Arthur Dawson, founder of Baseline Consulting, is a recognized expert on regional history and historical ecology. He has published several books on these subjects, including a local bestseller; been a guest lecturer at UC Davis and several California state universities, and is certified by the state of California as a ...
Where: Rohnert ParkCost: Free
Coastal dynamics in the Anthropocene: Integrated watershed-coastal processes on temperate Eastern Pacific coastsThe integrated effects of watershed hydrology and coastal hydrodynamics are felt in wetlands, estuaries, deltas, and exposed coasts. Small watersheds with steep topography, common in California and Chile experience temporally variable watershed and oceanic forcing (e.g. seasonal precipitation, seasonally variable wave climate), which manifest as episodic events. Climate change, drought, ...
Speaker: Hyowon Gweon, Stanford UniversitySee weblink for instructions to gain entry to the building.Room 126
Where: StanfordCost: Free
Measurement-induced entanglement and control transitions using feedbackIn recent years, substantial progress has been achieved in understanding entanglement transitions in monitored quantum systems. In this talk, I will summarize some key facts we’ve learned and how they can be used in quantum control protocols. Drawing parallels with classically chaotic systems, we identify features that link and delink ...
The Greenlining Institute works towards a future where communities of color can build wealth, live in healthy places filled with economic opportunity, and are ready to meet the challenges posed by climate change. Building lasting climate resilience in communities of color can only be achieved by focusing on the intersection ...
Health care is facing a massive staffing crisis. There are not enough health-care professionals to meet current and expected increases in demand. The rapid advancement of generative AI provides the opportunity to not only close the health-care staffing gap, but go beyond to enable access to infinitely scalable, high-quality care ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $20 General, $10 Members in person, $5/free online
In 2007, astronomers discovered a new mysterious cosmic phenomenon: Fast Radio Bursts. These events consist of short, intense blasts of radio waves arriving from far outside our Milky Way galaxy. Their origin is unknown, however Fast Radio Bursts appear ubiquitous in our Universe, with roughly 1000 arriving every day over ...
Humans have pondered the question of our place in the cosmos and whether we are alone in the Universe since our ancestors first gazed upon the stars with wonder and curiosity.  For most of human history the question of life beyond Earth has been relegated to the religious and philosophical. But ...
Interdisciplinary tribute to Kafka Stanley Corngold (Princeton Univ, Emeritus) on "Franz Kafka in 2024" Ken Krimstein (New Yorker) on "Einstein in Kafkaland" Claire Pentecost (Media Artist & Art Inst of Chicago, Emeritus) on "Kafka, the Comfortless Muse"Â Â
Fast Radio Bursts (FRBs) are a mysterious new class of extragalactic fast radio transients whose nature is presently unknown. Here I provide a detailed review of FRB phenomenology and identify particularly remarkable sources that may act as Rosetta Stones for understanding the origin of the population, with an emphasis on ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
National Security in an Uncertain WorldDr. Kimberly S. Budil will join the Berkeley Risk and Security Lab (BRSL) for a discussion on the role of the national laboratories, specifically Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, in today’s strategic ecosystem. She’ll discuss the Lab’s scientific vision, goals, and objectives, and touch on its critical programs related to national ...
Steve Palumbi has always tried to turn advances in marine science into practical tools to solve problems…from climate change impact on corals to how to test the species of seafood. He’s also the author of books such as The Death and Life of Monterey Bay and The Extreme Life of ...
 Currently, nuclear power provides ten percent of world electricity generation. As physicists and engineers strive to make new reactors that are small, clean, and safe, what does the future hold for nuclear power in a warming world? Join this discussion of the current status and future directions for nuclear energy.Our ...
The origin of the pentaradial body plan of echinoderms from a bilateral ancestor is one of the most enduring zoological puzzles. Since echinoderms are defined by morphological novelty, even the most basic axial comparisons with their bilaterian relatives are problematic. To revisit this classical question, we used conserved antero-posterior (AP) ...
Where: Cost: Free
Funnel of Love: The Secret Sex Lives of Harbor Porpoises - LivestreamDid you know that the waters underneath the Golden Gate Bridge are a breeding hotspot for harbor porpoises? In this fun and fascinating virtual event, you’ll learn all about the mating behaviors of harbor porpoises with two of The Marine Mammal Center’s Cetacean Conservation Biologists, Bill Keener and Marc Webber ...
The Human Rights Dimensions of Generative AI: Guiding the Way ForwardThe significant deployment of Generative AI over the last year has underscored the urgent need to examine the human rights dimensions of artificial intelligence. This panel explores the relevance of human rights frameworks to the tech sector and regulators as they consider how to govern its use in ways that maximize the ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
Thursday, 02/15/24
Discoveries at Laetoli: Footprints, Fossils, and Hominin Diversity - LivestreamJoin paleoanthropologist Dr. Charles Musiba to learn about Laetoli’s famous 3.6 million-year-old footprints, the hominins who made them, and new discoveries at the site.There are several ways to join the Lunch Break Science fun!Subscribe to our YouTube channel and click the bell for a notification when the show starts.Watch on ...
