Butterfly Garden Volunteer Work Day at the EECHelp us with maintaining and improving the habitat and trails at the Environmental Education Center at the Don Edwards SF Bay NWR while enjoying wildlife and scenic views! Activities may include removing invasive plants, picking up litter, or maintaining trails! All gloves and tools will be provided, so just make ...
Where: AlvisoCost: Free
Earth Day 2026With the focus on "Species and Habitats" come learn how important the health of our watersheds are for wildlife and our communities and the small actions we can all take for a healthy Bay Area.Connect with our incredible conservation partners and local environmental organizations at interactive booths, where you can ...
Where: OaklandCost: Free with admission
Mt. Sutro Geology & Paleo TourLearn about fascinating geologic evidence contained in the rocks underneath Mt. Sutro of ancient island arcs, lost marine basins, oceanic trenches and subduction along the Pacific Ocean Ring of Fire and the important role played by radiolarian fossils contained in chert beds. All part of the interesting story of California's ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $25
Cool Insect DefensesLearn 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 ...
Where: FremontCost: Free
PBC Earth Day EcoFest 2026Pacific Beach Coalition's annual Earth Day EcoFest is a free, family-friendly outdoor community event. Starting off the day at 9am across more than 15 site locations for cleanup and habitat restoration events across San Mateo County, the fun continues from 10:30am - 1:30pm with our main festival event at Pacifica ...
Where: PacificaCost: Free
2026 Earth Day Festival & Green Business Expo Join the fun and kick off Earth Month and SF Climate Week with a bang at the Yerba Buena Gardens 2026 Earth Day Festival! The San Francisco Green Business Program is hosting an exciting Green Business Expo in partnership with the Yerba Buena Gardens Conservancy and Climatebase. This will be ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free
SkeptiCAMP - CANCELEDTo quote our friends at the Manchester Skeptic Society, “you don’t need to be a published author, famous podcaster or professional communicator to get involved.” Just an interested skeptic.Attend, and/or consider presenting a 20 minute talk yourself.
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Twilight Nature WalkTake a relaxing walk in an area that often has striking sunsets while learning about the Don Edwards SF Bay Refuge.Experience the salt marsh at twilight on an easy stroll along refuge trails (about 0.6 miles). You will learn about the habitats at the refuge, the wildlife it protects, why ...
NASA’s Kepler mission confirmed the discovery of its first rocky planet, named Kepler-10b. Measuring 1.4 times the size of Earth, it is the smallest planet ever discovered outside our solar system.The discovery of this so-called exoplanet is based on more than eight months of data collected by the spacecraft from ...
Where: Santa CruzCost: Free
Junior Rangers at the Refuge: Native Plant ProtectorsLove 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 April, we'll learn about the hidden superpowers that help our California native species ...
Where: AlvisoCost: Free
From Psychic to SkepticJoin us, either in person or online, as we watch Rob Palmer interview former psychic Fleureo.Fleureo was raised by her mother to be a psychic and was a long-time true-believer and practicing psychic, but she then came to realize what she perceived as psychic powers were just fabrications of her ...
Where: Los AltosCost: Free
'Climate Wayfinding'Join us for readings and a conversation about Dr. Wilkinson’s new book, Climate Wayfinding.As climate disruption reshapes landscapes, politics, and daily life, a deeper question lingers beneath the headlines: How do we live - fully, honestly, boldly - within this moment? Where do we turn for steadiness and imagination as ...
Water demand projections are essential for urban water supply planning. Yet, long-term demand projections are highly overestimated and uncertain, potentially warranting unneeded costly infrastructure, which may lead to irreversible environmental impacts and exacerbate water affordability outcomes. While demand forecasting methods have improved, uncertainty in long-term demand projections remains poorly understood. ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
Speed & Scale’s Reality CheckIn 2021, legendary investor John Doerr outlined his plan to solve climate change in his bestseller Speed & Scale. The plan outlines 10 objectives, each with their own set of key results, to cut emissions to net zero. And in true John Doerr style, the results are to be measurable ...
From Ellie's LinkedIn Bio: "...I am the fisheries biologist for the United Anglers of Casa Grande High School (UACG), a student-founded conservation hatchery dedicated to the conservation of Steelhead Trout in the Petaluma Watershed. I primarily care for the steelhead trout reared in the facility, and instruct participating high school ...
Defense and energy applications ubiquitously involve multiscale and multiphysics systems. Their accurate modeling, critical to achieve superior performances and optimized designs and control strategies, has challenged generations of computational physicists due to the mathematical and numerical complexities involved in the development of their computable representations. One of the fundamental challenges ...
Rapid advances in artificial intelligence are driving the need for fundamentally new information processing paradigms that exceed the limits of existing nanoscale technologies in energy, performance, and functionality. Biological systems offer a compelling model, tightly coupling sensing, computation, and memory within distributed architectures that achieve remarkable energy efficiency and adaptability. ...
Gottesman, Kitaev, and Preskill proposed to encode a qubit in a remarkable wavefunction, which satisfy location and momentum constraints simultaneously. Such a state offers superior error correction, but is rather hard to achieve and stabilize. We propose a circuit architecture for a dissipatively error-corrected GKP qubit. The device consists of ...
In most condensed matter systems we think of electrons as delocalized particles that roam about the energy terrain of a material much like waves in the ocean. But what happens when Coulomb repulsion between electrons becomes the dominant energy in a material? In this regime you might expect electrons to ...
The promise of quantum is real, and we are beginning to see where this technology can have the greatest impact. Decades of quantum research and development point to one primary class of practical application for quantum computing next to cryptanalysis: the simulation of quantum systems, especially for chemistry and materials science. As we ...
Nuclear energy is often labeled “too expensive.” This conclusion too often relies on incomplete and shallow analyses that rely on small samples and focus on a narrow set of benefits. This session examines the full economic picture of nuclear power: 1. Characterize overnight construction, financing, and operating costs for nuclear ...
Across the globe, more than 30 million people make their living collecting, sorting, and recycling what we throw away. Often overlooked, these waste pickers are increasingly recognized as a vital “green workforce,” helping reduce emissions and support more sustainable resource systems.In this lecture, Kate O’Neill, Professor of Environmental Science, Policy ...
Across the globe, more than 30 million people make their living collecting, sorting, and recycling what we throw away. Often overlooked, these waste pickers are increasingly recognized as a vital “green workforce,” helping reduce emissions and support more sustainable resource systems.In this lecture, Kate O’Neill, Professor of Environmental Science, Policy ...
What is consciousness - and how might we describe it scientifically? Neuroscience can map neural activity with extraordinary detail, yet the relationship between electrical signals and subjective experience remains one of humanity’s most enduring questions.Mathematician and machine learning researcher Nina Miolane approaches this question from an unexpected direction: geometry. In ...
Chemically induced proximity of bimolecular complexes is a powerful modality to rewire signal transduction networks. Most extensively studied in the context of protein degradation, the full scope and potential of chemically induced proximity for novel targets and pharmacological mechanisms has yet to be realized. I will discuss structure-based strategies to ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Meet a Wildlife ScientistDid you know mountain lions are roaming the hills right here in the Bay Area? Come meet Alys Granados, Wildlife Ecologist for the Felidae Conservation Fund, an organization dedicated to protecting wild cats and their habitats, and hear all about her incredible work tracking and studying these majestic big cats ...
