The Colossus Project: Designing an optical/IR instrument to detect life outside the solar system This talk describes an effort to detect life, and even conduct a planetary census, in our cosmic neighborhood. I'll describe some results from the Colossus group, an interdisciplinary science and engineering team, working to show how telescopes much larger than the TMT or EELT could be built today by relaxing ...
Where: Mountain ViewCost: Free
Can We Cope with Sea Level Rise?Climate change is affecting sea levels around the world. In Australia a rise of around a meter by the end of the century is predicted. The impacts of this are likely to be significant in a number of ways. Planners need to carefully consider the location of future coastal developments. ...
Where: San JoseCost: Free
Shock-Bubble InteractionWhen a shock wave propagates across the interface between fluids of different acoustic impedance, two fundamental events follow: the refraction of the shock wave across the non-uniformity, and the baroclinic generation of vorticity on the interface. This latter, in turn, causes the development of distinct vertical structures which lead to ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
Changing Shores: What the Bay's Past Can Tell Us about Its FutureThe Save the Bay moment of the 1970s was a premier regional effort at environmental protection and presented a model to the world. It remains an unfinished project, however, for the San Francisco estuary, like all shores, is what Rachel Carson called an "elusive and indefinable boundary," which can never ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $20 non-members, $8 members, $7 students
Things should be things and not computersWho wants to reboot their thermostat? Garage door opener? That's where we're heading because most Internet of Things (IoT) vendors have taken a "Honey, I shrunk the computer" design approach. That's wrong. The danger is that the commonly used Internet architecture, that was designed in ...
Where: Santa ClaraCost: $10 General, $5 members at door, free in advance
Since 1999 Judith Selby Lang and Richard Lang have collected more than two tons of plastic trash from 1000 yards of Kehoe Beach along the Point Reyes National Seashore. For Finding Meaning in the Mess, their exhibit at the Bay Model, they have transformed this debris into engaging works of art that raise awareness of the sheer ...
Dr. Shaffer's uses novel smart technologies to study long-range movements, distribution, and behavior of wild seabirds and marine mammals in Alaska, Antarctica, the Arctic, and the tropical Pacific. This new form of biotechnology is shedding light on the secret lives of marine animals that range widely over the open sea. ...
Northern Sierra Nevada Water FundMuch of the northern Sierra Nevada provides water supply to California and Nevada. Climate change predictions in this region call for less snow and more rain, and increased catastrophic wildfires. In addition, US Forest Service lands contain many overly dense forests at risk of high intensity fire, but without funding ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
History of MarinshipJoin Ranger Bill as he facilitates an in-depth discussion on the history of the Marinship Shipyard at the Bay Model built by the Bechtel Corporation at the request of President Franklin Roosevelt in March of 1942. Learn about the 93 ships built here during WWII.
Who Owns The FutureStanford EE Computer Systems ColloquiumRoom B03Speaker: Jaron Lanier, Microsoft Research
Where: StanfordCost: Free
Solar Enlightenment: Why Solar Energy is a Bright IdeaAre you bummed about climate change? Think there's nothing you can do to make a real impact? Do you wish solar energy was a tangible solution, but remain unsure? Then make sure you come to this installment of Rooted and Rising to learn how solar energy is changing the ways ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Science and Reason with Skeptics in the Pub, West BaySkeptics in the Pub, West BayFiddlers Green, MillbraeIf ye value critical thinking, and if ye scorn the film-flam man, and if ye drink, drink with us, your friends. If ye shun the brewer's art, at least help us lay waste to bangers & mash!Skeptics in the Pub is a monthly ...
George Dyson, author of Turing's Cathedral, the On the Same Page selection for 2013, will give the keynote lecture to kick off this fall's program.Dyson is an author, boatbuilder, designer, and historian of technology whose interests have included the development (and redevelopment) of the Aleut kayak (Baidarka, 1986), the evolution ...
The Dark Side of the UniverseThe Universe appears to be dominated by an unknown form of matter, known as "dark matter", responsible for pulling matter together and for holding together galaxies such as our own Milky Way, and by an even more mysterious form of energy, known as "dark energy", which governs the fate and ...
Three years ago, browsers started to add Do Not Track features, and users flocked to the Do Not Track approach. Business, however, was not so eager. The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) gathered over 100 stakeholders to come to a consensus decision of what a site should do when a ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Forensic Medical Examiner InvestigationsForensic investigator Rosa Vega from the Santa Clara County Medical Examiner's Office will come to San Jose State to deliver a seminar on death investigation.
