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 ...
Energy Security & Energy PovertyGlobal energy consumption occurs on a scale that is difficult to comprehend. Although the global demand for energy continues to grow with population and industrialization, the rate of growth is slowing, owing mostly to improvements in energy efficiency, technology, and energy education.The global energy mix is driven by the need ...
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 ...
This talk will focus on the challenge that Paul took up at the heart of his work - how to win, or at least understand, a global climate transition that’s fair enough to actually succeed, even in the face of the extraordinary physical and political challenges of climate stabilization. Today, ...
In the last few years social media has created supportive spaces in which sexual assault victims can share their testimonies and describe the ongoing impacts of sexual violence on their lives. Victims who turn online have access to advice, information, and narratives offered by others in similar situations and instill ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Experience Emerging Research and More Around Immersive AnalyticsInterested in learning more about Immersive Analytics? Join Todd Margolis from Qlik as he discusses this area of emerging research that blends analytical reasoning with immersive virtual spaces to enhance collaborative decision support. Through the use of new technologies such as virtual reality, augmented reality and large scale tiled display ...
Where: Santa ClaraCost: Free
Killing the ColoradoThe story of the American West is deeply rooted in the Colorado River, which delivers fresh water to 30 million people. For years, there has been more Colorado water on paper and in people’s minds than in the river itself. Now climate disruption is making the situation even more troubling. ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $20 General, $12 Members, $7 Students
Beyond our Future in SpaceThe Space Age is half a century old. Its early successes were driven by a fierce super-power rivalry between the Soviet Union and the United States, obscuring the fact that exploration and risk-taking is built into human DNA. Decades after we last set foot on the Moon, and several years ...
Nerd Nite SF #81: Memorization, Lock-picking, and Ancient Yeast!This month we have a Trump regime-survival troika! First, yuck it up with a memory champ and a bunch of comedians. Then learn how to get out of the handcuffs you may find yourself in when your post-brunch protest turns riotous. Finally, make yourself nice and numb with some beers ...
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 ...
Circuit BenchSonoma Country Day School elementary students, led by Network Administrator and Maker Extraordinaire Sean Marshall, built a musical/light up bench as part of their science curriculum and donated the finished product to the CMOSC. Join them on this special evening to hear more about the inspiration that lit up students ...
Where: Santa RosaCost: Free
SF Beer Week NightlifeIt’s the most refreshing event of the year, SF Beer Week is here! Taste your way through the Bay Area's master brewers to learn all you can about the tastiest microbrews around!Celebrate SF Beer Week with a froth-filled evening of brews. Sip your way through a pop-up beer garden with dozens ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $15 General, $12 Members
The Brower Center is excited to present Polar Obsession, the first National Geographic show in the Bay Area since 2009. This exhibition will feature nearly 40 striking images of the world’s polar regions from photographer Paul Nicklen, delivering a unique close-up of wildlife in the Arctic and Antarctic. Nicklen grew ...
In the Balance: Bringing Science to Justice with David FaigmanI sit in my chairAnd filled with despairThere's no one could be so sadWith gloom everywhereI sit and I stareI know that I'll soon go madIn my solitudeI'm afraidBillie Holiday, "(In My) Solitude"Ashker v. Governor of California was a federal class action ...
Caring deeply about our children is part of what makes us human. Yet the thing we call “parenting†is a surprisingly new invention. In the past thirty years, “parenting†has transformed child care into an obsessive, controlling, and goal-oriented effort to create a particular kind of child. Drawing on the ...
Where: Palo AltoCost: $22 General, $12 Member, $5 Student
When a small vial arrives in her mailbox from “Lewis Carroll,†Ayelet Waldman is at a low point. Her mood storms have become intolerably severe; she has tried nearly every medication possible; her husband and children are suffering with her. So she opens the vial, places two drops on her ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $29
Everything Matters: PotassiumCome be in your elements with Exploratorium host and scientific raconteur Ron Hipschman. Follow tales of intrigue and invention, join in dynamic demonstrations, and uncover fascinating connections between individual elements and our collective human experience.
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free with admission to After Dark
