Detecting Ultra-High Energy Cosmic Rays with SmartphonesCosmic rays which encounter the Earth's atmosphere produce showers of muons and high-energy photons, which can be detected using a smartphone camera. The CRAYFIS experiment was devised to observe cosmic rays at ultra-high energy (UHE) using the existing network of smartphones as a ground detector array. We'll describe our custom ...
Marine microbes are responsible for roughly half of the global annual carbon fixation and oxygen production; and yet our methods for directly connecting measurements of chemical fluxes with the activity of specific groups of microbes in the environment are relatively limited. Using multiple experimental approaches; the microbial sources suite of ...
Geology before Pluto: Pre-encounter considerationsThe cameras of New Horizons will provide robust data sets that should be imminently amenable to geological analysis of the Pluto system's landscapes. I will give with a brief discussion of the planned observations by the New Horizons cameras that will bear most directly on geological interpretability.Then I will review ...
Where: Mountain ViewCost: Free
The Ecosystems of Smart Grid – the public and the personalThe joint IEEE-NATEA conference on an emerging technology is aimed to provide IEEE and NATEA members with an inexpensive solid overview of a technology that may affect their work and careers in the near future. This annual conference series have been traditionally held at Stanford University with the help of ...
Where: StanfordCost: $50 General, but see website for discounts
Conversations About Landscape From Data to Action: How Visualizations Give Us New Insights into Our EnvironmentPlease join computer scientists, data artists, and scientists in a conversation about how data visualization is changing the way we see our landscapes, and how these new views can often lead to positive change.Conversations About Landscape brings together practitioners from the fields of geography, ecology, environmental sciences, policy, design, and ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free (RSVP required)
May LASER event - Santa CruzPlease join us for presentations by Daniel Press, Professor of Environmental Studies and Executive Director, Center for Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems, Roger Linington, Associate Professor of Chemistry, UCSC, Documentary Filmmaker, Anita Chang, and Artist/Activist Kim Abele.
Where: Santa CruzCost: Free
Chemistry of WaterWithout water we could not survive. Learn about how this mysterious molecule of H2O is such a miracle and the reason why. Explore the strength of the molecule through various solutions. Reading: Dr. Drippy, Give Water a Second Chance
Pictures of Other Worlds: Exploring the Atmospheres of ExoplanetsIn less than two decades, scientists have discovered more than a thousand planets orbiting other stars. Now we know that our solar system is not alone -- but we still do not know if it is rare or unique. Most of these new planets were not seen directly, but instead were discovered ...
Where: Menlo ParkCost: Free
Building the TMT: The World's Most Advanced Ground-Based TelescopeThe Thirty-Meter Telescope (TMT) is a next-generation giant telescope. As the name suggests it will have a primary mirror that is 30 meters in diameter and composed of 492 hexagonal shaped segments. The primary mirror has very high-performance sensors and actuators that are used in a real-time control system to ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free
Wednesday, 05/20/15
Pushing noble liquids to new limits: dark matter detection technology in LXe and superfluid 4He Dark matter represents known particles beyond the standard model; our job is now to create detectors that can measure these particles' properties and then fit them into a new more inclusive and fundamental model for particle physics. The benefits of noble liquids as a dark matter target material for these ...
Phosphorus is an essential element for life, and in the ocean it exists predominantly in the oxidation state of +5. It is in this state that phosphorus forms phosphoester bonds in essential biochemicals in plankton such as phospholipids, nucleic acids, and nucleotides. In addition, polyphosphate has recently been identified as ...
Where: Moss LandingCost: Free
How about plastics and priority pollutants: a chemical cockTALESpeaker: Chelsea Rochman, UC DavisEditor's Note: This seminar is usually held from 4:00 to 5:00 PM, however the weblink does not show a start or end time as of this posting. You may want to confirm the start time before attending.
Technology influences every part of our lives, and children grow up digital natives. But this proximity does not guarantee an understanding or grasp of the underlying workings of the machines we use. We saw that kids today are great consumers, but not great creators of technology. We wanted to change ...
