Peter Norvig is a Director of Research at Google Inc. Previously he was head of Google's core search algorithms group, and of NASA Ames's Computational Sciences Division, making him NASA's senior computer scientist. He received the NASA Exceptional Achievement Award in 2001. He has taught at the University of Southern ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
The Future of Sensory PerceptionScientists and other sensory explorers are developing powerful new technologies that can change, enhance and perhaps expand the limits of what we can perceive. They are building retinal implants to restore vision to the blind, creating robotic limbs to touch at a distance, testing whether Tylenol can soothe the hurt ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: $10 General, free for UC Berkeley students/staff
Introduction to Mushrooms at Lake MerrittDuring this short walk, we'll discuss how to find and identify mushrooms, their basic life cycle, and the important role they play in the ecosystem.Please note: Mushrooms may not be collected during this walk.
In December 2015 over 190 countries met in Paris for the 21st meeting of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change where they succeeded in creating a new international climate agreement. Many have heralded the outcome as a groundbreaking achievement for international diplomacy and global climate action. Others have ...
Program (the order of the speakers might change):7:00-7:25: Carlo Sequin(UC Berkeley) on "Klein bottles and Super-Bottles"Super-Bottles are topological models that can yield artistic creations...Read more7:25-7:50: Andra Keay(Silicon Valley Robotics) on "Designing Good Robots"In science fiction the robots are either very good, or very bad. But in reality what ...
Doing science and making culture are increasingly intertwined as more and more amateur naturalists crowdsource the multi-layered experience of life on this planet. Authors of two new books Mary Ellen Hannibal (Citizen Scientist: Searching for Heroes and Hope in an Age of Extinction) and Ursula Heise (Imagining Extinction: The Cultural ...
The Search for a Cousin of Earth: Science or Fiction?Dr. Franck Marchis, Senior planetary astronomer at the Carl Sagan Center of the SETI Institute will discuss the search for an Earth-Like exoplanet conducted at SETI Institute in collaboration with institutions around the world. Over the past 15 years, this group led the development of the Gemini Planet Imager which ...
Where: Santa RosaCost: Free
Thursday, 02/09/17
Botany Series: Basic BotanyHow do plants work? If it’s been way too long since that high school biology class, come take a step back with Annette Russell (Presidio Nursery Manager). We will learn the basic processes that plants go through in life, how they have adapted to the changing earth environment over time, ...
Noise Pop NightlifeBeauty is in the ear of the beholder this week as Noise Pop Music and Arts Festival takes over NightLife for an evening exploring the science of sound�"just in time for Noise Pop’s 25th anniversary.In the Piazza, catch a DJ set from acclaimed experimental pop band Animal Collective.At 7:30 pm, ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $15 General, $12 Members
Our Constitution, Our Climate, Our Kids: Is There a Right not to Be Harmed by Climate Change?Climate change has an immediate, disproportionate effect on our youth, present and future generations. As with the civil rights movement, young people are turning to courts and regulatory bodies to require governments to implement plans to phase out pollution in line with science. The question is this: Do present and ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $20 General, $8 Members, Free for students
Aging at Home with Chronic IllnessDr. Lin will discuss best practices and new technology to assist aging at home for patients and their caregivers focusing on challenges with mobility, memory loss, diabetes, heart disease and cancer. He will draw from the medical literature and his own experiences at Stanford leading a team of medical students ...
Program (the order of the speakers might change):7:00-7:25: Susan McConnell(Stanford/Biology) on "Conservation Photography: Putting Images to Work for the Environment"Nature photography with a mission...Read more7:25-7:50: Vanessa Sigurdson(Autodesk Artist in Residence) on "Autodesk Artist in Residence"The Pier 9 AIR program at Autodesk...Read more7:50-8:10: BREAK. Before or after the break, ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
Unsupervised Machine Learning: Application to Data FusionFusion of information from multiple sets of data in order to extract a set of features that are most useful and relevant for the given task is inherent to many problems we deal with today. Data-driven methods based on source separation minimize the assumptions about the underlying relationships and enable ...
Alan Wallace, a world-renowned author and Buddhist scholar trained by the Dalai Lama, and Sean Carroll, a world-renowned theoretical physicist and best-selling author, discuss the nature of reality from both spiritual and scientific viewpoints. Their dialogue is mediated by theoretical physicist and author Marcelo Gleiser, director of Dartmouth’s Institute for ...
