A broad effort is currently underway to develop quantum computers that can outperform classical counterparts for certain computational or simulation tasks. Suppressing errors is one of the central challenges for useful quantum computing, requiring quantum error correction for large-scale processing. However, the overhead in the realization of error-corrected “logical†qubits, ...
 Climate One is delighted to present the 2023 Stephen H. Schneider Award for Outstanding Climate Science Communication to atmospheric scientist Ben Santer.Santer has spent decades researching and identifying the human fingerprints on the climate system changes we’re now all seeing. He was lead author on the historic 1995 conclusion of ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $20 General, $10 Members in person, $5/free online
AGU23 Wide. Open. Science.For more than 100 years AGU has been opening science - opening pathways to discovery, opening greater awareness to address climate change, opening greater collaborations to lead to solutions and opening the fields and professions of science to a whole new age of justice equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging.This year, ...
Due to growing concerns over the presence and persistence of microfiber pollution in the environment as well as their potential ecological and human health impacts, scientists from the textile industry, marine conservation, government, and academia are working together to address this critical issue. With interest initially stemming from plastic pollution ...
Where: Cost: Free
Putting Science to Work for Communities Facing Climate ThreatsPeople’s lives and livelihoods depend on science. But when those lives and livelihoods are threatened by impacts of a changing climate, how many of us know a scientist we can turn to who can help us protect our communities?Community science happens when lay people and scientists do science together to ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $20 General, $10 Members in person, $5/free online
Where is the “ChatGPT for the Earth�Despite the recent rapid evolution of Artificial Intelligence (AI), its potential to address critical environmental issues has yet to be realized. In this talk, Dr. Ben Strong, Lead Scientist at the nonprofit Earth Genome, discusses the untapped potential of AI in tackling pressing environmental ...
In the last few years, we have witnessed an unprecedented amount of data being generated, processed, and stored for creating new values in our daily lives in the digital transformation (DX) era, opening a significantly high growth opportunity in the semiconductor industry. In order to satisfy such demanding market requirements ...
Due to the ongoing expansion of large language models (LLMs), leading to performance degradation, heightened memory requirements, and increased computational demands, there is a growing urgency for efficient quantization to compress LLMs into a more compact form. (https://stackoverflow.blog/2023/08/23/fitting-ai-models-in-your-pocket-with-quantization/). Additionally, optimization across platforms is pivotal for enhancing the accessibility of LLMs. ...
Where: Mountain ViewCost: Free
NASA X Nerd Nite!Dr. Kirk David Knobelspiesse of the PACE MissionPACE stands for Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem and its data will help us better understand how the ocean and atmosphere exchange carbon dioxide. In addition, it will reveal how aerosols might fuel phytoplankton growth in the surface ocean. Novel uses of PACE ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $10 online, $15 at door
Geminids Meteor Shower Viewing - CANCELEDJoin us on our Observation Deck and be dazzled as we make our annual trip through the Geminids Meteor Shower. The Geminids, named for the constellation where the shower appears to originate, is one of the best meteor showers to catch this year. The source of the shower is Asteroid ...
Where: OaklandCost: $15 Adult, $7 Youth, Free for members
AGU23 Wide. Open. Science.For more than 100 years AGU has been opening science - opening pathways to discovery, opening greater awareness to address climate change, opening greater collaborations to lead to solutions and opening the fields and professions of science to a whole new age of justice equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging.This year, ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Varies
Thursday, 12/14/23
Say “Good Night†to InsomniaIf you have trouble sleeping, you’re not alone: 50 - 70 million people in the United States struggle with ongoing sleep disorders. What many of us don’t realize is that poor sleep can impact your health in many ways.Insomnia is defined as a lack of sleep and includes common symptoms ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $20 General, $10 Members in person, $5/free online
'The Geek Way' - A Handbook for a New CultureWhat if the most important innovation in tech isn't what companies make but how they make them? New York Times bestselling author Andrew McAfee will share the elements of what he calls "the Geek Way," a new corporate culture that's fast-moving, egalitarian, evidence-driven, and more. Humans have an extraordinary ability to ...