There has been much discussion of how AI can help humans cooperate, but much less about what happens when you add AI to humans who disagree -- potentially violently. Social media systems, which are increasingly AI driven, may amplify divisive or escalatory narratives. LLMs may similarly exacerbate conflict, especially if ...
Fossils of the Ediacara Biota preserve the earliest complex communities of macroscopic life, including the oldest known animals. Despite this importance, direct links between extant clades and well-known fossils from the Ediacaran have proved contentious. Although this biota is recognized at dozens of sites globally, more than 75% of total ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
Who Pays? Private and Public Funding Innovation for Flooding and Sea Level Rise ResilienceAs climate change and sea level rise increase flood risk to shoreline and inland communities, the cost to adapt can seem daunting. Public dollars alone won’t cut it. In this session, thought leaders from the Bay Area to the East Coast will share insights for how we pay to address ...
Can gravity and extra directions of space emerge from systems that naively lack them? Holography - the celebrated AdS/CFT correspondence - predicts that this can happen via one magic ingredient: entanglement, or strong quantum correlations. I will present in an accessible manner recent advances on this longstanding theoretical idea, using ...
A key frontier of modern condensed matter is to harness light - matter interaction to coherently engineer quantum states in materials. Under optical driving, quantum materials exhibit emergent many-body phenomena, from ultrafast switching to dynamical quantum states without equilibrium analogs. Progress hinges on using light to both uncover new nonequilibrium ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Nature-based solutions in the fight against Climate Change Secretary Wade Crowfoot (California Natural Resources Agency) will discuss California’s groundbreaking work on nature conservation. He will explore the State’s critical partnerships with American Indian Tribes, the creative ways that California is achieving climate and biodiversity goals and how California’s leadership is being recognized by the UN Climate and Biodiversity Conferences. The Secretary’s comments will be followed by a ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free
Popping the Science Bubble: Chimpanzee alcohol consumption & animal opticsLearn about cutting-edge research happening at UC Berkeley, directly from the scientists themselves. Join Popping the Science Bubble at the Central Library in the second floor Mystery Room or join us virtually on Zoom: http://bit.ly/PtSBBerkeley (register at the link).This month's presentations will be:What the chimpanzee diet tells us about the ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Next-Generation Pathology: How Is Technology Changing the Way We Diagnose Disease?Pathology - the study of disease through the examination of tissues and cells - is undergoing a technological transformation. New tools in imaging, computational analysis, and spatial biology now allow scientists to study how cells interact within the architecture of human tissue at unprecedented resolution. These advances are helping researchers ...
Wearable technologies, like smart watches and fitness trackers, have transformed the way we understand human health by recording daily vital signs such as heart rate, breathing, and activity. Despite these advances in human physiological sensing, few platforms exist to study these same vital rates in animals - particularly for difficult-to-study ...
Wonderfest comes to San Francisco’s BookShop West Portal for a special author event featuring cosmologist Dr. Chanda Prescod-Weinstein. In her latest book, The Edge of Space-Time: Particles, Poetry, and the Cosmic Dream Boogie, Dr. Prescod-Weinstein “embraces cosmic wonder and takes us on a mind-altering journey to the boundaries of the ...
Over the past three years, a collaborative partnership between community scientists and academic mycologists, organized through the Fungal Diversity Survey (FunDiS) and funded by the California Institute for Biodiversity, has transformed our understanding of California’s macrofungal diversity. Together, we have documented, DNA barcoded, and accessioned more than 11,000 fungal collections ...
Where: San FranciscoCost:
Wednesday, 04/22/26
The Frozen Frontier - A Journey into Antarctica - LivestreamAntarctica is the coldest, driest and windiest place on Earth, filled with geological marvels and remarkable wildlife. In celebration of Earth Day, join Road Scholar expert Nicole Flores for an introduction to this remote continent. Explore the secrets beneath its icy surface and its fascinating history. Meet the intrepid explorers ...
Locked beneath its icy crust, Jupiter’s moon Europa likely harbors one of the largest bodies of liquid water in the Solar System - a global, salty, internal ocean that may present a hospitable environment for life. Currently, investigations of the composition of Europa’s geologically young, fractured surface provide our best ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
AI for Good: In Climate, Health and InvestingWhen should artificial intelligence supplant human intelligence? And when should human intelligence lead? For climate action, for impacts on health, for investing and portfolios, where can AI tools multiply productivity - and what situations cause a quality assurance minefield?Learn from innovators around the world (from Europe to Oceania to the ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $27.50 General, Free online
AI for Climate Adaptation and Disaster Response: Public Sector Pathways to ImpactArtificial intelligence is increasingly being applied to climate challenges, from wildfire detection and flood forecasting to public health surveillance and disaster response. But fully realizing that potential requires grappling with real barriers: under-resourced public agencies, fragmented data infrastructure, procurement and equity gaps, and the distance between what a tool can ...
From the reintroduction of beavers for natural flood management to the managed grazing of cattle for biodiversity gain, the inclusion-or use-of nonhumans in/as environmental interventions is gaining traction as ‘win-win’ governance techniques for the Anthropocene, associated with a policy turn towards ‘Nature-based Solutions’ (NbS) to climate change and biodiversity loss. ...
The emergence of large language models has prompted a surge of interest into theoretical models that might give us insight into both their successes and their shortcomings. We’ll give an overview of recent work in this direction, focusing on a surprising line of positive results that shows it is possible ...
Stanford Public Humanities invites you to join us for an event and lively conversation celebrating the release of historian Jessica Riskin's new book The Power of Life (Riverhead Books/Penguin, March 24, 2026). The French naturalist Jean-Baptiste Lamarck is one of the most misunderstood and misrepresented figures in the history of science. Working in ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
Virtual Skeptics on the PubThis is a casual night of socializing with fellow science-forward skeptics and with others inhabiting our oblate spheroidal planet.Please join us! This is a free event brought to you by Bay Area Skeptics. All are welcome.Click here to join.
Where: Cost: Free
Consumers and the Future of Energy AffordabilityThis panel will explore how rising energy costs, new technologies, evolving climate & energy policies are influencing households nationally.Moderated by award-winning energy reporter Mary Catherine O'Connor and featuring Neil Chatterjee, Former FERC Chairman, Chris Kemper, CEO of Palmetto, and Arnab Pal, Deploy Action, the discussion will examine the impact of ...
At the dawn of the 1950’s, Tikhonov (USSR) and Cagniard (France) independently determined that by measuring the geoelectric and geomagnetic fields at ground level, one could reconstruct the variations of the electrical conductivity below ground level as a function of depth, the origin of the magnetotelluric (MT) method. While initially ...
Where: StanfordCost:
Cortical Areas involved in motor control of the limbs: Plasticity within and across lifetimesForelimb morphology and use in mammals is extraordinarily diverse. Evolution has produced wings, flippers, hooves, paws and hands which are specialized for a variety of behaviors such as flying, swimming and grasping to name a few. While there is a wealth of data in human and non-human primates on the ...
