2024: 60 Years of Laser Mode LockingWe present a brief history of mode locked lasers, starting from early beginnings in 1964, and including the transformation from mode-locked lasers to frequency combs in 2000. Based on the vast available research material, we also boldly attempt to predict where the technology may be headed in the future, encompassing commercial applications as well as new opportunities in ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
A Reexamination of Global WarmingThe most quantitative evidence for global warming consists of 1.4 billion earth land surface temperature measurements dating back to Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin. There is useable Earth coverage from 1800 to the present, and excellent coverage from 1900 onward. There have been several criticisms of the prior analyses of ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Fukushima from the back-end of the fuel cycle and waste managementWhile the crippled reactors at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station are yet to reach cold shut-down state, the rate of radioactivity release from the site has significantly decreased. Now the main focus has turned to environmental remediation, treatment, and eventual disposal of contaminated materials. These actions will be heavily dependent ...
As unlikely as it may seem, the future of the commercial nuclear industry, except perhaps in a few European countries and in Japan, appears to have been little affected by the Fukushima disaster. In the United States, Fukushima may have an impact on the relicensing of old plants and result ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
Dava Sobel: A More Perfect HeavenThe bestselling author of Longitude and Galileo's Daughter tells the story of Nicolaus Copernicus and the revolution he inspired. By 1514, the reclusive cleric Copernicus had written an initial outline of his heliocentric theory - in which he defied common sense and received wisdom to place the sun, not the ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $20 standard, MEMBERS FREE, $7 students
November LASER Event6:30pm-6:45pm: Socializing/networking.6:45-7:10pm: Jennifer Parker (UC Santa Cruz) on "Down to Earth: Art, Astronomy and Physics" Highlighting new works created by artists and scientists from the UCSC OpenLab Network. The OpenLab Network is a new research initiative at the University of California Santa Cruz. The OpenLab Network targets a complex education ...
Eoin Brodie: How will shifting rainfall patterns affect the soil and the carbon cycle? Microbial ecologist Eoin Brodie leads an effort to understand how communities of soil microbes change as the climate changes.Janet Jansson: A handful of soil teems with billions of microbes, a few of which could lead to ...
Israeli-born psychologist Daniel Kahneman won the Nobel Prize in Economics for his groundbreaking work on the psychology of judgment and decision making. His latest book examines the two systems that drive the way we make choices – one fast, intuitive, and emotional; the other slower, more deliberate and logical. Discover ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $20-$25 General, $17-$22 Members, $10 Students
Mesoamerica's great pyramids excite our imagination with images of a fascinating civilization in the distant past, but they also provide a tangible link to the richness and enduring power of Maya culture as expressed by the Maya people today. The infamous year 2012 gains astronomical and cultural significance in a ...
How many colors make black? Be amazed as black magically turns into vibrant purples, blues, greens, magenta, and more with just a drop of water! This hands-on science activity for children 5 and older introduces the concept of chromatography. Chromatography comes from the Greek word chroma meaning "color" and graphia meaning ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $7
Marine Protected Areas (MPA) Education and Outreach TrainingThis basic overview of MPA science, monitoring, and outreach is intended for volunteers and other interested partners who would like to improve their ability to communicate MPA science and objectives to the public. Anyone is welcome to attend this introductory overview, but please RSVP by email if interested.
SRI International, host of Café Scientifique Silicon Valley, commemorates its 65th anniversary on Sunday, November 6, 2011. Join us on November 8 at the usual Cafe Scientifique time- the second Tuesday of the month at 6 p.m.- for a special presentation by the President and CEO of SRI, Curt Carlson. ...
Where: Menlo ParkCost: Free
On-Chip Interconnect: Demanding Challenges for Complex SoCsBy now, we've all gotten pretty used to these amazingly converged consumer devices: always-connected, media-rich and computing-capable platforms focused on the capture and delivery of massive amounts of content – all at seemingly impossibly low prices. At the heart of consumer electronics today are System on a Chip (SoC) semiconductors ...
Where: San JoseCost: Free
Reframing the Message: From Sound Science to the Sound BiteTweets, blogs, podcasts and online video mixed with traditional print and broadcast media have taken the information superhighway into the age of information overload. From the headline to the sound bite... if the words aren't perfect, the message may be lost. Join COMPASS and Aldo Leopold lead communications trainer Nancy ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $12 General, $10 Members & Seniors
The Technology of AnimationComputers were born and bred for war, hard science, and business. Now they're telling stories. Computer technology drives movies and television today. It sweeps us into world built from 1s and 0s that seem more true-to-life than real life. We've explored Middle Earth and deep space. We've met animated charactes ...