Where: Mountain ViewCost: Free
After Dark: Art x Climate @ the ExploratoriumHow would you depict the impacts of climate change? Join the Exploratorium for a conversation with artists, scientists, educators, and poets on responding to and capturing the effects of climate change around the country. Find inspiration with artists who were part of the Art x Climate Project at the US ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $19.95 General, Free for members
NightLifeCalling all creatures of the night: explore the nocturnal side of the Academy at NightLife and see what's revealed. With live DJs, outdoor bars, ambiance lighting, and nearly 60,000 live animals (including familiar faces like Claude, our alligator with albinism), the night is sure to be wild.Step inside the iconic ...
In my Skeptical Inquirer column, The Time Warp, I review early SI issues to examine skepticism with the knowledge provided by the passage of time. From one perspective, all skepticism does is win, win, win. From another perspective, all skepticism does is lose, lose, lose. How can today’s skeptics use ...
Where: Cost: Free
AGU23 Wide. Open. Science.For more than 100 years AGU has been opening science - opening pathways to discovery, opening greater awareness to address climate change, opening greater collaborations to lead to solutions and opening the fields and professions of science to a whole new age of justice equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging.This year, ...
As an industry, we are dealing with some enormous challenges. Infrastructure dating back over a century must be upgraded to deal with seismic threats and dwindling natural resources because of climate change. The escalating frequency of wildfires and intensifying droughts is straining our systems beyond what they were originally designed ...
These tours are led by our wonderful crew of ocean-loving docents, and visitors will learn about ongoing marine and coastal science research at Bodega Marine Laboratory and its history on the Sonoma Coast. Plus, you'll get to meet a variety of colorful and diverse ocean creatures.The front gates will be ...
Where: Bodega BayCost: Donations suggested
In Town Star Party - CANCELEDCome join San Jose Astronomical Association (SJAA) for an evening of stargazing.Event details:Events are held at the parking lot of our headquarters, Houge Park San Jose. Event duration is 2hrs. SJAA volunteers will share night sky views from their personal telescopes.Please refrain from bringing your own telescopes (Binoculars are welcome). ...
Where: San JoseCost: Free
AGU23 Wide. Open. Science.For more than 100 years AGU has been opening science - opening pathways to discovery, opening greater awareness to address climate change, opening greater collaborations to lead to solutions and opening the fields and professions of science to a whole new age of justice equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging.This year, ...
Join Wholly H2O for a fun adventure at the Albany Bulb! Get ready to have tons of fun showing off your documenting and observing skills by capturing the local birds . Check out iNaturalist to see what other bird species our community has documented at Lafayette Reservoir, such as the ...
Where: AlbanyCost: Donation requested
Fungus Among Us at SanbornJoin us for a hike to learn about the amazing world of fungi! Are they a plant? Which ones are poisonous? What happens to it after the mushroom dies? Learn more about one of the oldest living terrestrial beings on our planet! Ages 7 - 12
Where: SaratogaCost: Free
Mycological Society of San Francisco 51st Fungus FairWhen the first rains tease up the chanterelles and porcini, fungus lovers head to the Fungus Fair: A Celebration of Wild Mushrooms.The 2023 MSSF Fungus Fair will display fungi collected in various locations in California. Annual collections have been made by MSSF since 1972. This historical information is a potentially ...
Where: South San FranciscoCost: 5-20
Foothills Family Nature WalkEnvironmental 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: Los AltosCost: Free
Saturday Cinema: The Art + Science of Luminous AnimationsCelebrate the Exploratorium’s winter exhibition Glow: Discover the Art of Light with radiant animations, both meditative and kinetic. Five short films capture the holiday spirit, the translucent elements of nature, the radiance of winter’s starry skies and ancestral stories, and the science of salt crystals shaped like jeweled snowflakes.These films ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free with admission
City Public Star PartyCome join the San Francisco Amateur Astronomers for free public stargazing of the Moon, planets, globular clusters and more!SFAA members with telescopes are encouraged to attend and share their views of the stars with the general public.Dress warmly. Due to the pandemic, social-distancing and masks are encouraged, but not required.Rain, ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free
Sunday, 12/17/23
Morning Hike at Rancho Cañada del OroJoin Peninsula Open Space Trust for an excursion where you’ll explore the Mayfair Ranch - Longwall Canyon trails of Rancho Cañada del Oro! You will be guided by POST Ambassadors who will share with you the history of the preserve, the region, and the importance of conservation in the area.The ...
