Getting to net zero carbon emissions will require Congress to more aggressively regulate greenhouse gas emissions. If the idea has wide support (and it does), why can't Congress muster the will to do it? David Spence (University of Texas at Austin) tackles this question in his new book Climate of ...
Human activities that emit greenhouse gases are undergoing rapid shifts in response to technological, economic, and regulatory pressures. In this dynamic environment, our knowledge of current emissions is often surprisingly incomplete, and this hinders society’s ability to plan effective mitigation actions. In this talk I will discuss our research focused ...
Strong interactions between particles can lead to emergent collective excitations. In the solid state, these phenomena have been extensively established in electronic systems, but are also expected to occur for gases of neutral particles like spin waves (magnons) in a magnet. In a regime where magnons are strongly interacting, they ...
Quasicrystals are exotic materials with symmetries once thought to be impossible for matter. This talk will describe the decades-long adventures searching for them in nature and other exotic environments that continues to this day, resulting in one of the stranger scientific stories you will ever hear.Speaker: Paul Steinhardt, Princeton UniversityAttend in person or online (see weblink ...
Where: Menlo ParkCost: Free
Mapping the inner world of cellsCellular processes are orchestrated by many biomolecules in a spatially and temporally coordinated manner within a tiny volume. To uncover the underlying organizational principles and their functional relevance, we take microscopy visualization as the primary approach to systematically map their spatial localization, temporal dynamics, and activity profiles. By combining small ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
One Path to an Astronomy Outreach CareerDr. Lauren Corlies, Public Education Manager at Lick observatory will present a talk about navigating a career path in Astronomy Outreach, as well as identifying the skills and experiences that have helped along the way.
In 1976 Kroger and Reich established the existence of a low-lying nuclear excited state in 229Th through the spectroscopy of rays emitted following the decay of 233U. The prospects of a laser-accessible nuclear transition touched off a flurry of proposals to utilize this apparently unique nuclear transition as a sensitive ...
The ability to prepare highly functionalized molecules in general and predictable ways is central to modern drug design and discovering new treatments for human disease. The aim of our program is to create new methods to solve the longstanding synthetic challenge of asymmetrically constructing biologically active small molecules. Classical synthetic ...
Juno mission was designed to study Jupiter. But, over time, the torque from the Sun and Jupiter’s oblateness rotated Juno’s orbit, allowing the investigation of Jupiter’s satellite system, which was the primary objective of Juno’s extended mission. The Juno spacecraft performed close and distant flybys of Ganymede, Europa, and Io ...
Using more than 20 state-of-the-art 3D core-collapse simulations tounprecedented late times (fully in 3D), I provide correlations betweencore-collapse supernova observables and progenitor core structures thatemerge. This is the largest such collection of 3D supernova models evergenerated and allows one to witness and derive testable patterns thatmight otherwise be obscured when ...
Electrolytes, polyelectrolytes, and hydrogels are essential components in energy and biotechnology applications, offering unique potential for designing materials that replicate biological functions. Our research explores the physical properties of materials containing electrical charges, explains organization and transport mechanisms, and identifies strategies to control emerging functionalities.Speaker: Monica Olvera de la Cruz, ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
How can we better prepare for natural disasters?Gary Griggs will be diving into his new book, California Catastrophes: The Natural Disaster History of the Golden State. Meet Gary and learn about the history of the state’s vulnerability to natural hazards and how we can better prepare going forward.
Where: Santa CruzCost: Free
The Health of Our OceansJoin us as industry-leading experts from Monterey Bay Aquarium, Stanford’s Doerr School, and SRI explore ocean health and the impact on our future. We are pleased to host Julie Packard - marine biologist and Executive Director of the Monterey Bay Aquarium - who will talk about her groundbreaking work in ...
Dr. Dennis E. Desjardin is Professor Emeritus of Biology/Mycology at San Francisco State University and Director Emeritus of the H.D. Thiers Herbarium. He has spent the past 40 years teaching mycology at universities and conducting field studies throughout the world, primarily in understudied tropical forests documenting mushroom diversity. He was ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free
Astronomy on Tap Tucson #100: From Venus to Hidden Galaxies - LivestreamOn tap this month, we have Lunar and Planetary Laboratory and Steward Observatory astronomers Drs. Wesley Tucker and Michael Jones taking us on a journey from our own planetary neighbor, Venus, out into the cosmos to find galaxies.Click here to watch
Where: Cost: Free
Wednesday, 10/16/24
Bay Area Planetary Science ConferenceThe Bay Area Planetary Science (BAPS) Conference was created to bolster collaborations among planetary enthusiasts around the Bay Area, CA. We welcome participants at all academic levels, students and professionals alike. BAPS does not focus on any specific sub-field within the planetary sciences, and welcomes contributions from all areas relevant ...
The deep sea is one of Earth’s most diverse and least understood ecosystems, where biodiversity is shaped by both natural and anthropogenic processes. This seminar explores the intricate dynamics of deep-sea life through three key phenomena: woodfalls, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill (DWH), and sediment patchiness. Woodfalls create ephemeral but ...
