Exoplanets discovered to date show a wide range of orbital eccentricities; the angles between their spin equators and orbital planes are still quite unknown, but these "obliquities'' may range widely as well. Both eccentricity and obliquity can have profound effects on a planet's seasons, as well as on its cycle ...
Though threatened by pollution and development, San Francisco Bay is also home to the largest habitat restoration effort on the West Coast. Come hear how an ambitious new effort will offer voters an opportunity to establish steady funding to restore the bay's health for people and wildlife, while improving its ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $10 General, Free for members
GMOs - A Budding Promise Or A Growing Concern?Panel: David Zilberman, Robinson Chair in the Department of Agriculture and Resource Economics, UC Berkeley; Nathanael Johnson, Journalist; Sam Mogannam, Owner of the Bi-Rite Family of Businesses
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Fritjof Capra: Learning from Leonardo Capra, a physicist and systems theorist well-known for his highly influential The Tao of Physics, presents Leonardo Da Vinci's scientific work – his fluid dynamics, geology, botany, mechanics, aerodynamics and anatomy. Most of his astonishing discoveries and achievements remain virtually unknown, as has Leonardo's focus on understanding the nature of life, ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $20 General, $8 members, $7 students
Conversations About Landscape: The Science and Politics of PreservationOceans are vast ecosystems teeming with life, but because we can't readily see what's beneath the surface, we tend to forget the importance of oceans and their vulnerability to pressures resulting from overfishing, pollution, and climate change. One strategy for ensuring healthy oceans is to create and maintain coastal and ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: free- RSVP required by phone
Dobsonian Telescope Making Class at the Randall MuseumContinuing the tradition of John Dobson teaching telescope making, San Francisco Amateur Astronomers offers telescope making classes at the Randall Museum in San Francisco. Learn how to make your own telescope by grinding and polishing your own telescope mirror, and design and build the entire telescope.What to ExpectLearn how a ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $225 for class; $200 - $500 for supplies
Lab and Lunch: Native American Conservation LeadershipHear how a consortium of Native Californian tribes worked with conservation planners to develop a statewide network of Marine Protected Areas to preserve wild coastal and riverine habitats.
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free; RSVP
OpenROV: Open Source Underwater Robots for Exploration and EducationOpenROV is a open-source underwater robot. But it's so much more. It's also a community of people who are working together to create more accessible, affordable, and awesome tools for underwater exploration. The backbone of the project is the global community of DIY ocean explorers who are working, tinkering ...
The basic concepts of key limiting nutrients in the sea are derived from agricultural practices derived from Leibig and Blackman. With the 1934 paper, Alfred Redfield, an animal physiologist, suggested that the ratio of nitrogen to phosphorus in the ocean was set by the stoichiometry of the sinking flux of ...
East Bay Green Drinks: Wild and Scenic Film Festival PreviewJoin us when we sponsor the monthly East Bay Green Drinks. Meet other environmental movers & shakers in the East Bay, mingle with Rose Foundation staff, and buy your film fest tickets in person. You can RSVP here.
Ever wonder how Earth materials and processes directly impact the distribution and health of living organisms? Academy geologist Jean DeMouthe will present a richly illustrated lecture on the nature of geologic materials and how they affect living things. She will provide examples of how geologic processes affect ecosystems, from a ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $12 General, $10 Seniors, Free for Members
Galaxies are the building blocks of the Universe; massive structures that contain up to 100s of billions of stars. Galaxies in today's Universe show a striking diversity among their properties, with large variations in their appearance, age, size, weight, and stellar birth rate. Despite this diversity, galaxies can broadly be ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free
Nerd Nite SF #46: Jug Band Music, Quackery, and the Manual for Civilization!If on the third Wednesday of this month, one finds oneself desirous of getting jugged up and hearing a person of authority quack on about creating a library of books one would like to have around when restarting civilization, WELL, then do come to the Nite of the Nerds, at ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $8
Thursday, 03/20/14
For Goodness SnakesThis one-of-a-kind educational experience will introduce children to the fascinating world of snakes and other reptiles. Come enjoy the opportunity to hold and interact with the docile animals of For Goodness Snakes.
