Dr. Zee will talk about a proposal that a sufficiently advanced civilization may employ Cepheid variable stars as beacons to transmit all-call information throughout the galaxy and beyond. They might employ a pulsed neutrino beam to trigger the expansion of a Cepheid at an earlier than normal time, generating a ...
The identities of organisms profoundly influence ecosystems, and microbial diversity is vast. Yet, the hackneyed "black box" of microbial ecology persists: we ecosystem scientists ignore and collapse microbial diversity into a box and a few arrows. We do this because this has been and still is a useful approach on scales relevant for ecosystems. ...
DARPA, established in the wake of Sputnik to prevent technological surprise, has instigated many major defense capabilities that our military has used to reshape U.S. warfighting. Today, current and potential adversaries ranging from nation states to individuals, all with ready access to powerful commercial technologies, create a national security landscape that poses new, diverse, ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
Patagonia Palo Alto Presents: Righting Our Imbalanced Relationship with WaterOver the last 6 months we've faced the dry truth of drought in California. As the very real effects of drought continue to impact our lives, Patagonia Palo Alto invites you to join Linda Sheehan, Executive Director of the Earth Law Center, and the City of Palo Alto for a ...
Where: Palo AltoCost: Free
How Technology is Transforming Education: The New NormalEducators worldwide are embracing technology as a key strategic tool for preparing students to thrive and succeed in a complex and dynamic global economy, as well as to become engaged and active global citizens. The big challenge for educators and learning institutions is knowing how to harness the power and ...
Where: San JoseCost: Free
Wednesday, 05/07/14
Free Days at Bay Area Discovery MuseumPlease join us for free on the first Wednesday of each month for a full day of creative and fun experiences for all.F
Where: SausalitoCost: Free
Intermittency-Friendly Community Scale Renewable Energy MicrogridsThe challenges proposed by long-term resource supplies, global climate change and energy market volatility require strategies and policies directed towards the development of technologically, economically and socially acceptable energy solutions. The need for major reductions in fossil fuel consumption and carbon emissions from large-scale centralized power generation will require a ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Dripping, jetting, drops and wetting: the magic of microfluidicsThis talk will discuss the use of microfluidic devices to precisely control the flow and mixing of fluids to make drops, and will explore how these drops can be used to create new materials that are difficult to synthesize with any other method. These materials have great potential for use ...
Microbial eukaryotes (e.g. nematodes, fungi, protists, and other 'minor' metazoan phyla) are diverse and abundant in every habitat on earth, yet for most groups we possess scant knowledge of species distributions and global diversity. Benthic meiofaunal taxa often show rapid response to disturbance, and have been touted as ideal organisms ...
Where: Moss LandingCost: Free
Two Lectures at Romberg Tiburon CenterOcean Climate Change Beyond the Polar Wall: A Tale of Dragonfish Eggs; Erin Flynn, RTCSpatial and Temporal Variability in Shipping Traffic around San Francisco Bay; Caitlin Jensen, RTC
Risk, Information, Time & Money: Developing Software in Conditions of Extreme UncertaintyDeveloping software, you're constantly facing a surprisingly tricky choice: of all the things you could work on, which ones are worth your time? How should you spend your next hour? Your next day? A team building a new product will make a thousand such decisions -- and the ultimate success ...
Curious to learn and understand more about dementia? Hulme will teach real-life strategies for coping with dementia. She will describe her "Three Laws for Living with Dementia" and will highlight the importance of humor, creativity and experimentation in staying connected to anyone suffering from this illogical and vexing disease.Speaker: Mary ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $20 General, $8 Members, $7 Students
Mysteries of Sleep We spend one third of our lives asleep, yet doctors and scientists still have no complete understanding as to why. It is one of the last great scientific mysteries. UC Berkeley's Matt Walker will talk with us about new discoveries suggesting that, far from being a time when the brain ...
Robert Drewes is a American biologist with a long fascination for the African continent, having conducted field research in 30 different countries in Africa since 1969. In this presentation, he will bring us up to date on the Academy's research and conservation efforts in São Tomé and Príncipe. These two ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $12 General, $10 Seniors, Free for members
Thursday, 05/08/14
Falsifying Paradigms for Cosmic Acceleration The physical mechanism behind the acceleration of the universe remains one of the great mysteries of modern cosmology. Numerous attempts to explain the nature of dark energy that causes the acceleration have met little success. Given the proliferation of dark energy models on the market, an obvious question is: How ...
YES VIRGINA, THERE IS A LONG-DURATION, GRID-SCALE REDOX FLOW BATTERY SYSTEMThe growing awareness of grid resiliency requirements as well as the impacts of increased renewable penetration (exemplified by CAISO's duck chart) has rapidly given rise to a $1B market for long-duration energy storage systems. Long duration energy storage systems (i.e. high ratio of energy capacity to power capacity) become costly ...
