Energy Fundamentals: Solar Geometry AnalysisThe sun is the source of almost all energy on earth. How people and buildings interact with the sun impacts buildings. From an architectural perspective the sun energy can be broken down into two primary categories, heat energy and light energy. The sun's relationship with the earth has implications for ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free
Gravitational wave astronomy: a peek through the windowThe direct detection of gravitational waves will offer a completely new window onto our Universe: one that is dominated by degenerate objects, black holes, explosions and mergers. Although this window is so far still obscured a glimpse of its richness can be seen from electromagnetic observations of gravitational wave sources. ...
Moncarz presents a global economic perspective on the European Union's dream of clean, efficient and renewable energy: Where is it within the climate challenge of coal, politicized natural gas supply and nuclear power? Will the huge amount of shale gas being developed by U.S. firms in Poland tilt the scale? ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $20 General, $8 Members, $7 Students
Interplanetary Missions with NASA/JPL Solar System Ambassador Eric NorrisNASA/JPL Solar System Ambassador Eric B. Norris will present an exciting multimedia look at current NASA interplanetary missions, including the Dawn mission to Vesta, the Juno mission to Jupiter, and the soon-to-be-launched Mars Curiosity Rover. Eric will also update us on other missions througout the solar system from Mercury to Pluto.
Where: San JoseCost: Free
Open Space Authority presents: BUGS BUGS BUGS!The Open Space Authority presents Docent Steve and his enthusiasm for all things creepy and crawly. Come learn the ant secret handshake or discover if bees have their own version of dancing GPS! Bring your questions and your sense of adventure and come have some fun! Everyone welcome.
Where: San JoseCost:
Catastrophes! Earth-Shattering Events that Changed HistoryEarthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, hurricanes, tornadoes, and other natural disasters remind us that, as Will Durant said, "Civilization exists by geologic consent, subject to change without notice." But despite the magnitude of these events, most people have a poor understanding of why they occur and what real dangers they pose-and ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: FREE
Dr. Kimberly Barnholt 23andMe, Making Science PersonalLife as a Researcher at 23andMeScience is all about learning and discovery. What better subject to study than your own body and health? Research at 23andMe, a leading company in personal genetics, gets people involved in the science process from genotype to phenotype. 23andMe's mission is to advance personalized medicine and to accelerate ...
Where: BelmontCost: Free
Living Well with a Diagnosis of Heart FailureWhile the term "heart failure" sounds like a sudden and catastrophic event, it is actually a condition of gradual worsening of the heart's capacity to pump blood, and as such presents with a variety of symptoms. This talk will focus on the causes of heart failure, its treatments, and the ...
Where: Redwood CityCost: Free
San Francisco Microscopical Society: My Adventures Building a Two-Photon MicroscopeFor anyone interested in microscopes or scientific imaging, the next meeting of the San Francisco Microscopical Society will feature UC Berkeley imaging specialist Paul Herzmark. Refreshments will be served at the beginning of the meeting.Directions to the Randall are here: http://is.gd/randallmapSpeaker: Dr. Paul HerzmarkBuckley Room, bottom floor
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free
underfoot 2011Underfoot 2011 - Bay Artists look DOWNWorkspace Gallery proudly introduces our second annual sewer extravaganza, Sept 14th through 17th!What has science got to do with it? Well sometimes you just have to take a chance! A bicycle tour of city infrastructure is a tour of applied science. Places we don't ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: free, donation requested
Invented in San Francisco Walking Tour - After HoursSome of the City's most interesting natives aren't people, but the brainchildren of make-it-happen San Franciscans that have changed the world. Explore the science behind the creations of some of SF's important imaginators, learn a bit about the neuroscience of creativity, and experiment with your own powers of perception, all ...
While international climate negotiations inch forward, many national governments are taking steps to decouple economic growth from carbon pollution. Conservative governments in France and Italy see opportunities in moving away from fossil fuels. Australia, which exports coal and is heavily reliant on resource extraction, recently announced a goal of reducing ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $20 General, $8 Members, $7 Students
How much life grows or passes, on land or sea, through one cubic foot of space? To find out, and to record the stunning concentrates of biodiversity, the photographer David Liittschwager and a group of scientists record whatever appears in an open green metal frame over the course of a ...