Where: San JoseCost: Free
HOW TO BECOME A MAD SCIENTIST, IN 2 EASY STEPSDr. Lawrence Ames, Lockheed Martin Dr. Ames will discuss his 30-year career at Lockheed Martin, where he has used physics and geometry on a wide range of projects and proposals, including communication satellites, the measurement of continental drift and atmospheric wind patterns, global warming, and exploration and defense, as ...
What are the fastest fish in the sea? The deepest species? The hottest, coldest, oldest? The strangest family lives? The oceans are filled with a huge diversity of life, and species manage to live in virtually all habitats. There is the deepsea stop light fish with red search lights for ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $10
Under the Sea NightlifeGo below the surface for this underwater edition of NightLife, part of the Academy's Brilliant!Science: Incredible Ocean festival.Meet the Academy's team of scuba diving experts, and learn what it takes to study and explore the incredible ecosystems underneath the waves.Make your own crafty deep sea creatures with the help of ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $12 General, $10 Members
The effects of deforestation and climate change on health are diverse and becoming increasingly apparent. Ravinder Sehgal presents research on the impact of human-induced change on the prevalence and diversity of avian malaria in birds from the tropics to the Arctic. Research shows that habitat degradation leads to altered patterns ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $5 General, Free for members
Photographer, David Littschwager, will share some of his amazing photos from just one cubic foot of SF Bay. This is part of a project that he has taken around the world - photographing what can be found in One Cubic Foot. He's recently brought this project back home to the ...
Mycotoxins are poisonous secondary metabolites produced by fungi. Under favorable conditions microfungi or molds can proliferate and these toxic compounds can contaminate food and feed crops. If food contaminated with mycotoxins is ingested by humans or animals, severe and occasionally fatal toxicoses of the liver, digestive tract, or kidneys can result. This talk will discuss ...
Where: BerkeleyCost:
Friday, 03/21/14
Card Counting: What is it, how does it work, and can I use it to pay for college?The game blackjack dates back to the 17th century and has been played in casinos ever since. It is unique from other casino games in the sense that, under certain conditions, the player can have an advantage over the house. This talk will cover the Mathematics behind card counting, how ...
Get Your Goose On! Nature Program for KidsEver wonder about the San Francisco Bay wetlands and the wildlife in your very own backyard? Join us for an adventure here at your local library. You'll get up close and personal with real feet and beaks of birds while you play bird games and create your own wild craft. ...
For almost 17 years Alexander Rose has served as project manager working on the development of The Clock Project. The Clock is designed to run for ten millennia with minimal maintenance and interruption. Powered by mechanical energy harvested from sunlight as well as the people that visit it, the undertaking ...
Where: OaklandCost: $26 General, $23 Members, $32 day off for all
Saturday, 03/22/14
Eye-Opening Science: The Changing Oceans: California's Network of Marine Protected AreasCalifornia's coastal waters are home to one of the four richest temperate marine biotas in the world. As impacts of human activity have placed increasing pressure on local marine ecosystems, California has pioneered the establishment of marine protected areas. These protected areas have recently been expanded to further ensure the ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $35 General, $25 Members and Seniors
Family Festival: Incredible OceanExplore the Incredible Ocean through informative, interactive programs for the whole family. Learn how understanding food webs helps local efforts to protect marine life through family-friendly activities from the Coral Reef Alliance, Friends of the Fitzgerald Marine Reserve, SF Bay American Cetacean Society, The Watershed Project, and Teen Advocates for ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free with admission
NOVA Making StuffMake stuff wilder, safer, faster, and colder at this series of events inspired by NOVA's MAKING STUFF on PBS. Whether you design a mechanical eagle claw or a cooling device to take on your next tropical vacation, what stuff can you make out of your ideas?