UAVs have a record of note forDisappointing the civil promotor.What has always been lost?A great need for low cost!A solution, perhaps, is Flexrotor.
Where: BerkeleyCost:
Searching for Seeds, Sizing up ShellTheresa Molino and Monica Parks will present their findings from a discrete number of soil samples taken from a cultural shell midden located at the mouth of the Coquille River in south central Oregon. These findings will illustrate the subtle signature of paleo-ethnobotanical remains, as well as the potential significance ...
Where: BerkeleyCost:
Building a 10,000 Year Archive of All Human LanguagesThe Rosetta Project at The Long Now Foundation is working to build an open public digital collection of all human language as well as an analog backup that can last for thousands of years--The Rosetta Disk. In the "long now," the goal is long-term storage and access to information--on the ...
Carbon dioxide levels are predicted to rise during this century to levels not seen in 25 to 50 million years. Back during this time, the Earth changed from a generally ice-free 'greenhouse world' to a more much colder and heavily glaciated 'icehouse world'. Dr. Pekar will provide an overview ...
Where: Mountain ViewCost: Free
Pond Scum Night: The Invisible World in a Drop of WaterWhat lives unseen in pond, bay, and ocean water? Join the San Francisco Microscopical Society and Merritt Biology Club for "Pond Scum Night". View the amazing and varied organisms hidden to the unaided eye, up close and personal. See the invisible world brought to light, and observe natural beauty and ...
Where: OaklandCost: $2.00 parking
Skeptalk: End of the World PredictionsReligious leaders have been predicting the end of the world for centuries, and yet we're still here! What happens to your state of mind when you absolutely KNOW Armageddon will happen next Wednesday, but then you wake up Thursday morning to an unchanged world? Dr. Patrick O'Reilly, Assistant Clinical Professor ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: FREE
Above and Below San Francisco Streets- In Search Of Eradicated LandscapesAbove and Below San Francisco Streets- In Search Of Eradicated Landscapeswith Glenn Lym. It is a common assumption that street grids were imposed easily on San Francisco's original landscape, resulting in the city's photogenic hillside streets that poke up from otherwise large flat planes. We assume that the imposition of ...
Where: San FranciscoCost:
SCAS-Sonoma County Astronomical SocietySCAS meets the 2nd Wednesday of each month at 7:30pm. Guest speakers are presented, along with the latest happenings in astronomy news and topics.Contact their homepage for more details, times, and information.Thank you!
Hydrologists and Water Resource planners require information about future hydroclimatic conditions to guide them in their decision making process. Depending on the timescale, a variety of mathematical models has been developed and are being used. Regional climate models are used with longer time scales, ranging from seasons to decades while ...
Learning from Japan's earthquakeJapan just experienced a massive earthquake and tsunami, triggering the most complex nuclear disaster in history and causing billions of dollars in damage. Prior to the earthquake, Japan had invested substantial resources in mitigating its buildings and preparing for future disasters. What's next for Japan? What can we learn from ...
Go behind the scenes at Long Marine Lab. Learn about the work of scientists and their studies of dolphins, seals, sea lions, and whales. Tour is best suited for adults and children over 10 years of age. Space limited, free with admission. Reservations required: (831) 459-3800.
Joseph Wei, Vice Chair of the IEEE Consumer Electronics Society (Santa Clara Valley), Co-chair of the SVC Wireless Entrepreneur SIG, and Member of the Berani Group, introduces near field communications (NFC) technology. NFC enables simplified transactions and data exchange between two wireless devices at ranges of a few centimeters. For ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
What's' Up with High Speed Rail...is Steam Making a Comeback?The focus of this presentation is to present one railfan's observations about railroading in America and an overview of High Speed Rail, HSR, worldwide. Yes, we will talk a bit about the proposed California HSR project and why the poster child project, Orlando-Tampa, was just cancelled! This presentation will start ...
