67th Annual Pacific Orchid Exposition - now back in Golden Gate ParkThe 2019 Pacific Orchid Exposition will be San Francisco Orchid Society's 67th Annual orchid show and sale in Golden Gate Park from February 21-24, 2019. The show will have award winning flowers and plants on display that have been officially judged by representatives of the American Orchid Society.This year's theme ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $15 at the door, advance discount tickets online
Speaker: Philippe Lognonn, Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris
Where: Santa CruzCost: Free
Interfacial Engineering of Lithium Metal Anodes: From Liquid to Solid ElectrolytesThe poor performance and safety concerns of lithium (Li) metal anodes represent a critical challenge to enable high energy density rechargeable batteries. This is attributed to several well-known issues associated with Li metal electrodeposition and dissolution, including electrolyte decomposition, dendrite evolution, and “dead†Li accumulation. In addition, short-circuiting can occur ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Grounds for Science: Getting the most out of light: vision and geoengineeringThe cells that give us sightRoughly 55% of the brain’s surface and an estimated 12 billion neurons are devoted to vision - more than the other senses combined. But what exactly are all these cells doing? By detailing startling patient case studies and seminal experiments, Mathew will sketch a broad ...
Where: EmeryvilleCost: Free
Saturday, 02/23/19
67th Annual Pacific Orchid Exposition - now back in Golden Gate ParkThe 2019 Pacific Orchid Exposition will be San Francisco Orchid Society's 67th Annual orchid show and sale in Golden Gate Park from February 21-24, 2019. The show will have award winning flowers and plants on display that have been officially judged by representatives of the American Orchid Society.This year's theme ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $15 at the door, advance discount tickets online
Habitat Restoration: Phoenix Lake BroomWe bet your new year’s resolutions include exercise, getting out in nature, and giving back to your community. We are here to help you with that! Join your fellow nature lovers in a morning of habitat restoration.We will meet at Phoenix Lake dam. The gate at Natalie Coffin Greene Park ...
Where: RossCost: Free
MMWD Trail Crew: Bill Williams CanyonMount Tamalpais Watershed trail work will include drainage and vegetation maintenance around Phoenix Lake. Mandatory safety talk starts promptly at 9am! RSVP required.We will meet at Phoenix Lake dam. The gate at Natalie Coffin Greene Park will be open from 8:45 to 9:00 to allow volunteers to drive up and ...
Where: RossCost: Free
Salamander SearchUnravel the secrets of our unique newt population among the redwoods of the Santa Cruz Mountains! Meet and touch some of our native animal ambassadors. Venture into the newt’s ecosystem to locate these and other native animals in their habitat. Recommended for ages 5+.Sessions offered 2/16 and 2/23.
Where: SaratogaCost: $15
Science Saturday: Animal AthletesThis highest jumping, fastest flying, strongest biting Science Saturday of the year focuses on the Olympians in the animal kingdom. From falcons to mountain lions, and beetles to beavers, every athlete has a story to tell. Join us for crafts, activities, and science as we sprint, jump, and dive into ...
Calling All Eco-Explorers! Youth ages 5-15 will be up to their elbows in FREE, hands-on activities. Learning through fun interactive, nature science experiences and regional field trips, your kids will find out all about the Bay Area ecosystem and become the next generation of Citizen Scientists! We have extended Welcome ...
Where: OaklandCost: Free
A Fungus Among UsFrom truffles and yeast to ringworm and toadstools, fungus is all around us. Explore the farm looking for examples of these life forms and learn more about their importance in our world. This is a drop-in program; no registration is required.
Where: FreemontCost: Park admission applies
Salamander SearchUnravel the secrets of our unique newt population among the redwoods of the Santa Cruz Mountains! Meet and touch some of our native animal ambassadors. Venture into the newt’s ecosystem to locate these and other native animals in their habitat. Recommended for ages 5+.Sessions offered 2/16 and 2/23.
Where: SaratogaCost: $15
The Bay Model: A Bay Area OracleIn commemoration of Engineer Week, this program is dedicated to the USACE San Francisco District's construction of the Bay Model. This former one-of-kind scientific, hydrodynamic, engineering testing facility has accurately produced water related predictions for almost a half century. Although retired now, its story is part of the districts amazing ...
Where: SausalitoCost: Free
Science on Saturdays: Biomolecular Action Movies: Flash Imaging with X-ray lasersProteins are nature’s machines, performing tasks from transforming sunlight into useable energy to binding oxygen for transport through the body. These functions depend on the structural arrangement of atoms within the protein, which was, until recently, only possible to measure statically, in easily crystallized samples via conventional X-ray diffraction. Many ...
Where: OaklandCost: Free with admission
Oceans Aglow: Family Night Hike & CampfireJoin 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 ...