How Did Ice Age Mammals and Birds from La Brea Tar Pits Respond to Climate ChangeDr. Donald Prothero of Occidental College will speak on his research on climate change and The La Brea tar pits, one of the most complete fossil records of the last 40,000 years. Geochemistry shows dramatic climate change from sage-oak chaparral to snowy coniferous forests during the glacial peak, then back ...
Where: BerkeleyCost:
Post-Petroleum Transportation: Finding Your Best Alternative FuelCome join a lively evening conversation with experts in the field of alternative transportation: Kumar Plocher, Yokayo Biofuels, biodiesel; David Arkin, Arkin-Tilt, ethanol; plus speakers on electric vehicles and biking. We'll explore your choices in transition technologies--electric, ethanol, biodiesel, and biking--which all lighten your footprint on the planet with cleaner ...
Have you ever wondered how birds learn to sing such beautiful songs? And why they produce so many different types of vocalizations? David Lukas will help answer some of these questions and share his insights into the magical world of birdsong. We'll learn about how birds produce sounds and the ...
Sharon Levy's 'Once and Future Giants' book signingWhat caused the megafauna die-out at the end of the last ice age? Sharon Levey, in her "Once and Future Giants", tells that fascinating story from all angles. She even goes further and covers a plan to, in a strange way, replace the vanished species. At 7 P.M. she will ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: FREE
Come to Foothill Observatory and join us in the exploration of our Universe!Foothill Observatory Friday Evening ProgramCome to Foothill Observatory and join us in the exploration of our Universe!Foothill Observatory is open for public viewing every clear Friday evening from 9:00 p.m. until 11:00 p.m. Visitors can view the wonders of the universe through the observatory's new computer-controlled 16-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope. Views ...
Where: Los Altos HillsCost:
Saturday, 09/17/11
San José Clean Energy ShowcaseCome see the latest in solar, wind turbine, electric vehicle and solar hot water technologies. Bring the family and get everyone excited about clean energy! The time for clean energy is now! With money-saving rebates from the State, making home energy improvements has never been easier or more affordable. Come ...
Where: San JoseCost: Free
Field Journal Workshop with John Muir LawsRenowned California naturalist Jack Laws will share his techniques for observing the natural world and recording observations in field journals on Saturday, September 17, 2011 from 10:00 am to 5:30pm at Pepperwood Preserve. Laws will demonstrate sketching plant close ups, animals that move and mastering the five minute landscape during ...
The discovery of extrasolar planetary systems has overturned entrenched ideas about how our own planetary system formed. Around other stars we find exotic planets like nothing we see around our Sun: hot Jupiters, super-Earths, and massive planets at Kuiper Belt distances and beyond. Where do they come from, and can ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
FIRST Robotics LeagueWhat the Olympics are for sports and the Nobel Prize is to science, FIRST Robotics is to kid's engineering.Take part in the most prestigious robotics competition for youth in the world this fall by joining Celsius and Beyond team. You will learn about project management, computer programming, robotics design, analytical ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $950 in full, $330 per month
Come to Hawk Hill in the Marin Headlands and get an up-close view of the fall raptor migration with the Golden Gate Raptor Observatory (GGRO), a cooperative program of the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy and National Park Service.A GGRO docent gives an hour-long talk about hawk monitoring and identification ...
Where: SausalitoCost: Free
Fermented Favorites: The Science of Wine and Cheese Walking TourDiscovery Street Tours partners with Sommelier Carla McKay for an afternoon of touring, tasting and vino-culinary education all in one!Join us as we stroll through quaint SF neighborhoods visiting local cheese and wine purveyors to taste and learn. Between the wine and cheese tastings, we'll stop at parks and explore ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $125
Jack Laws Workshop for Teachers, Docents and Parents at Pepperwood PreserveDynamic naturalist, artist and author Jack Laws will teach field journaling for hike guides, docents and educators at the Dwight Center at Pepperwood Preserve. Students can register online here.Laws will present his dynamic workshop designed for teachers, docents, hike guides, parents, docents and teachers who wish to incorporate field journaling into family ...
