If ye value critical thinking, and if ye scorn the flim-flam man, join us, your friends. Skeptics in the Pub is a group of like-minded people informally discussing the latest in science or pseudoscience over good eats & ale. 7PM 4th Wednesday each month (except November and December)
The giants of the ocean employ a surprisingly "different strokes" approach to sex. Some bull whales battle for their mates; some beguile with song and caress. Others may just get lucky – literally. And, where group sex is involved, "timing is everything" may apply. Size matters among certain species, but ...
Where: SausalitoCost: $5 donation
Climate change, sea-level rise and shoreline retreatGlobal climate is changing and has been driven in large part over the past century by the increasing anthropogenic emission of greenhouse gases. As the Earth's atmosphere has warmed, ice sheets and glaciers have melted and retreated, and combined with a warming ocean, have accelerated the rate of sea-level rise. The impacts ...
Happy Hollow is not just a place for kids!Introducing our early morning Senior Safari Walkabout. Get some exercise while enjoying the beautiful sights and sounds of Happy Hollow Park & Zoo. Seniors are invited to challenge their minds, get a little (or a lot) of exercise, and gain unique knowledge into the ...
Where: San JoseCost: Free admission and parking
CA Native Plant Sale: Open NurseryCA Native Plant Sale: Our entire California Natives propagation area (across the street from the garden entrance) will be open on the last Thursday of July and August - July 28 and August 25 - 10:30 a.m - 1:30 p.m., for the public to come shop, browse, get advice and ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Not So Different: Finding Human Nature in AnimalsAre humans that different from animals? Animals fall in love, establish rules for fair play, exchange valued goods and services, hold "funerals" for fallen comrades, deploy sex as a weapon, and communicate with one another using rich vocabularies. In this lecture, Professor Lents marshals evidence from psychology, evolutionary biology, cognitive science, ...
Why did humans become such efficient long-distance runners? How can runners avoid injury? Join Daniel Lieberman on July 28th for Being Human: Born and Evolved to Run and learn about the evolution of endurance running.Humans and our recent ancestors have been accomplished endurance runners for more than a million years, ...
This week, NightLife is all about image. Be the first to peep the Academy's third-annual BigPicture wildlife photography exhibit and raise a glass to the best in nature and conservation photography.
Where: San FranciscoCost: $15 General, $12 Members
Citizen Science Workshop: Introduction to iNaturalist Have you ever seen a flower, tree, bird, mushroom, or insect and wished you knew what it was? Well, now you can find out with iNaturalist! This online platform allows you to tap into a global community of naturalists, biologists, and other nature enthusiasts to help you learn about nearly ...
Science of BicyclesDesign enthusiasts, serious cyclists, and inquisitive young professionals are invited to join the Exploratorium Lab and Shinola on July 28 to talk about creation and design and explore the science of bicycles at Shinola's beautiful San Francisco flagship location.Sky Yaeger, director of Bicycle Product Development at Shinola, will talk with ...
It's not just earthquake country! by Margaret T Mangan, Scientist-in-Charge, USGS CalVOVolcanic Eruptions occur in the State about as frequently as the largest San Andreas Fault Zone earthquakes.California's "watch list" volcanoes are dispersed throughout the State and future eruptions are inevitable--the likelihood of renewed volcanism is on the order of ...
Don Hyatt, an Australian Skeptic, will take you through a guided tour of Australian skepticism, looking at the Australian attitude to pseudoscience, the paranormal and religion. The fights with anti-vaxers, purveyors of CAM, chiro, the emergence of shonky university degrees, water dowsing, compulsory religious instruction in schools and those legendary bush ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Friday, 07/29/16
Botany Series: Advanced Plant IdentificationVanessa Stevens (Former Presidio Trust Biological Technician and current contractor for East Bay Municipal Water District) will lead this workshop focusing on the plant families Asteraceae, Cyperaceae, and Juncaceae. The lecture will briefly cover evolution and taxonomic relationships, recent reorganizational changes in the California Flora, and a brief overview of ...
California and the University of California are leaders in confronting one of the world's most complex and daunting issues: climate change. Three distinguished UC professors from across the University system will discuss how the UC and the state of California lead and plan to continue leading the world on a ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $20 General, Free for members, $7 Students
Speaker: Dr. Connie Rockosi is a faculty member at UC Santa Cruz and researcher at UCO/Lick Observatory.Her research is on how galaxies form. She spends much of her time observing stars in our Galaxy to find out what they can tell us about how the Milky Way formed. She is ...
How much do you know about moths - the hyperdiverse (mostly) nocturnal cousins of butterflies? In celebration of National Moth Week, we'll be hosting a Moth Ball at Quail Hollow Park in Santa Cruz to draw attention to the beauty, diversity, and ecological importance of moths. Quail Hollow is situated ...
Where: FeltonCost: Free
Saturday, 07/30/16
Sunrise Solitude & Early Morning WildlifeMeet ACR Resource Ecologist Dave Self at the junction of Pine Flat Rd. and Red Winery Rd., 3/4 mile 'east' on Pine Flat Rd from Hwy 128 at Jimtown. We'll drive up to the Preserve, with each person claiming an individual sit-spot. We'll each settle in to appreciate the summer ...
Let family walks become a shared time of nature learning. We'll begin by helping kids create their personal bird watching field guides, and then head out onto the trails to find those birds. A limited number of binoculars are available to borrow. Recommended for children ages 5-10. RESERVATIONS REQUIRED. Register ...
