Many events are being cancelled due to concerns related to COVID-19. While we strive to make sure information here is accurate, please check the host's website for up to date event details.
Drop-in anytime between 9 am and 11 am to bird with us! SCVAS volunteers will be stationed at Palo Alto Baylands on the north side of the duck pond with binoculars to help you identify the huge variety of shorebirds and ducks that call the Bay Area home. No RSVP ...
Where: Palo AltoCost: Free
Mycological Society of San Franciso Fungus FairWhen the first rains tease up the chanterelles and porcini, fungus lovers head to the Fungus Fair: A Celebration of Wild MushroomsThe 2023 Fungus Fair will display expertly identified fungi collected in various locations in the Bay Area. Annual collections have been made by MSSF since 1972. This historical information ...
Where: Pleasant HillCost: $20 General, $15 Senior, $5 Student & Youth
Afternoon Hike at Mindego HillJoin Peninsula Open Space Trust for a beautiful 5-mile hike from the Russian Ridge Open Space Preserve to the top of the POST-protected Mindego Hill. You will be guided by POST ambassadors who will share details about how we protected this beautiful property featuring panoramic views of redwood ridges and ...
Where: Los AltosCost: Free
How the brain maintains homeostasis, from thirst to agingWilliam Allen trained in both molecular and systems neuroscience as a Ph.D. student at Stanford’s Interdepartmental Neurosciences Program, Dr. Allen plans to use state-of-the-art spatial transcriptomics, systematic CRISPR-based in vivo screen, and imaging to identify the mechanisms underlying brain aging and neurodegeneration at the level of cells, tissues, and organisms. He ...
Near-surface Turbulence in Arctic, Temperate, and Tropical Inland Waters: Implications for Gas FluxesNear-surface turbulence is a key determinant of gas exchange velocities (k) used to compute fluxes of climate forcing trace gases under light to moderate winds in lakes and oceans. Scaling approaches to accurately predict turbulence would enable modeling of fluxes from diverse water bodies over large spatial scales. While wind-based ...
While kinase inhibitors have dramatically changed the landscape of cancer treatment, the near-universal emergence of resistance limits their clinical durability. Our research program is founded in a new paradigm in nutrient sensing and protein regulation, termed metalloallostery, whereby redox-active metals control kinase activity. Our laboratory’s focus lies at the intersection ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
The Dawn of the Quantum Computing EraQuantum mechanics describes the physical world around us with exquisite precision, with no known violations of the theory. Ironically, this precision comes with some additional baggage: the theory permits the existence of a host of complex, delicate entangled states of the physical world, many of which have yet to be ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Leon Clarke, Bezos Earth Fund - LivestreamThe economic conditions have never been more promising for decarbonization. The costs of solar cells, wind, and batteries dropped 85%, 55%, and 85% from 2010 to 2019 (IPCC, 2022); people are buying green; companies are investing in clean production; the E.U. is putting tariffs on carbon-intensive products, and the topic ...
Emerging AI technology has the potential to replicate some of the processes used by artists when creating their work. Dr. Nettrice Gaskins uses AI-driven software such as deep learning to train machines to identify and process images. Her approach puts the learning bias of race to the forefront by using ...
Where: Cost: Free
The James Webb Space Telescope: Atmospheres of Other WorldsJWST is an extraordinary technological achievement. Its ultra-precise optical system makes it a powerful tool for studying extrasolar planets (exoplanets) - worlds that orbit around other stars. Specifically, JWST is capable of measuring the chemical composition of exoplanet atmospheres with unprecedented sensitivity. In this lecture, Prof. Macintosh will discuss the ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
Tuesday, 01/31/23
Encore Movie: A Life's WorkJoin your TeamSETI friends for a special encore presentation of movie night featuring the documentary A Life's Work. The original movie night presentation aired in December, and we're rebroadcasting it at a different time so timezones outside the U.S. can enjoy the show. Seth Shostak hosted with special guests Jill ...
