Power output gains for photovoltaic technology have been accomplished recently by process tweaking, which are becoming expensive. In addition, c-Si cell efficiency is nearing thermodynamic limits. Thus there is a real need to look for simple but alternative approaches to improve efficiency that are cost effective, give higher return on ...
It's been a mystery for more than half a century: why, in the short distance from the Sun's surface to its corona, or outer atmosphere, does the temperature leap from a few thousand to a few million degrees? The answer might lie in hot jets of plasma erupting from the Sun's ...
Come to Foothill Observatory and join us in the exploration of our Universe!Foothill Observatory Friday Evening ProgramCome to Foothill Observatory and join us in the exploration of our Universe!Foothill Observatory is open for public viewing every clear Friday evening from 9:00 p.m. until 11:00 p.m. Visitors can view the wonders of the universe through the observatory's new computer-controlled 16-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope. Views ...
Where: Los Altos HillsCost:
Saturday, 09/03/11
San Francisco Rocks Walking TourIt's no secret that we San Franciscans frequently feel the earth move under our feet. Here, near the ol' San Andreas, the landscape's been shoved around for thousands of years, leaving behind some pretty twisted rock 'n roll stories. Munch your way through some edible geology activities while hiking the ...
Ron Hipschman, Exploratorium staff physicist, talks about ways to make color-from neon signs to oil slicks to rainbows. Ron demonstrates concepts about light, and you'll get materials to build a spectroscope (which separates light into its component wavelengths).
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free with admission
Color Vision and Color PhotographyJoin Exploratorium neuroscientist Richard Brown, PhD, for an enlightening overview of color vision.Using a variety of demonstrations and illusions, Richard will explore how we see color, how color vision evolved in humans and other species, and how and why color vision varies from person to person. He'll also discuss how ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free with admission
A UNIVERSE OF EXPLODING STARS: SUPERNOVA!Why do some stars explode? What would a universe without supernovae be like? Take home a star map that shows which stars will explode as supernovae.
Where: ClaytonCost: Free
Jazz under the StarsVisit our rooftop observatory to view the first quarter moon and Saturn through our telescopes while listening to KCSM Jazz 91.1FM.Please dress warmly and check back for weather updates.This outdoor event is weather dependent.If skies become rainy or cloudy, the event is cancelled.
Where: San MateoCost: Free
Mt Tam Astronomy Program - Extreme Astronomy: Eyeing the Cosmos through One Cubic Kilometer of IceImmerse yourself in the universe! FREE public lecture "Extreme Astronomy: Eyeing the Cosmos through One Cubic Kilometer of Ice" by Dr. Kirill Filimonov of the UC Berkeley in the Mountain Theatre on Mt Tam at 8:30pm followed by telescope viewing in the Rock Spring Parking Lot. Sponsored by the Mount ...
Where: Mill ValleyCost: FREE
Star PartyTake a look into the night sky with members of the Halls Valley Astronomical Group (hallsvalley.org). Telescopes are provided but you are welcome to bring one. Meet at Halley Hill, across from campsite #22. Park entrance gate closes at 10:00pm. (408) 274-6121
Come to Hawk Hill in the Marin Headlands and get an up-close view of the fall raptor migration with the Golden Gate Raptor Observatory (GGRO), a cooperative program of the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy and National Park Service.A GGRO docent gives an hour-long talk about hawk monitoring and identification ...
Where: SausalitoCost: Free
The Science of Bread and Cheese Walking TourThese two ancient foods owe their glory to microscopic magic. Stroll through quaint San Francisco neighborhoods while stopping at parks and shops to explore the role of unseen organisms in creating flavors and textures. Get your hands on some gluten, admire the microbes on some bloomy rinds, and enjoy a ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $65
Cat Reflexes HikeJoin a Park Ranger and her canine companion for a hike in wild cat territory. Discover behavioral attributes of mountain lions and bobcats. Learn why they are important members of our natural community and how they face challenges in our modern world. Socialized dogs on leash are welcome to accompany ...
Where: WatsonvilleCost: Free
Tuesday, 09/06/11
History and Theory of New Media: Technology as the Architect of our IntimaciesTechnology is the architect of our intimacies. How does the culture of always-on/always-on-you connection give shape to new relationships and sensibilities, and beyond this, to a new state of the self, itself.Speaker: Sherry Turkle is a professor, author, consultant, researcher and licensed clinical psychologist who has spent the last 30 ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Solar Electric Panels Current Advantages and Future PotentialMark Byington of Cobalt Power systems will talk about latest developments in the solar industry, including incentives, permitting, rebates, challenges, and pricing. Arthur Rudin, Vice President of Product Deployment for Twin Creeks Technologies, will discuss today's dominant solar technologies, and where he sees the industry going technically and economically in the future.Speaker: ...
