Merging Galaxy Clusters as Multifaceted Astrophysical Laboratories The number of known merging galaxy clusters has been increasing at a faster than exponential rate and there are now over 50 known major mergers. I will discuss this boom of discovery and the science that such an ensemble enables. In particular I will focus on the Merging Cluster Collaboration ...
There Once Was An IslandWhat if you had to leave your home forever? Takuu, a tiny atoll in Papua New Guinea, contains the last Polynesian culture of its kind. Facing escalating climate-related impacts, including a terrifying flood, community members Teloo, Endar and Satty take us on an intimate journey to the core of their ...
Where: San JoseCost: Free
HETEROGENEOUS SILICON PHOTONICSSilicon photonics has a number of advantages that make it interesting for quantum electronics. Ultralow loss waveguides have been demonstrated on silicon with losses below 0.001 dB/cm. This enables high Q resonators with Qs of 80 million or higher. Since the linewidth of a semiconductor laser depends on the Q, ...
Great uncertainty surrounds our efforts to mitigate climate impacts from energy use. One promising strategy for long-term climate mitigation is the use of renewable resources including wind and solar. Their weather-dependent nature however requires flexible power grid technologies to maintain power grid stability. As more intermittent and distributed renewable energy ...
Symmetry and topology are two of the conceptual pillars that underlie our understanding of matter. While both ideas are old, over the past several years a new appreciation of their interplay has led to dramatic progress in our understanding of topological electronic phases. A paradigm that has emerged is that ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Blue Gold: World Water WarsWars of the future will be fought over water as they are over oil today, as the source of human survival enters the global marketplace and political arena. Corporate giants, private investors, and corrupt governments vie for control of our dwindling supply, prompting protests, lawsuits, and revolutions from citizens fighting ...
What If 'Intelligent Design' Had Won?Ten years have passed since a conservative District Court judge ruled that teaching intelligent design in public schools violates the 1st Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. The National Center for Science Education, led by Eugenie Scott, was a principal consultant in this crucial decision for separation of church and state. Please join ...