As part of the On the Same Page program, distinguished panelists will discuss the Turing test and how it fosters the exploration of the boundaries between human and artificial intelligence. Panelists will describe the development of Berkeley's own version of the test, the Turing Test Tournament, and discuss how being ...
This week, NightLife travels back in time to the roaring 1920s in honor of Steinhart Aquarium's 90th anniversary.Old-timey cocktails and the vintage vinyl stylings of DJ Tanoa set the mood, while African Hall transforms into a swinging speakeasy with swing dancing lessons nearby from Lindy in the Park.Artifacts from the ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $12 General, $10 Members
'Rabid' talk and book signing with Bill Wasik and Monica MurphyA maddened creature, frothing at the mouth, lunges at an innocent victim... It's a scenario that underlies our darkest tales of supernatural horror, but its power derives from a very real virus, a deadly scourge known to mankind from our earliest days. In this fascinating exploration, journalist Bill Wasik and ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: FREE
Sleepless Nights: Sleep Problems and DisordersLearn about sleep and sleepiness, how to recognize common sleep problems and sleep disorders, and receive treatment for them. Dr Kushida will also share some do's and don'ts for good sleep.Speaker: Clete Kushida, MD, PhD, Stanford University School of Medicine
A longstanding challenge is to design molecular structures that fold and function in the crowded, complex environment of the cell. My lab is developing methods to repurpose natural RNA structures that have the intrinsic ability to fold stably inside cells and to bind small molecule or protein ligands. These engineered ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
The Net: Utopia vs. DystopiaJoin us for an enlightening and provocative evening as we explore the Internet's double-edged sword: its ability to spread knowledge and democracy and its potential risk to civil liberties and personal freedoms. This exciting evening will feature prominent speakers with diverse viewpoints on the impact the Internet has had on ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $25
Black Holes: The Science Behind the Science FictionLick Observatory hosts a Summer Visitors Program (SVP), inviting the public to observe through both the 36-inch Great Lick Refractor and Nickel 40-inch Reflecting Telescope. Each evening also features two speakers, who present programs even if clouds or fog prohibit viewing.Lick astronomers present multimedia lectures on their research or ...
Where: Mt. HamiltonCost: $9.50
Houge Park Start PartyMeet with members of San Jose Astronomical Society for a Star Party, weather permitting.
Where: San JoseCost: Free
Saturday, 09/28/13
Being Human 2013The 2nd Annual Being Human conference will examine human nature a variety of evolutionary, scientific and philosophical perspectives.Designed to foster a deeper understanding of what it means to be human, this thought-provoking event will present groundbreaking insights from a spectrum of leading scientists, philosophers, educators and thinkers on the frontiers ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $50.00 - $257.00
Eye-Opening Science: Conversation and Controversy Earth 2.0: Where is it...Can We Visit?NASA scientists from the SETI institute will be discussing their latest research with Academy Fellows & Scientists and would like to invite you to join them for a small gathering in an intimate Saturday morning setting. Come join them in the conversation while enjoying pastries, coffee and tea. The topic ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $35 General, $25 Members & Seniors
While new treatments are offering hope where there once was none, the reality of age-related vision problems is daunting. Conditions such as macular degeneration, glaucoma, and cataracts can have a devastating impact on quality of life. As options for activities dwindle, and as vulnerability to falls and injury increases, the ...
Where: NovatoCost: $10 Donation
Science Saturday: Sea OttersCelebrate Sea Otter Awareness Week at the Museum! Find out if you'd rather have otter fur or blubber, see what it's like to eat like a sea otter, examine real otter fur, make a craft to take home, and more! Discover just how important otters are to Monterey Bay as ...
Where: Pacific GroveCost: Free
Exploratorium's Fog FestivalCelebrate the enigmatic and ever-changing nature of fog and explore the science behind what is one of San Francisco's most salient meteorological phenomena at the Exploratorium's first-ever Fog Festival from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday, September 28, 2013 inside the museum and in its Outdoor Gallery. From the science behind ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Included with museum admission
Hawk Talk and Banding DemoCome 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
The Little Carquinez Strait Boat Race at the Bay ModelThis is an activity for kids 5-8 who enjoy racing homemade boats. It is amazing what wads of aluminum foil and a little imagination can produce. Tin foil provided. Come and create your own ship design and sail your boat from Suisun Bay to the mouth of the Napa River ...
