Weighing the giants with CMB lensingGalaxy clusters are the largest virialized objects in the Universe, and are powerful probes of cosmology. Their abundance as a function of mass and redshift is extremely sensitive to how structures grow and the properties of dark energy. Though they are powerful probes of cosmology, they are currently limited by ...
Skin is the body’s largest organ, and is responsible for the transduction of a vast amount of information. This conformable, stretchable, self-healable and biodegradable material simultaneously collects signals from external stimuli that translate into information such as pressure, pain, and temperature. The development of electronic materials, inspired by the complexity ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Of Pathogens and Humans. A Cultural History of the Policies on Epidemics in the Nineteenth CenturyIn the nineteenth century, epidemics reached, for the first time in history, all inhabited continents. Globally spreading pathogens were an unintended side effect of a growing flow of people, animals and goods across state borders, imperial spaces and continents. "Of pathogens and humans" is an ongoing research project that analyzes ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Breaking the Standard Model with High-Energy Neutrino ObservatoriesThe March 2018 report of two anomalous (Earth-emergent) e_cr ~ 0.6 EeV air showers by the ANITA collaboration has presented a severe puzzle of interpretation. Given existing limits on neutrino transient sources and the diffuse neutrino flux, these events are straightforwardly impossible under the Standard Model, due primarily to the ...
Where: Menlo ParkCost: Free
Wildlife Picture Index ProjectCome contribute to the Marin Wildlife Picture Index Project! Volunteer community scientists assist with research by helping maintain motion-activated cameras and processing photos. At this event, we view the images on the computer, identify the mammals, and enter the results in a database. New and experienced catalogers welcome, as training is ...
Where: Corte MaderaCost: Free
Wonderfest: Human Values in A.I.How do we ensure that artificial intelligence (AI) reflects and enacts human values? UC Berkeley’s Dylan Hadfield-Menell will explore how AI is applied in the world, and how it can go wrong - even terribly wrong. He’ll examine potential solutions that draw on an analogy with misaligned incentives in economics: ...
Where: San RafaelCost: $10 General Advance, $12 at door
Probing Galaxy Formation and Cosmology in the Non-Linear Regime Current and future galaxy surveys have the potential to transform our understanding of both galaxy formation and cosmology. The distribution of galaxies and matter on small, non-linear scales (~Mpc) holds the most statistical constraining power but is also the most challenging to model. In this talk, I will concentrate on ...
X-ray absorption near edge spectroscopy (XANES or NEXAFS) is a powerful technique for electronic structure determination. However, widespread use of XANES is limited by the need for synchrotron light sources with tunable x-ray energy. Recent developments in extreme ultraviolet (XUV) light sources using the laser-based technique of high-harmonic generation have ...
How Climate Change affects our WaterFor the water-starved western United States, moisture flows known as “atmospheric rivers,†are both important sources of water and causes of devastating floods. Climate change is projected to warm atmospheric rivers, turning snow into rain, which could impact our infrastructure and water resources for years to come. However, this is ...
Heart of the Matter: What Death Can Teach Us About Living FullyDeath is not waiting for us at the end of a long road. Death is always with us, in the marrow of every passing moment. She is the secret teacher hiding in plain sight. She helps us to discover what matters most.The good news is we don’t have to wait ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $20 General, $10 Members, $8 Students
How Emerging Technologies are Improving the Pediatric Patient ExperienceOver the past two years, the Stanford CHARIOT Program at LPCH has helped treat thousands of patients using emerging technologies. The tools they develop are used to reduce pain and anxiety in clinical settings, assist in physical therapy and pain rehab, offer new alternatives to anesthesia and opiates, and provide ...
Where: Palo AltoCost: Free
The Art and Science of Wildlife TrackingComing direct from Africa, Meghan Walla-Murphy will explore the ancient art of tracking and what wildlife has to teach us, sharing stories of tracking in North America, the Republic of Congo, Southern Africa and Brazil. Tea and biscuits (that’s Brit talk for cookies) will be served and, in addition to ...
7:00-7:25: Patricia G. Lange(California College of the Arts) on "Is Ranting Ever a Good Idea?"Forms of civic engagement, which include collective identification of problems, are increasingly moving to online spaces...Read more7:25-7:50: Reza Zadeh(Stanford Institute for Computational Mathematics) on "Computer Vision Made Simple"Machines are opening their eyes via neural ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free
Lions and Leopards and Whales, Oh My!Jodi will take us on a visual journey and natural history and behavioral tour of the many marine species she has met on her extensive world travels. From orcas and humpback whales of Norway to leopard seals, penguins, humpback whales and more along the Antarctic Peninsula, we’ll have the opportunity ...