For several decades after the last of the Apollo missions, scientists have thought that the question of the origin of the Moon was largely settled. The Moon was created about 4½ billion years ago, when a Mars-size body and the proto-Earth - both with atmospheres and, likely, surface oceans - ...
Where: OaklandCost: Free
Maker Lab: Open Lab @ClaremontA place to drop in and try out:Sewing on a Babylock sewing machineButton-makingDrawing on the ProWise whiteboardExperimenting with a Foldscope microscopeNeedle-feltingSculpting with modeling clayNo previous experience necessary! This program is for kids with parents, teens, and adults.
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Sunday, 02/24/19
67th Annual Pacific Orchid Exposition - now back in Golden Gate ParkThe 2019 Pacific Orchid Exposition will be San Francisco Orchid Society's 67th Annual orchid show and sale in Golden Gate Park from February 21-24, 2019. The show will have award winning flowers and plants on display that have been officially judged by representatives of the American Orchid Society.This year's theme ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $15 at the door, advance discount tickets online
Marine Science Sunday: 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 Guided tour at 11am, 1pm or 3pm for a truly immersive marine mammal experience. Read ...
Where: SausalitoCost: Free
Full-Spectrum Science: 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 3:00Speaker: Ron Hipschman
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free with admission
Monday, 02/25/19
The Future of fMRI in Cognitive NeuroscienceCognitive neuroscience has witnessed two decades of rapid growth, thanks in large part to the continued development of fMRI methods. In my talk, I will question what this work has told us about brain function, and will propose that cognitive neuroscience needs to change in at least three ways. First, ...
Quantum physics and quantum engineering in atomically thin crystalsIn quantum materials, the interplay of symmetry, topology, quantum geometry and interactions can produce new phases of matter with fundamentally new electronic and optoelectronic properties. Two dimensional van der Waals materials, with highly tunable symmetry, band structure, carrier density and interactions, allow for reaching previously inaccessible experimental parameter regimes. Such ...
Early in his career as a theoretical physicist, Einstein fashioned an identifiable working philosophy of physical theory that, in broad essentials, never changed. It is a "philosophy of principles" and in crucial respects, it is responsible for his greatest triumph, the relativistic theory of gravitation, as well as his greatest ...
RADIATIVE DRIVERS OF CLIMATE CHANGE: KNOWN KNOWNS AND KNOWN UNKNOWNSWhat do we know for sure regarding the greenhouse gases and their effects on our climate, and what remains to be settled? Are there still grounds for reserving scientific judgment on the causes of global warming? Dr. William Collins' talk highlights the latest observational and theoretical advances in our understanding ...
Where: Rohnert ParkCost: Free
The Fascinating Quantum World of Atomically Thin 1D & 2D Materials: Symmetry, Interaction and Topological EffectsSymmetry, interaction and topological effects, as well as environmental screening, dominate many of the quantum properties of reduced-dimensional systems and nanostructures. These effects often lead to manifestation of counter-intuitive concepts and phenomena that may not be so prominent or have not been seen in bulk materials. In this talk, I ...
Eight years have passed since the Great East Japan Earthquake and subsequent Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident. Steady progress has been made towards the reconstruction of Fukushima, repopulation of surrounding areas, and the decommissioning of the plant, of which Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings (TEPCO) must shoulder 16 trillion ...
NASA's recent Kepler Mission discovered that most stars in our Milky Way Galaxy host planets. Among those planets, Earth-size worlds are remarkably common. But the conditions for planets around their host stars vary with both distance from the star and mass of the star. Astronomer Gibor Basri will explore the ...
Where: NovatoCost: Free
Why Deep Learning Works: Implicit Self-Regularization in Deep Neural NetworksRandom Matrix Theory (RMT) is applied to analyze the weight matrices of Deep Neural Networks (DNNs), including both production quality, pre-trained models and smaller models trained from scratch. Empirical and theoretical results clearly indicate that the DNN training process itself implicitly implements a form of self-regularization, implicitly sculpting a more ...
Where: SunnyvaleCost: Free
Nerd Night East Bay: Exercise Recovery, the Albany Bulb, SETIGood to Go: The Strange Science of Exercise Recovery (Christie Aschwanden, author)History of the Albany Bulb: Why a Former Dump is the Best Park Ever (Susan Moffat, UC Berkeley)Is Anybody Out There (Dan Werthimer, SETI)
Where: OaklandCost: $8 Advance, $10 at door
Possible MindsJohn Brockman is a literary agent and author specializing in scientific literature. He founded the Edge Foundation, an organization aimed to bring together people working at the edge of a broad range of scientific and technical fields.He introduced the "third culture" consisting of "those scientists and other thinkers in the ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: TBA
Tuesday, 02/26/19
Two KIPAC Tea TalksAfter InflationSpeaker: Mustafa Amin, Rice UniversityA Window to the First StarsLouise Welsh, Durham University
Wildlife Picture Index ProjectCome contribute to the Marin Wildlife Picture Index Project! Volunteer community scientists assist with research by helping maintain motion-activated cameras and processing photos. At this event, we view the images on the computer, identify the mammals, and enter the results in a database. New and experienced catalogers welcome, as training is ...
