New Science Smorgasbord: Viruses, Stars, Brains, & Shapes

Four short talks presented by four   Wonderfest Science Envoys:

"Viruses: Ancestors or Aliens?"  Lauren Popov, Stanford Biologists can't agree if viruses are truly "living" entities. So if viruses aren't alive, then how did they evolve and where did they come from?  Together we will explore the mainstream hypotheses about the origins of viruses and marvel at the diversity of the ever-expanding viral family tree.  

"Star Formation Through Radio Eyes"  Chat Hull, UC Berkeley How do stars form?  And how do magnetic fields affect the star formation process?  I focus on both of those questions in my research, which involves using radio telescopes to observe the dense blobs of dust and gas where stars like our sun are just beginning to form.  

"How to Grow a Primate Brain, & Why You Should" Drew Halley, UC Berkeley Primate brains (including yours) have some remarkable differences from those of other mammalian species.  This talk will look at what's different about primate brains, how development produces these differences, and why evolution selected them.  

"What Is The Best Shape?" Otis Chodosh, Stanford The best shape?!  A question for the ages!  What do geometers and physicists mean by "best"?  And which shape is the winner?

This event is presented in partnership with Wonderfest, the Bay Area Beacon of Science.