National Engineers Week: Mars LanderExplore the rigors of entry, decent and landing and build a device able to help a fragile cargo survive a drop landing test.Programs are designed for Grades 3-8 and participants will be grouped with children of comparable age. Space is limited. Advance registration is required.
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 ...
Explore extreme weather and its impact on our planet as renowned scientists expand your mind with informative talks about the science of climate and the environment.In African Hall, learn about "The Misconceptions of El Nino" with Jan Null of San Jose State Meteorology. Plus, discover "Why Everyone is Talking About ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $15 General, $12 Members
Osteoporosis: Prevention and TreatmentOver 50% of women and 25% of men over the age of 50 will sustain a fragility fracture due to osteoporosis. This talk will address risk factors, prevention and treatment options, as well as common questions about lifestyle, dietary supplements, and medications. The latest in osteoporosis research will also be ...
Learn the distinguishing characteristics of age-related memory loss, dementia and Alzheimer's disease, and what we can do to protect ourselves.Speaker: Sharon Sha, MD, Stanford
Accidents of Gold Rush merchant marine navigation transformed a seismic disaster into a seminal discovery and led to San Francisco's extreme liquefaction vulnerability today.Just about everything that we love about the Bay area is brought to us by the faults. We enjoy their daily fruits and so must live with ...
Where: Menlo ParkCost: Free
Welcome to the Fungi KingdomWinter rains bring forth the Kingdom Fungi! Delve into this strange world with Naturalist Trent Pearce of the East Bay Regional Park District. Learn what differentiates fungi from plants and animals, and meet a few of our common fungal genera.
Where: OaklandCost: 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.Join Exploratorium scientist Ron Hipschman for colorful explorations of the physical world.Part of After Dark ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $15 General, $10 Members
Friday, 02/26/16
Fungi of TuleThe moist area during the winter and our mild climate is ideal for fungi to grow. Fungi are important to the environment as they decompose plant material that produces nutrients for other plants.
Where: FremontCost: Free
National Engineers Week: Water RocketsInvestigate Newton's Third Law and launch a high performance water rocket with an optimized fin configuration.Programs are designed for Grades 3-8 and participants will be grouped with children of comparable age. Space is limited. Advance registration is required.
Where: San CarlosCost: 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 ...
Leila Takayama, a thought leader in the field of human and robot interaction will discuss her experience at Willow Garage and her thoughts on the future of the field at large.Leila will share her experiences for about an hour, and a food & drink reception will follow.
Where: BerkeleyCost: 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: San JoseCost: Free
Saturday, 02/27/16
Heart Month Community TalksGet heart smart! Join us for American Heart Month and learn the latest from Stanford Medicine experts about preventing heart disease, identifying your risk factors and choosing options for treatment. Together, we can help keep your heart healthy and happy.Choose one or two sessions:Topics Dear to Your Heart: Women's Heart ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
Guided Nature WalkExperience the beauty and rich natural history of this 535-acre preserve. Our half-day guided nature walks are on Saturdays throughout fall and spring. Participants are divided into small groups and paired with a trained Bouverie volunteer to explore the mixed evergreen forest, flower-carpeted oak woodland and rugged chaparral. Guided Nature Walks ...
Where: Glen EllenCost: Donations appreciated
34th Annual San Francisco Middle School Science Fair on Display Awards CeremonyThe Randall Museum, in partnership with the California Academy of Sciences, is proud to announce the 34th Annual SF Middle School Science Fair. Approximately thirty public and private schools participate in this citywide program, which is designed to promote and recognize the efforts of student scientists. The science fair projects ...
Why are slugs slimy? How does a worm see without eyes? Is a pill bug really a bug? Discover the answer to these questions and more as we dig down into the dirt to learn more about these tiny critters and the large role they play in our ecosystem for ...
Where: Pacific GroveCost: 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
Roboticist Kevin Roche presents ThinBot, the cocktail serving robot, and other cool machinesIBM research scientist and roboticst Kevin Roche comes to us with his award-winning cocktail serving robot, ThinBot, along with other cool machines. Roche will present ThinBot and Arthur-9, plus show a video of some of his robot tools at the IBM lab. Please note that NO alcohol will be used and ...
