In the course of my group’s efforts to discover new asymmetric catalytic reactions, we have had occasion to perform deep mechanistic analyses of the catalysts we have discovered. In this lecture, I will relate different stories where seemingly minor “misbehaviors” in our experimental data were examined closely and found to ...
Strongly interacting electrons exhibit a rich variety of striking phenomena in quantum materials, from the fractional quantum Hall effect to chiral superconductivity. Yet our understanding remains limited by the difficulty of solving the many-electron Schrödinger equation in a vast Hilbert space. In this talk, a “first-principles AI” framework is introduced ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
There’s Plenty of Diffusion at the Bottom The formulation of quantum mechanics in the late 1920s forever changed physics. More recently, quantum materials have emerged, offering fascinating opportunities in physical chemistry. Elementary interactions mediated by the diffusion of electrons, protons, atoms, molecules, and other quasiparticles in quantum materials give rise to intriguing phases and enable advanced technologies. ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Skeptics in a Real 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 >Join us! This is a free event brought to you by Bay Area Skeptics. All are welcome.
Stanford physicist Maya Beleznay on Weighing Black Widow Pulsars ??" What would Robert Oppenheimer and a modern physicist have in common? Neither could tell you how many particles can fit in a city-size ball before collapsing into a black hole! Some neutron stars in our galaxy teeter on the edge of this maximum ...
?Join John as he shares photos and videos from an expedition cruise to the subantarctic islands of New Zealand and Australia as a True Young Explorer with Heritage Expeditions. These regions are designated as UNESCO World Heritage Sites and are home to the highest diversity of breeding penguin and albatross ...
AI and DemocracyThe UC Berkeley AI and Society Initiative welcomes Larry Norden (NYU Brennan Center for Justice), David Evan Harris (Haas), and Ashish Goel (Stanford) to discuss AI and democracy. Professors Norden and Harris will talk about the way in which AI may amplify election misinformation this year, and why that is ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Apple at 50: Five Decades of Thinking DifferentOn April 1, 1976, Apple Computer was founded with a radical idea: that powerful computing should be personal. Fifty years later, Apple stands as one of the most influential technology companies in history??"shaping not only products, but culture, design, and how billions of people interact with technology every day.Join the ...
Are We Alone? The Hunt for Alien LifeSpeaker: Sanjoy Som, NASA AMESMeasuring the Universe with Gravitational LensingSydney Ericson, Stanford University
Space is no longer just the final frontier - it’s the next arena of global power.What was once dominated by a handful of national space agencies is now a crowded and competitive domain of commercial companies, militaries, intelligence agencies, and scientific missions - all operating in orbits that shape global ...
In the past three decades, more than 6000 planets have been discovered orbiting other stars beyond our own Solar System. However, we still don’t know if our Solar System is rare or unique - the powerful techniques that detect extrasolar planets have discovered systems very different than our own. In ...
Recent advances in neuroengineering enable large-scale neural recording in animals and humans, which, when combined with AI, have produced brain??"computer interfaces (BCIs) that decode motor intent or internal speech (“reading”). In contrast, precisely “writing” complex, behaviorally relevant information into the brain remains in its early days due to challenges in ...
Paranoid Publics: Psychopolitics of TruthFacts and established truths are regularly denied in contemporary life. This situation has brought paranoid politics into the mainstream, from conspiracy theories like QAnon, to sex panics and assaults on public health measures, to election denialism and the rise of vigilante militias. Paranoid Publics analyzes these phenomena as psychosocial realities ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
After Dark: Crafty and CalculatingWeaving together math, computing, and fiber arts, you’ll never look at the intersection of women and math the same way after tonight.
Today, as it nears its 50th anniversary, Apple is a global behemoth, one of the most valuable companies on the planet. But it’s been a rough and wild ride from scrappy startup to market leader. On April Fool’s Day in 1976, two twentysomethings named Steve founded a little company with the ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $25 in person/$10 online, member discounts
NightLife: Level UpAchievement unlocked: an epic night of gaming and cosplay collide for the return of this fan favorite event
Where: San FranciscoCost: Varies
Around the World in 80 BirdsIf you want to see a wide variety of birds, you’ll want to see representative species from different families of birds. That’s been a long-term goal of birder and photographer Bob Lewis who has set a goal of photographing a representative species from every bird family (Birds of the World ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Bluebirds in the 21st Century - LivestreamThroughout history, the bluebird has been iconic in many cultures, inspiring art, music, poetry, songs and mythology. Tonight, we invite you to learn about bluebirds and how they are an indicator of ecosystem health, as well as their important place in the ecosystem, where they are incredibly effective at controlling ...
Tennessee has a rich history of opposition to evolutionary concepts. Wesley H. Roberts has been on the front lines of evolution education advocacy for most of his 38 years of teaching in public schools. Beginning with his earliest exposure to evolutionary concepts via a Christian fundamentalist upbringing, Roberts will share ...
