Grounds for Science: Illuminating the Brain and Programming Viruses to Harvest Solar Energy

Illuminating the Brain: How light, color, and a jellyfish protein help us study the mind

How do we study our own brains? What's going on in our neurons? A fluorescent protein from jellyfish revolutionized how we study what goes on in our cells. Learn the history of how we've made our brain signals glow by tracking brain electricity, neurotransmitters, and calcium. Then take a peek at the field today, as scientists develop new ways to watch the electricity in our brain.

Speaker: Anneliese Gest, UC Berkeley

Programming Viruses to Harvest Solar Energy

We typically think of viruses as infectious agents that should be eliminated, but what if they could be reprogrammed for good? Come see how a virus infecting tobacco plants can be adapted to harvest light energy. By mimicking photosynthesis, we can learn how to design more efficient solar technology to help reduce our dependence on fossil fuels.

Speaker: Amanda Bischoff, UC Berkeley