Where: LivermoreCost: Free
The Fight for WaterThis historical documentary, set during the 2009 California Water Crisis, follows the stories of two Central Valley farmers. They discuss how water restrictions and environmental regulations have threatened their way of life, their American dream and their community. The crisis point was an environmental ruling to protect an endangered fish ...
Where: San JoseCost:
Family STEM Overnigher5th Annual Spectrum of Science Family Overnighter! In a galaxy far, far away .. It's a slumber party like no other! Spend the night at The Tech. Star Wars themed hands on science labs & a private viewing of The Force Awakens! Includes dinner, breakfast, hands on science & The ...
Where: San JoseCost: Members $109;Nonmembers $119
Science Fiction or Science Fact?Is science made up of hard data, meticulous observation AND wild imaginings, beliefs, and stories? In this new lecture series, explore how science and science fiction feed into one another as we move toward an exciting science-fueled future. Guest speakers will include sci-fi authors, scientists, and experts in the search ...
Don't have an outdoor space for growing plants? Love that tropical feeling indoors? Come learn how to care for indoor plants and make lovely and unique selections with Brian Petraska. Brian, known as the Orchid Guy, is an expert on Indoor tropical and an excellent teacher of their care. Plants ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: $20 General, $15 Members
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
Silicon Valley Reads Film FestivalCome spend a day watching the 2016 Silicon Valley Reads Documentary film festival. This Year's Silicon Valley Reads THeme was "Chance of Rain?"The Films:Climate RefugeesThe Fight for Water: A Farm Worker StruggleLiquid AssetsBlue Gold: World Water WarsThere Once Was An Island Silicon Valley Reads continues through March 25th. For a complete ...
Where: CupertinoCost: 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.Presentations at 1:00 and 3:00
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free with admission
Monday, 02/29/16
The Optical-Infrared Extinction Curve and its Variation in the Milky Way The dust extinction curve is a critical component of many observational programs and an important diagnostic of the physics of the interstellar medium. In this talk, I will present new measurements of the dust extinction curve and its variation towards tens of thousands of stars, a hundred-fold larger sample than ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
VERY-HIGH-ENERGY ASTROPARTICLE PHYSICS Remarkable progress has been made in very high energy (VHE; E > 100 GeV) gamma-ray astrophysics in the last decade. The VHE source catalog has increased tenfold in under a decade, with active galaxies being the most commonly detected source type. These sources, harboring some of the most extreme particle ...
Where: Rohnert ParkCost: Free
The Fight for WaterThis historical documentary, set during the 2009 California Water Crisis, follows the stories of two Central Valley farmers. They discuss how water restrictions and environmental regulations have threatened their way of life, their American dream and their community. The crisis point was an environmental ruling to protect an endangered fish ...
Yui Cui is an Associate Professor, of Materials Science and Engineering. He studies nanoscale phenomena and their applications broadly defined. His research interests include nanocrystal and nanowire synthesis and self-assembly, electron transfer and transport in nanomaterials and at the nanointerface, nanoscale electronic and photonic devices, batteries, solar cells, microbial fuel cells, water ...
Learn how to paint your own orginal masterpiece using a micro-pipette and brushes with paint & ink. Your instructor will guide you through the different techniques you may use to create a completely unique painting on watercolor paper. In this unique class we'll learn how to use a pipette as ...
Where: EmeryvilleCost: $35
Hacking the Hackathon: A Panel in Partnership with Cal HacksHackathons have become increasingly popular among students at the collegiate, and sometimes high school, level. Running on 24-hour schedules, hackathons are non-stop marathons of technology, innovation, and tons of fun. Students from around the country gather at these events to devise, develop, and design the next great product and are ...
A Nerd Nite East Bay on Leap Day! We're celebrating with three great talks and booze. And you?Join us to hear from two-time NNSF alumnerd Brian Seitel about the great vowel shift, UC Berkeley's Lauren Ponisio on habitats for local pollinators, and finally Evan and Valkyrie Savage on Jugger, an ...
Twenty years after the World Wide Web was created, can we now make it better? How can we ensure that our most important values â privacy, free speech, and open access to knowledge â are enshrined in the code itself? In a provocative call to action, entrepreneur and Open Internet ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Bringing Nuclear Power to Mars - RESCHEDULEDEstablishing a lunar base is probably a wise first first step to colonizing Mars, and colonizing. Mars will be a giant leap forward for humankind to travel to the stars. We begin our discussion by noting that the bare minimum for sustaining life on the Moon exists in the water brought by comets ...