Where: SausalitoCost: Free
Science at the Library: Minerals and GemsThere are 4 activities at each presentation after a show presentation. Parents work with their children to learn about science. Recommended for elementary age children. Families are encouraged to attend.  Limited seating.Learn why not all minerals are gems and not all gems are minerals. Learn about the importance of minerals ...
Once a vision of science fiction, mining of the deep seabed is coming closer to reality, driven by increasing demand for minerals such as cobalt, nickel, and copper to power modern telecommunications and energy infrastructure. This demand has caused the International Seabed Authority (ISA) to accelerate its work on developing ...
Where: Moss LandingCost: Free
Climate Change, Health and EquityClimate change is a global health emergency. It is impacting the health of California communities today, and is the “greatest public health challenge of the 21st century.†Climate change exacerbates health inequities, disproportionately harming the most vulnerable. State climate policies and investments can serve to redress these inequities. Climate actions ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Free Coding Club for Kids The Downtown Oakland Dojo is a place where young people age 7-17 can code and explore technology in a fun and social environment. They can create apps, build a website, try out different coding languages, and get hands on with digital making using the Raspberry Pi.We recommend that children bring a ...
Where: OaklandCost: free
The Promise of Smart Materials in Earthquake Resistant DesignDamage from recent earthquakes underscores the importance of developing new approaches and technologies to improve the performance of structures during earthquakes. The presentation will highlight applications of one class of smart materials - shape memory alloys - in improving the performance of structures subjected to earthquake loading. Shape memory alloys ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Madagasikara: The Real Madagascar Film ScreeningMadagascar is the fourth largest island in the world, known for its lemurs and unique biodiversity and as the setting of the popular animated films. But the real Madagascar is much different than the world imagines. MADAGASIKARA is the story of three resilient women fighting for the survival of their ...
Join us in celebrating the 60th birthday of one of our favorite speakers in this series - Berkeley’s Dr. Alex Filippenko. He will provide a non-technical overview of the main areas of his fascinating research career - black holes, various types of exploding stars, and the accelerating expansion of the ...
Where: Los Altos HillsCost: Free ($3 parking)
Igneous Rocks and the USGS at KilaueaPeninsula Gem & Geology Society Monthly MeetingSpeaker: Leslie Gordon, USGSEditor's Note: This event was originally scheduled for March 27.
Where: Los AltosCost: Free
Skeptics in the Pub: MillbraeScience and Reason with Skeptics in the Pub West Bay, Fiddlers Green, Millbrae sponsored by Bay Area Skeptics.If ye value critical thinking, and if ye scorn the film-flam man, and if ye drink, drink with us, your friends. If ye shun the brewer’s art, at least help us lay waste to bangers & mash!Skeptics ...
Where: MillbraeCost: Free
The Difference Between Rocks, Gems and Minerals - RESCHEDULEDPeninsula Gem & Geology Society Monthly MeetingSpeaker: Johanna FentonEditor's Note: This event has been rescheduled to March 27. See additional listing for substitute event with Leslie Gordon.
Where: Los AltosCost: Free
Thursday, 01/24/19
New Windows on Giant Planet Structure and CompositionIn our current era of planetary physics we can use the astronomical perspective to look for trends in giant planet structure that can only be seen with a large sample size. We can also use detailed observations of Jupiter and Saturn, provided by Juno and Cassini, to test if long-held ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
Chemical Cartography of the Milky WayWe can now map the stars in the Milky Way on truly galactic scales, thanks to recent surveys that are reaching across the disk, such as APOGEE, GALAH, K2 and Gaia. I will first discuss the new insights we have into the ages of stars throughout the disk derived from ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
'Years of Living Dangerously'Join us for WEN’s first family event in partnership with Mothers Out Front! One of our goals as the Women’s Environmental Network is to provide an inclusive environment that supports opportunities for all women. If you are a parent, we’d like to use this opportunity to learn about what some of your challenges are ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $5
After Dark: RadioactiveWarning: Certain atoms may be unstable - in fact, they’re constantly falling apart all around you. You may learn about about their occurrence in the universe, how we make use of their decay, and their effects on the human body at this evening of illuminating programming - including Full-Spectrum Science: ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $19.95 General, $14.95 Daytime Members
Tropical NightlifeEscape the winter doldrums with a trip to Tropical NightLife, where our three-story rainforest is just one of the places you’ll find tropical paradise vibes.Kick off your getaway with a welcome drink from one of our rum-slinging “Tiki†bars. Roll up your sleeves and learn about scientific research in tropical ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $15 General, $12 Members
IEEE Consumer Electronics Society CES Download 2019This is our annual sharing of the new and unusual things seen at the Consumer Electronics Show in early January. This event has proven to be a very popular one to attend for people that are in the industry or just have a curiosity. See photos and hear explanations about ...