Animals and plants rule the world - or do they? A cup of seawater contains 100 million cells which are preyed upon by billions of viruses; a pinch of soil swarms with cryptic microbes whose activities are a mystery; 50 million tons of fungal spores are released into the atmosphere ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free
Climate Change: What Can You Do?Public awareness of Global Climate Change was jolted to life by the 2006 release of the Al Gore movie "An Inconvenient Truth". Global Climate Change became a common theme on the evening news. A media-fueled debate raged with Climate Change skeptics. What is the state of Global Climate Change 8 ...
Where: Menlo ParkCost: Advance Ticket $10 or $15 at the Door
Be a Scientist: Day of Science and ServiceThe University of California is conducting three science projects on May 8, 2014 and we need your help collecting data. Pick one of three projects to learn more about how you can participate.Science is everywhere. Take a walk, visit a park or garden, and help us paint a picture of California's ...
Where: Cost: free
Friday, 05/09/14
National Public Gardens DayCome celebrate National Public Gardens Day with UCBG! National Public Gardens Day is a celebration of America's public gardens and their important role in promoting environmental stewardship and awareness, plant and water conservation and education. The Garden is offering a free admission coupon for one (1) to celebrate National Public ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
GeoEngineering Distinguished Lecture SeriesPlease join us for an exceptional set of lectures, a wonderful hosted social and poster session, and a dinner that celebrates the GeoEngineering profession in the San Francisco Bay area. The 2014 topics and Distinguished Lectures will be: "The Case for Quality Lab Testing", Dr. Michael F. Riemer, Professor, UC ...
Dr. Carl Haber takes us on a journey of sound. Listen to the earliest known sound recordings, learn how the process has changed throughout history, and what scientists are doing to restore our oldest relics. From the first sounds recorded by Thomas Edison in 1877 to the 1950's, when most ...
Where: OaklandCost: $23 + service
Night HikeHike under the beautiful night sky through the redwoods from twilight to moonlight on a moderate 4-5 mile hike. After the hike, stay and further explore the amazing objects in the night sky through our telescopes (weather permitting) or tour the Telescope Makers Workshop. Hike will take place rain or ...
Where: OaklandCost: $12 (hike only)
Sierra Club Green Friday: Climate Risk, Sustainability, and Global Policy DialogAverage temperatures in the Earth's atmosphere have begun an upward trend that is largely irreversible over the next century. Whether these trends lead to moderate or extreme climate change will depend on policy. In this talk, learn about the risks we face around the world, as well as the state ...
Humans and our technology have wiped entire species from the planet. Can humans and our technology bring them back? Ben Novak is a paleogeneticist whose life's work is the de-extinction of Ectopistes migratorius aka the passenger pigeon. Using cloned cells from cryopreserved museum specimens along with CRISPR genome editing technologies, ...
Where: OaklandCost: Free
Climate Risk, Sustainability, and Global Policy DialogAverage temperatures in the Earth's atmosphere have begun an upward trend that is largely irreversible over the next century. Whether these trends lead to moderate or extreme climate change will depend on policy. In this talk, learn about the risks we face around the world, as well as the state ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: $3.00 donation recommended
Prevalence of Earth-size planets orbiting Sun-like starsA major question is whether planets suitable for biochemistry are common or rare in the universe. Small rocky planets with liquid water enjoy key ingredients for biology. In this talk, I will highlight recent results from NASA's Kepler space telescope, including my own work to determine the frequency of potentially ...
Where: Los Altos HillsCost: Free ($3 parking fee)
Saturday, 05/10/14
Photo SafariWhy travel to exotic locals to photograph native species in their NATURAL environment when the opportunity exists in your own backyard? Join YSI's first-ever photo safari and learn tips, techniques, and experiment with natural light while capturing images of animals outdoors using YSI's Alum Rock Animal Ambassadors as subjects.Two Sessions:8:00 ...
Where: San JoseCost: $15
'Mapping the Heavens' California Map Society The California Map Society will be holding its annual Northern California Conference at NASA Ames Research Center on May 10, 2014. The theme for this all-day meeting will be "Mapping the Heavens," and speakers will be experts from the society membership and scientists from NASA Ames. Topics will include the ...
Where: Mountain ViewCost: $40
Bioscience 20: Emerging Technologies in MicroscopyThis two day (May 10-11) course is the perfect opportunity for anyone interested in learning about careers in bioscience, or for anyone looking to play with microscopes for two days! There is absolutely no previous background in science required- all that we ask is you come curious and ready to ...