"It comes from cocoa, a leafy-green plant; ... chocolate is salad!" Why do so many of us love chocolate despite its non-saladesque qualities? Wonderfest joins St. Helena's Cameo Cinema for the Science On Screen® presentation of Wonka, portraying the wondrous backstory of Earth's greatest magician, inventor, and chocolate-maker. Q&A with UC ...
Where: St. HelenaCost: $25 (see weblink)
Tuesday, 12/19/23
Tour of highlights from the Astronomy Picture of the Day archive for 2023 - LivestreamJoin the NASA Night Sky Network along with Dr. Robert Nemiroff for a tour of highlights from the Astronomy Picture of the Day archive for 2023.Along with Jerry Bonnell, Robert Nemiroff has written, coordinated, and edited NASA's Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD) since 1995 at apod.nasa.gov. The APOD archive ...
Where: Cost: Free
Wonderfest: Innovations in Forensic Science: A Brief HistoryIn some ways, forensic science (also known as criminalistics) has changed little since the 1880s when fictional detective Sherlock Holmes first solved a crime with a thumbprint. While modern forensic scientists continue to embrace the tried-and-true methods of the past, modern innovations in ciminalistics have enabled technogical advances that are ...
Speaker: Eugenia Bone is an internationally known food and nature writer. Her work has appeared in many anthologies, magazines, and newspapers, including The New York Times, The National Lampoon, Saveur, Gourmet, BBC Science, and The Wall Street Journal, where she is a frequent book reviewer.Attend online here.
Where: Cost: Free
After Dark: See for YourselfTreat yourself this holiday season with a visit to the Exploratorium! Sip a cocktail and learn about tide heights in the San Francisco Bay. Get in touch with yourself like never before by observing the microbiomes in and around you. Then bask under luminous artworks from our seasonal exhibition Glow! ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $19.95 General, Free for members
Family Astronomy: Winter Solstice - The Longest NightExplore the fascinating history, diverse cultural customs, and ancient rituals associated with the Winter Solstice. You’ll learn about the shortest day of the year, the various types and stages of night and twilight and how different cultures around the world celebrate this celestial event, from lighting candles and bonfires to ...
Where: OaklandCost: $25 Adult, $15 Youth
Saturday, 12/23/23
Foothills Family Nature WalkEnvironmental 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 ...
Join Adam Larson for a live demonstration and an up-close look at the Planktoscope, an affordable open-source microscope that empowers communities to monitor plankton in their local fresh and salt waters. The Plankstocope’s integrated flow-through imaging system automates organism detection and quantification, even offline, to create immense datasets enriched by ...
Where: Santa CruzCost: Free with admission
Family Astronomy: Edible AstronomyExplore the wonders of astronomy through delicious and edible creations! This interactive workshop is designed to introduce children to the vastness of space, the planets, and other celestial objects, all while having a scrumptious educational experience. Let’s embark on this cosmic culinary adventure together, concluding with free public telescope viewing. ...
Where: OaklandCost: $25 Adult, $15 Youth
Tuesday, 12/26/23
Telescope Moon Viewing - BrisbaneJoin us as for an evening of sky watching. We will be using the libraries new telescopes to look up at the last full moon of 2023. This evening of sky gazing is suitable for patrons aged 6+ (with guardian supervision) and will have a five-minute limit viewing time per ...
Where: BrisbaneCost: Free
Telescope Moon Viewing - San CarlosJoin us as for an evening of sky watching. We will be using the libraries new telescopes to look up at the last full moon of 2023. This evening of sky gazing is suitable for patrons aged 6+ (with guardian supervision) and will have a five-minute limit viewing time per ...
