Predicting the Electromagnetic Signatures of Compact Object Mergers The ejection of radioactive material during, or immediately following, the merger of two neutron stars (or a neutron star and a black hole) can give rise to optical/infrared emission similar to, but dimmer and briefer than that of an ordinary supernova. These transients (called kilonovae) are promising electromagnetic counterparts to ...
Where: Menlo ParkCost: Free
A wake-up call for California: Innovations in earthquake preparednessNo one likes to be reminded that there's a 99.7% chance that California will experience a major earthquake in the next 30 years. But a little preparedness can go a long way and a new mobile-friendly website called QuakeCAFE can help.We invite you to join us for a public forum ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free (pre-register at web site)
Can plants really travel? Marvel at botanical fruit and seed adaptations, such as slingshots, parachutes, hitchhikers, helicopters and other mechanisms that propel plant seeds around the Garden.Register at web site
From animal attraction to human nature, celebrate the science behind the things that make us blush at this special Valentine's Day edition of NightLife.From animal attraction to human nature, celebrate the science behind the things that make us blush at this special Valentine's Day edition of NightLife.Start the night off ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $15 General, $12 Members
7:00-7:25: Birgitta Whaley(Berkeley Quantum Information and Computation Center) on "What role does Quantum Mechanics play in Biology?Advances in nanotechnology are driving the development of microscopic studies of biological phenomena...Read more7:25-7:50: Rieko Yajima(Stanford/ Design and AAAS) on "Catalyzing scientific innovation using design-thinking paradigms"Design Thinking Paradigms (DTP) have successfully been ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
Imaging the Dark UniverseThe Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology, or KIPAC, is an independent laboratory of Stanford University. Initiated with a generous grant from Fred Kavli and The Kavli Foundation, KIPAC is housed at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory and in the Varian Physics and Physics Astrophysics buildings on the Stanford ...
Where: Santa CruzCost: Free
Tide Talks by Kame RichardsRacers, cruisers, power boats, kayaks, and swimmers will see and learn how the tide currents move on San Francisco Bay. Reservations a must, call 707-759-2045 or email jimtantillo@comcast.net
Where: SausalitoCost: $15 cash only.
Understanding Bipolar DepressionThis talk will provide a broad overview of bipolar depression in adults, with respect to diagnostic challenges and current treatment strategies for this condition.Speaker: Shefali Miller, MD, Clinical Assistant Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University Medical Center
Pseudoscience is pervasive in the fitness industry, from extraordinary claims to common misconceptions. Bodybuilding, itself a rather extraordinary claim, is often worse. This talk addresses common misconceptions and excuses about fitness derived from the presenter's research and journey to fitness. The central message is that tools of science, evidence, and critical thinking ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Friday, 02/12/16
Green FridayOur speaker will be Alice Friedemann, who has been writing about energy and other resources since 2000. Her writing can be found at her http://energyskeptic.com/ web site. Virtually everything in our homes, everything in our stores, got there on a truck. Prior to that, 90 percent of those items were ...
Join Ranger Aimee in exploring the less-traveled trails at Muir Woods. From where the popular Main Trail diverges with the Fern Creek Trail, we will take the one less traveled by to Camp Alice Eastwood Trail.The cascades, ferns, and fragrant tanoaks of this quiet side canyon of Muir Woods will ...
Hike the Mallard Slough TrailLook for birds, mammals, and animal tracks as we explore along the water's edge on this 3.7-mile nature walk. Bring binoculars and your favorite field guide to help enjoy the views. Have at least one liter of water, snacks, and appropriate clothing. This hike runs rain or shine. Led by ...
Where: AlvisoCost: Free
Little Explorers Workshop: Tails and WorkshopsMake take-home projects and do activities with our menagerie of animals, including rabbits, turtles, and birds. Young children develop an appreciation of living things and spark their curiosity with a new animal theme each week.
Where: BerkeleyCost: $65-80
Marshlands of DreamsJoin Paul Mueller on a 1-mile walk of the LaRiviere Marsh Trail to find traces of the past. Prior to marsh restoration, learn how Californians utilized the area for farming, quarrying, salt production, and transportation. There will opportunities for bird watching as well.
