Come see what birds hang around the Presidio in March and learn about our diverse birdlife on a moderate two-mile walk. Meet ranger Will Elder in front of the Beach Hut located on East Beach on Crissy Field. Reservations required; call (415) 561-4323.
This watershed on the west side of Twin Peaks near 7th Avenue has been through a lot. Sewers flow under the deteriorating concrete bottom of the abandoned reservoir at Laguna Honda. Muni Metro trains run under the creek. We'll examine the secret back woods of the watershed where no official ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Pay what you wish!
International Pi Day CelebrationJoin us at the Computer History Museum for a once-in-a-century opportunity on 3/14/15. Each year on March 14th, math and science lovers everywhere join together in an international celebration Pi. "π" is the symbol used in mathematics to represent the ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter, and ...
Where: Mountain ViewCost: Free with admission
PI DAY Puzzle PartyTrying to decide how you're going to celebrate Pi Day (3.14) this year? Avoid the congested airports and typical math holiday madness, and join us instead for Ask a Scientist's Pi Day Puzzle Party - a boisterous math and logic puzzle competition, hosted by the inimitable Wes Carroll. You can compete ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free
Sunday, 03/15/15
Parent's Day OffAges: 4-10 (must be potty trained) Parents know how great it is to get a night out every once in a while, but sometimes you just want the day off to relax at home, go see a matinee, or pick up around the house – well, we wouldn't say that is ...
Where: OaklandCost: $45 per child & $30 for each additional siblin
Understanding how animals responded to environmental shifts in the past may offer important clues as to how they will deal with the challenges of the coming centuries.Mummies are an especially rich source of information. Beyond just letting us know who lived where in the past, they provide information on population ...
Where: Santa CruzCost: Free with admission
How to tackle climate change? Observations from the NetherlandsAt the end of this year in Paris the global negotiations to tackle climate change are supposed to deliver tangible results. The overall temperature rise should stay under 2⁰C and the 196 parties to the Climate Convention should agree upon the way to achieve this goal, partly by implementing national ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
What Wonderful Worlds: Exploring Our Solar SystemIt's that time of year again, to honor our best and brightest, hear the latest in astronomical research, and to just eat, drink and be merry with our fellow amateur astronomers at the 91st annual Awards Dinner! Our keynote speaker is Dr. Imke de Pater, Professor of Astronomy, UC BerkeleySee weblink ...
Science on Screen: Real Forensics: What Bodies Tell UsForensic pathologist Dr. Judy Melinek will discuss her work in conjunction with a screening of the new documentary David and Me, directed by Ray Klonsky and Marc Lamy. The film centers on David McCallum, a convicted murderer who has spent 29 years in prison, and Ray Klonsky, a young man who joins a dedicated team of lawyers ...
Where: San RafaelCost: $12 (CFI MEMBERS $8)
Science on Screen: Ummaned Aircraft Systems (DRONES) Join Professor of Mechanical Engineering at UC Berkeley J Karl Hedrick for a revealing and timely exploration of the science of unmanned aircraft systems, followed by Sundance award-winning sci-fi thriller Sleep Dealer. Professor J Karl Hedrick will describe and discuss how remotely piloted unmanned aircraft systems (drones) work and share ...
These high-level, one-day discussions aimed at business as well as technology leaders will empower attendees to understand what's next in today's most important technologies.Only 30 percent of American companies have even begun the move to additive manufacturing – the phenomenon called 3D printing – and yet, this revolutionary technology will ...
Where: San JoseCost: see website
Starspots and the dynamic evolution of hot-Jupiter exoplanet systemsWhen a hot-Jupiter transits its host star and crosses an active region there is a possibility that it will occult a starspot. When this happens a starspot anomaly is usually seen in the resulting transit lightcurve. Generally viewed as a nuisance, the most common approach is to remove the affected ...
Where: Mountain ViewCost: Free
What do we know about dyslexia?Developmental dyslexia-children's failures to acquire reading skills that would be expected based on age and/or IQ-has been the focus of intensive study at various levels: behavior, brain, genetics. My own research has mainly focused on using computational models to understand causal effects of one or another type of underlying anomaly. ...