Nearly 30% of U.S. greenhouse-gas emissions come from transportation. Of that, about half comes not from private vehicles but from fleets. Dry as it sounds, shifting fleets from diesel to electricity could slash emissions. But how to do it in the real world - and make money in the process? ...
If Global Warming Exists, Why Is It So Cold?The world is warming, so why is the Midwest suffering record cold temperatures? How is global warming impacting oceans? What’s the connection between wildfires and climate change?Climate science is complex, vast and often difficult to understand. We’ll explain the fundamental basics you’ll need to answer friends and family who ask ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $20 General, $12 Members, $7 Students
Keiko's Legacy: What We Learned From the True Story of Free WillyThe project to return the Free Willy whale, Keiko, to his birth waters near Iceland emanated from thousands of letters sent by children demanding that the star of Free Willy be set free. Charles will share his experience of four years managing that project in Vestmannaeyjar Iceland and discuss how the knowledge gained from ...
Where: SausalitoCost: $10 General, $5 Students
Wednesday, 02/27/19
Graphene-based Biosensors: Real-time biological SearchGraphene-based biosensors have the potential to revolutionize digital biochemical measurements for applications in the field of drug discovery, biomedicine, integrated diagnostics and environmental monitoring. This talk will describe the design and development of novel graphene-based biosensors and their use in facile identification of clinically relevant biomarkers in cancer and aging. ...
Rita Lucarelli studied at the University of Naples “L’Orientale,†Italy, where she received her MA degree in Classical Languages and Egyptology. She holds her Ph.D. from Leiden University, the Netherlands (2005). Her Ph.D. thesis was published in 2006 as The Book of the Dead of Gatseshen: Ancient Egyptian Funerary Religion ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Cosmological Probes of Light RelicsNeutrinos and new light particles, which arise in many extensions of the Standard Model of particle physics, are an important probe of the (thermal) history of the universe. However, they are hard to detect in terrestrial experiments due to their weak couplings to ordinary matter. On the other hand, the ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Teacher Workshop: Weather, Climate Change and Plate TectonicsDensity, temperature, and salinity of water throughout the oceans can cause major changes in weather, and over time cause climate change. Plate tectonics can also influence of the flow of atmosphere and hydrosphere, which can cause climate change. The rotation of the Earth also influence flow pattern (Coriolis effect). Complicated ...
Where: FremontCost: Free
The “Double Whammy†of Climate Change for California’s Sierra NevadaIn this talk I will present an overview of recent research from the UCLA Center for Climate Science on climate change in the Sierra Nevada. The methodological basis of our work is a downscaling technique we call hybrid downscaling, which combines dynamical and statistical downscaling methodologies. We find that snow ...
Where: OrindaCost: $5, $1 Student member and K - 12 teachers
Anthropogenic landscapes of fear: How human activity affects interactions between predators and preyFear is a fundamental aspect of predator-prey interactions, motivating prey to alter their behavior in an effort reduce the risk of death from predators. Ecologists are increasingly realizing that such predator-induced fear can have far reaching-effects across ecosystems by affecting where and how prey spend their time, and that preserving ...
Where: Santa CruzCost: Free
Skeptics in the Pub: MillbraeScience and Reason with Skeptics in the Pub West Bay, Fiddlers Green, Millbrae sponsored by Bay Area Skeptics.If ye value critical thinking, and if ye scorn the film-flam man, and if ye drink, drink with us, your friends. If ye shun the brewer’s art, at least help us lay waste to bangers & mash!Skeptics ...
Where: MillbraeCost: Free
taste of science: Smart Sperm and Smart HelmetsSmart sperm: search strategies on the microscaleSperm cells follow highly dilute chemical signal with a single objective: to find the egg. As cells can only get a rough estimate of the actual concentration of chemoattractant molecules, nature had to come up search strategies that perform robust in the presence of ...
New exploration indicates that caves may be more common on rocky and icy worlds in our Solar System than we have thought in the past. Caves below the Earth show us a very different planet than the familiar one we experience on the surface. Each dark cave system has its ...
Supermassive Black Holes in Nearby GalaxiesFor over three decades, the giant elliptical galaxy Messier 87 in the Virgo Cluster has hosted the most massive known black hole in the local universe. New observational data in the past several years have substantially expanded dynamical measurements of black hole masses at the centers of nearby galaxies. I ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
Searching Near and Far: Exoplanet Transits and Astrophysical Transients from the TESS MissionLaunched in April 2018, the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) is well on its way to discovering thousands of exoplanets in orbit around the brightest starts in the sky. This first-ever spaceborne all-sky transit survey will identify planets in the solar neighobhood ranging in size from Earth-sized to gas giants, ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Jumpstarting Innovation for Underfunded DiseasesThe main barrier to developing new medicines is most often a scientific one: we either lack sufficient understanding of disease biology, or we lack the technology to perturb that biology. But in rare cases, the primary barrier is economic. In these situations, financial incentives may be required to jumpstart innovation. ...