We can't imagine a future if we don't have the words to describe it. The first building blocks of any new world are stories and ideas. This was the inspiration for Project Hieroglyph, an experiment in bringing scientists, engineers and science fiction writers together to dream up astounding, technically feasible ...
Where: OaklandCost: $26 General, $23 Members advance, $30 at door
A Look Under the Hood of the Connected CarThe Connected Car/the Autonomous Car are names which are used interchangeably when discussing the future of automobile transportation. The purpose of this panel discussion "A Look Under the Hood of the Connected Car" is to gain some insight into what the current stakeholders are doing in this space. There are ...
The science of sleep has traditionally been abstract, but advances in imaging technology now allow scientists to peek inside the sleeping brain. This is exactly what neuroscientists at UC Berkeley are working on in their sleep labs that study everything from how the brain functions during sleep to what the ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $27 General, $24 Members
The Internet Is Not the Answer Andrew Keen Called the "Christopher Hitchens of the Internet," Andrew Keen describes the ways in which an expanding circle of wealthy "monopolistic" companies like Amazon, Uber, Airbnb, Spotify and others are disrupting in ways that are hardly as noble as they want us to believe. He has been called the ...
Where: Menlo ParkCost: $20.00
Nerd Nite SF #60: Swallowing, Puzzles, & Biohacking"Hard to Swallow: Diagnosis and Treatment of Swallowing Disorders" by Rachel GoldWhat happened to that pill that got stuck in your throat yesterday? What happens when your drink goes down the wrong pipe? How many pipes are even in there? What does a giraffe have to do with this? Come ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $8
Thursday, 05/21/15
The Bay Model Wants You!!! Become part of Sausalito's very own attraction known around the world! We have a variety of volunteer positions that are suited for people just like you! Greet visitors, lead tours, work with school groups, and more! Come and be a part of one of the largest working hydraulic models in ...
Where: SausalitoCost: Volunteering
New Insights into Massive Star Explosions Core-collapse supernovae from massive stars are among the most energetic events in the universe. They liberate a mass-energy equivalent of ~15% of a solar mass in the collapse of their progenitor star's core. The majority (~99%) of this energy is carried away by neutrinos, while (~1%) is transferred to the ...
Where: Menlo ParkCost: Free
Spring Data Science AfternoonJoin us for an afternoon of data science! We will have industrial and academic speakers, a panel about how industry and academia can collaborate on data science, and a poster session for networking and socializing. We welcome participants from academia, industry, and the local community to participate.Keynote speaker: Michael Jordan, ...
Where: Santa CruzCost: Free (must pre-register)
LOW-ENERGY NUCLEAR REACTIONS (LENR) - COLD FUSION - CMNS; PRESENT AND PROJECTED FUTURE STATUSWe have arrived at an interesting time and there are several indications that 2015 will not be "business as usual" in the CMNS field. I have commented often that it would not take much outside interest to convert our field from "resource limited" to "talent limited". I think we are ...
Where: Palo AltoCost: Free
Extinction NightlifeGoing, going, gone? Explore the science of extinction as NightLife digs deep into the species and environments that have disappeared over time.Plus, learn how everyone-including YOU-can take small actions to ensure a more sustainable future for life on our planet.Get a rare glimpse at Monarch the grizzly bear-the original bear ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $12 General, $10 Members
Living it Forward: Gifts and Challenges of SurvivorshipSome call us survivors, others consider themselves 'thrivers'. No matter how we name ourselves, the question we each carry is: who are we now? With mounting outside pressure to return to 'normal', yet irrevocably changed at the core, how do we create a healthy foundation for this new life and ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
Perceiving Graphical and Pictorial Information via Hearing and TouchWe explore the use of hearing and touch for conveying graphical and pictorial information to visually impaired people. The main idea is that the user actively explores a two-dimensional layout consisting of one or more objects with the finger on a touch screen. The objects are displayed via sounds and ...