California is currently experiencing one of the most extreme droughts in its history, yet its effects are more severe in some parts of the state than others. Learn how bad it is for the Bay Area and what's being done to stretch water supplies until the next wet year.+ Steve ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $10 General, Free for members
New concepts in high-speed bio-imaging: from bench top to clinicCurrent approach in diagnosis of biological samples mainly relies on histopathology of tissue or blood cells, where the samples are processed, chemically-stained, and inspected under a light microscope. This approach is not only inherently invasive and time consuming, but also costly, impractical for a large population of samples and dangerous ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
The Internet is Not the AnswerThe advent of the Internet ushered in one of the greatest shifts in society since the Industrial Revolution. There are many positive ways in which the Internet has contributed to a more open and dynamic world – think of how easy it is today to keep up with events from ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $20 General, $8 Members, $7 Student
Habitat Earth: Behind the ScenesCome see a full screening of Habitat Earth and then meet the team that made it come to life. In this special behind the scenes program you will learn about the process from end to end that went into producing the show. For starters, we will watch the full show ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $12 General, $10 Members
Light MagicElectromagnetic waves produce a spectrum of radiation, including visible light. Learn about why a rainbow produces colors as well as a specific order. Learn about optical illusions and how light can play tricks with our eyes. Learn what a laser actually stands for.
Bob Boys has been in the embedded industry in Silicon Valley for the last 23 years. His focus has been mainly on development tools for a wide range of processor families. His specialty is working with end customers and field application engineers.He has a BBA Honours degree from Wilfrid Laurier ...
Objects with masses (<0.08 solar masses) too small to sustain hydrogen fusion were theorized to exist five decades ago, and discovered 30 years later, due to their extreme faintness. Even less massive (<13 Jupiter or <0.01 solar masses) are the planetary mass objects (PMOs), so-called because they are not orbiting ...
Mechanizing the hand harvesting of fresh market crops constitutes one of the biggest challenges to the sustainability of the U.S. fruit and vegetable industry.Depending on the crop, labor contributes up to 60% of the variable production cost and recent labor shortages have led to loss of production and reduction of ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Three Presentations at Romberg Tiburon CenterLaura Melroy (Cohen Lab) Spatial and Temporal Variation in Population Structure of the Direct-Developing Sea Stars in the Leptasterias Species Complex Heather Richard (Carpenter Lab) The influence of microbial biofilms on metal sorption by plastic debris Calvin Lee (Cohen Lab) Immunogenetic variation and tumor incidence of juvenile English ...
Zach's research focuses on household water access, treatment and use. He draws on data collected in the field, utilizing both quantitative and qualitative sources. Zach is ultimately interested in the balance between sustainability, equity, health and livelihoods and he hopes his work will contribute to good water policies which reflect ...
Our group is using molecular, genetic and electrophysiological techniques to explore the molecular and neuronal basis of innate social behaviors in the mouse. We are studying the architecture and functional logic of neuronal circuits underlying pheromone signaling. What is the nature of the mammalian pheromones and of the receptors that ...
Action for Mountain LionsMountain Lions are facing increasing conservation issues each year as humans encroach further into their habitat. With the passing of state bill 132, various Bay Area organizations have partnered with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to create an alliance called BACAT. Come learn about this ground-breaking program and ...
Where: OaklandCost: $12 - $20
Urban Permaculture Design CourseRegistration announced for Spring 2015 session of the Urban PDC in San Francisco. The course begins on March 18th.This training offers the opportunity to develop professional skills and provides valuable education to enhance your current career or prepare you for your next venture or vocation. It is one of the ...
Facebook is a great way to share news, keep in touch with friends, and make fun of old photos. It's also a gold mine of information about human relationships. Data scientists have studied the communications of people who change their Facebook relationship status from "Single" to "In a relationship." We ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $5
iNaturalist and Social Media for Conservation (and Fun!)iNaturalist.org is an online social network for naturalists where you can share your passions and explorations in nature and learn more about them from others. iNaturalist co-founder Ken-ichi Ueda will show you what you can do on the site and discuss how social media sites like iNaturalist can be critical ...