Where: San CarlosCost: Free
Wednesday, 12/27/23
Telescope Moon Viewing - East Palo AltoJoin us as for an evening of sky watching. We will be using the libraries new telescopes to look up at the last full moon of 2023. This evening of sky gazing is suitable for patrons aged 6+ (with guardian supervision) and will have a five-minute limit viewing time per ...
Where: East Palo AltoCost: Free
Telescope Moon Viewing - PacificaJoin us as for an evening of sky watching. We will be using the libraries new telescopes to look up at the last full moon of 2023. This evening of sky gazing is suitable for patrons aged 6+ (with guardian supervision) and will have a five-minute limit viewing time per ...
Where: PacificaCost: Free
Telescope Moon Viewing - WoodsideJoin us as for an evening of sky watching. We will be using the libraries new telescopes to look up at the last full moon of 2023. This evening of sky gazing is suitable for patrons aged 6+ (with guardian supervision) and will have a five-minute limit viewing time per ...
Where: WoodsideCost: Free
Telescope Moon Viewing - Foster CityJoin us as for an evening of sky watching. We will be using the libraries new telescopes to look up at the last full moon of 2023. This evening of sky gazing is suitable for patrons aged 6+ (with guardian supervision) and will have a five-minute limit viewing time per ...
Where: Foster CityCost: Free
Thursday, 12/28/23
After Dark: Find Your GlowCelebrate the end of the year at Exploratorium After Dark! Find your bliss among immersive light and sound experiences at our special exhibition Glow. Play LED dungeon crawlers and count it as a 2023 win. Gain a new perspective with interactive mechanical mirrors, and get in touch with your creative ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $19.95 General, Free for members
Telescope Moon Viewing - BelmontJoin us as for an evening of sky watching. We will be using the libraries new telescopes to look up at the last full moon of 2023. This evening of sky gazing is suitable for patrons aged 6+ (with guardian supervision) and will have a five-minute limit viewing time per ...
Where: BelmontCost: Free
Sunday, 12/31/23
2023 Grand Finale at Lawrence Hall of ScienceLooking to celebrate the New Year with your kids but don’t want to stay up past their bedtime? Our annual family-friendly New Year’s Eve celebration is back! You bring the holiday cheer, and we’ll bring the magic of confetti cannons, with several launches throughout the day. Register ahead of time ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free with general museum admission
Monday, 01/01/24
First Day HikesCalifornia State Parks are hosting First Day Hikes at several state park locations around the Bay Area. Locations include:Angel IslandBig Basin RedwoodsMurray RanchCastle RockHenry Cowell RedwoodsMontara State BeachMt. TamalpaisNatural Bridges State BeachPachecoPescadero State BeachPigeon Point Light StationSan Luis ReservoirSeacliff State BeachForest of Nisene MarksWilder RanchThe hikes are free, but there ...
Where: Cost: Free
Thursday, 01/04/24
What to Expect in 2024The new year has begun, and it's time for your favorite hosts - Franck Marchis and Beth Johnson - to run down some of the space science to look forward to in 2024! We will talk about launches, missions, celestial events (including a certain solar eclipse), and even SETI Institute's ...
Where: Cost: Free
After Dark: See for YourselfReset and refresh your perspective at Exploratorium After Dark! What does your reflection look like in a mechanical mirror lit by only one candle? What’s underneath the Bay, exactly? We have (almost) all the answers, and more. And don’t miss our special exhibition Glow, which will reveal the art and ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $19.95 General, Free for members
Bhutan: The Happiest Kingdom on Earth - LivestreamOur presenter will be Chubzang Tangbi, owner and head guide for Langur Eco Travels. Bhutan is the only country to enshrine “Gross National Happiness†into its constitution. It’s roughly the size of Maryland but it boasts nearly 600 species of birds. Join us for Chubzang’s presentation in which he’ll discuss ...