Understanding our Dynamic, Magnetically Active StarUnderstanding solar activity --- and in particular, how magnetic flux and energy emerges from the Sun's turbulent interior (where it is generated) into the solar corona --- is of fundamental importance to our efforts to better predict and mitigate potentially damaging solar storms here at earth. The Sun's dynamic magnetic ...
AI for Good initiatives recognize the potential impacts of AI systems on humans and societies. However, simply recognizing these impacts is not enough. To be truly Human-Centered, AI development must be user-centered, community-centered, and societally-centered. User-centered design integrates techniques that consider the needs and abilities of end users, while also ...
Without the Lisa, there would be no Mac, and no iPhone. Apple’s innovative Lisa computer transformed how people interact with computers - from arcane text-based interfaces to the modern graphical user interface ubiquitous today. How did the Lisa change the world and yet ultimately become a commercial failure? How was this ...
Where: Mountain ViewCost: Free
SOFIA: High-flying Infrared AstronomySOFIA was a 2.7 meter infrared telescope in a Boeing 747 SP. It was a US-German project; NASA provided the aircraft, and the German aerospace center, DLR, provided the telescope. The airborne observatory allowed us to study the cold universe using infrared light, which is inaccessible from the ground. This ...
Where: Mountain ViewCost: $7 - $17
The James Webb Space Telescope: Atmospheres of Other Worlds - RESCHEDULEDJWST is an extraordinary technological achievement. Its ultra-precise optical system makes it a powerful tool for studying extrasolar planets (exoplanets) - worlds that orbit around other stars. Specifically, JWST is capable of measuring the chemical composition of exoplanet atmospheres with unprecedented sensitivity. In this lecture, Prof. Macintosh will discuss the ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
Wonderfest: Neuroplasticity, Sensitive Periods, & the Adolescent BrainExperiences at different times in life may alter aspects of personality: appetite for risk, tolerance for delayed gratification, interest in music, etc. Our brains seem to develop particularly rapidly during a staggered sequence of "sensitive periods" that stretch late into the second or third decade of life. Such periods of ...
Where: NovatoCost: Free
Wednesday, 02/01/23
Building Intelligent Agents to Reach Net-Zero 2050Reaching net-zero by cutting green house gas emission by 2050 is arguably one of humanities greatest challenge. The sheer speed and scale at which this needs to be achieved brings into question whether such lofty goal can be achieved when only broad plans have been outlined. A significant part of ...
Hurricanes are among the most costly natural hazards affecting communities worldwide, and they involve different hazard sources (i.e., wind, windborne debris, flood and rain). Climate change is expected to increase the intensity of future hurricanes. This presentation will illustrate a novel probabilistic Performance-Based Hurricane Engineering (PBHE) framework that disaggregates the ...
Where: Cost: Free
Can we really address the wildfire problem? - LivestreamWildland fires occur all over the nation, yet focused mainly on the west, predominately in California. In the wildfire world, most people use California as the barometer for land management, urban planning, forest health, building codes, response, and recovery efforts. If it happens in California, it may soon happen elsewhere, so let’s ...
The path of a flush Over 50% of the world’s population live along the coast. Consequently, the impact of anthropogenic inputs on the life and health of coastal ecosystems is stark. Decades of impact, fueled by climate change have impacted the coastal environment of the south China sea. Today, I will take you through my ...
Where: TiburonCost: Free
Catalyzing America’s Clean Energy Economy Through Federal SustainabilityPresident Biden's Executive Order 14057 on catalyzing American clean energy industries and jobs through Federal sustainability and accompanying Federal Sustainability Plan (collectively referred to as "The Federal Sustainability Plan") sets out a range of ambitious goals to deliver an emissions reduction pathway consistent with President Biden's goal of reducing U.S. ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
Birds of Patagonia - LivestreamLocated at the southern tip of South America, Patagonia is a destination which may be on your bucket list for hiking at the magnificent Torres del Paine National Park, visiting its fjords on a cruise, or just as a gateway to places like Antarctica or the Falkland Islands. It has some ...