Where: FremontCost: Free
Open House at the Marine Science InstitutePlease bring your friends and family to visit our site. Feel fre to explore our discovery classrooms, view live fish and invertebrates in our aquarium, and pack a picnic lunch to nibble on whilst enjoing our Bay front location. Staff will be around to answer questions and give you a ...
Where: Redwood CityCost: Free
Drones: Love 'em or Hate 'em...? Tom Gregory graduated from Cal Berkely and retired from NASA-Ames Research Center after 37 years where he worked with the wind tunnels, simulators, computers, and flight test aircraft. Much of that work was on remotely piloted vehicles (RPVs) or "drones" as they are called now. He is currently studying and ...
Where: San CarlosCost: Free with admission
Mad Science Valentine: Elixirs, hearts, essences, and immortaliTEASJoin us for a Valentine's-Themed Day of Science!Drop in throughout the day! Apertif, 11-11:30am (Ken). Kick off the day with some caffeinated potions.The Anatomy of a Broken Heart: For all the Future Mad Scientists, and Medical Professionals who can't get enough lab and dissection time... 11-1pm, $10 (Alan). In Honor ...
Where: OaklandCost: TBD
MicroBioblitz at PLACETardigrades, Diatoms and Nematodes oh my! We'll use microscopes and smartphone magnifying lenses to explore the wonderments of the microscopic world at PLACE for Sustainable Living in Oakland.Have you ever wondered about all of the small organisms that are around you all the time? Finally... you'll have a chance to ...
Where: OaklandCost: Free
Water DetectivesIn Matamoros, Mexico, a severe water shortage led to a one-of-a-kind solution: The city put local children in charge of changing adults' attitudes and habits. Thousands of schoolchildren were enlisted as "water detectives." Educated about resource conservation, they were encouraged to discuss proper water usage with adults and were authorized ...
Where: Palo AltoCost: Free
Mega-DroughtTrends indicate that a major drought event is looming in the not-too-distant future. In as few as three decades we could experience conditions that would make the Dust Bowl of the 1930s seem like an oasis. Efforts to conserve, while admirable and desperately necessary, may already be too late. This ...
Where: Palo AltoCost: Free
Earth Under WaterNational Geographic explores the potential effects of sea level rise on our civilization over the next few centuries. "Earth Under Water" explains the science behind the prediction of sea level rise and shows what will happen if the levels rise with increasing speed. Then, we fast forward to the 23rd ...
Where: Palo AltoCost: Free
Parent's Night OffChocolate & Roses – check! Romantic dinner reservation – booked! Do not disturb sign – printed! Child care – uh oh! Let us look after your kids for you, while you take some quality time for yourselves! Even though they are for kids, Parent's Nights Off are designed with adults ...
Where: OaklandCost: $45.00 per child and $30.00 for each add'l sibling
The Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History is excited to open its doors for an adults-only (18+)* evening event. This February discover the secret love lives of animals, from fascinating romantic rituals to the science of attracting mates. Grab a drink, enjoy salsa dance lessons, and take a closer look ...
Where: Pacific GroveCost: $20 General, $15 Members
Sunday, 02/14/16
Marine Mammal Parents and PupsIn preparation for Valentine's Day, this month we celebrate love under the sea with Marine Mammal Parents and Pups in a fun, educational way for both kids and adults. We recommend teaming our free classroom program with a Docent-led tour at 11am, 1pm or 3pm for a truly immersive marine mammal experience. Read ...
Where: SausalitoCost: Free
Come inside i-GATE: The Innovation Hub Open Housei-GATE is a State-sponsored iHub (innovation hub) and startup incubator. i-GATE's partners include the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and Sandia National Laboratories, as well as the cities of Livermore, Danville, Pleasanton, and Dublin.Through technology showcases, startup education, and shared lab and workspaces, i-GATE is a key partner in bringing lab technology ...
Where: LivermoreCost: Free
'A Nubian Walked into a Christian Bar at Philae and Asked...'"A Nubian Walked into a Christian Bar at Philae and Asked..." What can the ancient graffiti at Philae in Aswan tell us about how different groups interacted as Egypt began to Christianize? Dr. Cruz-Uribe will discuss the Christian versus Nubian graffiti to give a sense of what the different groups were dealing with during this process, based on his ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free; donations are welcomed.