Where: Cost: Free
Friday, 01/05/24
Solids, Liquids, and Gases Science Show - First SessionCelebrate the end of our Winter Weeks season with a live, interactive experience! Explore the properties of the three states of matter - solids, liquids, and gasses - in this phase-changing, mind-bending science show. You’ll hear lots of â€oohs†and â€ahhs†as you witness dazzling experiments with liquid nitrogen, dry ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free with general museum admission
Solids, Liquids, and Gases Science Show - Second SessionCelebrate the end of our Winter Weeks season with a live, interactive experience! Explore the properties of the three states of matter - solids, liquids, and gasses - in this phase-changing, mind-bending science show. You’ll hear lots of â€oohs†and â€ahhs†as you witness dazzling experiments with liquid nitrogen, dry ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free with general museum admission
First Friday: Close EncountersAre we alone in the universe? Or could there be other forms of life out there, waiting far away in the vast expanse of space? Hear from researchers, astrobiologists and astronomers on the possibility of extraterrestrial life and distant exoplanets that could sustain it. Show off your best out-of-this-world attire by wearing your best alien-themed costume ...
Where: OaklandCost: $15 General, $10 Kids/Seniors, $5 Members
The show is a celebration of mathematics and the performing arts intended for the general public. The show will feature some of today’s greatest mathematical performers including the music of The Klein Four, the poetry of Harry Baker, the theatrics of Colin Adams, the magic of Art Benjamin, the rope ...
Where: San FransiscoCost: $45 - $60
Saturday, 01/06/24
The Physics Show (three performances)The Physics Show is a fun science show for kids and their families. These will be the exact same shows that were presented in September, 2023 What is The Physics Show?Links to purchase tickets:Saturday January6, 2024 at 10:00 amSaturday January 6, 2024 at 1:00 pmSaturday January 6, 2024 at 3:30 pmSunday ...
Where: Los Altos HillsCost: $6
Nike Missile Site Veteran Open HouseVeterans of the Nike program come to the site to share their stories with visitors and give guided tours of SF88 between the hours of 12pm - 3pm The SF-88 Nike Missile Site is the most fully restored Nike missile site in the country. During the tense years of the Cold War, from ...
Where: Mill ValleyCost: Free
He/She/They: How We Talk About Gender and Why It MattersOne of the most controversial topics today is the issue of gender and the related matters of identity, language and law.Schuyler Bailar's story of becoming the first openly transgender athlete to compete on an NCAA Division 1 team in any sport appeared everywhere from "60 Minutes" to "The Ellen Show" ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $5 General, Free for members in person,Free onlin
Saturday Cinema: The Art + Science of Luminous AnimationsCelebrate the Exploratorium’s winter exhibition Glow: Discover the Art of Light with radiant animations, both meditative and kinetic. Five short films capture the holiday spirit, the translucent elements of nature, the radiance of winter’s starry skies and ancestral stories, and the science of salt crystals shaped like jeweled snowflakes.These films ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free with admission
Starry Nights Star PartyThe San Jose Astronomical Association (SJAA), working with the Santa Clara County Open Space Authority (OSA), is glad to co-host a public star party at Rancho Canada del Oro (RCDO) Open Space Preserve. This site, just 30 minutes south of downtown San Jose, features dark skies. It's dark enough to ...
Where: Morgan HillCost: Free
Sunday, 01/07/24
Point Reyes National Seashore Fungus FairJoin us for the 17th annual Point Reyes National Seashore Fungus Fair. Attend free lectures in the Bear Valley Visitor Center Auditorium. Learn about fungi and their role in the many Point Reyes habitats, from grasslands to redwoods. See the remarkable colors and shapes of wild mushrooms collected in the ...
Where: Point Reyes StationCost: Free
The Physics Show (three performances)The Physics Show is a fun science show for kids and their families. These will be the exact same shows that were presented in September, 2023 What is The Physics Show?Links to purchase tickets:Saturday January6, 2024 at 10:00 amSaturday January 6, 2024 at 1:00 pmSaturday January 6, 2024 at 3:30 pmSunday ...
It’s there for us year round, lighting our days and providing energy for our lives, so maybe it’s time to give it a closer look. Join SJAA for amazing and detailed views of the Sun, and be assured that we’ll be using special telescopes that will keep your eyeballs perfectly ...
