Exploratorium Opening DayThe new Exploratorium opens to the public! Join us for Opening Day to experience over 600 exhibits, 150 of which are brand new, and special events lasting into the evening. Throughout the day, artists, special guests, volunteers, and Explainers will offer a variety of surprises and hands-on activities for people ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free public events; museum entry at standard rates
Brain-machine interfaces (BMIs) hold great potential to aid large numbers of people with neurological disorders. BMIs also provide a framework for studying cortical dynamics and the neural correlates of learning neuroprosthetic skills, i.e. accurate, readily-recalled control of disembodied actuators irrespective of natural physical movements. In this talk I will postulate ...
'My Beloved Brontosaurus'Author and dinosaur fanatic, Brian Switek, will be at the Main Library to discuss his new book: My Beloved Brontosaurus: On the Road with Old Bones, New Science, and Our Favorite Dinosaurs. Switek reunites us with these mysterious creatures as he visits excavation sites and museum vaults, exploring everything ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free
Innovating the Future: SRI's Curt Carlson and Bill Mark SRI International's pioneering contributions to computing are legendary, from the invention of the computer mouse and interactive computing in the 1960s, to the first internetworked and wireless connections in the 1970s. Fast-forward to 2010, when SRI created the first-generation virtual personal assistant and sold Siri to Apple. Over 66 years, ...
Why doesn't the stomach digest itself? How much can you eat before you literally burst? Can constipation really kill you? The ever-curious Mary Roach is set to find out. In her latest release, Gulp, the best-selling author of Stiff, Bonk and Packing for Mars takes readers on a crazy tour ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $20 General, $12 Members, $7 Students
Dr. Kevin Padian will explore dinosaur development and evolution. The reception will begin at 6:30pm with light refreshments and the talk starts at 7pm. Dr. Padian will be around to meet people and talk before the lecture begins (starting at 6:30) so please come have a cup of coffee and ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Brown Dwarfs & Free-Floating Planets: When You're Just Too Small to Be A StarThe least massive star is six times heavier than the most massive known planet. In between is the realm of the mysterious brown dwarfs. The first of these was discovered only in 1995, the same year astronomers found the first planet beyond our solar system. Since then we have found ...
It's far easier to predict the future when you are helping make and distribute it. Nicholas Negroponte exemplifies this with his notable accomplishments, including co-founding the MIT Media Lab, being the first investor in WIRED magazine, and co-founding the One Laptop Per Child program.His 01995 book Being Digital gave a ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $15 General, Members Free
Planet Formation and Stellar MultiplicityGaspard Duchene has been studying stellar multiplicity and planet-forming disks, and particularly the inter-connection between both aspects, using a broad variety of observational approaches. While the prevalence of stellar multiplicity has been established for many decades, the discovery of extrasolar planets is one of the most exciting findings of modern ...
Disrupting the flow: Effects of stream fragmentation on juvenile steelhead ecologyPlease join Point Reyes National Seashore staff for Science Lectures, 45 minute presentations on scientific research being performed at Point Reyes and elsewhere in the California. Science Lectures are sponsored by the Pacific Coast Science and Learning Center at Point Reyes National Seashore.Speaker: Jason Hwan, UC Berkeley
Speaker: John Donahoe, Persident and CEO, EBayRoom 189
Where: San JoseCost: Free
STEM Speakers Series: Engineering is ElementaryAttendees will have the opportunity to hear about STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics) classroom integration from experts in the field as well as use the STEM Center equipment for hands-on exploration.Each night the agenda is: 3-4pm Open House, 4-5pm Speakers Series, 5-6pm Open HouseSpeakers: Mark Miller, Learningtech.org; Marie Crawford, ...
Where: Redwood CityCost: Free
COGNITIVE COMPUTING WITH NANOSCALE ELECTRONIC SYNAPSES: MERGING NANOELECTRONICS AND NEUROSCIENCEDue to physical limits, CMOS transistor scaling has started to face significant barriers to achieving historical performance improvements. Addition-ally, the conventional computing paradigm based on Von Neumann architecture becomes increasingly inefficient as the computation gets more complex. In contrast, the human brain is massively parallel, robust, low power and fault-tolerant, ...