Where: Palo AltoCost: Free
After Dark: Seeing DoubleWhen is one not enough? Look again at the surprising ways doubling quantities affects our perceptions and our world. From stereoscopic illusions and vision research to cellular division and the startling implications of exponential growth, this evening's program will leave you seeing double.Full-Spectrum Science: The Last Doubling With Ron Hipschman ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $19.95 General
NightLife Spotlight: DarwinSet sail for a journey to the Galápagos Islands, NightLife-style. We’re shining a spotlight on this unique archipelago and its importance to Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution during an evening of exploration with Academy scientists. Learn about the Academy’s century-old history of exploration and research in the Galápagos. Check out ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $15 General, $12 Members
Livermore Reads Together: Books and BrewsJoin library staff to discuss Spare Parts and raise a glass to another eventful Livermore Reads Together.Livermore Reads Together 2019 is a community reading program sponsored by the Friends of the Livermore Library, featuring the New York Times bestseller Spare Parts: Four Undocumented Teenagers, One Ugly Robot, and the Battle ...
Where: LivermoreCost: Free
The Village Forum: God and EvolutionDoes affirming evolutionary science conflict with belief in God? Does evolution put limitations on God? Two experts with different points of view will converse on this topic where science and faith intersect. Dr. S. Joshua Swamidass is a confessing Christian who also affirms evolutionary science. Dr. Ann Gauger is a ...
Where: SaratogaCost: Free
Wonderfest: Ask a Science Envoy: Thinking about Math and A.I.Wonderfest Science Envoys are early-career researchers with special communication skills and aspirations. Following short talks on provocative modern science topics, these two Science Envoys will answer questions with insight and enthusiasm:UC Berkeley computational cognitive scientist Rachel Jansen on What Is Math? How is it that math summons feelings of anxiety ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free
Friday, 03/01/19
Two KIPAC Tea TalksObserving the First StarsSpeaker: Tilman Hartwig, University of TokyoBlack hole-galaxy scaling relations: clues to the physics behind quiescenceSpeaker: Bryan Terrazas, Univ. of Michigan
Analogs are destinations on Earth that allow researchers to approximate operational and/or physical conditions on other planetary bodies and within deep space. Over the past decade, select NASA teams have been conducting geobiological field science studies under simulated deep space and Mars mission conditions. Each of these missions integrate scientific ...
Where: Santa CruzCost: Free
$5 First Friday: Women in STEAMMarch is Women’s History Month and women have a long history of contributing to science and discovery! Join Chabot in celebrating past, present, and future women in STEAM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics).
Where: OaklandCost: $5
Near Earth Asteroid Hazards, Research and Space MissionsNear-Earth asteroids (NEAs), are a population of objects on orbit around the Sun that cross or come near that of Earth. They represent remnants of material from the early solar system that never accredited into planets. NEAs are of special interest to us because of the special risks some of ...
6th NGSS STEM Conference Investigating Everyday Phenomena: Exploring 3-Dimensional Learning through NGSSScience is all around us, and the California Next Generation Science Standards (CA NGSS) can help your students understand it. Join us as we engage in activities for your science classroom (grades 3-12) incorporating the three dimensions of NGSS. Spend a day at the Exploratorium investigating the science of everyday ...
Calling All Eco-Explorers! Youth ages 5-15 will be up to their elbows in FREE, hands-on activities. Learning through fun interactive, nature science experiences and regional field trips, your kids will find out all about the Bay Area ecosystem and become the next generation of Citizen Scientists! We have extended Welcome ...
Where: OaklandCost: Free
What's the Buzz?Join YSI and local GirlzWurk Honey for an introduction to bees and honey. Â All ages welcome! Â This program does not include live bees, but does have hands-on components with bee products - including a taste of fresh honey! Â Held rain or shine. Â Limited space - registration is required.
Where: Los GatosCost: Free
Sunday, 03/03/19
Hayward Fault Walking TourOver the last million years, the natural beauty of Fremont has been shaped by the Hayward Fault. Instructors will be leading these 'ground breaking' tours and exposing the science and beauty of the Hayward Fault. This fault is one of several active faults in the world actually creeping at 5 ...