The rapid emergence of generative AI technologies has been shaped by a wave of early excitement and hope for a broad range of use cases. Yet, the impacts of the latest models on historically marginalized communities is still relatively understudied, including the potential for sociotechnical harm.In this session, the speakers ...
Speakers: Aaron Micallef and Giancarlo TroniThe speaker originally scheduled for today, Sora Kim, UC Merced, has been rescheduled for November 6, 2024.
As global food demand grows, new approaches are needed to produce food in resource-limited environments beyond traditional agricultural systems. I will discuss two areas of research from our group: (1) our development of a hybrid inorganic??"biological artificial photosynthesis system that uses electrochemically derived acetate to cultivate food-producing organisms independent of ...
Steady advancement in microelectronics technology over the past six decades have had transformative impact on life in modern society, as they have enabled exponential growth in information collection and processing, ushering in the age of artificial intelligence. Challenges for sustaining the AI revolution will require disruptive innovation and collaboration to ...
The electricity sector is the linchpin in any path to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions. Over a decade of research, Prof. Jenkins has explored what it will take to build an affordable, reliable, carbon-free grid. Wind power, solar photovoltaics and lithium-ion batteries are now affordable, mature, rapidly scaling industries, providing the ...
Challenges and Safeguards against AI-Generated DisinformationDistinguishing between human- and AI-generated content is already an important enough problem in multiple domains ??" from social media moderation to education ??" that there is a quickly growing body of empirical research on AI detection and an equally quickly growing industry of its non/commercial applications. But will current tools ...
The adoption of renewable energy technologies hinges on the availability of many critical minerals. To meet the large demand for critical minerals, it is vital to scale up mineral supply chains that are resilient and sustainable. In this talk, Karan will introduce the STEER program at Stanford which is guiding ...
In this talk, Jesse Conklin will discuss how his own career in ornithology, including 18 years of research on Alaska-breeding Bar-tailed Godwits, has been irreparably entwined with the quest to understand just how far a bird can fly. Jesse will discuss how our understanding of the godwits’ incredible trans-Pacific migration ...
Space exploration is increasingly privatized, from Earth's orbital space to the Moon and beyond. This has led to increasing congestion and environmental degradation of low-Earth orbits. Along with dramatic rises in ground-based light pollution, this has caused brightening night skies worldwide. The loss of dark skies and increasing space debris ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free
Thursday, 10/17/24
Lunch Break Science - LivestreamLunch Break Science is a dynamic live web series featuring fascinating short talks, engaging interviews, and lively Q&A with Leakey Foundation scientists. Each episode digs deeper into the latest human origins discoveries, with topics like Neanderthals, chimpanzee behavior, and more! Even better, you can interact with researchers during the show ...
Radio echo sounding is a uniquely powerful geophysical technique for studying the interior of ice sheets, glaciers, and icy planetary bodies. It can provide broad coverage and deep penetration as well as interpretable ice thickness, basal topography, and englacial radio stratigraphy. However, despite the long tradition of glaciological interpretation of ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
Invertebrate Pirates: Mechanism and Evolution of a Stolen DefenseThe complexity of life is a critical driver of animal biodiversity. Complex phenotypes, which are those that integrate both co-opted and novel features at multiple levels of biological organization (e.g., genes, tissues, behaviors), are commonplace in biology. Many even require other organisms to function, but we know little about how ...
The seemingly magical ability of a spinning top to stay upright fascinated people for many thousands of years and in many civilizations. Clay spinning tops dated to about 6,000 years ago were excavated in Iraq. And for all these millenia another similarly counterintuitive phenomenon hovered undiscovered until 1908, when Stephenson observed that imposing ...
In this talk, I will introduce two AI-driven systems designed to address key challenges in educational mentorship and social learning, aligning with research on how technology can enhance development and collaboration.The first project explores the concept of “Thinking assistants” aimed at fostering reflective thinking and self-directed learning. Thinking assistants act ...
This presentation shows the steps to design a bandpass filter starting with a specification of the passband, then to derive a prototype lowpass filter using network synthesis, and finally to convert to a bandpass filter.Speaker: Robert Lee Bruce, RetiredAttend in person or online (see weblink for Zoom information)
Where: Rohnert ParkCost: Free
Charging Forward: Lithium Valley, Electric Vehicles and a Just FutureCalifornia’s Salton Sea region is home to some of the worst environmental health conditions in the country. Recently, however, it has also become ground zero in the new “lithium gold rush”??"the race to power the rapidly expanding electric vehicle and renewable energy storage market. The immense quantities of lithium lurking ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $22 General, discounts for members
NightLife: Hella '89NightLife’s reppin’ the YAY AREAAA with Bay Area history, music that slaps, and hella local love.