As semiconductor design and manufacturing evolve into a data-intensive domain, the complexity of devices and variability in processes are driving significant computational demands. This talk introduces a new class of Agentic AI architectures tailored to tackle the challenges of scale, latency, and decision-making in contemporary EDA and fabrication workflows. We ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Belonging to the Earth: An Evening with Robin Wall KimmererExplore how scientific inquiry can be enriched by Indigenous ecological knowledge.The Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies is honored to present a special lecture featuring Robin Wall Kimmerer - mother, scientist, distinguished professor of environmental biology, member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, and best-selling author of Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific ...
Where: Cost: Free
Saturday, 03/14/26
Baylands ExplorationsJoin expert EV docents for an exploration of the science and nature of the Palo Alto Baylands. What makes this habitat so special? How do the plants and animals survive the salty conditions? Why is it so different at different times of day or times of the year? How can ...
Where: Palo AltoCost: Free
Stewardship Saturday: Craft for ConservationJoin Ciclo and The Marine Mammal Center for hands-on, creativity driven event exploring how sustainability and conservation are deeply connected. Together, we'll learn about how reducing waste and reusing materials can support a healthier planet and protect marine life. During the event, participants will transform upcycled materials into jewelry, patches, ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free
Family Nature Adventures: InsectsUncover the fascinating lives of nature’s insects and get the buzz about bees during this month’s adventure!Interactive Workshop: Engage in exciting activities, experiments, and crafts to learn about the incredible characteristics of native insects and pollinators. Discover how these creatures play a vital role in populating your favorite flowers.Nature Exploration ...
Where: OaklandCost: $25 Adult, $35 Youth 3 - 8, Members 15% off
Pi DayCelebrate Pi Day at its birthplace! This irrational and transcendent holiday was founded in 1988 at the Exploratorium, and has since grown into an international phenomenon. Join in our annual procession around the Pi Shrine, enjoy slices of delicious pie, and think beyond circles and spheres with surprising exhibits about ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free with admission
There’s Nothing Common about the Common Crow!Learn about the amazing tricks insects use to protect themselves from predators.Insects are important food sources for so many animals, sustaining much of the wildlife we know and love! Join us in the Visitor Center for a presentation to learn about many of the amazing ways that insects protect themselves!This ...
Where: FremontCost: 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 ...
Ornithologists often study breeding birds and as a result the winter ecology and social behavior of migratory birds is relatively under studied. My students and I conducted a 22-year study of a population of golden-crowned sparrows that winter in the Arboretum of the University of California, Santa Cruz. Each sparrow ...
Where: Santa CruzCost: Free
Junior Rangers at the Refuge: Track DetectivesLove learning about new habitats? Curious about wildlife? Our Junior Rangers at the Refuge program is perfect for your family! Join us each month as we explore the Don Edwards SF Bay National Wildlife Refuge through fun, educational activities.This March, we'll discover who's roaming the Refuge by becoming track detectives! We'll become ...
Where: AlvisoCost: 0
Salt Marsh WalkJoin us for a short walk through the La Riviere Marsh!Join us for a leisurely hike along the La Riviere Trai. You'll learn about the ways that salt marshes benefit wetland ecosystems and us!Meet at the Visitor Center. Bring warm layers, sun protection, sturdy walking shoes, and binoculars if you ...
AI coding agents now complete multi-hour coding benchmarks with roughly 50% reliability, yet a randomized trial found experienced open-source developers took about 19% longer when allowed frontier AI tools than when tools were disallowed.This talk presents the evidence on the productivity paradox in AI coding, shows the bottlenecks in deployment, ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
Rethinking Materials for a Resource-Constrained World: Pathways to Sustainable and Equitable InfrastructureMaterials - particularly infrastructure materials - account for a substantial share of global energy use, mineral extraction, and anthropogenic CO2 emissions. Yet they remain essential for the built environment that underpins meeting quality of life needs, and demand for them is expected to grow. Addressing their climate impacts therefore requires ...
I use my marine ecology and evolutionary biology background to optimize the successful captive breeding of my favorite endangered marine snail.Speaker: Lauren Ashlock, UC Davis
Dopamine is everywhere - on podcasts, in productivity hacks, in conversations about addiction, motivation, and “dopamine detox.” But what does neuroscience actually say?In this lecture, Lucas Encarnacion-Rivera, PhD candidate in Neuroscience at Stanford University School of Medicine, cuts through the hype to separate fact from fiction about the brain’s most ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $25
Think Different: Apple, the Counterculture, and Digital Culture, 1976-2026Join us for this talk on the counterculture's significant influence on Apple's origin story as the company turns 50 on April 1st.As we approach the 50th anniversary of Apple Inc. on April 1, 2026, the counterculture's influence on the company's origins and brand continues to draw significant attention. This program ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $18 in person, $9 online