Where: FremontCost: $20 General, $15 Fremont residents
Psychedelic Plants: Introduction to the biology and ritual ethnobotany of Peyote, Tobacco, and Ayahuasca - SOLD OUTPsychedelic plant rituals are part of humanity’s ancient relationship to nature. Other psychoactive plant species, such as tobacco, are partner to those rituals. Each of these can carry potential wisdom, healing, yet also shadows, depending on human factors. Learn about the botany, chemistry, and indigenous ceremonial histories of these few ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: $45 General, $40 Members
Monday, 03/04/19
Simulations for Cluster-Based CosmologyObservations of galaxy clusters have thus far supported the standard model of cosmology and provided constraints on non-standard models including evolving models of dark energy and modifications of gravity. The statistical power of galaxy clusters is at a golden age, where forthcoming observations will provide data for tens of thousands ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
Finding the next Einstein in Africa: the African Institute of Mathematical Sciences The African Institute of Mathematical Sciences (AIMS) was founded in 2008 by Neil Turok with a simple yet profoundly ambitious goal: to find the next Einstein in Africa. More broadly speaking, the AIMS organization works to improve the overall level of math and scientific education throughout the African continent while ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
Geomechanics in geothermal reservoirsEnhanced geothermal systems have the potential to play a major role in deep decarbonization of the power sector. Geothermal's unique ability to provide clean power with flexible load profiles would support the high penetration levels of variable wind and solar power needed to reach a 100% clean electricity grid. The ...
At the so-called critical or Schwinger intensity the quantum vacuum becomes unstable with respect to electron-positron pair production. This strong-field regime of quantum electrodynamics (QED) plays an important role in extreme astrophysical plasmas, in upcoming laboratory high-energy density laser-plasma experiments, and at the interaction point of future high-luminosity lepton colliders. ...
Where: Menlo ParkCost: Free
Extrasolar Planetary SystemsOne of the mysteries arising from the study of exoplanets is that we see systems where the planets are misaligned, even though they are born in a flat, circular disk. Maybe a cosmic tsunami hit these systems and rearranged everything about them, but we haven’t had proof. Our paper gives ...
Exploring Embryonic Patterning with Colonies of Human Embryonic Stem CellsEmbryology at the beginning of the 21st century finds itself in a situation similar to neurobiology; the behavior of the component pieces is understood in some detail, but how they self-assemble to become life is still very hazy. There are 100’s of molecules that enable cell communication and genetics defines ...
This discussion explores the roots of the Native American reservation electricity gap through a case study of the Yurok Tribe’s work to extend the electric grid to the Yurok Reservation in Humboldt County, California. Native American reservations are the communities in the continental United States most lacking in access to ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
OSIRIS-REx: NASA’s First Asteroid Sample Return MissionNASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission is the first U.S. mission to retrieve a pristine sample of an asteroid and return it to Earth for further study. The mission’s target is Bennu, a carbon-rich near-Earth asteroid that is also potentially hazardous to Earth.Asteroids are the leftover debris from the Solar System’s formation process ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $15 General, $12 Members & Seniors
The Whole-Brain ChildDr. Daniel Siegel is a leading expert on psychiatry and psychotherapy, focusing on the brain’s impact on the well-being of children and adults. A clinical professor of psychiatry at the UCLA School of Medicine, and the founding co-director of the Mindful Awareness Research Center, Dr. Siegel is the author and ...
Simulations for Cluster-Based Cosmology Observations of galaxy clusters have thus far supported the standard model of cosmology and provided constraints on non-standard models including evolving models of dark energy and modifications of gravity. The statistical power of galaxy clusters is at a golden age, where forthcoming observations will provide data for tens of thousands ...
Membranes serve multiple crucial roles in cell biology: they act as hosts to membrane proteins, as templates for the nucleation of signalling domains, and as boundaries that define cells and their organelles. We are broadly interested at elucidating molecular mechanisms that regulate the structure, function and organization of membranes and ...
Electric Cars 101 WorkshopThis workshop presented by the San Francisco Department of the Environment and 350 SF offers all the information you need to know to shop for, purchase/lease, and own an electric car â€" including how to charge it. Discussions will cover how to determine which car works best for you, which ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free
Odd Salon: DoomedJoin us at Public Works SF for six tales of false starts and inescapable outcomes, cursed objects and ill-fated ideas, poorly planned projects and reckless pursuits.Speakers:Tamar Baskind ~ Emanuel Ringelblum & the Archives of the Warsaw GhettoLeonard Apeltsin ~ Death Squared: A Mouse Utopia Goes WrongLin Lawhn ~ Caledonia, Conquered: How ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $12 - $25
Wonderfest: Expanding the Darwinian RevolutionDavid Sloan Wilson is one of Earth's foremost evolutionary biologists. His new book, This View of Life: Completing the Darwinian Revolution, "moves us in the direction of sustainable living at all scales ... with the compass of evolutionary theory." Professor Wilson will be in conversation with another of the planet's ...