Lina Li is Winokur Family Professor of Electrical Engineering and Applied Mathematics in the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) at Harvard University. She is a Scientific Advisor of Singularity Energy, Inc, a startup providing a suite of innovative products, developer APIs, and intelligent tools for companies to build the future of decarbonization solutions, and Elastro ...
The explosive growth of machine learning and data-driven methodologies has revolutionized numerous fields. Yet, translating these successes to dynamical physical systems remains a significant challenge, hindered by the complexity, uncertainty, and safety-critical nature of such environments. In this talk, we present a unified framework that bridges this gap by introducing ...
Decarbonizing the electricity sector is essential for mitigating climate change, but planning low-carbon power systems under uncertainty requires balancing tradeoffs among costs, climate impacts, and socio-environmental considerations. In this talk, I present findings from a study of low-carbon power system pathways in Southern Africa under uncertainties in technology costs, socio-environmental ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
After Dark: Climate JourneysLearn about creative ways to navigate climate change, and don’t miss a preview of our new exhibits on local ecosystems.Ages 18+
Where: San FranciscoCost: $22.95
Fighting Wildfires from the Sky: Toward Safer, Around-the-Clock Aerial OperationsAircraft have been supporting wildfire response for decades - dropping water and retardant, tracking fire movement, and helping protect communities. Yet most aerial firefighting today is still limited to daytime operations using crewed aircraft, with only limited capability in challenging conditions like heavy smoke or low visibility. This leaves critical ...
Making the Invisible Visible: From Ocean Expeditions to Actionable SolutionsDiscover what the ocean is telling us, and what we are only beginning to understand.Plastic particles exist at every scale in our oceans, including sizes so small they’re barely measurable. Below a certain threshold, particles smaller than the width of a human hair, science is only just beginning to see ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free
Climate Action Youth Summit 2026 Discover innovative projects, connect with changemakers, and explore green career opportunities.The event is one of San Francisco’s biggest climate events of the year to celebrate youth-led climate action and empower SF youth to explore their interests through an environmental lens! Community members will be able to: Enjoy youth presentations across areas ...
Marine ecosystems across ecological and evolutionary time have been structured by the energetic consequences of body size. Here, modern observations, historical ecology, geochemical proxies, and bioenergetic theory are brought together to examine how giant marine predators interacted with prey and with one another from contemporary to ancient ocean communities. Particular ...
Fault-tolerant quantum computing requires a universal gate set, but the necessary non-Clifford gates represent a significant resource cost for most quantum error correction architectures. Magic state cultivation offers an efficient alternative to resource-intensive distillation protocols; however, testing the proposal’s assumptions represents a challenging departure from quantum memory experiments. We present ...
Electrocatalysis plays a crucial role in many new energy technologies, which are becoming increasingly important for mobile electronics, electric vehicles, and the renewable energy industry. Despite notable progress, many electrocatalytic systems still encounter obstacles such as low efficiency, poor stability, or high costs due to the use of precious metal ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Saturday, 04/25/26
Salt Marsh WalkJoin us for a short walk through the La Riviere Marsh!Join us for a leisurely walk along the La Riviere Trail of the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge in Fremont. You'll learn about the ways that salt marshes benefit wetland ecosystems and us!Meet at the Visitor Center. ...
Where: FremontCost: Free
Science Saturday: Student Scientists / Student Research SymposiumCelebrate the achievements of local student scientists with this FREE event! Students will share their field research projects. Student participants will have their projects reviewed by local scientists. This family-friendly event will also include crafts and community partners to dive into conservation and community science for Earth Month. Science Saturday ...
Where: Pacific GroveCost: Free
Wildflower WalkWhether you’re a longtime nature lover or simply curious to see the preserve in its most vibrant season, this walk offers a chance to learn, connect, and experience spring in full expression.Step into spring at Bouverie Preserve, where hillsides come alive with color and the landscape tells a story of ...
Where: Glen EllenCost: Free
Stewardship Saturday: Connecting Oysters, Marine Mammals, and HumansThis free program for high school students features rotating events along our 600-mile range exploring various realms of conservation.Join Cafe Ohlone, Hog Island Oyster Co., and The Marine Mammal Center as we explore oysters and their connections to humans and marine mammals. During this event we will be learning about ...
Where: HaywardCost: Free
BUGOLOGY: WHERE SIDEWALKS MEET SOIL: FINDING LIFE IN THE CONCRETE JUNGLEJoin SaveNature.Org in this class to explore the tiny worlds that thrive beneath our feet! Our educators will guide you through nature observation, where you will be provided all the tools you need to catch and observe insects and arthropods up close.We will meet at the Dogpatch Hub, a vibrant ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $28.52
California Native Homeland Festival 2026The Association of Ramaytush Ohlone, the American Indian Cultural District, and the Exploratorium welcome you to the fourth annual California Native Homeland Festival. Food, culture, and knowledge are deeply connected. Across California, Native communities sustain rich food traditions that reflect relationships with land, water, seasons, and care for future generations. As ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free
Love Our Earth FestivalJoin us for a day of environmental education, family-friendly activities, and community celebration. This cherished annual event brings together local organizations, environmental experts, and community members to promote sustainability and environmental stewardship.Acterra is excited to co-organize the event, bringing a food market featuring local plant-based cuisine, hosting WaterPalooza with sustainability ...
Where: East Palo AltoCost: Free
2026 Fellow Awards Ceremony - LivestreamWe invite everyone to join us online for the Fellow Awards ceremony livestream here!Computer History Museum is proud to honor the exceptional achievements of the 2026 Fellows, who have changed the world through their advancements in computing and evolution of the digital age:The Palm Team, Jeff Hawkins, Donna Dubinsky, and ...
Where: Cost: Free
Reggae Under the Stars - A Tribute to Darryl StanfordJazz Under the Stars is a FREE monthly public stargazing event! Usually occurring on the Saturday nearest the 1st quarter moon (check our Events Page), join us in Building 36 on the 4th floor observatory for a night of smooth jazz, bright stars, and a lot of fun! We play our ...
Where: San MateoCost: Free
Sunday, 04/26/26
Stewardship Sunday: Rescuing and Rehabilitating Marine MammalsThis free program for high school students features rotating events along our 600-mile range exploring various realms of conservation.Join The Marine Mammal Center as we explore the 5R’s of our mission - rescue, rehabilitation, research, release, and reaching out. During this event we will be completing demos to better understand ...
Join us, either in person or online, as we watch and discuss a video about misinformation and science.The world is increasingly polarized by ideologies, and acceptance of scientific evidence has become a battleground influencing public and individual perceptions of scientific facts.By shedding light on the challenges of effectively communicating science ...
Where: Los AltosCost: Free
Monarch Butterflies: Protecting a Vanishing Natural ResourceJoin us at the Visitor Center to learn about monarchs and how you can help them!Learn about the fascinating and beautiful monarch butterfly, the threats they face, and how we can all play a part to help protect them!This program is led by Jim Nechols, a retired entomologist. Join us ...
What if we could communicate - clearly and deeply - with animals? In Disney and Pixar’s new feature film HOPPERS, scientists have discovered how to “hop” human consciousness into lifelike robotic animals, allowing us to communicate with denizens of the animal world as animals. Wonderfest comes to the Napa Valley ...