Where: OaklandCost: $50/unit, free for high school students
Astronomy Day at the AcademyAstronomy DayFounded in 1973, Astronomy Day is an international celebration of stargazing and space science. The Academy will observe the event on Saturday, May 10, 2014 with a day of activities, crafts, presentations, planetarium shows, and telescopic observations. Set mostly in the Piazza, programming will include displays by the San ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: included in admission
Celebrate Astronomy Day!Join the San Jose Astronomical Association in celebration of Astronomy Day. Safely share views of the sun's plasma eruptions off the surface of the sun with a special solar telescope. Solar activity is approaching its maximum and here is a rare chance to view sunspots and solar plasma eruptions through ...
Where: San JoseCost: Free
Presentation by Timothy FerrisTimothy Ferris is the author of a dozen books – among them the bestsellers "The Whole Shebang" and "Coming of Age in the Milky Way", which were translated into fifteen languages and named by The New York Times as among the leading books published in the twentieth century.Called "the best ...
Where: PetalumaCost: Free
Submerged Aquatic Vegetation of Mountain LakeDr. Kathy Boyer of SFSU will kick off this year's series of Science Saturday talks at Mountain with a talk on submerged aquatic vegetation. Join Dr. Boyer to learn more about how these cool underwater plants are helping to restore the health of Mountain Lake and other aquatic habitats throughout ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free
S^4-Super Summer Science Search Contest Introductory MeetingAll Cupertino Union School District middle school students (outgoing 6th, 7th, and 8th graders) are invited to this free introductory meeting about the S^4-Super Summer Science Search Contest, sponsored by the Cupertino Library Foundation. Students can win cash and prizes for research and reports, using the scientific databases provided by ...
Where: CupertinoCost: Free
REBOOT:music Live!The Tech Museum of Innovation brings you a world-class lineup of live electronic musicianship, staged amid the largest exhibition of interactive, collaborative digital music installations ever created. Unleash your inner musician and immerse yourself in a new world of musical performances led by revolutionaries who are redefining the intersection of humans and machines.Panel ...
Where: San JoseCost: $20; $15 presale
Lick Observatory: Vision and Resources for the 21st CenturyThe future of the iconic Lick Observatory is in doubt due to the intention of the University of California to withdraw all UC funding for Lick as of 2018. At the same time, UC has expressed its goal that Lick operations, including both scientific research and education and outreach, should ...
Where: San JoseCost: Free
Jazz Under the StarsVisit our roof top observatory and view the moon and Saturn thru our telescopes, while listening to KCSM Jazz 91 FM. Dress warmly and come by anytime between 8 & 10 p.m.No food or drinks in the observatory. Children are welcome and must be attended at all times.This event is weather ...
Where: San MateoCost: Free
Sunday, 05/11/14
Bioscience 20: Emerging Technologies in MicroscopyThis two day (May 10-11) course is the perfect opportunity for anyone interested in learning about careers in bioscience, or for anyone looking to play with microscopes for two days! There is absolutely no previous background in science required- all that we ask is you come curious and ready to ...
Where: OaklandCost: $50/unit, free for high school students
In celebration of Mother's Day, we'll be offering free admission to moms and grandmas all day! Give mom a personalized Mother's Day card created by you at a special craft station in our Discover the Bay exhibit. We'll also have special presentations focusing on moms and babies in San Francisco Bay. ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free
Saving Species: Endangered Marine MammalsThis month we celebrate the endangered and threatened marine mammals found along the California coast and Pacific Ocean, including the massive blue whale, Steller sea lions, fur seals, and the rarest seal in the United States, the Hawaiian monk seal. Docent-led tours will take you around the hospital showcasing some of the ...
Where: SausalitoCost: Free
Junior Academy: Naturalist Know-howCalifornia Academy of SciencesSundays at 2pm – 2:45pm (sign-up at 1:30pm) Naturalist Center / Lab (Level 3 across from the Planetarium exit)This program is designed for youth ages 8 to 11. Youth must be accompanied by an adult. Space is limited to 20 youth with attending adults. Onsite registration is ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free with Academy admission
The Story of the Human Body - Daniel LiebermanHow and why is the human body the way it is? What did evolution adapt our bodies for? And how is the human body changing today? To address these questions, this lecture will examine the major evolutionary transformations that shaped the human body since we diverged from the apes, and ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $15 General, $12 Members, Seniors
Trained as an archaeologist and anthropologist, Brian Fagan's interests have shifted in recent years to an historical investigation of climate change and rising sea levels. His latest book, The Attacking Ocean: The Past, Present and Future of Rising Sea Levels, describes how earlier societies adapted to rising water and how ...
