At depths >200m there is little ambient sunlight, but bioluminescent organisms provide another light source that can reveal animals. Pigmentation, however, allows an animal to absorb emitted light. We present evidence that suggests selective pressure to reduce reflected bioluminescence has led to the evolution of ultrablack skin (reflectance <0.5%) in ...
Long-term energy transitions require large investments in emerging technologies whose costs are uncertain and evolve with deployment. Investment decisions that fail to account for this uncertainty risk locking in expensive or inefficient pathways if actual technology costs diverge from projections. Existing approaches often rely on expert elicitation of future cost ...
Butterfly Walk in the Garden - FULLJoin our butterfly docent specialist Sally Levinson and Andy Liu for a guided walk through the Garden in search of butterflies, as you learn about their plant relationships and amazing life cycle.Bring binoculars if you have them.Registered children welcome. Pre-registration is required, space is limited.Fee includes admission to the Garden
The Vera C. Rubin Observatory is a unique ground-based astronomy facility, with the largest digital camera in the world, designed to provide a time-lapse “movie” of the entire sky from the Earth’s southern hemisphere. Over its planned ten years of operation, the Rubin Observatory will obtain nearly 1,000 images of ...
Where: Los Altos HillsCost: Free
Difficult Conversations - AI and the WorkplaceArtificial Intelligence proponents say it automates mundane tasks, freeing people up for more creative and productive pursuits, making their lives easier. Opponents say it eliminates jobs, widening the wealth gap, making people's lives harder.We'll explore the divisive issue of AI in the workplace.Speakers: Jane Gong, Director of Emerging Technologies for ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $12 General in person, $9 online
Spatial Phylogenetic DiversityBiodiversity is more than counting species, it’s about evolution. Incorporating spatial phylogenetics in fungal biodiversity assessment. Our first meeting this Fall will kick off (potential) new mycological research in California.The meeting will start with a presentation by Veerle van Winden, a Dutch PhD student, whose project focuses on the spatial ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Thursday, 10/09/25
SETI Live: Birth of Planets: Caught!How do planets start? Host Simon Steel (SETI Institute) speaks with Melissa McClure (Leiden University), lead author of a new study that caught the earliest spark of planet formation.Using JWST and ALMA, the team detected silicon monoxide (SiO) - both gaseous and likely crystalline - and pinpointed where hot, rock-forming minerals are condensing inside the protoplanetary disk of HOPS-315, ~1300 light-years ...
Solar photovoltaic (PV) and battery energy storage systems (BESS) are increasingly being deployed on underutilized land, including retired landfill areas. This talk introduces a newly developed PV and BESS design tool that optimizes system configuration by maximizing PV size while minimizing BESS requirements, all within the local distribution system’s current ...
Government healthcare payors in Asia and globally may face financial incentives to restrict use of high-cost medications. Yet, restrictions on access to high-value medications may have deleterious effects on population health. Advance purchase commitments (APCs), wherein a payor commits to purchase a certain quantity of medications at lower prices, offer ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
The Power of Community in Climate Education: NNOCCI Then & Now - LivestreamSince the early 2010s, the National Network for Ocean and Climate Change Interpretation (NNOCCI) has trained more than 850 climate communicators from 530+ organizations across 46 states. Through a train-the-trainer approach, NNOCCI helps educators build confidence and skills to talk about climate change in hopeful, solutions-focused ways. Together, these communicators ...
Join Mozilla co-founder Mitchell Baker and Carnegie Endowment for International Peace President Mariano-Florentino (Tino) Cuéllar for a conversation on AI governance, trust, and the future of open technology.Mozilla co-founder Mitchell Baker brings decades of experience building collaborative, open-source ecosystems and advocating for internet freedom, while Tino Cuéllar of the Carnegie ...
Where: Palo AltoCost: Free
The Impact of Sleep on Blood Glucose Regulation - LivestreamJoin us for an engaging discussion on the crucial relationship between sleep and blood glucose regulation. Discover how improving your sleep habits can lead to better diabetes management and enhanced overall health.Speaker: Carl Ching, Stanford Health CareSee weblink for stream information
Where: Cost: Free
After Dark: Dancing in the SkyBuckle in for an evening of mystery, adventure, and airborne entertainment! Prepare to be dazzled by a performance from Earth Circus, where jaw-dropping moves from acrobatic dancers will have you questioning gravity. Uncover the secrets behind aerobatics with the Snowbird squadron, Canada’s iconic flight demonstration crew. And don’t miss a ...
