Nerd Nite #146: Psychedelic Science, Geysers, and the New Science of Learning

The heat is rising in San Francisco, and you know what that means: late summer has finally arrived, and back-to-school season is finally upon us. Well, most of our beloved Nerd Nite audience probably isn’t going to school anymore, but that hasn’t stopped us from learning together each month! This time around we’re focusing on the fun parts of academia, so whether you want to learn about the science of psychedelics, how to study geysers (and not get blown up), or just how to learn better, we’ve got something for you!

Psychedelics & Science - A Very Brief History

Psychedelics are firmly back in the mainstream. Scientists are researching them, veterans are lobbying for them, Elon Musk is microdosing them ??" but how did we get here? How did western society encounter psychedelics in the first place, why did they become banned and stigmatized, and what brought them back? And what even counts as a psychedelic anyway? Find out answers to all of this, and more, in a talk from Imran Khan of the UC Berkeley Center for the Science of Psychedelics.

Speaker: Imran Kahn, UC Berkeley

The New Science of Learning

Learning for the test is hard, learning for the end of the semester exam is harder, and learning well enough to remember the material for the 10-year reunion is harder still. Researchers, though, are starting to tease out what it takes to create experiences that create new understandings that last a lifetime. Experience some of the innovations that are revolutionizing science instruction.

Speaker: Zeke Kossover, ExplOratorium

How to Blow Yourself: Geysers and Hydrothermal Explosions in Yellowstone

Move over megafauna - geysers are the real stars of Yellowstone National Park. These wet and wild geologic features provide insight into water circulation through the Earth’s crust. After exploring why geysers exist in Yellowstone and how their plumbing systems make eruptions possible, we’ll discuss what prompts some geysers to blow themselves to bits during hydrothermal explosions.

Speaker: Mara Reed, UC Berkeley