Where: Palo AltoCost: Free
Overview of Digital IC DesignSonoma State Engineering Science Lecture SeriesSpeaker: Mr. Ryan Hirth, Technical Director, Broadcom
Author Cecile Pineda poetically reflects on the first year following a nuclear disaster which erupted at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant following an earthquake and tsunami in 2011.Join us as Pineda speaks out on the ongoing catastrophe at Fukushima Daiichi which, is receiving increasing scrutiny both in the United States ...
Where: OaklandCost: Free
Reinvent growth without pollution: Can India do it? CANCELEDIndia is facing a double burden of environmental problems -- of the poor and of the rich. So, on one hand, its forests are under threat but on the other hand, its rivers are increasingly polluted by sewage and industrial waste and cities are choked under toxins from the spit ...
Are we biologically wired to be moral? Esteemed primatologist Frans de Waal (Our Inner Ape, Chimpanzee Politics) shares highlights from pioneering research showing that our moral nature stems from our primate social emotions, evidenced by chimpanzees who soothe distressed neighbors and bonobos who offer companions their own food. Frans de ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $25-30 General, $20-25 Members, $15 Students
Celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the Great Blue Heron Colony in GG ParkNancy DeStefanis, Director of SF Nature Education, will speak on the 20th Anniversary of the first nesting pair of the Great Blue Herons at Stow Lake in GG Park. DeStefanis discovered the first nest in 1993, and has monitored and studied the behaviors of the herons since then.
Join guide Christopher Calonje for a photographic tour of Colombia and its birdlife, along with information on the country's geography, cuisine, culture, and people. Colombia boasts the world's longest list of birds, now over 1,890 species (more than North America and Europe combined). Much of this diversity is due to ...
For his PhD research, Matt Smith studied the ectomycorrhizal fungal communities in the xeric oak-dominated woodlands of the Sierra Foothills. Although these low-elevation habitat may seem dry and dusty to most mycologists, Matt found that these habitats host a high diversity of hidden fungal treasures. These woodlands are particularly rich ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Friday, 04/19/13
California's Energy Future: 16th Annual Travers ConferenceThe state of California has embraced an ambitious goal of meeting its future energy needs while increasing its use of renewable energy. But a recent Little Hoover Commission report finds that the state has failed to develop a comprehensive energy strategy that confronts the difficult tradeoffs it faces. The 16th ...
How does a mature organization change business-as-usual to meet aggressive sustainability goals over the coming decades? John Elliott, Chief Sustainability Officer at Berkley Lab, will present the Lab's strategy for doing just that. John will provide a high-level overview of priorities and planned approaches for a sustainable Berkeley Lab, with ...
Scalable Neuroscience and the Brain Activity Mapping ProjectSince the beginning of the year, the European Union and United States have separately announced major initiatives in brain science. The latter is called the Brain Activity Mapping (BAM) Project and the size of the effort and the implications for science and medicine have been compared to the Human Genome ...
Fifty Shades of Green: True bugs, new species, and why I'm not smarter than a fifth-graderEver wonder how we find new species? How we decide what a species is and what to call it? Turns out 2013 is a pretty good time to be an insect taxonomist, with millions of unknown species still awaiting discovery in our planet's ecosystems. Mr Balujian will discuss his PhD ...
Where: FremontCost: Free
The Competitive Effects of Transmission Infrastructure in the Indian Electricity MarketInfrastructure can improve welfare both by directly lowering the costs of trade and by fostering competition. I study the competitive effects of transmission infrastructure on welfare in the Indian day-ahead electricity market. Transmission constraints may increase local market power by limiting competition across regions. I estimate firm marginal costs from ...
Dr. Felisa Wolfe-Simon is a NASA Astrobiology Research Fellow in residence at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Her expertise broadly covers the intersection between biology and geology with a focus in astrobiology. Wolfe-Simon uses innovative methods and tools from molecular biology, biochemistry and physiology to address biogeochemistry questions. The focus of ...
Where: OaklandCost: $23 General, $20 Members in advance; $29 at door
Moonlight HikeHike through the redwoods in twilight and moonlight on a moderate 4-5 mile hike. After the hike, stay and view the night sky through our telescopes (weather permitting) or tour the Telescope Makers Workshop. Hike will take place rain or shine.