Dr. John Concato, from the Office of Medical Policy in FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, will discuss “FDA Guidance on Real-World Evidence.†His presentation will describe the main components of FDA’s Real-World Evidence Program, focusing on guidance development. Dr. Concato will also summarize the historical context leading to ...
Large language models, on their own, have important limitations. I will discuss the trend of "augmenting" language models in various ways to overcome those limitations. Specifically, I will focus on two kinds of augmentation: retrieval augmented generation (RAG) and associated approaches; and vision-augmented language models enhanced to see (LENS).Speaker: Douwe ...
In this talk, Keith Bowen, Ph.D, who is Director of the Learning Design Challenge in the Stanford Accelerator for Learning, shares research into a new program using technology in the education and training of humanitarian responders in the U.S. and the Middle East. For immersive learning, the program uses Virtual ...
Venture Capital investor Mike Lin shares his entrepreneurial journey from Stanford (BS '03, MS '06), to Apple, to startup founder, to venture investing. He'll dive into his venture capital investment thesis centered on demand-side decarbonization, integrative design, and anti-fragility.Attend in person or online (see weblink)
 Sci-Fi movies often depict hibernation as the secret to long-duration human spaceflight. (Note: Even with ideal starship acceleration and deceleration, the nearest exoplanet is 3.6 years away!) Of course, the boundary between science fiction and science fantasy is hazy. Advances in anesthesia may facilitate hibernation. Physiologically, however, general anesthesia is ...
Tow a plankton net in a body of sea water and chances are it will catch copepods. Ubiquitous, abundant, diverse, and prey to many organisms, their importance in marine ecosystems is not in question. Because of their small size and their vast 3-dimensional habitats, copepods are poor models for physiological ...
Coastal Walk at Pillar Point BluffJoin Peninsula Open Space Trust for a beautiful walk at Pillar Point Bluff just north of Half Moon Bay! You will be guided by POST ambassadors who will share details about the area’s interesting natural history, from the coastal scrub habitat to the Fitzgerald Marine Preserve which hosts tide pools ...
The functions of biomolecules are often based in their ability to convert between multiple conformations. Recent advances in deep learning for predicting and designing single structures of proteins mean that the next frontier lies in how well we can characterize, model, and predict protein dynamics. I will talk about two ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
A Royal Walk with the King Tide Along the EmbarcaderoJoin Exploratorium and Port of San Francisco staff on the San Francisco waterfront to observe, photograph, and discuss the king tides. “King tide†is a popular, non-scientific term used to describe exceptionally high tides.Come find out what causes the tides, why we have higher tides at this time of year, ...
As climate change impacts escalate, donors, international organizations, and state actors are implementing adaptation projects that seek to make landscapes and livelihoods more resilient. These projects typically last 5 years, at which time these actors withdraw, and local communities are left to sustain adaptation interventions. However, to date, few studies ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
After Dark: King TidesGive yourself the royal treatment at tonight’s After Dark. Learn about king tides - the non-scientific term for the highest tides of the year - with Exploratorium scientists and researchers. This season, two out of three king tides will take place on January 11 and 12. Are the king tides ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $19.95 General, Free for members
Measuring Our Chances: Risk Prediction in This World and its BettersStanford Data Science is pleased to host our Winter Distinguished Lecture on January 11th, 2024. Our speaker is Dr. Cynthia Dwork, the Gordon McKay Professor of Computer Science at the Harvard University John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences and Affiliated Faculty at Harvard Law School.
Where: StanfordCost: Free
Fungi Fundamentals - Mushrooms of the Bay AreaThe unique ecosystem of the Bay Area's coastal redwoods provides an ideal setting for mushrooms to flourish. Join us for a cap-tivating online event as we explore and uncover more about the fungal landscape.In collaboration with the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History (SCMNH), we invite you to a special ...
A November 2023 episode of Science Friday, an NPR show beloved by many, including myself, included a short episode dedicated to the environmental problems caused by wild horses on the landscape of the western United States. In this episode, the host presented the view of Yvette Running Horse Collin rejecting ...