Where: Cost: Free
From Earth to Mars: The Incredible Story of the Ingenuity Helicopter - LivestreamWith a first flight on April 19, 2021, NASA's Ingenuity helicopter broke ground on new capabilities for remote planetary missions. For nearly three years, the little drone far exceeded the originally planned technology demonstration of up to five flights, taking off and landing 72 times! Sadly, damage to the rotor ...
A survey of the new artificial-intelligence (AI)-based approaches for analysis, design, optimization, and knowledge discovery in electromagnetic nanostructures will be presented. Recent advances in using both deep-learning (DL) techniques and machine-learning (ML) techniques and their application to practical problems will be covered. These techniques will not only enable more efficient ...
Quantum computing has the potential to play a key role in future solutions to simulation, optimization, and machine learning problems. To realize this potential though, a number of technological hurdles must be overcome. In this lecture we will discuss what a quantum computer is, as well as many of the ...
The presentation will cover how solar photovoltaic cells convert solar energy into usable power. The effects on energy production due to insolation (sunlight) and temperature. Simple solar systems covers traditional string inverters versus modern microinverters and discusses the safety benefits. Energy storage is discussed starting with the why storage is ...
Where: Rohnert ParkCost: Free
Matrix on Point: Surveillance and Privacy in a Biometric WorldAs governments and businesses begin to use more forms of biometric identification - including fingerprints, facial recognition, and voice recognition, among others - it’s easier than ever to recognize a person. What implications do these technologies have on the future of privacy and surveillance? In this Matrix on Point panel, ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Connectivity Standards Alliance & Matter Introduction - LivestreamOn October 4, 2022, the Alliance released Matter 1.0, a global, open-source standard that removes barriers to IoT device interoperability & sustainability by enabling smart home products to work together seamlessly, to help to improve efficiency and reduce energy use and cost. This industry-unifying standard is the foundation for connected ...
Where: Cost: Free
The Sugar 'Fix': The Addiction and the TreatmentDr. Robert Lustig and Dr. Nicole Avena will have a conversation about sugar, based on many years of scientific and clinical experience.They will begin with a brief history of the evolution of sugar in our food environment and move on to where we are today regarding types of sugar and ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $20 General, $10 Members, Free students
Mahjong mayhem. Night market thrills. Lion Dance remix. Ring in the year of the dragon the NightLife way.
Where: San FranciscoCost: Varies
After Dark: SexplorationsLooking for a hot night out on the town? Slip into something comfortable and take an intimate look at sex - you know, the transfer of genetic information through sperm and eggs, which has resulted in evolution and specialization among species over time. From the lengths we’ll go to for ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $19.95 General, Free for members
Astronomy on Tap Santa Cruz: From Star Stories to Space Mysteries: A Journey through the UniverseJoin us on an adventure from the ancient tales of the cosmos to today’s quest to uncover the universe’s deepest secrets. We’ll explore how curiosity about the night sky and beyond led to groundbreaking discoveries about the Universe and our place in it. Along the way, we’ll share amusing anecdotes ...
Where: Santa CruzCost: Free
Sonoma County Mycological monthly meeting: SOMA Scholarship Recipients - LivestreamFor the February meeting the recipients of the SOMA scholarship will be presenting on their research. The meeting will start with a series of short 5 minute “flash talks†and then several 15 minute research summaries by the students. This is an extremely exciting opportunity to learn about the cutting ...
When we contemplate how bird diversity has changed, we often focus on the handful of species we have lost entirely. But while we have yet to lose a single bird species to our rapidly changing climate, birds and other creatures are currently adapting and responding in myriad ways. Across the world, species are shifting their geographic ...
Where: Cost: Free
Friday, 02/16/24
Bird Walk at Pond SF2Join us for a leisurely, morning stroll to view shorebirds that frequent the Pond SF2! This will be an interpretive guided tour to learn about resident bird species, migratory birds and the South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project. This is a 1.4 mile round trip on an all-weather, accessible trail (one ...
Speaker: Phyllis Zee, Northwestern UniversityAttend in person, or click here to attend online.
Where: StanfordCost: Free
Saturday, 02/17/24
Plant Identification at SanbornJoin YSI as we walk through the Sanborn trails, look for various plants, and learn how to identify them! Are they native? Medicinal? Edible? Poisonous? Join us to find out!Ages 7 - 12, with registered adultRegister at weblink
During the Cold War, the US evolved reconnaissance technology, resulting in today’s real-time video capabilities. Initially, film was used in satellites to monitor treaty compliance and intelligence gathering of the Soviet Union and other “denied areas.†The vehicle, HEXAGON, was 60-feet long and took pictures from 100 miles up. The ...
Where: San CarlosCost: 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!The event will take place in Tunnel Tops National Park, parking is located adjacent to Picnic Place (210 Lincoln Blvd for GPS) with the telescopes setup in the East Meadow.Dress warmly as conditions ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free
Space, the Final FrontierTrek on over to Chabot Space & Science Center to celebrate your favorite space-themed television series during this 21+ event. Sip on Romulan Ale while you enjoy a night filled with special guests, trivia, cocktails, exciting talks, planetarium shows and more! Be sure to boldly go in your best Starfleet-themed attire to compete in our costume contest. ...
Around the world, people recognize that E=mc^2 oozes cosmic insight. But what does this "most famous equation" 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 ...