Where: OaklandCost: $10
Public Star Viewing NightsJoin Sonoma State University's Physics and Astronomy department for a star party.Topic: Goodnight Moon
Where: Rohnert ParkCost: Free
Houge Park Start PartyMeet with members of San Jose Astronomical Society for a Star Party, weather permitting.
Where: San JoseCost: Free
Saturday, 04/20/13
Earth Day at Richardson BayCelebrate Earth Day by bringing your family and friends for a morning of naturalist led explorations, bird watching, restoration and clean-up. Learn about our bay and bird conservation and our importnace in the Pacific Flyway. Help make a difference and connect with our beautiful bay and uplands. Even the wildflowers ...
Where: TiburonCost:
Family Explorers Bay Sail Set sail for family adventure on the Schooner Seaward. Spend your Saturday morning navigating the bay, hoisting sails, singing sea chanties, and learning a bit about bay ecology. NatureBridge has partnered with Call of the Sea to create this unique 2.5 hour experience filled with breathtaking views and one-of-a-kind memories.*All ...
Guided Nature WalkExperience the beauty and rich natural history of Audobon Canyon Ranch's 535-acre Bouverie Preserve. Participants are divided into small groups and paired with a trained Bouverie volunteer to explore the mixed evergreen forest, flower-carpeted oak woodland and rugged chaparral. Guided Nature Walks range from two to five miles. Visitors of all ages are ...
Where: Glen EllenCost: Donations appreciated
Earth Day on the Bay 2013The Marine Science Institute is honoring Planet Earth with our "Earth Day on the Bay!" event. This event is filled with family-friendly events geared towards providing fun, memorable, and meaningful experiences to bond you with San Francisco Bay, and the planet.We throw open our doors to the public just once a ...
Where: Redwood CityCost: Free
Earth Day SFThis unique celebration packs a powerful day of green sustainability discussions, activism, workshops and solutions into one full day of fun and excitement for the whole family. Designed to support the Bay Area Community and beyond, Earth Day San Francisco focuses on acknowledging the local and planetary environmental challenges we ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free
Open Make at the Hall: Tiny TechDiscover the tools, techniques, and ingenuity of local Makers and make your own artistic and innovative creations. Miniatures, nanotechnology, and the super-tiny come out at our final Open Make of the season. Bring your little things and get inspired by the big impact your mini-creations can have. Featured Makers and ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free with admission
TEDxBerkeley: 'Catalyzing Change'The fourth annual TEDx Berkeley Event is a gathering of a dozen thought provoking and renowned speakers, set to tackle this year's theme: Catalyzing Change.Learning and sharing ideas in a way that provokes change and making the world a better place is what TED events are about. This year's group ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: General $100, UCB Student/Fac/Staff $30
Celebrate Astronomy Day!Join the San Jose Astronomical Association in celebration of Astronomy Day. Safely share views of the sun's plasma eruptions off the surface of the sun with a special solar telescope. Solar activity is approaching its maximum and here is a rare chance to view sunspots and solar plasma eruptions through ...
Where: San JoseCost: Free
Scientist as Artist and Learning Center Grand OpeningPlease join us for a public event celebrating a new art exhibit and grand opening of our Learning Center.Scientist as ArtistLab Artistry RevealedAn exhibit of 20 extaordinary images created by the scientists at the Buck Institute for Research on AgingLearning Center Grand OpeningKids of all ages (and lifelong learners) are ...
Where: NovatoCost: Free
BioFest 2: A Celebration of Science Fun & Science Futures for All AgesExplore lucrative career options in emerging biotech fieldsFeaturing:Industry Experts and Merrritt Biosciences Alumni"Cell-abration" Games for KidsHands-on Demo of Hitachi Tabletop Scanning Electron MicroscopeCareer CounselingBiomedial MicrotalksSmall Worlds of Wonder: Art ShowHands-on Microscope ExperiencesRaffle and Door PrizesSponsored by the Merritt College Genomics, Histology, and Microscopy Programs
Where: OaklandCost: Free
RFO-Public Solar ObservingDaytime Solar: Solar telescopes are set up so you can safely look at and listen to our favorite star, the Sun.Observatory Admission: FREE (Donations Welcome) Handicapped Parking and wheelchair access are available at the observatory entrance. Please visit our homepage for complete informations http://rfo.org/public-astronomy.html
Where: KenwoodCost: $8.00 All-Day Parking Fee
Making Friends with Science Share-A-ThonThe Share-A-Thon is a great chance for everyone to bring a game, activity or inspiration to share in a social atmosphere. This event celebrates the heart of the group in merging creativity, social interactions, education as teacher and learner, team building and fun with mild doses of risks of innovation ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free!!