Discovery Station: GymnospermsDiscover gymnosperms -- a type of plant that, literally translated from Greek, means "naked seed." Gymnosperms - in contrast to angiosperms or flowering plants - are plants whose seeds are not enclosed within an ovary..See examples of gymnosperms, including cycads and ginkgos -- along with conifers and Gnetales (like Ephedra ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free with admission
Quantum computing algorithmsThe Center for Quantum Coherent Science presents The Spring 2019 Berkeley Quantum Science and Technology Seminar. Join the group for talks and conversations over refreshments. Talks feature distinguished scientists in the fields of Math, Physics, Chemistry, Engineering, and Computer Science.Speaker: Umesh Vazirani, UC Berkeley
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Biophysics of cell adhesion: how cells sense and respond to forceCells in tissues exert forces as they squeeze, stretch, flex and pull on each other. These forces are incredibly small - on the scale of piconewtons, but they are essential in mediating cell survival, proliferation, and differentiation. A key protein responsible for sensing mechanical forces, are the classical cadherin family ...
Katherine Yelick is a Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences at the University of California at Berkeley and the Associate Laboratory Director for Computing Sciences at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Her research is in programming languages, compilers, parallel algorithms, and automatic performance tuning. She is well known for her ...
Investment in adaptation capital reduces the damage from extreme weather, mitigating the welfare cost of climate change. Federal aid for disaster relief reduces the net costs to localities that experience extreme weather, decreasing their incentives to invest in adaptation capital. We develop a heterogenous-agent macro model to quantify the relationship ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
TECH WEEK: Inventing TomorrowPizza! Guest Speaker! Film!In celebration of Tech Week, enjoy a special presentation from Cal NERDS, then watch a film about 6 teens from around the world using STEM to help improve their communities while competing in the International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) https://bit.ly/2IHX5Xr.Pizza while supplies last! Everyone welcome!Cal NERDS provides coaching and mentoring ...
Measurements of neurotransmitters in the extracellular space are limited by combinations of poor chemical, spatial, and temporal resolution. Brain chemistries, therefore, are unable to be investigated dynamically, particularly at the level of neural circuits and across numerous signaling molecules.1 To understand neurochemical signaling at scales pertinent to encoded information, micro- ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Inequality and the Social Cost of CarbonWe present a novel way to disentangle inequality aversion over time from inequality aversion between regions in the computation of the social cost of carbon. Our approach nests a standard efficiency based estimate and an equity weighted estimate as special cases. We use two integrated assessment models (FUND and RICE) ...
Recent advances in deep learning and satellite imagery make it possible to remotely monitor economic and agricultural trends across the developing world, at high resolution. These advances are now being translated from research labs into the real world. This seminar will discuss the technology and vision behind Atlas AI, ...
Placebo effects are most often considered in the context of randomized controlled trials, in which an active drug or treatment is compared against an inert placebo treatment. This allows the factors that contribute to placebo effects to be separated from the medically active properties of a drug or treatment. But in the ...
Where: Palo AltoCost:
Thursday, 03/07/19
Near-Field Cosmology and the Lowest-Mass GalaxiesGalaxies less massive than the Small Magellanic Cloud (10^8 Msun) have become increasingly relevant to a broad range of astrophysics from cosmic reionization to deciphering the nature of dark matter. Yet, they are simply too faint to be directly detected at any appreciable redshift, compromising our ability to place them ...
Where: Menlo ParkCost: Free
Cosmology with neutral hydrogen in the post reionization era Measurements of the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) anisotropies and, more recently, of the distribution of galaxies at late times led us to the definition of a concordance cosmological model, the so called LCDM model. Despite its phenomenological success, several fundamental questions about the origin and fate of our Universe remain ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Studying Distant Galaxies with Innovative Astronomical InstrumentationRecent advances in diffraction-limited techniques on 8 - 10m telescopes using adaptive optics (AO) and integral field spectrographics (IFS) have led to significant scientific achievements and are stimulating the design of future instrumentation. My talk will focus on development and use of current near-infrared AO instruments to study galaxies in ...
Cafe InquiryCenter for Inquiry San Francisco's monthly get together to talk about whatever interests us.
Where: Menlo ParkCost: Free
NightLife & DeathIt’s a matter of NightLife and death when we team up with the Reimagine End of Life Festival to examine the big questions about death in the natural world through an evening of science, discussion, and art.Dealing with Death African HallAt 7 pm, Learn about the animal care provided in ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $15 General, $12 Members
Expand your perspective with an evening of innovative storytelling that illuminates the fluid relationship between art and science. Hear from scientists working directly with artists to share their research in new ways and artists using science as inspiration - then immerse yourself in a spectacular multimedia artwork highlighting ice studies.Can ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $19.95, $0.00 A.D. members. $14.95 explO members
Astronomy on Tap Santa Cruz - Death in the UniverseThe night sky might seem peaceful but there are many things simmering under the calm facade. Come to Astronomy on Tap this month to hear Dr. Jeffrey Silverman discuss some of thew ays the Universe is trying to kill off humanity. From killer asteroids to exploding stars, The Universe is ...
