Laboratory!

Give it a listen here!

Hot Links

Berkeley Human Rights Center

You probably knew heard about the “controversial” episode of 60 Minutes pulled a couple weeks back that was looking into CECOT, the controversial El Salvadorean prison that the Trump administration has sent people to without trial. Did you know, a lot of the research featured in the article originated at the Berkeley Human Rights Center? Give it read here!

Small Bites

• The Women’s Basketball team made gingerbread houses

• Ron Rivera talked about the hiring of Cal’s new HC and how Jaron was involved

• ESPN wrote up the 25 most college football moments of the 21st century (and would you look at that Cal is on there!)

• The Central Sierra Snow Lab is measuring the snowpack, and reported 52” gained over the holiday! Keep up with the lab here!

• The SF Chronicle talked with experts (including some from UC Berkeley!) about what you can do to avoid the Flu! Read it here.

• Cal Softball released their 2026 Schedule

This Week in Facebook Marketplace

Hello and welcome to the newest section of Golden Nuggets, “This Week in Facebook Marketplace!” Not sure it’ll be a recurring bit, but I look forward to highlighting the cool Cal or Cal-adjacent memorabilia that the noble team of researchers behind Golden Nuggets find!

We’ll kick off with some personal news:

I drove into the City this weekend to secure an ancient Oski artifact. Oski is now home safely despite the rain and is resting comfortably in my office and definitely isn’t a little haunted or putting a curse on my home.

Anyways, I thought this vintage hat on Facebook Marketplace was pretty cool for those of you down in Santa Clara ($90). Note that I don’t make any money off of this, I just want to find cool stuff and share it with you all!

Golden Bear Honors

• Lulu Twidale moved past Ioanna Krimili’s record for career threes at Cal and Ioanna reached out

• Hezekiah Masses made the FWAA Second Team All-American

• Beso Aknvlediani was named to the ACWPC All-American Second Team while Albert Ponferrada, Aran Pina, and Nik Mirkovio were named as Honorable Mentions

• Volleyball Coach Jen Malcom was tabbed to lead the USA Volleyball NTDP U18 Winter Training Series

• Annalise Newman-Achee was named ACC Gymnast of the Week

• Tonya Paulsson was named ACC Newcomer of the Week

• Jacob De Jesus set the Single-Season Receptions record in the Hawaii Bowl with 108 catches on the year

Cal Athletics Recap

• Women’s Basketball lost to North Carolina in Chapel Hill (55-71) and NC State in Raleigh (60-71)

• Men’s Basketball beat Notre Dame (72-71) after the cowardly Notre Dame tried to foul on a 3 pointer up 3

• Women’s Gymnastics competed in the Washington Quad Meet and placed 2nd, losing to UCLA and beating Oregon State and Washington

Cal Pros Recap

Football

Nohl Williams recorded a sack. And a second. Jake Tonges scored a TD. Jaylinn Hawkins had an interception. Ashtyn Davis also had an interception. Cam Jordan forced a fumble. Cam also set a franchise record for the Saints of 7 seasons with 10+ sacks. Marshawn Lynch also talked about how he got into Cal. And the golf cart incident. And went snowboarding? Cam Goode was selected for the Ed Block Courage Award by the Dolphin’s Athletic training staff. Jaylinn Hawkins and Craig Woodson showed some textbook Cal defense in a forced fumble and recovery. Aaron Rodgers threw for 294 yards and touchdown to help the Steelers beat the Ravens and claim the AFC North.

Basketball

Jaylen Brown has a new sponsor. He also talked about his decision to come to Cal. Jaylen also got talked about in Zach Harpers newsletter via The Athletic and is going to be a part of the MVP conversation. Solomon Hughes is set to receive the 2026 Pete Newell Career Achievement Award. Jaylon Tyson is also getting some love.

Soccer

Taylor Davila was named the 2025 USL Championship Player of the Year and the the All-League First Team. Ayo Oke is headed to the new NWSL Expansion team Denver Summit on a transfer from Pachuca.

Table Tennis

Nikhil Kumar appears in the new movie Marty Supreme!

Next Week in Bear Territory

• Men’s Tennis takes on Hawaii (1/7) and Gonzaga (1/8)

• Men’s Basketball plays at #23 Virginia (1/7) and Virginia Tech (1/10)

• Women’s Basketball plays against Duke (1/8) and Wake Forest (1/11)

• Men’s Gymnastics competes against Stanford (1/9)

• Rugby takes on Cal Poly (1/10)

• Women’s Gymnastics competes int he Sprouts Farmers Market Collegiate Quad against Michigan State, Kentucky, LSU, Utah, Oklahoma, Michigan, and UCLA (1/10)

And so we find ourselves again at the end of Golden Nuggets. I appreciate you all reading this, and I have a ton of fun writing it. Last article’s most clicked link was the Athletic talking about the toughest coaching jobs. Hasn’t stopped Tosh with the portal yet I guess! Go Bears and see you next week!