Where: SunnyvaleCost: Free
'The Upside of Stress'Kelly McGonigal, Health Psychologist, Lecturer at Stanford University & Author of The Upside of Stress: Why Stress is Good for You, and How to Get Good at It.We've all heard stress can make us sick but can it be a good thing? McGonigal debunks stress myths and shares how it ...
Scientists cannot currently predict the precise time, location, and size of future damaging earthquakes.Historical records of earthquakes in California date back over 150 years.Geologists have dug trenches to extend the known history on some faults back to around 1,000 years before today!We are learning more about the behavior of large ...
Our current drought has challenged landscape architects to find new ways to design residential landscapes. As we move away from water-intensive plants and lawns, towards designs that incorporate drought-tolerant and native species, there are new opportunities to create more sustainable landscapes with diverse habitats for birds and butterflies. Nancy Kent, ...
In 1991, using powerful magnets and "sewer pipe, wire, epoxy, and finger tapping,"* a few research groups converged on the idea of utilizing the magnetic resonance properties of gray matter to image the active, thinking human brain-what the world now knows as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Since then, cognitive ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free with admission
Planck: Driven by Vision, Broken by War Brandon R. BrownMax Planck, one of the most famous physicists in the world and described by Albert Einstein as "the basis of all twentieth-century physics," is credited with being the father of quantum theory. His work laid the foundation for our modern understanding of matter and energetic processes. But, until ...
Come be in your elements with Exploratorium host Ron Hipschman. Follow tales of intrigue and invention, join in dynamic demonstrations, and uncover fascinating connections between individual elements and our collective human experience.From the moment of its discovery, each element embarks on a journey into our culture. -Hugh Aldersey-Williams, Periodic TalesBoron is ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free with admission
Saturday, 05/23/15
Celebrating Elephants DayFamily friendly activities include exciting elephant stations such as touching gigantic pachyderm bones, holding an eleven-pound tooth, and stepping into an elephant-sized footprint. Grab binoculars and participate in a mock research camp, where observers are invited to watch and record behaviors, and learn how to tell Oakland Zoo's four elephants ...
Where: OaklandCost: Free with admission
iGEM 2015 Bay Area Biohackers team onboarding meetingThis is our inaugural team onboarding meeting for the upcoming 2015 iGEM synthetic biology competition. Last year, we won a Gold Medal and the prize for Best Community Labs Project with our Real Vegan Cheese project.iGEM is the International Genetically Engineered Machine competition, which is in its 11th year. iGEM ...
Where: OaklandCost: free
Trekking the ModelJoin a Ranger guided tour of the Bay Model, a 1.5-acre hydraulic model of San Francisco Bay and Delta. Discover the stories of the two major operations that took place at this location between 1942–2000.
Where: SausalitoCost: Free
Planets of our Solar SystemHere's your chance to explore THREE planets PLUS our Moon through the telescopes. Make a Pocket Solar System and imagine what it would be like to live on other worlds.Excitement for the whole family! Participate in hands-on astronomy activities followed by supervised observing through the many different telescopes of MDAS ...
Where: Walnut CreekCost: Free ($10 park entrance fee)
What Wonderful Worlds: Exploring our Solar SystemOur knowledge about our own Solar System has increased by leaps and bounds over the past few decades due to a combination of spacecraft missions and technical advancements on ground based telescopes. Why do we explore our Solar System? Review the numerous bodies now known to orbit the Sun, now ...
Join Exploratorium scientist Ron Hipschman for colorful explorations of the physical world.What is sound? How high a pitch can you hear? Can you measure the speed of sound with a yardstick? Can two sounds add up to no sound? Explore these questions and more in this resonant presentation.Presented at 11:00 ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free with admission
Earth History and GeoscienceProfessor Katryn Wiese will discuss what science tells us about earth history and earth processes. This brief review will cover such things as how scientists identify what coastlines are prone to tsunami and landslides, and which aren't -- how we measure risk of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions -- and how ...