Where: Santa ClaraCost: $10 General, $5 IEEE Members, CES/IEEE Stud. Free
Friday, 01/25/19
Biotechnology Vendor Showcase Learn about the latest research tools at the Biotechnology Vendor Showcase™ event happening at University of California, San Francisco- Parnassus, January 25th, 2019! This complimentary event is for active research scientists and related life science professionals interested in viewing the latest products and meeting with scientific suppliers.  For more details please visit: http://www.biotech-calendar.com/showinfo/detail.php?showCode=SFVS19WP
Where: San FranciscoCost:
Directional Dark Matter Detection: Advantages and ChallengesMost dark matter detectors hope to measure the energy deposited to an atom by dark matter interactions. Directional detectors are capable of measuring the momentum of the recoiling nucleus as well. This additional information can be used for particle discrimination, background rejection, confirmation of WIMP discovery, and even WIMP astronomy. ...
Where: Menlo ParkCost: Free
Fighting mosquito-borne diseases with mathematical models, genetic analysis and machine learningMalaria, dengue, Zika and other mosquito-borne diseases continue to pose a major global health burden through much of the world, despite the widespread distribution of insecticide-based tools and antimalarial drugs. Consequently, there is interest in novel strategies to control these diseases, including the release of mosquitoes transfected with Wolbachia and ...
Plate Mechanical Metamaterials and Their ApplicationsRecently, we introduced the concept of plate mechanical metamaterials - cellular plates with carefully controlled periodic geometry and unique mechanical properties - as well as its initial realization in the form of freestanding corrugated plates made out of an ultrathin film. We used atomic layer deposition (ALD) and ...
My research program is focused on developing molecular catalysts for energy conversion (redox) reactions. We focus on the thermochemistry of key bond-making and cleavage steps for H+ reduction to H2 and CO2 reduction to HCO2- in order to design more energy efficient catalysts. We also investigate the parameters that govern ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Saturday, 01/26/19
Habitat Restoration: Phoenix Lake BroomHabitat Restoration: Phoenix Lake BroomSaturday, January 26, 9 am to NoonStewardship is an ethic that embodies planning and management of the land to support healthy habitat. Become a steward of Mt Tamalpais by joining us in a morning of habitat restoration.We will meet at Phoenix Lake dam. The gate at Natalie Coffin Greene ...
Where: RossCost: Free
Science Saturday: Amazing MigrationsJoin us for January’s Science Saturday, Amazing Migrations, as we investigate the world of long-distance animal travels. Whales, birds, insects, and more will be the focus of our deeper look at these natural phenomena. There will be activities and crafts for kids, and of course we will be celebrating another ...
Where: Pacific GroveCost: Free
Animal FriendsMeet some of YSI’s beloved animal ambassadors! You will get to meet several of our live animals, learn some neat facts about each one, and even touch them if you’d like! This program is held indoors and is great for any type of weather.
Where: Los GatosCost: $15
Student Robotics FairThe library will host a robotics fair to kick off Livermore Reads Together. Local students will showcase their robotics projects!Special presentation by the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute and the MATE Center. Learn how remotely operated underwater vehicles (ROVs) are used to explore deep water habitats and more!Attention students grades ...
Where: LivermoreCost: Free
Resolving the Local Universe with the Hubble and James Webb Space TelescopesMost galaxies are so far away that they appear to us only as faint smudges. However, for galaxies that reside in our Galactic neighborhood, the clarity and sensitivity of the Hubble Space Telescope transforms them from smudges into collections of individual stars. These observations allow astronomers to study how galaxies ...
Where: OaklandCost: Free
Sunday, 01/27/19
Gray Whale WatchingWitness the mighty gray whale migration on this half-day cruise. Join our sanctuary naturalists as we venture into the southbound migration path of the gray whale as they head through our national marine sanctuaries, traveling from Arctic feeding grounds to Baja California breeding grounds. Learn about their natural history, their ...
Where: Half Moon BayCost: $65
Marine Science Sunday: Animals of the ArcticThis month we celebrate the animals that are the champions of the cold: Animals of the Arctic. We recommend teaming our free classroom program with a Guided tours at 11am, 1pm or 3pm for a truly immersive marine mammal experience.FREE Classroom Programs: Animals of the Arctic- 12 PM and 2 ...