The human body is invincible - at least from the perspective of modern medicinal innovation. Mary Roach, New York Times bestselling author of Stiff and Fuzz, follows the astonishing evolution of body part replacement, from sculpting noses from brass to crafting body parts from scratch using stem cells and 3-D ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $22 in person, $10 online, member discounts
NightLife: AvenuesNightLife is dedicated to showcasing the unique community, culture, and entertainment of San Francisco, and 'Avenues' is our effort to amplify all that the city's west side has to offer. Think block party in a museum. Shop and connect with local businesses and organizations curated by The Faight, Fleetwood SF, ...
Although black holes have become part of our movies and our everyday language, few people really understand the exciting science ideas behind the science fiction. You will learn why falling into a black hole is definitely a once-in-a-lifetime experience, how black holes make a serious kind of time machine possible, ...
Where: StocktonCost: Free
Mushrooms of Sonoma CountyWelcome to the “official” beginning of mushroom season in Sonoma County! If you didn’t know, mushrooms can be picked year-round in California if you are willing to travel, but this presentation will focus on when and where to find local mushrooms during this time of year (and the upcoming months), ...
For over a century, Aves Argentinas has been at the forefront of bird and nature conservation in Argentina. As the country’s leading ornithological and conservation NGO and the national partner of BirdLife International, its mission is to protect birds and biodiversity through science, education, advocacy, and collaboration.Hernan Casanas and Tamara ...
Every day the average person draws in 2,000 gallons of air - and with it, thousands of living things. The bacteria, fungi, algae, and other organisms that inhabit the air constitute one of the last great frontiers of science. This invisible ecosystem known as the aerobiome remains so mysterious that ...
Where: Cost: Free
Building and Preserving the Web: A Conversation with Sir Tim Berners-Lee and Brewster KahleSir Tim Berners-Lee and Brewster Kahle will be in conversation about the rise of the internet, its continuing and explosive impact on society, the importance of the Internet Archive and other developing issues in the growth and use of the internet.Tim Berners-Lee is the inventor of the World Wide Web, ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $30 General, $10 online, students free
Expanding the Toolbox for a Safe, Equitable Climate FutureClimate change endangers life on our planet - and even under the most ambitious mitigation timelines, we face devastating consequences to humans and ecosystems around the globe. Low-lying nations could face catastrophic flooding, equatorial regions may suffer lethal heat stress, vulnerable communities could see crop and water systems collapse, and ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $18 General in person, $9 online
Geoengineering, Global Warming & Sunlight Reflection MethodsIn addition to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and removing CO2 from the atmosphere, sunlight reflection may be necessary to avoid the worst impacts of global warming. The topic of geoengineering is rife with misinformation and conspiracy theories. Yet the research to understand shading options is critical for good policy making. Join ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $18 in person, $9 online
As Moore’s law has continually marched forward, shrinking chip designs in an exponential manner, there has been a corresponding progression on the chip manufacturing side. This progression has led to increasingly strong and complex diffraction effects during imaging which must be overcome to print chip designs accurately. In this talk, ...
The chemistry that enables protein function remains to be fully elucidated. To better understand how proteins developed their chemistry, we examine the hypothesized ancestors of proteins: peptide assemblies. Our long-term goal is to answer the question “can peptide assemblies behave and evolve like proteins?” If simple peptides recapitulate the basic ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Saturday, 10/11/25
Forest bathing and walkJoin Megan Carson, a certified forest bathing guide as she gently leads you through a series of mindful, sensory-based invitations designed to deepen your connection with nature.Participants can expect:Slow, intentional walks under the park’s majestic oaks and among vibrant fall foliageGentle breathing exercises and mindful pauses to heighten awareness of ...
Where: Glen EllenCost: Free
Family Nature Adventures: Spidey Spectacular - Adventures with Arachnids!Spin your way into the fascinating world of spiders and arachnids! This month’s adventure is packed with discovery and excitement: Learn all about native spiders, their incredible adaptations, and even how they behave in space. Grab a magnifying glass and set off into the redwood forest to find hidden spiders, marvel at ...
Where: OaklandCost: $25 General, $35 ages 3 - 8, $10 off members
Spooky Solar Critters WorkshopCreepy Crawlies, Haunted Bugs, and Solar-Powered Scares - summoning spooky science at The Tech Interactive! Join us if you dare for a frightfully fun outdoor experience where science meets the supernatural! Get hands-on with eerie electronics as you design and build your own solar-powered spooky critter - a creepy, crawly ...
Where: San JoseCost: $10 General + admission, $7 Members
Cosmic Treasure Hunt: Finding Stardust in MeteoritesHave you ever wondered where the stuff that makes up planets, asteroids, and even our bodies comes from? When stars reach the end of their lives, they create most of the elements found around us, like the carbon which makes up life on Earth and the oxygen we breathe. These ...