Where: St. HelenaCost:
Marine Science Sundays: Marine Mammal MysteriesThe Marine Mammal Center leads the way in marine mammal research. Come learn more about the ways we have been deepening understanding of these incredible animals in recent events!Talks at 10:30 AM, 12:00 PM, and 2:00 PM, each lasting 30 minutes.
One in ten humans on Earth uses an AI tool such as ChatGPT at least weekly. Many people share extremely personal information with chatbots, and that information may be stored for a long time. How private are our conversations with AI chatbots? This talk will go over some basics of ...
A progress report on our efforts to improve EV and utility battery energy storage, stop greenhouse gas emissions in agriculture due to fertilizer use and necessity of direct air capture of CO2 will be discussed.Speaker: Steven Chu, Stanford University
Where: StanfordCost: Free
Engineering Topological Quantum Matter in Space and TimeTopology has emerged as a unifying principle in modern condensed matter physics and materials science, enabling quantum phases that are remarkably robust yet exquisitely sensitive to their underlying environment. While traditional approaches to topological materials discovery rely on chemistry, the rise of moiré quantum materials suggests a different strategy: engineering ...
A novel aspect of recent experiments with quantum devices is that measurements can play an active role in preparing the state of the system, rather than just in diagnosing it. Unlike unitary evolution, the quantum collapse induced by local measurements can have a highly non-local impact on the state, instantaneously ...
I will talk about GammaTPC, a new MeV-GeV gamma-ray instrument based on liquid argon time projection chamber (TPC) technology. The MeV sky in particular is poorly measured, largely due to instrumental challenges. A transformative instrument in this energy range will enable a broad range of measurements, especially in the upcoming ...
Expanding data center infrastructure to train and deploy artificial intelligence (AI) models is driving a surge in electricity demand in the U.S., and associated impacts for costs, emissions, and resource use. The electric infrastructure buildout from this AI growth will influence the capabilities and feasibility of broader electrification. We develop ...
How is the mushroom diversity on 10 acres of land surrounded by forest, densely planted with trees and shrubs brought in from all over the state of California? Ben Anderson will take you on a tour of mushrooms at the Regional Parks Botanic Garden (Tilden Botanic Garden) with a special ...
River deltas - which develop through the interaction of erosion, sediment transport, river flow, waves, tides, and sea level variations - are sedimentary archives that record past surface conditions, making them attractive targets for planetary exploration. Deltas have tentatively been identified on Saturn’s moon Titan, but they appear to be rare. Simply, many coastal ...
Speaker: Ja Eun Choi, Stanford UniversitySee weblink for connection information
Where: Cost: Free
Can AI Be Trusted With Your Health?AI is transforming health care at breakneck speed, and the stakes couldn’t be higher. In this session, Dr. Bob Wachter??"one of the country’s leading voices on health-care AI??"will lead a conversation with three of the Bay Area’s foremost experts on what this transformation actually means for patients, clinicians, and the ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $25 General, Member discounts, $10 online
Bioelectrical signaling is ubiquitous in life, from bacteria to brains. I will describe tools for chronic and volumetric mapping of membrane voltage, and applications in studying biological pattern formation, embryonic development, neural activity, and the onset of the first heartbeats.Speaker: Adam Cohen, Harvard University
This talk highlights the beauty and significance of spin polarisation phenomena as explored by chemists, physicists, and biologists. The systems discussed are inspired by nature’s ingenious designs, which have guided the development of new materials and contributed to improved sensitivity in spectroscopic techniques. Rather than attempting to cover every aspect ...
In the remote Turkana Basin in northern Kenya, bone fragments and fossil footprints preserve stories stretching back millions of years. Dr. Kay Behrensmeyer brings these stories to life, showing how scientists piece together ancient ecological settings and animal behavior from what remains after death.Her work reveals how climate, landscape, and ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $25 General, $20 Members
Wonderfest: Ask a Science Envoy: Elements & FairnessWonderfest Science Envoys are early-career researchers with enhanced communication skills and aspirations. Following short talks on provocative modern science topics, these two Science Envoys will answer questions with insight and enthusiasm:UC Berkeley astronomer Natalie LeBaron on Origins of the Elements - From the oxygen we breathe to the gold in ...
Cometary surfaces are geologically active worlds shaped by complex erosional and sediment transport processes. By documenting the diverse terrains of comet 67P/Churyumov - Gerasimenko, we show that the nucleus’s hemispherical landscape dichotomy is driven by asymmetric seasonal solar heating, which facilitates the net transport of sediment from the comet’s south ...
In this talk, Kris Manjapra traces the invention of the “unclaimed body” within an expanding global circuit of medical practice, carcerality and anti-Blackness from the Age of Abolition to the Jim Crow Era. During this period, the realm of the racialized Dead became a new domain of power and value ...
Immerse yourself in astronomical discoveries, trivia, exciting raffles, and illuminate the night with glowing sticks. Astronomy on Tap events are not only free but also suitable for all ages! Bring your friends and family for an evening of scientific wonder.Save the date and spread the word! Let’s explore the universe’s ...
Astronomy on Tap is is a free public lecture series where astronomers give short, laid-back talks over drinks at local bars. No background in science required - our scientists share cool stuff about space while the audience sits back and relaxes, with plenty of time to indulge their curiosity and ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free, but one drink minimum
For decades, cancer treatment relied on a blunt strategy: chemotherapy designed to kill rapidly dividing cells. While often effective, these drugs act like a cannon - targeting cancer but also damaging healthy tissue along the way.Today, a new era of cancer therapy is emerging. Instead of broadly attacking tumors, scientists ...
Where: OaklandCost: $27
Exciting Results with NASA's James Webb Space TelescopeDr. Alex Filippenko (Distinguished Professor of Astronomy, UC Berkeley) will give a public lecture and Q&A sponsored by Orinda ONE.There are three purposes:Orinda ONE supports Orinda's public schools, and this will be the first lecture in their newly established Community Speaker Series to help spread the word about Orinda ONE.We ...
Join us at SRI’s online PARC Forum to explore how AI is accelerating a new revolution in education.In his new book How to AI, Wall Street Journal technology columnist Christopher Mims reveals how AI is really being adopted across industries. Through practical “laws” drawn from real-world implementation, Mims shows that ...
Where: Cost: Free
SETI Live: Galactic Islands of Tranquility - LivestreamA newly identified class of distant galaxies - nicknamed “little red dots” - may be doing something extraordinary: quietly creating the raw ingredients for life.Join host Dr. Simon Steel as we explore groundbreaking new research from Dr. Remo Ruffini and Dr. Yu Wang from the International Center for Relativistic Astrophysics ...
Water flow under ice exerts a fundamental control on glacier and ice-sheet dynamics, with direct consequences for the pace of global sea-level rise and the frequency and severity of glaciological hazards. Despite its importance, progress in modeling the subglacial drainage system has been limited by challenges in upscaling the governing ...
As China’s power systems undergo a dual transition driven by high renewable penetration and market-oriented reforms, the trade-off between physical grid security and economic efficiency has escalated into a strict 'energy trilemma' - where system reliability, economic viability, and environmental sustainability (high renewable penetration) form inherently competing objectives. The inherent ...