Time may be �" simultaneously! �" both the most mundane and the most mysterious feature of our universe. Wonderfest and Bookshop West Portal present The New Yorker’s Alan Burdick in discussion of his new book, Why Time Flies: A Mostly Scientific Investigation. What is time, really? Do children experience it ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free
Friday, 02/10/17
An Introduction to Seed PropagationCome learn about seed basics, seed treatment, sowing, and aftercare. After an overview of seed propagation of the Garden Collection, Susan Malisch, Garden Propagator, will share general information and tips for starting your own successful seedlings at home. The workshop includes a hands-on seed activity.
How serious is the biodiversity crisis and what to do about it? In this talk I will argue that although we do not face yet a mass species extinction, a major biodiversity crisis is on-going with dramatic implications for the planet and for us. I will discuss recent assessments about ...
Join park staff and docents for a tour down the Point Bonita Trail, through the hand-carved tunnel and out to the Lighthouse.We will walk along a half-mile trail, which is steep in places.Arrive early as parking is limited. Meet at the Point Bonita Lighthouse trailhead.Dress warmly and bring a flashlight.Limited ...
Where: SausalitoCost: Free
Green FridayThis month's Green Friday presentation will be given by Ken Gibson of the San Francisco Bay Chapter Water Committee. Ken's presentation will look at the current structure of residential water pricing applied by water agencies in the SF Bay Area and consider how those structures could evolve to encourage water ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: $3 donation requested
Orion's TreasuresPublic Astronomy Viewing Nights at Sonoma State University
Where: Rohnert ParkCost: Free
The Fastest Eye on the Sky: The Large Synoptic Survey TelescopeWhat is the Universe made of? In modern cosmology only 4% of the universe is deeply understood, while the other 96%, Dark Energy and Dark Matter, remains a mystery.  The Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST), currently under construction, will observe billions of galaxies, billions of stars in our own galaxy ...
Where: Los Altos HillsCost: Free ($3 parking)
Saturday, 02/11/17
Good Fire Day: Learning About the Role of Fire and Management in Ecosystems - POSTPONEDThe National Parks Service, Green Gulch  Zen Center, Muir Beach Volunteer Fire Department, Central Coast Fire Council and Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy invite you to participate in an event addressing the cultural fire history of the area and the roles fire plays in our ecosystems. Come and learn about fire ...
Where: Muir BeachCost: Free (donations suggested)
Trekking the ModelJoin a ranger-guided tour of the Bay Model, a 1.5-acre hydraulic model of the San Francisco Bay and Delta. Discover the stories of the two major operations that took place at this location between 1942 - 2000.
Join Bay Nature's Eric Simons and the California Center for Natural History to explore the Bay on your own terms at Heron's Head Park in San Francisco. Walk through the Bay's past, present and future and admire winter shorebirds as you hike with us out to a panoramic viewpoint spanning ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free
Has the revolution in technology led to narrow-minded politics?Yuval Harari, author of the bestseller Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind, will share insights from his forthcoming book, Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow.  Twentieth-century politics was a battleground between grand visions for the future of humankind. Communists, fascists and liberals all wanted to destroy the old world and build ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
Oceans Aglow: Family Night Hike and Campfire - SOLD OUTJoin NatureBridge Golden Gate as we discover one of the most amazing natural phenomenon, bioluminescence.  We will hike out to Rodeo Beach and explore the sands for twinkling plankton. Where did they come from? Why are they blinking? Are they here all the time? We will try and answer all these and other ...
Where: SausalitoCost: $15
San Francisco City Star PartyCome join us for our monthly San Francisco City Star Party. SFAA members provide telescopes for your viewing pleasure. Be sure to check the SFAA website for the latest updates…bad weather or overcast skies will cancel!
Documenting Wildlife on the MayacamasCome and spend the morning with ACR Volunteer, Docent and Wildlife Camera Specialist Ginny Fifield to learn about some of the wildlife that inhabits the Modini Mayacamas Preserves. We'll learn about identifying field signs of mountain lions, bobcat, coyotes and more. We will also visit two wildlife trail cameras, where ...
Special event for SciSchmooze readers! Come meet editors Herb, Bob, and Minu and explore the wonders of the Elephant Seal breeding grounds at Año Nuevo State Reserve. Only 17 tickets available. No refunds.Here's how this will work: Since Año Nuevo does not handle group reservations, we have pre-purchased tickets for ...
Where: PescaderoCost: $7 per person (+ $1.24 service fee)
In 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. FREE ...