Where: San FranciscoCost: Varies
After Dark: Decision TimeDiscover the science behind decision-making at After Dark. Explore our galleries for eye-opening exhibits that reveal the psychology and sociology behind elections, voting, and collective decision-making. How do we reach consensus, and how do we influence each other in the process? Make the best decision of your week by joining ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $22.95 General, Free for members
Generative AI & The Future of InnovationDiscover the future of creativity and technology at our event with a panel discussion on "Generative AI & The Future of Innovation." This gathering brings together professionals from various industries to explore how generative AI is revolutionizing everything. Whether you're a tech enthusiast, a business leader, or a creative thinker, ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $20 General, $10 Students
How the East Bay Got Its Regional Parks - LivestreamCelebrate the 90th anniversary of the founding of the East Bay Regional Park District with an evening of short presentations about the history of the Park District and its role in protecting birds.Speakers:Amelia Marshall is a local history author; Natalie Reeder is a Wildlife Biologist at East Bay Regional Park ...
Join POST and Dr. Emily Fairfax - ecohydrologist, beaver dam enthusiast, and Assistant Professor of Geography at the University of Minnesota - for an engaging evening where we’ll gnaw through the big issues and chew on the critical role of beavers in our climate.This event offers a unique opportunity to ...
Where: Cost: Free
Friday, 10/18/24
Land x Good Fire: Trione-AnnadelJoin fellows from Audubon Canyon Ranch's Fire Forward fellowship program for Sonoma County residents to learn about Good Fire.Join fellows from Audubon Canyon Ranch’s Fire Forward fellowship program for Sonoma County residents to learn about good fire. Land x Good Fire is part of the Resilient Forests and Watersheds Workshops ...
Where: Santa RosaCost: Free
Maker Faire Bay AreaSee the weblink for information on activities, classes and schedules, talks, and free ferry shuttle service from Vallejo (Saturday and Sunday only).Single day advance tickets: $48 General, $24 Youth; Day of tickets at door: $60/$30Weekend advance tickets: $80 Adult, $40 Youth; Day of tickets at door: $100/$50Parking passes for weekend ...
Urban air mobility (UAM) enables highly automated, cooperative passenger- or cargo-carrying air transportation services in and around urban areas. In order to increase the volume of UAM operation, the key is to understand and enable the “highly automation.” The highly automation does not just apply to vehicle automation but to ...
The reductive chemistry of the rare-earth and actinide metals has undergone major changes in recent years. New +2 oxidation states are available for these elements in molecular complexes and these new complexes expand the range of physical properties observable for compounds of the f orbital metals. This includes their ...
Ancient and unhurried, long-lived and majestic, turtles - some individuals living longer than 200 years - have a lineage that stretches back to the time of the dinosaurs. In literary terms, turtles are "the perfect conduits for meditations on aging, disability, and chosen family," according to Scientific American. Such meditations ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free
Saturday, 10/19/24
Dinosaur Lookout Grand OpeningA new exhibit is roaring into The Lawrence! Join us for the grand opening of Dinosaur Lookout! Meet five colossal creatures that roar and move in our outdoor dinosaur park. Take in our sweeping view of the San Francisco Bay as you engage in hands-on dinosaur-themed activities. After meeting a ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free with admission
Maker Faire Bay AreaSee the weblink for information on activities, classes and schedules, talks, and free ferry shuttle service from Vallejo (Saturday and Sunday only).Single day advance tickets: $48 General, $24 Youth; Day of tickets at door: $60/$30Weekend advance tickets: $80 Adult, $40 Youth; Day of tickets at door: $100/$50Parking passes for weekend ...
Join YSI as we walk around Alum Rock Park and teach you about our feathered friends! Learn how to identify birds by their key characteristics, how to use binoculars, and then make a craft that will help you attract birds into your backyard!A registered adult must accompany their child(ren) for ...
Where: San JoseCost: Free
Electric Home Tour 2024This fall, Acterra: Action for a Healthy Planet (Acterra) invites the public to explore innovative, electrified homes across the Bay Area. Homeowners throughout San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties will open their doors to showcase the electric appliances and equipment they’ve installed as replacements for gas-powered products. Building on ...
Where: Cost: Free
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
Comet 2023/A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS viewingThe Foothill College Astronomy Department and the Peninsula Astronomical Society will hold a special event to view newly discovered comet 2023/A3. It has just survived it's close pass by the sun, and is now moving past the Earth on it's many thousands of years orbit... so come enjoy it for ...
In the evolution of the Universe, there remains a gap in understanding the formation of first stars and galaxies, ~300,000 years after the Big Bang. These early stars brought with them the first light in the Universe, thus leading to ‘Cosmic Dawn’. Although this is an event of the past, ...
Where: San JoseCost: Free
Sunday, 10/20/24
Land x Good Fire: Northwest Sonoma CountyJoin fellows from Audubon Canyon Ranch's Fire Forward fellowship program for Sonoma County residents to learn about Good Fire.Join fellows from Audubon Canyon Ranch’s Fire Forward fellowship program for Sonoma County residents to learn about good fire. Land x Good Fire is part of the Resilient Forests and Watersheds Workshops ...
Where: Sonoma CountyCost: Free
Maker Faire Bay AreaSee the weblink for information on activities, classes and schedules, talks, and free ferry shuttle service from Vallejo (Saturday and Sunday only).Single day advance tickets: $48 General, $24 Youth; Day of tickets at door: $60/$30Weekend advance tickets: $80 Adult, $40 Youth; Day of tickets at door: $100/$50Parking passes for weekend ...