Where: Santa RosaCost: $10
After-Dark Fungus FestivalJoin park staff and Morgan Hill mushroom growers for a night of mushroom madness. Learn about mushrooms, molds and other fungus that thrive in the damper regions of our parks. Afterwards munch on mushrooms (if you're not squeamish) while watching the creepy monster classic "Mantango: Attack of the Mushroom People." ...
Where: San JoseCost: Free
Saturday Night StargazingSee the Moon, Planets, Stars, Galaxies and More* Stargaze through astronomical telescopes* Ask questions and talk with amateur astronomers* Learn how to use a star map to find constellations* Share in the wonder of the universe with your friendsStargazing is always weather permitting-be sure to dress warmly. Foggy and overcast ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Sunday, 09/18/11
Insect-induced Plant Galls of CaliforniaPlant galls provide a fascinating array of color and texture on most of the plants in our California landscape. Galls, growths of plant cells that are not normal plant organs, can be induced by a number of organisms. The most numerous as well as most beautiful and intriguing are those ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: $140 General, $115 Jepson Friends
Medicinal Plants of the Bay AreaFrom the mist shrouded sea cliffs to the sun-baked arid expanse of its eastern most regions, the San Francisco Bay area provides us with a chance to view a large variety of botanical specimens all within a relatively small geographical range. Join us as we discover together the diverse array ...
Come to Hawk Hill in the Marin Headlands and get an up-close view of the fall raptor migration with the Golden Gate Raptor Observatory (GGRO), a cooperative program of the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy and National Park Service.A GGRO docent gives an hour-long talk about hawk monitoring and identification ...
Sharks and rays are well adapted for life in the ocean, some as top predators. Join Greg Cailliet of Moss Landing Marine Laboratories as he provides insight into the methods that scientists use to study these incredible creatures including their population ecology, and aspects of their life histories, such as ...
Where: Santa CruzCost: Free with admission
Religion and Science Part 1: Beliefs and the BrainPanel discussion with Drs. PZ Myers, William Hurlbut and Mahan MirzaInside Islamic Science: Dialogues and DiscussionsModerated by Angie CoiroThe events are moderated by acclaimed interviewer Angie Coiro.Each interview, panel discussion, or lecture offers constructive dialogue on culture, religion, knowledge and beliefs, sparked by The Tech Museum's latest exhibition, Islamic Science ...
California reservoirs are at healthy levels this year but the state's water system remains in crisis. Projected changes in the Sierra snowpack and precipitation patterns along with growing population present challenges for hydrating the state's citizens and economy. How will the federal government help the state secure future water supplies ...
Catalysis and EnergyHeterogeneous catalysis is a key technology for chemical synthesis and for production of fuels. Fundamental studies of reactive processes provide a framework for increasing energy efficiency in large-‐scale processes. An overview of challenges in catalysis and examples of how fundamental studies provide guiding principles for developing more efficient, "green" processes ...
Many think of Death Valley as a land of geological wonder and remarkable wildflowers, but few know its protection has not been simple. Ackerman will speak about the conflicting forces driving decisions made in Death Valley, part of the National Park Service for nearly 80 years. Ackerman will discuss policies ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $20 General, Free for Members, $7 Students
In recent years, scientists have recorded dramatic drops in fisheries catches around the world. But what if the declines are even greater than we've realized? Dr. Jackson examines how we know what we think we know about the changing oceans with some of the top names in marine science and ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $12 General, $10 Seniors and Members
Burn Morels in the DNA AgeTodd Osmundson will discuss the state of morel taxonomy and his current research on morel diversity in post-burn habitats, using this work to put "DNA taxonomy" and its frequent - and sometimes bewildering - name changes into perspective. For more information on Todd's research, see: http://nature.berkeley.edu/~tosmunds.Speaker: Todd Osmundson, UC Berkeley