Where: SausalitoCost: Free
Point Reyes 12th Annual Fungus FairJoin us for the 12th annual Point Reyes National Seashore Fungus Fair! Learn about the fungi of the Point Reyes National Seashore. See remarkable colors and shapes of wild mushrooms that were collected right in the park. Attend lectures, and learn about edible and poisonous mushrooms in the Bear Valley ...
Where: Point Reyes StationCost: Free
Darwin Day Celebration: Luncheon and LectureEvolution of Species by Means of Natural Selection by Charles Darwin is one of the most influential books ever written. Darwin’s work unified the biological sciences and gave humankind an understanding of itself based on science.  Virtually all areas of human knowledge have been impacted by this understanding.  Given this ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Lecture is free, nominal charge for lunch
An Aquatic Evening: Newts and trivia!California 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! Come for an evening tour of Wildcat Creek’s amorous amphibians, then mingle with fellow nature lovers at the Grizzly Bar and Grill (open late ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
An Aquatic Evening: Newts and trivia!California 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! Come for an evening tour of Wildcat Creek’s amorous amphibians, then mingle with fellow nature lovers at the Grizzly Bar and Grill (open late ...
Water Birds at Lake MerrittMigrating birds are here! See which winter visitors are currently at Lake Merritt, the nation's oldest wildlife refuge.  Join us for a short walk along the lake. Learn about the Pacific Flyway and how to identify some winter migrants as well as year-round residents. We'll begin the walk in front of the ...
Enhanced Geothermal Systems are the unconventional resources of the geothermal world. Conventional geothermal resources require exploration and carry dry hole risk. Like unconventional oil and gas resources, EGS allows us to go into rock with high temperatures but now natural circulating geothermal system. If we can find a way to ...
Engineer's Week, Grades 3 - 8Launch a journey in innovation and prepare for National Engineers Week!This year’s exploration into the Engineering Design Process will explore the challenge of spaceflight as participants study a full scale replica of the Spaceship One spaceplane, complete a realistic spaceflight landing simulation, and work in teams to design, build and test ...
Where: San CarlosCost:
CLIMATE OF DOUBTA presentation of the PBS Frontline documentary that takes a fascinating view inside the organizations that seek to sow doubt in the public's perception of the scientific evidence of human induced climate change.
The talk will address recent developments in molecular photovoltaics and metal-halide perovskite solar cells (PSCs). The recent introduction of of Cu (I/II) complexes both as redox shuttles in liquid electrolytes and solid hole conductors has propelled the open circuit voltage of molecularly sensitized photosystems to over 1 V increasing dramatically their ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
Tuesday, 02/14/17
Meet the Minds: The Science of Love and The Love CompetitionHow deep is your love? Can you look inside the living brain and tell what someone is feeling? Join us for a special Valentine’s Day Meet the Minds: The Science of Love, featuring filmmaker Brent Hoff and learn about the science of love.  "The Love Competition" will be shown as part ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Museum admission or museum membership
Constraining the Evolution of a Delta Deposit on Mars from OrbitDecades of planetary exploration have revealed widespread evidence for ancient fluvial activity on the surface of Mars, including deeply incised valleys, paleolake basins, and an extensive sedimentary rock record. Acquisition of high-resolution remote sensing data of the martian surface (e.g., images and topography) over the past 5-10 years have allowed ...
What now? Advancing Sustainable Energy during the new AdministrationJoin program directors from Audubon, Environmental Defense Fund, Natural Resources Defense Council, Rocky Mountain Institute, Union of Concerned Scientists, United Nations Foundation, U.S. Green Building Council, World Resources Institute as they discuss how their strategy changes with a new administration. What are the challenges and opportunities and how do these NGOs ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
Engineer's Week, Grades 3 - 8Launch a journey in innovation and prepare for National Engineers Week!This year’s exploration into the Engineering Design Process will explore the challenge of spaceflight as participants study a full scale replica of the Spaceship One spaceplane, complete a realistic spaceflight landing simulation, and work in teams to design, build and test ...
Come join us for an evening full of Valentine's workshops with the mad scientists at Counter Culture Labs. Individual workshops are $10-15 each. Please sign up on Meetup through the links below:6-7pm: Celebrate Spring with the Guerilla GraftersSpring is coming! The sap is rising, and buds are bursting - time for a ...
Where: OaklandCost: $10-15
Love Letter to Mt. DiabloSeth Adams, longtime land-conservation director for Save Mount Diablo, tells first hand the fascinating story of "Re-assembling the Diablo Wild Lands" -- one of the Bay Area's most significant conservation efforts. Championing this landmark and its many ecosystems, Save Mount Diablo has expanded protected lands from 6,800 acres to a ...