Where: FremontCost: Free
Lake Merritt Bioblitz: South SideHelp us explore America's oldest wildlife refuge: Lake Merritt! Located right in the heart of Oakland, you probably know Lake Merritt as a great place for a walk or a weekend cookout, but it's also full of wildlife. We're going to try and see how many species we can find ...
Where: OaklandCost: FREE! $20 suggested donation.
Reptile Day at CuriOdysseyWhen you think of a reptile, what do you picture? Do you think of something slimy and scary? CuriOdyssey will show they are neither!Reptiles are cold-blooded creatures who are covered in scales or scutes, lay shelled eggs, and breathe air. Challenge your preconceptions of these creatures and learn what makes ...
Where: San MateoCost: Free with admission
The Myth of Monstro and Other Whale TalesIn Walt Disney's classic film Pinocchio, Monstro the whale swallows Geppetto, Figaro, Cleo, and, ultimately, Pinocchio. But, is it really possible to be swallowed by a whale? How big can sperm whales get? Join Adam Ratner, marine biologist and Guest Experience Manager at the Marine Mammal Center, to learn more ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $20 General, $18 Members, $15/$12 Students/Youth
Do you sometimes see paw prints in mud or scat (poop) on the trails and assume that a dog left it? It could be from something else. Come along with me and I will show you how to distinguish and identify the markings of a gray fox. Gain some insights into the fox's nature and ...
Where: FremontCost: Free
Not So Different: Finding Human Nature in AnimalsSF Atheists are pleased to welcome Professor Nathan H. Lents to discuss his new book, 'Not So Different: Finding Human Nature in Animals'. Are humans that different from other animals? They also fall in love, establish rules for fair play, exchange valued goods and services, hold 'funerals' for fallen comrades, ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: free, donations accepted
Family Sundown SafariIs your family ready for a WILD campout? Grab your camping gear, your family, a few friends, and get ready for an overnight adventure at Oakland Zoo.Family Sundown Safari is a unique overnight program for the whole family. This program includes dinner, a nighttime and morning guided tour of the ...
Where: OaklandCost: $85.00 per person for non-members / $75.00 per per
Dr. Brad Holden grew up in suburban Maryland always wanting to be an astronomer. After receiving his Ph.D from the University of Chicago in Astronomy and Astrophysics, he decided to move to a place more conducive to watching the night sky, and has lived in California for most of his ...
Where: Mt. HamiltonCost: $45 General, $40 Under 16, over 65
Sunday, 07/31/16
Sunrise Solitude & Early Morning WildlifeMeet ACR Resource Ecologist Dave Self at the junction of Pine Flat Rd. and Red Winery Rd., 3/4 mile 'east' on Pine Flat Rd from Hwy 128 at Jimtown. We'll drive up to the Preserve, with each person claiming an individual sit-spot. We'll each settle in to appreciate the summer ...
Where: GeyservilleCost: Free
Learn genetic engineering! Biohacking Academy LabEver wondered how GMO's are created or wanted to embrace your mad scientist side?Well, now you can! This lecture series at Counter Culture Labs, Oakland's community lab, will teach you the basics of synthetic biology then let you in the lab to try the techniques yourself.This series of classes is ...
Where: OaklandCost: 20
Monday, 08/01/16
Biohacking Academy: Plasmid Design and Online DatabasesEver wondered how GMO's are created or wanted to embrace your mad scientist side?Well, now you can! This lecture series at Counter Culture Labs, Oakland's community lab, will teach you the basics of synthetic biology then let you in the lab to try the techniques yourself.In this class you will ...
Where: OaklandCost: 5
Unveiling the Dark Universe: A Tale of Fish Tanks, Wine Glasses, and the Smallest Dark Matter ClumpsWhat is "dark matter"? This is a question that has preoccupied astrophysicists for many decades. Observations show that 80% of the matter in our universe is in this mysterious, invisible form. In this talk, Dr. Hezaveh discusses how ALMA, the world's most sophisticated radio telescope, is used to observe some of ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $12 General, $8 Members, $10 Seniors
From August 1-9, 2016, NOAA's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries and California State Parks will co-investigate shipwrecks and Sonoma County "doghole port" archaeological sites associated with northern California's Redwood Coast lumber trade. Team members will use scuba and more traditional land survey techniques to document remnants of underwater infrastructure and ...
Where: JennerCost:
Satellite Formation-Flying for Future Space Science and ExplorationTwo key technologies are revolutionizing the way humans conduct spaceflight, namely, the miniaturization of satellites (e.g., micro- and nano-satellites) and the distribution of payload tasks among multiple coordinated units (e.g., spacecraft formation-flying, on- orbit servicing/robotics, fractionation, swarms). The combination of these techniques promises breakthroughs in space science (e.g., through imaging ...
Where: Mountain ViewCost: Free
Creative Collisions: Light + DanceJoin us for an enlightening night in the dark featuring Adobe's skunkworks Creative Technologies Lab and performers from San Jose's own hip-hop and breakdance mastermind, Future Arts Now.Food, beer and wine sold separately.Ages 18+
Where: San JoseCost: $10 General Admission $7 Members
Developing cheaper and more efficient devices to harvest energy from the sun is a major scientific challenge. One way to increase the efficiency of solar cells – and even make solar cells out of otherwise inactive materials – is by covering them with a thin layer of dye that strongly ...