Where: Santa CruzCost: Free
The Path of the JaguarHumankind both admires and reveres the mighty jaguar. They have been used as symbols throughout the Americas and continue to gain global and local support for conservation. Yet, their predatory behavior and massive, connected habitat requirements bring them into conflict with humans, leading to dramatic decline over the past 20 ...
Where: OaklandCost: $10 - $30
Friday, 03/08/19
Nursery Series: Planning for Next Year in the NurseryThis class will introduce participants to planning for collection and growing of native plants. Covered subjects will include: communicating with restoration managers about their plant requests; calculating amounts of seed to collect; scheduling of collection, pre-germination treatments, propagation, facility maintenance; after care issues, monitoring, managers responsibilities for safety, resources available ...
Women in Tech: The Future of AISince Ada Lovelace wrote the first computer program nearly 200 years ago, women have contributed to the advancement of computing and helped pave the way for today’s artificial intelligence (AI). Today, women are pushing the frontiers of AI in applications from robotics to recruiting, from startups to venture capital. Equally ...
Molecular Perspective on Nanoscale TransportUnderstanding how mass, energy, or charge are transported on small scales is challenging, as standard hydrodynamic descriptions developed for macroscopic phenomena need not remain valid. On small scales, matter is discrete, thermal fluctuations render currents stochastic quantities, and nonlinear response is ubiquitous. In this talk, I will discuss ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Green Friday: Bay-Delta Water Quality Plan update: 2nd PhaseThere will be a presentation by Heinrich Albert, San Francisco Bay Chapter Water Committee co-chair, entitled Bay-Delta Water Quality Plan update:Â 2nd Phase covering the Sacramento River Watershed and the Delta itself.California Rivers, the Delta, the San Francisco Bay Estuary and the wildlife that depends on them are in severe ...
Hayward Fault Walking TourOver the last million years, the natural beauty of Fremont has been shaped by the Hayward Fault. Instructors will be leading these 'ground breaking' tours and exposing the science and beauty of the Hayward Fault. This fault is one of several active faults in the world actually creeping at 5 ...
Where: FremontCost: $20 General, $15 Fremont residents
Addressing Hot Spots of Air PollutionAir pollution has long been viewed as an environmental issue, but recognition of air pollution as a social justice issue has only recently become far more widespread. At this presentation you'll hear about:The hot spots of air pollution in the Bay Area and their implications for health. New technologies which enable ...
Where: DanvilleCost: free but $10 donation encouraged
The Chemistry of ColorThis talk, which includes a walk, is a wonderful introduction to the chemistry of color and to the special structures of colorful plant substances and those that can be used as dyes on fibers. Learn about anthocyanins, tannins, flavonoids, and more!Price includes admission to the garden
Calling All Eco-Explorers! Youth ages 5-15 will be up to their elbows in FREE, hands-on activities. Learning through fun interactive, nature science experiences and regional field trips, your kids will find out all about the Bay Area ecosystem and become the next generation of Citizen Scientists! We have extended Welcome ...
Where: OaklandCost: Free
Trekking the ModelJoin a Ranger or docent on a 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.
Where: SausalitoCost: Free
Night Owl: Hoot & HollerThis high-flying event features live owls hootin’ about, Whiskey Hoo-Hoo cocktails, Alvarado Street Brewery craft beers, savory eats, live music, a ‘craft beer, beer craft’, plus a competition and prize to the best owl call of the night.WHOOOOO’s Down? Join the fun and come learn about this elusive creature of the ...
Where: Pacific GroveCost: $39 General, $29 Members, $49 at door
Sunday, 03/10/19
Marine Science Sunday: The Big, The Small, and The WeirdThe theme this month is Celebrating Our Oceans: The Big, The Small, and The Weird. Come learn about the amazing diversity of life that lives out in the Ocean, from the big to the small and everything in between. Guided tours will take you around the hospital showcasing some of the patients ...
Where: SausalitoCost: Free
Sunday Funday: Math All Around UsMath is everywhere we look in architecture, clothing, science, art, nature, and so much more. Join us on Sunday, March 10, as we explore math concepts, such as symmetry and proportion, through hands-on activities in which visitors make art through math, find patterns in nature, and more.