Where: SausalitoCost: Free
Full-Spectrum Science: RadioactivityJoin Exploratorium scientist Ron Hipschman for colorful explorations of the physical world.What's going on inside the nucleus of an atom? Why does it spit out radiation? Did you know that you are exposed to radioactivity every day? Learn the facts about this somewhat controversial topic.Presentations at 1:00 and 3:00
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free with admission
What is Common Core Math?Join your child on a trip to the classroom and discover the knowledge and tools you will need to help them succeed in mathematics. In this workshop, we will help you develop strategies for working with your child as they learn math in a deeper, more connected way. ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: $12 Adults, $10 Kids and Seniors, Members Free
We search for the origins of life on Earth and the potential for life elsewhere, but what are we actually looking for? What is life? Is there only one way to construct a living organism, or are we Earthlings but one possibility out of a multitude?Speaker: Lynn Rothschild, NASA Ames
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free
Josh's Brain ImprovWe are delighted to welcome back storyteller Josh Kornbluth to The Psychotherapy Institute for an improvised performance that will help feed development of a fully staged, one-man show about Kornbluth's experiences working with the Global Brain Health Institute. Early in 2017, Josh Kornbluth (who, as an undergraduate, had flunked out ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Perf only $25-$60; with Private Reception $150-250
Monday, 01/28/19
Stress-testing LCDM and Searching for New Physics using CMB observationsThe Lambda cold dark matter (LCDM) paradigm has been successful in sufficiently describing all cosmological observations. However, new data are beginning to challenge the validity of the model. For example, the value of the Hubble constant (H0) inferred from the Planck satellite and that measured using the classical distance ladder ...
The primary sources of electricity generation in the United States are shifting towards distributed renewables and natural gas-fired power plants. The latter are used in intra-day power system operations to provide base load as well as flexibility to balance the intermittency and fluctuation of renewable generation. Gas pipeline systems must ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
Quantum materials: insights from near field nano-opticsIn 1944 Hans Bethe reported on “the diffraction of electromagnetic radiation by a hole small compared with the wave-length†[Physical Review 66, 163 (1944)]. This seminal paper was among the early precursors to a new and vibrant area of research: near field nano-optics. I will discuss recent nano-optical experiments on ...
California is one of more than 30 states that have adopted new science standards based on the suggestions of an NRC study that I led. I will explain the major shifts that these new standards introduce to science classrooms and the reasons for them. The process of implementation is a ...
Where: Menlo ParkCost: Free
People and Robots SeminarScience fiction has long promised a world of robotic possibilities: from humanoid robots in the home, to wearable robotic devices that restore and augment human capabilities, to swarms of autonomous robotic systems forming the backbone of the cities of the future, to robots enabling exploration of the cosmos. With the ...
Correlated Electrons: The Dark Energy of Quantum MaterialsThe nearly 80-year-old correlated electron problems remain largely unsolved; with one stunning success being BCS electron-phonon mediated "conventional" superconductivity. There are dozens of families of superconductors that are "unconventional" including the high-T cuprates, iron-based, and heavy fermions. Although these materials are disparate in many properties, some of their fundamental properties ...
John Deutch is an Institute Professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Mr. Deutch has been a member of the MIT faculty since 1970, and has served as Chairman of the Department of Chemistry, Dean of Science, and Provost. Mr. Deutch has published over 160 technical publications in physical chemistry, ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
Thinking Wrong about Climate Change: Ocean HealthWe can’t solve today’s challenges with yesterday’s thinking. During guided networking, The Determined will introduce Think Wrong prompts to spark ideas and conversations. Come to our 3rd TWACC event where you’ll meet others in the Ocean Health industry to learn new ways to address climate change. We'll cover areas to ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $10
Wonderfest: The Most Famous EquationAround the world, people recognize that E=mc^2 oozes cosmic wisdom. But what does this "most famous equation"Â really say? What are energy and mass? And what makes the speed of light, c, so important? [Hint: mass, moving at speed c, doesn't turn into energy!] Using little more than common experience and ...
Where: NovatoCost: Free
Next-generation cybersecurity via data fusion, AI, and big dataBe it the global financial institution or the critical infrastructure that runs essential services in our lives, at the center is trust. Trust is a differentiator for the modern customer, and in a hyperconnected world, customers demand that their most sensitive personal information (i.e., identity, address, salary, mortgage, credit card ...
Where: SunnyvaleCost: Free
Nerd Nite East BayLearn how HIV treatment prevents evolution, how modern stop motion puppets are made and filmed, and how to have your best sex in your septuagenarian years at Nerd Nite East Bay!How Granny Still Gets It On: Aging and Sexual HealthGetting stressed about being alone on Valentine’s Day this year? Well stop worrying, ...