Where: Palo AltoCost:
Surf & Tides NightlifeCelebrate surfing and the tidal forces that impact all life forms in and around the ocean, from sea stars to surfers and coastal residents. Catch video shorts from Rip Curl, in town for their annual Pro Search surf contest at Ocean Beach. See the sustainable board designs of Las Olas ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $12 General, $10 Members
Linking Farms, Food, & Health – Making it happen!"The kitchen must become as crucial as the clinic," says Dr. Preston Maring who brought farmers markets to Kaiser Permanente. Join him for a dynamic conversation with organic farmer and MALT board member, Peter Martinelli, who sells at a variety of farmers markets, and Restaurant Professional, Frank Klein, who developed ...
Where: SausalitoCost: $15
DIRT! the Movie and DiscussionJoin Transition Berkeley for a screening of DIRT! the Movie, narrated by Jamie Lee Curtis. The movie takes us inside the Earth's most valuable and unappreciated resource. The 20th century was a bad time for dirt with the rise of devastating farming practices, clear-cutting and erosion, and climate change. DIRT! ...
Renewable Ocean EnergyThis year's Ken Norris lecture explores the current prospects of deriving renewable energy from our oceans. Hosted by UCSC's Institute of Marine Sciences Director Gary Griggs, this panel discussion will cover the public policy, ecology, and physical challenges involved in developing sustainable, renewable energy from the power of the sea. ...
Where: Santa CruzCost: Free with admission
The Wolf's Tooth: Keystone Predators, Trophic Cascades, and BiodiversityScientist and author Cristina Eisenberg will read from her new book,"The Wolf's Tooth: Keystone Predators, Trophic Cascades, and Biodiversity". She will discuss the vital connection between apex predators and healthy ecosystems worldwide-from the deep oceans to tropical rainforests to prairies. Her talk will commence at 7 P.M. followed by a ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: FREE
Ecological Economics in a World of 7 BillionHowMany.org presents speaker Randy Hayes of Foundation Earth and founder of Rainforest Action Network (RAN). Hayes is former Director of Sustainability in the office of Oakland Mayor Jerry Brown and served as president of the City of San Francisco Commission on the Environment. He also worked with visionary Jerry Mander ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: free
Footloose ForaysMichael Ellis is well known for his Ask the Naturalist column in Bay Nature magazine and as a longtime contributor to the Perspectives series on KQED. He has also been a repeat guest on Michael Krasny's Forum program, most recently this last August: http://www.kqed.org/a/forum/R201108011000 .Since founding Footloose Forays in 1983, ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free
Friday, 11/11/11
Why Climate Disruption Could be Worse and Preventing Catastrophe is EasierOur speaker is John Harte, Professor of Ecosystem Sciences at the University of California, Berkeley. He is a Fellow of the California Academy of Sciences and the American Physical Society. He has served on six National Academy of Sciences Committees and authored over 190 scientific publications, including eight books. Following ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: $2 donation
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, 11/12/11
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 ...
Imagine a Venn diagram showing the intersection of web geeks and science geeks …that's a pretty big intersection. Science Hack Day is for anyone with an interest in bringing science and technology together (from dabbling with APIs/datasets/interface design to biotech experiments and prototyping near-space payloads). If you're a coder, designer, ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free
Surgical Tools & Techniques with the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN) Surgical Tools & Techniques with the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN) from Exploratorium All EventsSaturday, November 12, 2011, 10am – 4pm Forget those operating room shows on TV. Get the true scoop on surgery from members of the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN). These fascinating demonstrations will illustrate lifesaving surgical ...
Where: San FranciscoCost:
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 ...
Science and creativity in the city of innovationSome 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 ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $30 with discount code 'Schmooze'
Imagine a Venn diagram showing the intersection of web geeks and science geeks …that's a pretty big intersection. Science Hack Day is for anyone with an interest in bringing science and technology together (from dabbling with APIs/datasets/interface design to biotech experiments and prototyping near-space payloads). If you're a coder, designer, ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: 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: $330 per month
Conservation Photography Workshop: Adobe Lightroom for the Nature PhotographerIn this workshop you will be taken through the steps of setting up Adobe Lightroom for the first time all the way through to how to do basic web publishing. We will cover the basic features of the library mode and how to organize your collection including the use of ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $50 General, $40 Members
Stereotyping Muslims, Myths and the Media Stereotyping Muslims, Myths and the Media Inside 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 Rediscovered.Participate. Exchange ideas. Get ...
Experience the wildlife and natural beauty that make Younger Lagoon an exceptional local treasure on this docent-led tour to the lagoon and its beach habitat. Learn about the ongoing research and habitat restoration work that help this vital ecosystem thrive. Tour includes a short hike and is best suited for ...