Health Care Reform Update: Post-Affordable Care Act (ACA) Progress and ChallengesThe Affordable Care Act (ACA) federal health reform law was passed three years ago. In this intellectually enriching evening, find out what the ACA has accomplished so far, what changes are upcoming, and what health reform challenges lie ahead. This timely and topical public lecture by Professor Dow provides an ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
NASAScience4Girls and Their FamiliesThe Sun is our closest star! Join us and find out how NASA is helping us learn about our Sun, what it can teach us about other stars, and the many ways it affects our life on Earth.
Where: San JoseCost: Free
April 20 Public Astronomy Program On Mt DiabloPlease join Mt. Diablo Astronomical Society for the April 20th astronomy program. Lower Summit Parking Lot of Mt. Diablo State Park. The program starts at 7:00 (enter the park at least 45 minutes earlier) at the lower summit parking lot. Although there is no fee for this program there is ...
Where: Walnut CreekCost: $10/ car park admission
ARE WE ALONE IN THE UNIVERSE? What will the first alien life we discover likely look like? Explore where weird life exists on Earth. What does that tell us about life elsewhere in the universe?Which stars have planets where life might exist?
National Astronomy Day Star PartyPAS club member telescopes along with the Observatory will be open for a special public viewing this Saturday, in recognition of National Astronomy Day.
Where: Los Altos HillsCost: $3 Parking
Robert Ferguson Observatory-Public Star PartyThe Observatory's three main telescopes are open for your viewing. Docents set up additional telescopes in front of the building, while presentations on astronomical topics are given in the classroom throughout the course of the evening. Friendly and knowledgeable docents are available to answer your questions. FAQs: When to arrive: We keep ...
Where: KenwoodCost: Parking $8.00 Adults $3.00
CalDayOver 300 events spread over the UC Berkeley campus, for prospective students, their families, and the general public. If you have an interest in almost anything, you're sure to find an event that covers it. See the weblink for the full schedule.
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Sunday, 04/21/13
Earth Day: Slow Down for the Planet!Pull up a patch of grass and Slow Down for the Planet during the San Francisco Zoo's Earth Day event. Have a blast getting back to basics with conservation-themed keeper talks, hands-on "Power-Down" stations and more. Start your morning with a family Earth Day Bikeabout or birding walk, then enjoy a host of ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: See website
Family Program: Animals of the GardenCome join the Garden on this special journey to discover the many wonderful creatures living in the Garden. On our animal hunt, we will learn about newts, birds, butterflies, frogs, lizards, foxes, snakes and more! Hone your skills of observation and learn how plants and animals live together. Fee includes ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: $15 Adults, $12 Children, discounts for members
Spring flowers will be on display on this easy, two-mile stroll with Nike missile veteran David Bridgman along Pacifica's Milagra Ridge, site of a former gun emplacement, Nike missile site, and now the last stand for a quarter-sized endangered butterfly.Meet at far north end of College Drive (north of Sharp ...
Where: PacificaCost: Free
Earth Week FilmsSettle in for this mini film festival, presented in conjunction with the exhibition Revisiting the South: Richard Misrach's Cancer Alley, and witness the full spectrum of environmental issues: social and economic inequity, political gain, exploitation, education, and sustainable solutions to our Earth's limited resources. Students from Stanford's Environmental Humanities Project ...
Not everyone knows what they want to be when they "grow-up." And growing up in East Texas doesn't seem like a direct path to becoming a marine scientist, but that's how it all started for Brandon Southall.Bass fishing in Texas, studying fresh water ecology in Montana, and a college exchange ...
Where: Santa CruzCost: Free with admission
Sudden Oak Death: The Progression of a PathogenSudden Oak Death (SOD) has appeared in Monterey County. Find out the most current information about this disease, including its history, ecological threats, and environment/habitat; and learn what to do if you suspect one of your trees or host plants has the disease. This talk is being given by two leading researchers, ...