7:00-7:25: Roger Malina(CNRS Marseille) on "TBA"Abstract...Read more7:25-7:50: Allison Leigh Holt(Visual Artist) on "The Beginning Was The End: Hybrid Reality in Javanese Culture"Research on Javanese cultural concepts of time and multi-dimensional reality led to models in diagrams, video-sculptures and a sound installation ...Read more7:50-8:10: BREAK. Before or after the ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
Universal Access to All KnowledgeA passionate advocate for public Internet access and a successful entrepreneur, Brewster Kahle has spent his career intent on a singular focus: Universal Access to All Knowledge.Kahle will address how advances in computing and communications mean that we can cost-effectively store every book, sound recording, movie, software package, and public ...
Today, its almost impossible to imagine a society that didn't believe that animals could think or use tools in navigating their world. Jane Goodall is widely recognized as one of the scientific pioneers to document complex behaviors such as tool use in the animal world. With the publication of her ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $27 General, $24 Members
"Sweet Nothings from Deep in Your Tummy: A Tale of the Pancreas and Diabetes" by Tommy Hennings"Diabetes mellitus" literally means sweet, excess urine. Besides requiring a very, ahem, intimate patient-doctor relationship, diabetes has one underlying trait in all of its types: the dysfunction of a certain type of cells within ...
Ever wonder where the future will take you? This week, NightLife thinks deep about time and what it means to us all.Hear fascinating insights from Alexander Rose of the Long Now Foundation, an SF-based organization that encourages long-term thinking and ideas.Plus, sip on time-inspired craft cocktails from Long Now's Interval ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $12 General, $10 Members
Potential Benefits of Herbal and Dietary SupplementsCancer patients are often interested in using herbal and dietary supplements as forms of alternative medicine. This presentation will give a brief overview, answer some common questions, and discuss the appropriate use of herbal and dietary supplements.Speakers: Abraham Chang, PharmD and Eun Jeong Kim, PharmD, MS
California's Mediterranean grasslands are a biodiversity hotspot, despite their domination by non-native grasses. Through science-based management of these habitats, we can help save birds at risk of extinction. Our speakers will explain how grazing practices affect birds such as the Burrowing Owl, Ferruginous Hawk, Golden Eagle, Western Meadowlark, and Grasshopper ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
In the Balance: Bringing Science to JusticeThe fields of science and the law pervade modern society, and yet largely exist in separate spheres. Where scientists seek truth, the law seeks justice, two laudable goals, but which often overlap only marginally. Clearly the law works with different objectives, values, and timetables than does science. And science can ...
Behold beryllium, an exceptionally light, strong metal that is both prized and poisonous. Found in minerals such as emeralds and other forms of beryl, beryllium is highly conductive to heat and electricity, impervious to a wide range of temperatures, non-magnetic, and capable of great elasticity, making it a favored material ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free with admission
The Most Extreme Storms YetJoel will share his research on the weather disaster that determined so much of what's around you today. In early 1862 the sky dumped upwards of ten feet of rain in the mountains (about four feet in San Francisco). In the middle of that, there was a hard freeze for a ...
Some SF waterways never got buried. The creek at Glen Canyon is just one of the many excellent excuses to explore this remarkable neighborhood. We'll go up and over the hill past rope swings with astounding views on hills named for historic goat ranching. We'll walk a street called Penny ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Pay what you wish!
How Environmental Factors Induce Autoimmune DisordersA remarkable connection exists between the gut and brain, co-dependent parts of the complex immune system. Through bidirectional signaling, helped along by intestinal microbiota, the brain and gut are capable of affecting each other's functions. Studies have shown that intestinal microbiota even play a significant role in shaping how the ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $20 General, Free for Members
Data Science for Social Good: Using Your Powers To Make a Social Impact!The past few years have seen an increasing demand for machine learning/data mining/data science powers. That's wonderful for us "data scientists," but wouldn't the world be so much better if we also used our computational and analytical powers for social good? In this talk, I'll give examples from work going ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Future Fridays: Bill Nye - SOLD OUTSparked by a controversial debate in February 2014, Bill Nye has set off on an energetic campaign to spread awareness of evolution and the way it shapes our lives. In his latest book, Undeniable: Evolution and the Science of Creation, Nye explores myriad hot topics including: why race does not ...
Where: OaklandCost: $26 General, $23 Members advance, $30 at door