100 years ago natural hazards claimed 10x more lives than they do today, however the planet still observes >100 fatalities per day as a result of earthquakes, tsunami, storms, rogue waves and wildfires. Recently, commercial φ-OTDR/DAS systems have begun sensing continuously within cities and offshore. φ-OTDR/DAS utilizes the optical field ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
A Rare Comet Visits Earth - SETI Institute Scientists Explain - LivestreamA new comet, C/2022 E3 (ZTF), is making a rare visit to Earth, coming closer than it has in over 50,000 years. Stargazers around the world have admired its eerie green glow and bright tail of dust. Join SETI Institute Senior Planetary Astronomer, Dr. Franck Marchis, and Postdoctoral Fellow, Dr. ...
Where: Cost: Free
Introduction to Microgrids - LivestreamMost consumers receive their electricity via complex electrical grids containing multiple elements of generation and large transmission and distribution networks. In more highly developed and populated parts of the world, consumers expect their electricity to be delivered continuously and reliably. Disruptions do occur for various reasons, and with significantly negative ...
Where: Cost: Free
NightLife with Cafe OhloneWe’re teaming up with the iconic Cafe Ohlone for an immersive night sharing the beauty and vibrancy of Ohlone culture and traditions.Featured programming:Sip a sampling of teas while Cafe Ohlone co-founders Vincent Medina and Louis Trevino share stories about Ohlone’s rich history, traditions and living culture. Learn about Ohlone culture ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $19.25
After Dark: Wondrous FungusThe fascinating qualities of fungi are manifold and sometimes mind-blowing. Tonight at After Dark, discover some fun facts about the beautiful, diverse, and curious fungus kingdom, which includes mushrooms, yeasts, molds, and more. Hear about fungi that are local to the Bay Area, and find out how you can identify ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $19.95 General, Free for members
NightSchool: Back from the Dead - LivestreamSometimes in conservation, we get second chances to save an evolutionary lineage we thought was lost. Meet three so-called “Lazarus species,” aka species that were once presumed extinct (until they’re rediscovered living), and the individuals working to protect them.See weblink for connection information.
The interconnected crises of climate, biodiversity, and equity drive an imperative for conservation practices to be reimagined and reconfigured. Conservation organizations, among others, are starting to adopt new practices and seeing different possibilities to answer a key question: what are the conditions that create a more connected, less exploitative view ...
Sustainability and sustainable development concepts have been applied in the Galapagos Islands for decades, particularly after specific changes to the Constitution of Ecuador took place in 1998, allowing for the approval of the Special Law for Galapagos due to its recognized fragile and unique socio-ecosystem. However, the application and implementation ...
Where: Cost: Free
The Night Sky for 2023, plus 'Voyager - The Never-Ending Journey'For this special evening in the CSM Planetarium, Professor Stanford will use the Planetarium’s state of the art GOTO Chronos II opto-mechanical space simulator to show us how the night sky changes over the coming year, and highlight the best observational candidates for us for each month. In addition, he ...
Where: San MateoCost: Free
Saturday, 02/04/23
Family Nature Walks - Baylands Nature PreserveEnvironmental Volunteers’ Family Nature Walks program is designed to help students and their families get to know our local open space areas. Small family groups will be guided by a knowledgeable environmental educator during an exploration of a local open space. These small groups will be introduced to fun nature-based ...
Where: Palo AltoCost: Free
Afternoon Hike at La Honda Open Space PreserveJoin Peninsula Open Space Trust for a beautiful hike at Lower La Honda Creek Open Space Preserve where you’ll experience the area’s sweeping views and gorgeous rolling grasslands! The preserve is over 6,100 acres, of which POST has contributed 5,200 acres. You will be guided by a POST Ambassador on ...
Where: La HondaCost: Free
Fire Ecology - EcoCenter Family EventBring your family to the Environmental Volunteers EcoCenter, located on the Baylands Nature Preserve, for an afternoon of environmental education. Activities are intended for ages 6-11.Have you ever wondered about how fire affects California’s plants and animals? Join us for some fun and learn something new about Fire Ecology! Learn ...