Where: Mountain ViewCost: $10 Members advance, $15 General and at door
Behind the making of 'Life: A Cosmic Story'Join us for a behind the scenes presentation on the making of Life: A Cosmic Story which is the latest planetarium show from the California Academy of Sciences. Narrated by Jodie Foster, the all-digital planetarium show takes viewers on a high-speed ride through the history of life and plays 7-10 ...
Gravity Probe B, launched 20 April 2004, is a space experiment testing two predictions of Einstein's theory of General Relativity, the geodetic and frame-dragging effects by means of cryogenic gyroscopes in Earth orbit.On-orbit data collection started August 2004 and ended September 2005.Analysis of the data from all four gyroscope results ...
Zero Water In the '80's and '90's, some businesses began to adopt an ethic of 'zero discharge'--this was especially true for manufacturing processes that had previously been treating wastes from their core activity as 'externalities.' At first viewed by many as an impossibility, it nonetheless established a goal towards which to work. ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: $10 Members advance, $15 General and at door
After Hours: DNA with a TwistTest your CSI skills with "Biotech Tool Time", take home a DNA Necklace, or try your hand at Ear Wax Chromatography (Great for First Dates)! Enjoy the sunset on our roof while listening to tunes from local live band Sunrunners. Enjoy GIANT GAMES like 4 Foot Tall Jenga-Style Blocks, Over-Sized ...
Historical archaeology along what was once the frontier of Colonial New Spain requires a flexible approach to not only collaboration, but also participatory experiences in enduring traditions of agro-pastoral lifeways. Much of what archaeologists do has real-world consequences for communities and their cultural patrimony. My research in historical archaeology includes ...
A day-long conference at the David Brower Center in Berkeley, addressing features of green residential development, retrofits, and policy. Join leading practitioners and researchers for panels discussing sustainable residential energy use (design, feasibility & performance), energy efficiency in affordable housing, and government participation (policy, promotion, regulation).Breakfast/registration opens at 7.30am; proceedings ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: $95 General, $65 Govt./Nonprofit, Free for UCB
Mind-Body Skills and Self-Regulation: A Look at When, Why and How for Children and AdolescentsMind-body skills and self-regulation can provide great benefit to children who suffer from headache or migraines, digestive upset, anxiety, procedure-related pain, chronic pain, bed-wetting or other chronic conditions.In this lecture, Dr. Becker will discuss how mind-body approaches can benefit children across different developmental stages, from infancy to the teen years. ...
Go behind the scenes at Long Marine Lab. Learn about the work of scientists and their studies of dolphins, seals, sea lions, and whales. Tour is best suited for adults and children over 10 years of age. Space limited, free with admission. Reservations required: (831) 459-3800.
Bill McKibben: Global and Local: Dispatches from the Climate FightThe sheer financial power of the fossil fuel industry is at the heart of the climate-change problem, and the climate movement is finally grappling with this reality. Bill McKibben shares stories from the front lines of this movement – from every corner of the country and the planet. Some stories ...
Where: BerkeleyCost:
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: The Scourge of Our Modern Lifestyles. Novel TreatmentThe crippling effects of carpal tunnel syndrome afflict about 5 percent of us, mostly women. Championing the advancement of minimally invasive CTS surgical technique, McCormack discusses the implications of his new project, The MANOS system. MANOS requires as little as 2mm for surgical access, therefore minimizing surgical trauma and reducing ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $20 General, $8 Members, $7 Students
Join scientists and jewelers for a unique look at how humankind has been turning natural materials into tools, weapons and decorative objects over the millennia. Covet the rare finds in the Academy's Gem & Mineral Vault, watch as members of the San Francisco Gem & Mineral Society demonstrate gem cutting ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $12 General, $10 Members
The State of Sharks, a talk by David McGuireCalifornia Academy of Sciences research associate David McGuire will discuss his research with sharks, shark threats and protections, and his work with the Shark Protection Act currently in Senate Committee. His free presentation will start at 7 P.M.
Where: BerkeleyCost: FREE
The Great Sunflower ProjectOver the past few years, scientific studies have suggested that both honey bee and native bee populations are in trouble. What scientists had not studied on a large scale was how the wild bees were doing and what effect that has on pollination of garden plants, crops and wild plants. ...
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