The Health and Wellness Lie - LivestreamWe spend more on health and wellness than almost anything else. But the fad diets, expensive supplements, and quick-fix biohacks aren’t improving our health; they’re making us fatter, sicker, and unhappier.Join us for a Skeptical Inquirer Presents livestream with exercise scientist Nick Tiller. With unflinching scrutiny, Tiller exposes how wellness marketing ...
Will artificial intelligence replace human workers, or will it empower them? Tech leaders and economists have long warned that AI is a “labor-replacing tool” that could automate millions of jobs. But this outcome is not inevitable. It reflects design choices, not technological fate.This presentation challenges the automation narrative by revisiting a ...
During this Birdy Hour, SFBBO Director of Plover and Tern Science Maddy Schwarz will introduce the Western Snowy Plover and its nesting patterns in the Bay Area. She will then dive into the details of SFBBO's 2025 Snowy Plover Motus radio tagging project, which was the first of its kind. ...
Where: Cost: Free
Field Notes from the Bay: An Evening of Live StorytellingFast-paced stories from the scientists who know the Bay best.Surfing the East Bay mud. Chasing midnight storms. Mapping what can’t be seen.Join us for an evening of live storytelling with environmental scientists from the San Francisco Estuary Institute at the Ocean Photographer of the Year exhibition in partnership with the West End Arts District ...
Where: AlamedaCost: $27.45
NightLife x Golden State ValkyriesThe Golden State Valkyries are taking over. Celebrate the start of season 2 with a Balhalla experience at NightLife. See weblink for more details
Where: San FranciscoCost: $25
Friday, 05/01/26
Space Exploration Weekend at The Tech InteractiveCelebrate National Space Day all weekend at The Tech with Space Exploration Weekend, May 1 to May 3. This family-friendly event invites aspiring astronauts to dive into hands-on space programming, watch Space: The New Frontier in IMAX®, and take a spin on the Jet Pack Chair as its send-off celebration ...
With climate change rapidly impacting ecosystems, phenotypic plasticity that operates on timescales quicker than evolutionary adaptation is crucial for species persistence. One way to examine phenotypic plasticity is to integrate physiology techniques with "-omics" technologies (ex. genomics, epigenomics, transcriptomics, metabolomics, lipidomics), which allows for the interrogation of mechanisms that contribute ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
A conversation with Google Chief Scientist Jeffrey DeanJoin us for an in-person conversation with Jeffrey Dean, Chief Scientist at Google, leading the development of foundational Google infrastructure and modern AI research. Dean will present advancements and recent trends in the space, followed by audience Q&A.Ticket reservations required at weblink
Earth-sized planets are likely common in the Universe, including in our cosmic neighborhood. The highest national priority is to build a space telescope to discover such planets and assess their habitability. This telescope, known as the Habitable Worlds Observatory, is expected to launch in the 2040s. This endeavor is technically ...
Intensifying water scarcity and climate change demand new approaches to aqueous separations, particularly the separation of trace contaminants from drinking water and the capture of ‘critical metals’ from wastewater sources. The Taylor lab at the University of Maryland uses the tools of supramolecular assembly and reticular chemistry to tackle these ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
First Friday Nights at CuriOdysseySwing into the weekend with science, animals, music, food trucks, and fun! On the first Friday of every month, parents and kids celebrate together at CuriOdyssey.Dance to some of your favorite hits, while enjoying animal presentations and science activities. Activities and programs are different each time, so make it a ...
This Friday, join our team of cosmic rebels to celebrate “May the Fourth” early in our galaxy not so far away! Craft your own glowing sword, get a glimpse of distant planets through our historic 8” refractor telescope known as “Leah,” and discover the mechanics of robotics alongside a familiar ...
Where: OaklandCost: $24 General, $19 Kids, Free for members
Measuring gravitational waves is a revolutionary new way to do astronomy. In 2015, LIGO (the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory) first detected one of these waves ??" a tiny ripple in space itself, generated by the collision of 2 black holes. Since then the cumulative number of detections that LIGO and ...
Where: San MateoCost: Free
Saturday, 05/02/26
Hike at Calero County ParkJoin Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST) at Calero County Park, one of the region’s most beautiful oak woodlands just south of San Jose on the westside of Santa Clara Valley. You will be led by POST ambassadors who will share about the natural history of the area and about POST’s ...
Where: San JoseCost: Free
Bring Back the Natives Garden ToursBayside Gardens: Talks, Music, and native Seed and Plant Sales in the Gardens.See the weblink for list of cities and gardensRegister at weblink
Where: Cost:
Space Exploration Weekend at The Tech InteractiveCelebrate National Space Day all weekend at The Tech with Space Exploration Weekend, May 1 to May 3. This family-friendly event invites aspiring astronauts to dive into hands-on space programming, watch Space: The New Frontier in IMAX®, and take a spin on the Jet Pack Chair as its send-off celebration ...
First Saturday Tours are a wonderful way to introduce yourself to the Arboretum or to deepen your knowledge of the Arboretum’s plant collections. Each tour is a little different depending on the time of year, the interests of the tour guide, and the people who join in. For example, you ...
Where: Santa CruzCost: Free with admission
Are There Gray Foxes in Your Backyard?Learn all about our local gray foxes and how to identify evidence of their presence!On a walk/talk from the Visitor’s Center out into the refuge, Bill "The Fox Guy" Leikam will show you how to identify indications of the presence of foxes, and tell stories about gray foxes that he’s ...
Speaker: Mary Nichols, California Air Resources Board (retired) and Carla Peterman, PG&EAttend in person or click to watch on Youtube
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Sunday, 05/03/26
Bring Back the Natives Garden Tours - Inland CitiesInland Gardens: Talks, Music, Free Seeds, Birdwatching, and Mugwort Soap Sale in the GardensSee the weblink for list of cities and gardensRegister at weblink
Where: Cost:
Space Exploration Weekend at The Tech InteractiveCelebrate National Space Day all weekend at The Tech with Space Exploration Weekend, May 1 to May 3. This family-friendly event invites aspiring astronauts to dive into hands-on space programming, watch Space: The New Frontier in IMAX®, and take a spin on the Jet Pack Chair as its send-off celebration ...
Where: San JoseCost: $38.00
Microscopic WondersAll around us there’s a microscopic ecosystem thriving beyond our immediate human perception. On May 3rd, the Explorers Guild will set out on a microcosmic journey into the dense and teeming jungles that exist in a drop of water. Guided by the SF Microscopal Society’s Janai Southworth, we will peer ...
Where: OaklandCost: Free
Solar ObservingIt’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 ...
Where: San JoseCost: Free
Monday, 05/04/26
SynBioBeta 2026SynBioBeta 2026 is a leading global synthetic biology conference bringing together founders, investors, and scientists. The event focuses on applications across food, climate, materials, and biomanufacturing. May 4 - 7, 2026 | San Jose, California.See weblink for details
From the Buck Institute website: "...Bijoya is from India where she got her bachelor’s and master’s degree in Biotechnology. Aging biology was introduced to her when she joined the lab of Gayatri Ramakrishna in Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences, New Delhi. There she studied the role of senescence-associated pathways ...
The origin of cosmic acceleration remains an open question: is it caused by a dark energy and if so, what are its properties? Or is our theory of gravity incomplete on the largest scales? These questions have driven an ambitious effort from the cosmology community to develop wide galaxy surveys. ...