Where: Pacific GroveCost: Free
Monday, 04/22/13
Science Smart Kids-Radical RecyclingRadical Recycling with Science Smart Kids offers engaging, multi-sensory, hands-on science workshops for children. Kids learn best when they are having fun!
Exciting Times In Neutrino PhysicsThe neutrino remains the most mysterious of the standard model particle. These secret agents of the weak interaction can pass through light years of matter without leaving a trace; however, recently several experiments have forced the neutrino to give up some of its secrets. In this talk, I will present ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
'Earth From Space'join us for a movie about the Earth and how it provides for all life! Really, I kid you not, it has actually been supporting all life - not to mention creating it - for some 3.8 billion years!See - under water - where the Gulf Stream originates and how ...
Where: OaklandCost: $5
How Hot Will It Get?Berkeley Lab climate scientists reveal how their new findings -- from the tundra to the rainforest -- could upend current thinking about the pace of climate change, and what this will mean for you.Speakers:Margaret Torn and the Arctic Permafrost: What happens to the Earth's climate when the permafrost thaws?Bill Collins ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Land Art for the Next 10,000 Years': Art, Technology, Culture Colloquium LectureHow do you build an monument scale sculptural machine that will last as long as civilization? For the last fifteen years The Long Now Foundation and Alexander Rose have been working on building this icon of long-term thinking. Rose is currently managing the 10,000 Year Clock project underway in West ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Free Day at National ParksIn celebration of National Park Week, admission to all US National Parks is free this week.
Claudio Maccone and Stephane Dumas have developed new techniques that could be used in the task of analyzing possible SETI signals in a mathematical fashion. Claudio and Stephane will talk about the new ideas in the book 'Mathematical SETI' published in 2012. This book is intended for University-level courses on ...
Do cyanobacteria use iron for photosynthesis? Dr. Parenteau will speak about her research into the origins of photosynthesis and how this might relate to ancient banded iron formations formed during the great oxidation event. Banded Iron Formations (BIFs) are widespread Precambrian sedimentary deposits that accumulated in deep ocean basins with inputs of reduced iron and silica ...
Major attention is being devoted to issues of digital divides and educational inequalities as nations and states design and implement strategies for K-12 technology-enhanced learning in an increasingly networked world. What approaches to tackling these issues are being attempted in the United States and around the globe, and what is ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
Chenming Hu - Microchips in Electronics: Can They Continue to Do More for and with Less?A single cellphone today has more computing power than all the computers in the world combined had before semiconductor chips were part of the equation. Mounting evidence shows that the rapid movement of integrated circuits' cost and power will plateau. When and why might it happen and what are technologists ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $20 standard, $8 members, $7 students
Breaking Trail: Mountains and MoleculesArlene Blum, author of Breaking Trail: A Climbing Life and Annapurna: A Woman's Place will share dramatic photos and stories from her historic mountaineering expeditions as well as her work with the Green Science Policy Institute protecting our health and environment from toxic chemicals in consumer products.
Where: San JoseCost: Free
Audiophiles in the digital age – A dying breed of keepers of the flame?Like most artists, musicians and voice artists have a particular concept for the sound and message they produce. As a result, there are literally hundreds of different microphones on the market with different sound attributes and tones, which makes selection of the right tool to realize their concept a challenge. ...
Where: Mountain ViewCost: General $10, Members Free advance, $5 at door
Imagine a world in which nothing goes into a landfill or an incinerator, one where all of our discarded materials become resources for others to use. It may sound impossible, but Zero Waste proponents disagree. Across the nation, policymakers, business leaders and individuals are reinventing their relationship to waste in ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $10 General, Free Members, $5 Students
Astronomy Lecture April 23, With Speaker: Dr. Matt FillinghimPlease join Mt. Diablo Astronomical Society for our general meeting. Our monthly meetings begin with a short "What's Up" presented by one of our members followed by a speaker. This month's speaker is – Dr. Matt Fillinghim, SSL Berkeley, Title: "Mars"There is no fee for visitors but we appreciate a donation for light ...
Where: Walnut CreekCost: Free
MarsMount Diablo Astronomical Society general meeting.Speaker: Dr. Matt Fillinghim, SSL Berkeley
Where: Walnut CreekCost: Free
Free Day at National ParksIn celebration of National Park Week, admission to all US National Parks is free this week.