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free with admission
For Goodness SnakesThis one-of-a-kind educational experience will introduce children to the fascinating world of snakes and other reptiles. Come enjoy the opportunity to hold and interact with the docile animals of For Goodness Snakes.
Where: San JoseCost: Free
A Jewel in the SkyThe International Space Station is the crowning achievement of many nations. It symbolizes a new beginning in the exploration of space; no longer do we compete as adversaries in our quest, instead, we explore beyond Earth as partners. Join Faride, for a look into the history of Earth-orbiting space stations ...
Where: OaklandCost: Free with admission
Sunday, 03/23/14
BioBlitz: I Spy Marine Mammals!In conjuction with National Geographic's BioBlitz in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, this month we celebrate and hihglight how researchers study marine mammals in the wild with BioBlitz: I Spy Marine Mammals in a fun, educational way for both kids and adults. We recommend teaming our free classroom program with a Docent-led tour ...
Where: SausalitoCost: Free
Family Festival: Incredible OceanExplore the Incredible Ocean through informative, interactive programs for the whole family. Learn how understanding food webs helps local efforts to protect marine life through family-friendly activities from the Coral Reef Alliance, Friends of the Fitzgerald Marine Reserve, SF Bay American Cetacean Society, The Watershed Project, and Teen Advocates for ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free with admission
Junior Academy: Naturalist Know-howCalifornia Academy of SciencesSundays at 2pm – 2:45pm (sign-up at 1:30pm) Naturalist Center / Lab (Level 3 across from the Planetarium exit)This program is designed for youth ages 8 to 11. Youth must be accompanied by an adult. Space is limited to 20 youth with attending adults. Onsite registration is ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free with Academy admission
The Science of LasersJoin Exploratorium scientist Ron Hipschman for colorful explorations of the physical world.In 1960, the laser was known as "a solution looking for a problem." Now we can hardly imagine life without them. Learn what's special about laser light, how it's made, and how it's used in everything from DVD players ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free with admission
Transition Albany Film Screening: More Than HoneyWatch a compelling documentary about our essential allies, the honeybees, talk to local beekeepers, and find out how you can support the bees who visit your backyard. A free event, child-friendly with appropriate refreshments.
The ribosome, found in all living cells, is the molecular machine that builds proteins. It faithfully attaches together amino acids – the building blocks of proteins – in the order determined by messenger RNA molecules, which in turn follow the instructions contained in DNA. The ribosome also plays a crucial ...
Where: Menlo ParkCost: Free
Arthur M. Shapiro: Ecological Communities and the March of TimeEcological communities as we know them are similar to freeze-frames from a long movie. Associations among species are very dynamic on millennial scales, as demonstrated by the evidence since deglaciation 15,000 years ago. Coevolution of species occurs locally in geographic mosaics, and can be extremely dynamic as well. Frederic Clements, ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $20 non-members, MEMBERS FREE, $7 students
WHAT DID THIS PHYSICIST DO? THE MANY FACETS OF AN APPLIED PHYSICS CAREER!Dr. Nicholas Boruta will talk about his wide ranging career starting out in the semiconductor industry in Silicon Valley, his work at a large national laboratory, his invention developments for several startups, his research at a space systems company and finally his work at an aerospace defense company.
Where: Rohnert ParkCost: Free
Author Talk: Artist and Writer Josie IselinAuthor/photographer Josie Iselin's latest work, An Ocean Garden: The Secret Life of Seaweed, celebrates the unexpected beauty of seaweed, an often overlooked but fundamental aspect of ocean life-and one that is often overharvested. Produced on a flatbed scanner, Iselin's vibrant portraits reveal the exquisite color and extraordinary forms of more ...
Where: Corte MaderaCost: Free
The Entrepreneurial State: Debunking Private vs. Public Sector MythsWhere do the boldest innovations, with the deepest consequences for society, come from? Business leaders, entrepreneurs, and libertarians claim that the private sector leads the way always, and government at best follows by decades and at worst impedes the process with bureaucratic regulations.Mariana Mazzucato proves otherwise. Many of the most ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $15, free for Long Now members