Grid planning has never been harder - or more consequential. Variable renewables, distributed resources, vehicle electrification, data centers, and industrial decarbonization are compounding in real time, turning the grid into a dynamic, multi-sector nervous system for the entire economy. Yet the tools guiding these decisions remain proprietary black boxes: artifacts ...
Microbes communicate with each other using small molecules that can trigger biological processes such as bioluminescence, cell differentiation, or surface modification. Mass spectrometry is an important tool that allows scientists to intercept and detect chemical messages in different microbial systems. Together, we will explore unique chemistry produced by several different ...
The various materials that we experience in everyday life are built from molecules. In turn, molecules are built from atoms. Atoms are built from electrons and nuclei. Nuclei are built from protons and neutrons, which were once considered “elementary particles”. Bob Hofstadter won his Nobel Prize for dispelling this notion by showing that protons ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
Tuesday, 05/05/26
AI+Science: Accelerating Discovery ConferenceAI+Science: Accelerating Discovery is an interdisciplinary conference bringing together researchers across physics, mathematics, chemistry, biology, neuroscience, and more to examine how AI is reshaping scientific discovery.Experts will separate hype from reality, spotlighting where AI is already enabling genuine breakthroughs and where its limits and risks remain.Centered on the essential role of ...
Imaging systems are ubiquitous in the world, from complex mammalian eyes to infrared sensors in snakes, from selfie cameras on smartphones to the VLBI telescope system that took an image of a black hole, from MRIs and X-rays to microscopes and telescopes, they allow for the exploration of the universe ...
Daven Quinn is a research scientist at the University of Wisconsin - Madison. A structural geologist by training, he has become a leader in the emerging field of geoinformatics, working to model the Earth's crust as a complete, integrated system. He leads the development of geological software including Macrostrat, a digital ...
Adolescents worldwide turn to general-purpose generative artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots for mental health support, despite these tools not having been designed for youth well-being. Industry, policy and research trail far behind this rapid, largely unregulated adoption. Simultaneously, most responsible AI frameworks lack consensus, accountability, and meaningful implementation - particularly regarding ...
In recent years, experiments in high-energy accelerators have discovered a large number of unusual, heavy “cousins” of the proton - i.e., strongly interacting particles collectively known as hadrons. Ordinary hadrons are either baryons, which contain three quarks, or mesons, which contain one quark and one antiquark. The new, unusual hadrons ...
Join pioneering AI scientist De Kai and KALW for a timely, human-centered look at the responsibility we share in guiding AI’s evolution.What if AI isn’t just a tool, but something we’re actively raising together? Join pioneering AI scientist De Kai for a thoughtful, accessible conversation on how today’s systems learn ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free, $10 - $20 donation suggested
Temporal droppings.Autistic meanderings that stray from linearity.Little sedimentations, little curls of temporality.Dense knots clogging the otherwise smooth materiality of time in its totalizing productions.Mischievous bebops lurking between the tick and the tock, upsetting the steady count.The clock's disability.These are some of the many ways Bayo Akomolafe wrestles to articulate what ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $25 General, Free for members
Foundation models, trained on vast and diverse data that capture broad aspects of the human experience, are at the heart of the ongoing AI revolution, transforming how we create, problem-solve, and work. These models - and the insights gained from developing them - are increasingly relevant to the advancement of ...
We are excited to hear from the Lunar and Planetary Institute’s Allison McGraw: “Everything is Bigger Than Texas: A Tour of the Solar System ” and Univerity of Texas San Antonio’s Austin Patridge ” Space Weathering on the Moon”.Click here to watch
Where: Cost: Free
Astronomy’s Newest Discovery Machine: The Vera Rubin Observatory - LivestreamJoin us as four Berkeley astronomers share how they are using the Vera Rubin Observatory in Chile - which contains the largest camera ever built and will create an ultra-high-definition time lapse of our Universe - to bring cosmic mysteries to light.Register at: basicscience.berkeley.eduModerator: Steven Kahn, Dean, Division of Mathematical ...
Like birds, frogs are a commonly studied species that rely on acoustic communication for survival and fitness. During the frog breeding season, males gather together in big groups and advertise themselves to females. Often times, parameters of male advertisement calls may signal something about the male’s quality, such as genetic ...
Where: Cost: Free
Heat Pump Webinar: HVAC Systems and Water Heaters - LivestreamA free webinar on the benefits of Heat Pump systems! Learn about HVAC and HPWH basics, advice, and all the available incentives.Join us for an engaging Green@Home webinar where we’ll unpack heat pump technology, specifically with Heat Pump Water Heaters and HVAC Systems. Our home heat pump expert, Mike Salameh, ...
Nearly 30 years after the discovery of cosmic acceleration, its origin remains the source of open questions: is it caused by dark energy, a mysterious energy causing the Universe’s expansion to go faster and faster with time? Or was Einstein’s theory of gravity wrong? Cosmology is now at a turning ...
Skillful prediction and projection of tropical cyclone (TC) activity are essential for storm preparedness and risk mitigation, particularly as TC impacts are expected to intensify in a warming climate due to rising sea levels and increased atmospheric moisture. Slowly varying tropical oceanic conditions have traditionally been regarded as a primary ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
Battery Energy Storage as a SystemWe will overview decision-making in battery energy storage systems (BESS) across innovation, investment, and deployment. In this work, we apply three analytical lenses to BESS technology: learning curves, deployment costs, and economic feasibility. (1) Technology roadmap modeling - illustrated through a 6,000-scenario evaluation of sodium-ion versus lithium-ion batteries - captures both ...
The availability of low-cost but intermittent renewable electricity (e.g., derived from solar and wind) underscores the grand challenge to store and dispatch energy so that it is available when and where it is needed. Redox-active materials promise the efficient transformation between electrical, chemical, and thermal energy, and are at the ...
What exactly are we talking to when we talk to language models such as ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini? Do these models have genuine minds with mental states? I will argue that the LLMs we interact with are at least quasi-agents with quasi-beliefs and quasi-desires, in a sense I will explain. ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
After Dark: Ride OnCelebrate Bike Month with the Exploratorium and the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition! Hop on your two-wheeler, park it with our secure bike valet service from Bike East Bay, and head inside Pier 15 for the year’s most freewheeling party. Light up an LED tower with your pedaling prowess. Make sorbet ...
Matthew Citron will talk about “Searching for the dark side of our universe with particle accelerators”andTed Swift will speak about “Chasing shadows: measuring asteroids using stellar occultations”
Where: DavisCost: Free
NightLife Carnival SFCarnaval SF is back for year three at NightLife, now with a Fiesta y Fútbol twist! Join our colorful celebration of music, dance, and soccer pride from Latin American, Caribbean, and Afrodiasporic cultures. Experience the joy of Carnaval throughout the museum with hands-on activities, live performances, a pop-up mercado (marketplace), ...
Predicting when evolution will repeat is a central challenge in biology, with implications for evolutionary rescue, biodiversity forecasting, and bioengineering. In this talk, I use examples from bioluminescence, chiton visual systems, and Medusozoa (~jellyfish) to explore three influences on evolutionary repeatability: reuse of existing components, historical contingency, and widespread molecular ...