Where: OaklandCost: Free
Starry Nights Star PartyJoin the San Jose Astronomical Association (SJAA) and Santa Clara County Open Space Authority (OSA) for an unforgettable night of exploring the night sky. Our knowledgeable docents, members of SJAA, will be your guides to providing valuable insights into the wonders of our universe. The viewing site, Rancho Canada del ...
Where: Morgan hillCost: Free
Sunday, 10/12/25
Marine Science Sunday - Creatures of the DeepVisit our hospital and visitor center in Sausalito, California, to learn more about what The Marine Mammal Center is doing to help save marine mammals found along the California coast and beyond, and learn more about how you can help.These interactive presentations hosted by our award-winning educators feature multimedia, pictures, ...
Where: SausalitoCost: Free with admission
Spooky Solar Critters WorkshopCreepy Crawlies, Haunted Bugs, and Solar-Powered Scares - summoning spooky science at The Tech Interactive! Join us if you dare for a frightfully fun outdoor experience where science meets the supernatural! Get hands-on with eerie electronics as you design and build your own solar-powered spooky critter - a creepy, crawly ...
Where: San JoseCost: $10 General + admission, $7 Members
Synergistic Enhancer Networks Revealed by Live-Cell 3D Chromatin Imaging and PerturbationThe 3D genome plays a critical role in regulating transcription, cellular functions, and diseases. We explore innovative technologies for perturbing the 3D genome organization and imaging interaction between regulatory elements in real-time. We systematically perturb enhancers and reveal a synergistic enhancer network that regulate oncogene expression. Genome profiling confirms that ...
California electricity rates are among the highest in the nation. Over the last decade, ratepayers have funded significant, new wildfire mitigation activities and recovery costs. For the average PG&E residential customer, these costs represent about a quarter of their bill today. New costs, including to support rapid electrification and modernizing ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
Reimagining the Exploration of Fundamental Interactions with AIParticle, nuclear, and astrophysics experiments are producing massive amounts of data to answer fundamental questions about the basic constituents of our universe. While researchers in these areas have been using advanced data science tools for decades, modern machine learning has introduced a paradigm shift whereby data can be directly analyzed ...
The ability to study proteins in a cellular context is crucial to our understanding of biology. In this presentation, I will discuss our recent technology development projects to empower the biomedical research community. First, I will describe a new technology for “intracellular protein editing”, drawing from intein-mediated protein splicing, genetic ...
During former President Barack Obama’s 2013 State of the Union Address, he remarked on the potential for additive manufacturing - or colloquially, “three-dimensional (3D) printing” - “to revolutionize the way we make almost everything.” Despite this potential, progress has been impeded by broad challenges associated with 3D printing technologies at ...
For centuries, formulas for mathematical constants such as pi and e appeared sporadically, discovered by figures like Newton, Euler, Gauss, and Ramanujan. Inspired by experimental physics, the Ramanujan Machine collaboration was established - a program of experimental mathematics that discovers formulas at scale, including new identities for pi and for ...
Over the past decade, atmospheric chemistry has been experiencing a “Molecular Revolution,” thanks to advances in mass spectrometry and chromatography. In this talk, I provide three broadly relevant examples from my group’s work advancing and deploying chemical ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (CI-ToF-MS) for studying atmospheric chemistry. I will ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Greta and Grandpa: An Intergenerational Dialogue on Climate SolutionsA few years ago, when a group of youth climate activists urged Senator Dianne Feinstein to sign the Green New Deal, the octogenarian responded, “You come in here and say, 'It has to be my way or the highway' and I don't respond to that … I’ve been doing this ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $20 General, $15 Members
Nature’s Hardware Store: Building the Future with BiologyWhat if the solutions to humanity’s greatest challenges - on Earth and beyond - have already been invented by nature? In this forward-looking talk, evolutionary biologist and astrobiologist Dr. Lynn Rothschild explores how life’s patterns, materials, and mechanisms, refined over billions of years, can serve as a blueprint for building ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $25 General (+ fees)
Skeptics in a PubEnjoy an evening of socializing and feasting with fellow Bay Area science-forward folk in an Irish Pub on the Peninsula with great food. < Menu >Please join u. This event is brought to you by Bay Area Skeptics. All are welcome.
Where: MillbraeCost: Free
Astronomy on Tap East BayThis month, we have two very exciting and wildly different talks lined up: Eliza Diggins (UCB) will tell us all about the mysteries of dark matter. Then stick around for a talk by Prof. Courtney Dressing (UCB), who will talk about nearby planetary systems!Two Pitchers is all ages and pet ...
Where: OaklandCost: Free
Wild Farm AllianceRecognizing that our food system is tightly linked to landscape health and habitats, the Wild Farm Alliance (WFA) has a vision to support farmers to deliver a diverse food supply while simultaneously enhancing ecosystem health and complexity. It can be done! Established in 2001 in Watsonville, CA, the WFA is ...