The emergence of new means of social media in recent years has made way for both utopian and dystopian discourses regarding their impact on the common good in general and on democratization and social participation in public life in particular. This conversation, however, rarely discusses the least advantaged elements of ...
Behavioral and Neural Mechanisms of Depression in Adolescent Romantic RelationshipsRomantic relationships are one of the most salient contexts for adolescents. One of the most unpredictable, intense, and novel stressors revolves around the acquisition, maintenance and dissolution of romantic relationships. Neuroimaging studies consistently show that depressed and anxious adolescents show higher vigilance to social threat cues from unfamiliar peers, exhibiting ...
From bionic limbs and neural implants to prenatal screening, researchers around the world are hard at work developing a myriad of technologies to fix or enhance the human body. Through the perspectives of five people with disabilities - a scientist, journalist, community organizer, bionics engineer, and exoskeleton test pilot - ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
Beyond Literacy, for Humans and AIsStephen Wolfram is the creator of Mathematica, Wolfram|Alpha and most recently the Wolfram Language, as well as the author of A New Kind of Science. He has spent the past 40 years alternating between technology and basic science.Advance ticketing recommended. See weblink for additional admission information
Where: BerkeleyCost: $0 - $7
The Future of Solar PowerCome hear about the future of the burgeoning solar energy industry from a leader in the field. NextTracker CEO and long-time senior executive in the solar power industry Dan Shugar has spent 28 years advancing renewable energy. As founder and CEO, Shugar has served NexTracker from inception to one of ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $20 General, $7 for Members, $7 Students
Today's software systems build on open source software. Thus, we need to understand how to successfully create, nurture, and mature the software development communities of these open source projects. In this presentation, we review and discuss best practices of the open source volunteering and recruitment process that successful project leaders ...
Mysteries of the Bay Area Shipwrecks, Strange Stones and Secret GravesFrom sunken treasure and spaceships to mass graves and massive walls, Nerd Nite brings you more Bay Area unsolved mysteries than Unsolved Mysteries. Get a history of UFO sightings in the Bay Area, hear the grisly details of Evergreen Cemetery's ...
Groundbreaking science now shows that approximately 10 percent of disease is genetic and 90 percent is due to environmental exposures such as the way you eat, move, think and supplement. Gottfried practices functional medicine, a systems-based approach to address health from your DNA to your daily habits.Learn how to optimize ...
Where: Palo AltoCost: $15 General, $10 Member, $8 Student
Polar Windows to Earth's ClimateAlthough they are smaller than a grain of sand, tiny marine plants known as phytoplankton play a surprisingly prominent role in sequestering atmospheric carbon dioxide in the deep ocean. In polar waters, phytoplankton form the basis of the food chain that nourishes everything from penguins to whales. Stanford biological oceanographer ...
Artificial Intelligence Arriving for EveryoneAdam Coates is Director of the Baidu Silicon Valley AI Lab. His research focuses on new AI technologies to reach at least 100 million people using machine and deep learning.
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
SETI and the Computational UniverseDr Stephen Wolfram, founder & CEO of Wolfram Research, and creator of Mathematica, Wolfram|Alpha and the Wolfram Language will come to the SETI Institute to discuss his latest thinking about the relation between searching for complex behavior in the computational universe of simple programs, using this in creating AI, and ...
Where: Mountain ViewCost: Free
Global Food Trade in a Spatially Correlated ClimateGlobal scale events, such as climate change, generate winners and losers across the planet. The consequences of such global inequality depends on the ability of trade to smooth away spatial differences. When the climate is more spatially correlated, a location surrounded by similarly affected neighbors must overcome larger trade costs in order to trade with distant, ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
Do pregnancy-related risk factors cause psychopathology? The importance of family-based designsPrevious research has found that pregnancy-related risk factors (e.g., maternal smoking, maternal stress, fetal growth restriction, preterm birth, etc.) are associated with offspring neurodevelopmental problems. These results have led researchers to make strong causal inferences, consistent with the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease Hypothesis. Yet, great skepticism remains about ...
On July 14, 2015, the New Horizons spacecraft flew 7,800 miles above the surface of Pluto and sent back fascinating images of the dwarf planet and its large (and intriguing) moon, Charon. Many of the images show unexpected beauty and complexity on Pluto's surface. While the data are still coming ...