Where: Pacific GroveCost: Free
In Town Star PartyCome 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. The event duration is 2 hours. SJAA volunteers will share night sky views from their telescopes.Please refrain from bringing your own telescopes ...
Where: San JoseCost: Free
Saturday, 05/09/26
Hike at Windy HillJoin POST on a guided hike on one of the first open spaces we protected as an organization! A POST Representative will share a few words about POST’s decades of conservation success before hiking groups leave to explore a strenuous but rewarding 7 mile hike with 1,500 feet of elevation ...
Where: Portola ValleyCost: Free
Family Nature Adventures: Mother’s Day Tea Party & Flowers WorkshopThis Months Theme: Mother’s Day Tea Party & Flower WorkshopMake Mother’s Day unforgettable with a perfect mix of creativity, nature, and cherished family moments!Tea Party: Enjoy a charming tea party experience perfect for honoring the special moms and caregivers in your life.Flower Workshop: Dive into the beauty of local flowers ...
Where: OaklandCost: $25 Adults, $35 Youth 3 - 8, $15 off for members
Virology and immunology of emergent arboviruses: learning from the patients - LivestreamEmergent viruses are primarily zoonotic viruses, meaning that they infect both human and non-human animals. They can be transmitted predominantly by aerosols, direct contact or through vectors. This talk will focus on the latter group of emergent viruses, which are transmitted by arthropod vectors (arboviruses). The main arboviruses are transmitted ...
Where: Cost: Free
Electrify Your Life Fair: EV Ride and Drive ActivityLearn how to lower expenses and reduce pollution with electric homes and cars.The Electrify Your Life Fair is for anyone who wants to save money and cut down on pollution at home and in the community. Join to learn how to switch from gas cars and home appliances to clean, ...
Where: SunnyvaleCost: 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 features darker skies ...
Where: Morgan HillCost: Free (registration required at weblink)
Sunday, 05/10/26
Marine Science Sundays: Saving SpeciesJoin us in celebrating Endangered Species Day this month by learning more about marine mammals that have returned from the brink of extinction. You'll hear about the endangered species we care for and more about the Center's efforts to keep the rarest seal in the United States, the Hawaiian monk ...
Where: SausalitoCost: Free with admission
Wonderfest: Ask a Science Envoy: DreamFish & WetlandsWonderfest Science Envoys are early-career researchers with enhanced communication skills and aspirations. Following short talks on provocative modern science topics, these two Science Envoys will answer questions with insight and enthusiasm:Stanford biologist Marina Luccioni on Fish that Make Dreams - Hawaiian traditional knowledge from the 1400s references “nightmare fish.” Indeed, eating the ...
We examine the prevalence and productivity dynamics of artificial intelligence (AI) in American manufacturing. Working with the Census Bureau to collect detailed large-scale data for 2017 and 2021, we focus on AI-related technologies with industrial applications.We find causal evidence of J-curve-shaped returns, where short-term performance losses precede longer-term gains. Consistent ...
As the global demand for alternative energy intensifies, there is ongoing research and development aimed at enhancing energy storage systems. Lithium metal batteries represent a promising technology for next-generation energy storage solutions. However, stabilizing the lithium metal anode in these batteries remains a significant obstacle to their commercial viability. Given ...
Speaker: Marcus Feldman, Stanford UniversityRoom: Auditorium
Where: StanfordCost: Free
Microelectronics: When the Enabler Becomes the Bottleneck - LivestreamMicroelectronics spans a broad stack from materials and devices to circuits, architectures, and integrated systems, all of which are essential to modern scientific instrumentation. Across fields such as photon science and high-energy physics, advances in microelectronics have enabled new experimental capabilities, from highly segmented detectors to ultrafast, low-noise readout systems. ...
Where: Cost: Free
Powering Global Cooperation: Innovation, Security, & Geopolitics In A Changing Energy LandscapeIn today’s world, energy is a driver of security, prosperity, and strategic influence. As geopolitical shocks, market volatility, and technological change transform the global energy landscape, trusted partnerships are becoming essential to resilience and long-term stability.Join Condoleezza Rice and Arun Majumdar, in conversation, moderated by Šumit Ganguly, on how energy ...
Tribal Nations across California and the U.S. are increasingly asserting leadership in clean energy development-pursuing projects that advance energy resiliency, economic opportunity, and tribal sovereignty. Since many Tribes face unduly high energy costs, long outages and have long borne the brunt of fossil fuel extraction, such projects can have an ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
The Hidden Health Costs of the Digital AgeScreens - all the time, everywhere, it seems. We sit at our desks facing screens, hold meetings over screens, answer email after email on them. You’ve heard about the mental health harms of screens, but what about the physical ones? Headaches, back pain, restless sleep, and rising rates of preventable ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $25 General in person, $10 online
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.
For over a century, thinkers like Adam Smith and Karl Marx believed that as jobs became more specialized, workers would focus on fewer, simpler tasks. And for a time, that seemed true. But today, many specialized roles - from teachers to doctors to police officers - require people to juggle ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $27
Tuesday, 05/12/26
Black Spot, Black Death, Black Pearl: Tales of Bacterial PathogensMy lab is interested in elucidating the activity of virulence factors from pathogenic bacteria so that we can gain novel molecular insights into eukaryotic signaling systems. The marine bacterium Vibrio parahaemolyticus is the worldwide leading cause of seafood-borne acute gastroenteritis. We are working on the two V. parahaemolyticus type 3 ...
As adolescence becomes increasingly digital, public discourse tends to focus on screen time, platform design, and online harms. Yet alongside these concerns, a parallel transformation has unfolded: the steady erosion of physical spaces meant for teens. What happens to youth social life when the outside world contracts? This talk argues ...
I will discuss ideas in modern quantitative finance from the perspective of a theoretical physicist. Starting from the classic picture of price fluctuations as random walks, I will explain how practitioners identify collective modes, or “factors,” and use them to isolate residual predictability, or “alpha.” The problem of trading on ...
Monterey Audubon Society's BLOY project has officially hit 10 years of good, clean data after a few start-up years. Join Judi Romero as she gives an update on the project by sharing what the data is telling us, sharing some stories from the field, and probably some extra-cute photos of ...
A few shark species are, indeed, dangerous wildlife. However, the public portrayal of these animals as villains and killers is overblown. What is the real life of a large shark like? How do they eat? How long do they live, and where do they migrate? Knowing about sharks in this ...
Speakers: Tanya Luhrmann (Stanford Anthropology) on "Voices" Muhammad Khatib (Stanford) on "Fiber Bioelectronics for Precision Medicine" Kathy Aoki (Santa Clara University) on "" Nitya Thakkar (Stanford Medicine) on "AI for Precision Health"
This month, we have two excellent talks lined up: First, Katie Hermanson will tell us about dwarf galaxies in dark matter simulations. Then we’ll hear from Hannah Gulick about hunting for black holes… possibly with the very phone in your pocket!
Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) has emerged as a versatile tool for seismic and geophysical studies due to its unprecedented sensor density, converting regular telecommunication fibers into distributed 1D strain sensors. DAS can achieve m-level spatial resolution and kHz sampling rates, enabling direct measurement of the coherent wavefield from seismic events. ...