Where: SausalitoCost: Free
Fog City: The Talk ShowFilmmaker Sam Green has been exploring the intersection between cinema, performance, and public programs for several years. In this latest iteration of his form-blending practice, Green will present a live talk show on the subject of fog and San Francisco, using materials and several of the subjects from his documentary film ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $25 for adults; discounts available
San Mateo County Astronomical Society Star PartyThe City of San Carlos Department of Parks and Recreation and the San Mateo County Astronomical Society have open Star Parties twice a month.Reasons to AttendIf you have kids interested in space or planets bring them here for a real life view of planets, nebula, star clusters and galaxies.If you ...
Where: San CarlosCost: Free
Across a Sea of Suns: Charting Other Worlds, Distant EarthPrograms include concert, a talk by a University of California astronomer about current research, and (weather permitting) viewing through the historic Great Lick Refractor and the Nickel 40-inch telescope. Knowledgeable local amateur astronomers outside the buildings provide additional telescopes and informal astronomy discussions.Due to safety concerns, children under the age ...
Where: Mt. HamiltonCost: $40 General, prefered options available
Have you ever thought about the history of the atoms that make up your hand or your heart? They existed long before you did, and astronomers can actually trace back their story to ancient times and ancient processes in our cosmic neighborhood. In this non-technical talk, Andrew Fraknoi will discuss ...
Where: Pleasant HillCost: $20 adults, $10 children
Stacking the Space ShuttleOn our quest to land astronauts on Earth's moon we built the most massive and most powerful rockets to reach our goal. Assembling such vehicles require a specialized building where it all comes together. At NASA's Kennedy Space Center the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) was built for this purpose. The ...
Hawk Talk and Banding DemoCome 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
Monday, 09/30/13
Mini Monday - Home in the BurrowSpecial morning featuring the newest exhibit at Lindsay Wildlife Museum - The Burrow. Crawl into the burrow and discover wildlife that live in a world of darkness beneath our feet. Encourage your young naturalist's curiosity at Mini Monday, a special day for children and their caregivers. Animal encounters, activities and crafts ...
Where: Walnut CreekCost: $15 for 1st Child ($8 museum member)
Robot Morality: Can a Machine Have a Conscience?Can we out-source morality to a robot? This isn't just a question from a sci-fi movie. Instead it's a question that comes from rapid advances in the field of robotics. Engineers, for example, have tried to program robots to make moral decisions – and to make such decisions when confronted ...
Where: Santa ClaraCost: Free
Junior Academy: Naturalist Know-how Learn how to be a naturalist! Each month a new nature skill will be presented. October's skill is Stones, Spiders and Scum -- Up Close! Explore the hidden side of everyday things by learning to use a microscope. Variations of the monthly skill will be available each week. This program ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free with Academy admission
S4: SMALL SATELLITES FOR SECONDARY STUDENTSKevin John ('07) of Sonoma State's NASA Education and Public Outreach group will talk about an exciting ongoing project to teach STEM principles to middle and high school students, through the thrill of building electronics and launching them on high-powered rockets.
New materials afford access to novel physical effects and are a constant source of disruptions in photonic device functionality and performance. Significant opportunities exist in the mid-infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum; while it is rich in vibrational absorption bands of gaseous chemicals and atmospheric transmission windows, devices remain underdeveloped ...
Poverty and profit tend not to mix. Yet, the alleviation of the former is creating a tremendous opportunity for the latter. Close to one billion people have risen above the poverty line over the past twenty years, entering the global consumer marketplace. The trend is anticipated to continue – potentially ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
BaySci Science Education ForumThe 2013 BaySci Science Education Forum will focus on science discourse (argumentation) as a critical scientific practice illuminated in the Next Generation Science Standards. A panel of language arts and science education experts and Bay Area district leadership and teachers will present examples and strategies for encouraging successful student discourse ...
"A Reason for Reason" skeptical speaker series toys with immortality in September... Please join us and tell fellow critical thinkers!When people complain about aging, they are actually complaining about are age-related diseases. "Aging" is a mental construct, a mass hallucination, a convenience of language. The scientists focused on curing aging are ...