Valentine's Day Amphibian Walk + Happy HourCalifornia Center for Natural History and East Bay Regional Parks are teaming up to bring you a Valentine's Day treat - nature walk meets happy hour! Join us for an evening tour of Wildcat Creek's amorous amphibians, then mingle with fellow nature lovers at the Grizzly Bar and Grill (open ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Monday, 02/15/16
BIG BANG MACHINE A presentation of the PBS Nova episode "BIG BANG MACHINE" which chronicles the discovery of the Higgs Boson at the Large Hadron Collider.
Potentially biogenic carbon preserved in a 4.1 billion year old zirconAlthough our planet is approximately 4.5 billion years old (Ga), Earth's fossil record extends only to 3.5 Ga, the chemofossil record arguably to 3.8 Ga, and the rock record to 4.0 Ga. However, detrital zircons from Jack Hills, Western Australia range in age up to nearly 4.4 Ga. From a ...
Sufficient, healthy wetlands, marshes and tidal areas are essential to protecting the region's many homes and workplaces from future flooding, but our local baylands have been significantly diminished and are threatened by future sea level rise. A new report developed by hundreds of scientists, and led by the California Coastal ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $10 General, Free for members
Robots once were a dream of the future, but they now creep into all aspects of our lives, whether it be vacuuming our house or exploring distant planets. Rehabilitation and mobility are no different. Exoskeletons can provide the motion and support that a user cannot, supplementing or replacing their muscles ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
Creative Collisions: Meetup FairIntroducing a made-for-all one-of-a-kind event: the Meetup Fair, a gathering of meetup groups from across the Bay Area. Meetup Fair is an event of Creative Collisions, an evening series at The Tech generously sponsored by the Swanson Family. We'll have crafts and Quidditch. Singers and drummers. Business and art and ...
Where: San JoseCost: $15
Fremont in the Ice AgeThe Ice Age is defined in North American from the fossils found in Irvington. New fossils found in the Warm Springs district bring more information of how the large mammals in Fremont disappeared. Activities will include making headbands, footprints, and more.
Earth Under WaterNational Geographic explores the potential effects of sea level rise on our civilization over the next few centuries. "Earth Under Water" explains the science behind the prediction of sea level rise and shows what will happen if the levels rise with increasing speed. Then, we fast forward to the 23rd ...
Join anthropologist David Puts as we explore the origins of human sexuality by looking at the evolution of sexual differences in the human voice. The roar of the male lion may indeed scare away his rivals, but it might also attract female lions looking for a dominant mate. This is sexual ...
Throughout the entire history of life on Earth, we have been at the mercy of the deadly impacts by rocks from space. Just ask the dinosaurs! On multiple occasions, devastating impacts from Near Earth Objects (NEOs) have probably wiped out life on Earth, requiring life here to start over again. ...
Speaker: Scott Mauvais is the Director, Technology & Civic Innovation at Microsoft and works with government and civic leaders, and the citizens they serve, to tackle urban challenges.
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Full-Spectrum Science with Ron Hipschman: The Last DoublingIs growth always good? The biggest threat to our existence on planet Earth isn't asteroids-it's us. Why can't our population continue to grow? Learn about the exponential function and the conclusions we can draw from it.Talks at 1:00 and 3:00
Will Facebook play a decisive role in the 2016 presidential primaries? Should Twitter be blamed for the rise of the Islamic State? Has the Chinese government successfully marginalized political dissent by controlling the companies that run Chinaâs Internet? The fast-evolving power relationships â and clashes â among governments, corporations, and ...
Fungal Philosophies - Mythbuster, or Fungal Fables DebunkedDanny Miller, our guest speaker from the Pacific Northwest will talk to us about an entertaining look at common mushroom myths and the truth about them.Editor's Note: This event was originally listed at an incorrect venue.
Pacific Institute President Peter Gleick will lead an engaging discussion of our region's most pressing water questions, issues, and solutions. Dr. Gleick is a renowned water expert whose research and writing address the critical connections between water and human health, the hydrologic impacts of climate change, sustainable water use, privatization ...
Where: SunnyvaleCost: $10 General, Free for members
Nerd Nite #69: Sutro Baths, Psychedelic Data Science, and Blowing Up Bridges!Remember the legendary PSA with the egg and the frying pan? We'll find out what our brains REALLY look like when they're on drugs, and we'll also swim back in time to the saltwater pools of the Sutro Baths and thrill to some Texan bridge demolition porn. This is your ...