Parasite diversity is sensitive to habitat disturbance and isolation, yet these expectations have rarely been tested in extreme environments. I studied the metazoan parasite community at hydrothermal vents at 9°50’N on the East Pacific Rise - an island-like, frequently disturbed, successional habitat where few parasite species had yet been discovered. ...
The Moon is entering a new era of exploration, with dozens of commercial, national, and international missions planned for the coming decade. Supporting this activity will require robust Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) infrastructure - a "Lunar GPS" - capable of serving spacecraft, landers, and rovers across the cislunar domain. ...
Ignite SF #19Get ready to be blown away at Ignite SF #19 - 15+ speakers, fast talks, bold ideas, and nonstop creativity on one electrifying stage.Get ready for a night of ideas, insight, and pure adrenaline. In true Ignite fashion, each speaker will have just 5 minutes and 20 auto-advancing slides to ...
People pleasing, perfectionism, overcompensating - these behaviors can help us navigate difficult environments, but they often limit authenticity, intimacy, and connection in our relationships.In this experiential lecture, Darshana Avila explores the roots of these patterns and how they live in the body. Through reflection, humor, and simple embodied exercises, you’ll ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $27
Thursday, 05/14/26
Coastal Walk at Cowell-Purisima TrailJoin Peninsula Open Space Trust for a beautiful walk along the Cowell-Purisima trail that POST helped create by protecting adjacent farmland. While it may be foggy, we hope to catch gorgeous views of the ocean, nearby farmland, and glimpses of harbor seals, pelicans, hawks, rabbits, and whales during the winter ...
This talk explores the mechanics of fluid-driven frictional ruptures, accounting for frictional weakening, dilation, and permeability changes. While primarily occurring during hydraulic stimulation of geothermal reservoirs, these processes also impact fault stability, landslides, and glacier mechanics. Assuming a circular rupture geometry, we examine how the rupture propagation behavior can widely ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
Infrastructure for Science that Compounds in the Age of AI AgentsAI agents that autonomously conduct research risk breaking a delicate balance in science. The scientific paper is a lossy format: methodological choices and assumptions compressed into a few pages, with peer review and community scrutiny providing the warrant that results are sound. This trade-off worked because the rate of new ...
The international community seeks to increase public and private financial flows to address the climate crisis. Initiatives to promote emissions reductions target forests and waterways across the Global South; their success often depends on the reorientation of local governance practices. This talk draws on mixed methods research in Guatemala to ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
UC Berkeley Energy and Resources Group Colloquium - CANCELED?Speaker: Cris Crespo and Jess KerseyEditor's Note: This event conflicts with a similar event at overlapping times and location. Since no title has been released for this event, we are assuming the other one is correct and UC Berkeley just hasn't canceled or rescheduled this one at this time.
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Drake Awards 2026Join the SETI Institute’s premier space science celebration as we honor pioneering researchers advancing the search for life beyond Earth!Honoring Excellence in SETI & AstrobiologyThe Drake Awards is the SETI Institute’s premier celebration of bold ideas, transformative discovery, and humanity’s enduring question: Are we alone in the universe?This signature evening brings ...
Where: Mountain ViewCost: $150
After Dark: Unplug and PlayGet a taste of life as an Exploratorium engineer! Test-drive prototypes, savor the creative chaos, and find out how your curiosity can shape what comes next. Ages 18+
Where: San FranciscoCost: $22.95
NightLifeThursdays hit different at NightLife. The museum comes alive after hours - wilder, more curious, and full of exciting creatures. Grab your friends, grab a hand-crafted drink, and let yourself wander into whatever weird or wonderful corner calls you. You never know what you’ll stumble into next, and that’s the ...
Breathwork isn’t just wellness - it’s physiology in action. The way you breathe directly shapes your nervous system, influencing stress, focus, and emotional range in real time.In this interactive lecture, Char Lacsina explores the science behind breath and regulation, from the vagus nerve to CO? tolerance, and why stress can ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $27
The Aquatic World of Penguins - Biology of Fish-Birds - LivestreamCenturies ago, when penguins were first encountered by European explorers, they were not thought to be birds but rather a fish-like relative. Subsequent accumulation of knowledge has shown penguins to be an avian species with unrivaled aquatic attributes owing to a number of evolutionary adaptations. David Ainley will introduce us ...
In this talk, Quico Toro draws on his book Charlatans to trace the grifter’s playbook from Renaissance Venice to the algorithmic age. Starting with Mamugnà - a 16th-century fake alchemist who persuaded the Venetian Senate to bankroll his lavish lifestyle for nearly a decade - Toro shows that the basic ...
The biogeography of species is shaped in part by physiological traits that govern tolerance to environmental conditions. The diversity of such traits should thus adapt to the range and relative frequency of abiotic conditions globally, but the slow imprinting of the environment on trait evolution is unobservable. In this talk, ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
The Exceptional Botanical Diversity of the Siskiyou CrestThe Siskiyou Crest has one of the highest concentrations of officially designated botanical areas on National Forest lands in the country. Along the ridges, slopes and canyons of the Siskiyou Crest, from Mt. Ashland to the Smith River, are 31 officially designated Botanical Areas that recognize concentrations of rare species, ...
Where: BerkeleyCost:
Saturday, 05/16/26
An Easy Intro to Feynman's QED, Part 2: Adding Alternative Histories - LivestreamIn his February 21, 2026, talk, Terry discussed how Nobel Laureate Richard Feynman devised a radically new way to represent quantum mechanics mathematically by fully accepting both Einstein’s controversial insistence that photons must be localized particles of energy and that all wave-like behaviors of those particles are real and must ...
Where: Cost: Free
National River Cleanup Day at the EECVolunteer to help clean up litter at the Environmental Education Center!Join us for National River Cleanup Day! We'd love your help picking up litter from the roads and trails around the Environmental Education Center (EEC) to help keep our waterways and wetlands clean!Please note, volunteers under the age of 16 will ...
Where: AlvisoCost: 0
Stanford Medicine: Health Matters ShowcaseVisionary scientists. Expert health care providers. Thought-provoking presentations. Hands-on activities. It’s all waiting for you at Health Matters 2026.Whether you’re looking for the latest insights to support your heart health or simple tips to improve your nutrition - and everything in between - we’ve got you covered.Join us on the ...
Dr. Yvonne Cagle, MD, PhD, is a NASA Astronaut, aerospace physician, Brigadier General in the California State Guard USAF Retired, senior flight surgeon, and biotech inventor whose career has helped shape the future of human spaceflight and global health. Her work bridges science, medicine, the military, and space exploration with ...
Where: San CarlosCost: Free with admission
Family Bird WalkJoin us on a fun, family, feathered Family Bird Walk! This program is especially recommended for families with children ages 5-10.Let family walks become a shared time of nature learning! We’ll begin by helping kids create their personal bird watching field guides, and then head out onto the trails to ...
Point Bonita Lighthouse has been a guiding light welcoming people and ships to the San Francisco Bay since 1855. The last 170 years have left the lighthouse with many fascinating stories to tell - about its lighthouse keepers, how it came to be in its current location, and more!Rangers offer a ...
Where: SausalitoCost: Free
Sunday, 05/17/26
Junior Rangers at the Refuge: Slough SleuthsBecome a Junior Ranger as you explore your local National Wildlife Refuge!Love 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 ...