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free with admission
Monday, 03/11/19
Gaussian Processes for Leisure and ProfitI'll discuss two new applications of Gaussian Processes to cosmology, especially the analysis of quasar spectra. First I'll talk about building a fast model (an emulator) for simulations of the Lyman-alpha forest, providing interpolation of a comparable accuracy to the statistical error from the upcoming DESI survey. Then I'll discuss ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
Cognitively Inspired Artificial Intelligence for Neuroscience Advances combining artificial intelligence techniques with computational neuroscience have shown that time-averaged neural responses in the primate visual and auditory systems can be modeled with reasonable accuracy by task-optimized deep neural networks. I'll discuss our lab's recent work to broaden and deepen these results, using convolutional recurrent networks to model ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
Hybrid Forecasting Systems for Integration of Large-Scale Solar Power PlantsIncreasing penetration of weather-dependent renewable power into the electric grid requires strategies for coping with generation variability. Of the existing solutions, renewable energy forecasting is the cheapest and most readily deployable for both distributed generation and utility-scale central station power plants. Our group at UC San Diego has developed a ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
Magnetic relaxation dynamics in dysprosium complexesFollowing our discovery of the first dysprosium metallocenium cation, [Dy(Cpttt)2][B(C6F5)4], which is the vanguard of the new generation of high-temperature single-molecule magnets, we have been investigating the magnetic relaxation dynamics of various dysprosium-based single-molecule magnets (SMMs) by experimental and theoretical techniques. Here we present our recent results in unravelling the ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Advances in Precision Measurement with Electron MicroscopyThis seminar will discuss recent advancements in measurement with electron microscopy. While a single image from a high-resolution electron microscope can determine can 2D positional information with sub-angstrom resolution, only recently has been it become possible to determine individual atomic coordinates in 3D. The application of this method to nanomaterials ...
Reproducibility is a growing issue in modern science - situations with high impact results in, e.g., social sciences, medicine and even biology and chemistry is often described as a crisis. Physics stands out as arguably the most reproducible discipline due to very high and universally applied standards. Reconstruction of pioneering ...
Where: Menlo ParkCost: Free
People and Robots Seminar - RESCHEDULEDSpeaker: Scott Niekum, University of Texas, AustinThis event has been rescheduled for April 15.A new speaker will be announced for this date.
Preventing dangerous climate change is an “area under the curve†problem, as total emissions over time must not exceed a trillion tons of carbon. The imperative, then, is focusing on strategies that offer speed and scale in carbon reduction. Ten policies, applied to 20 countries, can land us at a ...
Research in the Farkas group involves the development and use of molecular tools in order to study, image, and treat cancer subtypes. Significant advances have been made in understanding and treating cancer, however, there remain many unknowns, especially in the arena of how and why particular diseases become aggressive and ...
The ancient Egyptian site of Tebtunis lies at the southern edge of the Fayum depression, a fertile region in the western desert fed by a branch of the Nile. Today, as in antiquity, this area was exploited for its rich agricultural production, which led to the establishment of new settlements ...
Large-Scale Structure with 21cm Intensity Mapping In this talk I will discuss several aspects of using the 21cm Intensity Mapping (IM) as a Large-Scale Structure (LSS) probe in order to better constrain the cosmological parameters. I will start with a Baryon Acoustic Oscillations (BAO) reconstruction method intended for 21cm IM observations at low redshifts. I will ...
In recent years, optically probed nitrogen-vacancy (NV) quantum defects in diamond have become a leading modality for magnetic, electrical, and temperature sensing at short length scales (nanometers to millimeters) under ambient conditions. This technology has wide-ranging application across the physical and life sciences from NMR spectroscopy at the scale of ...
Opening Night: How to Build a HouseJoin us for the opening reception for the exhibition, How to Build a House: Architectural Research in the Digital Age. The exhibition focuses on the DFAB House and the work of Gramazio Kohler Research at Swiss university ETH Zurich.The exhibition, created by Gramazio Kohler Research and the chair for Digital ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free
Vision+Light: A Conversation with Paul Alivisatos and Kate NicholsHow can artists and scientists work together to create innovative new work? Bay Area artist Kate Nichols synthesizes nanoparticles to mimic structurally colored animals, grows artificial skin from microorganisms, and makes her own paints, following fifteenth-century recipes. The long tradition of painters as material innovators inspired Nichols to ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
March Laser Event - Santa CruzLeonardo Art & Science Evening Rendezvous (LASER) is an international program bringing together artists, scientists, and scholars for presentations and conversations. On March 12, LASER will be coming to Rio Theater and will feature stimulating performances and presentations by:Marianne Weems, UC Santa Cruz: "'Liveness' in a digital world" Alexie Leauthaud, ...
Did you know that even today, cattle, sheep, and goats graze more than a third of the East Bay - and almost two-thirds of the 120,000 acres owned by the East Bay Regional Park District?Denise Defreese, the Park District’s wildlands vegetation program manager, outlines the fascinating history of grazing in ...
Joel Sartore is an award-winning National Geographic photographer, Fellow, and founder of the National Geographic Photo Ark. He has traveled the world, documenting wildlife for close to 40 National Geographic articles. In 2005 Sartore’s wife was diagnosed with cancer and he spent a year at home caring for her. Reflecting ...
Where: Mountain ViewCost: $40 General, $20 Students
Wednesday, 03/13/19
DFAB HOUSEJoin us for deep conversation focused on the issues raised by the exhibition, How to Build a House: Architectural Research in the Digital Age. The exhibition focuses on the DFAB House and the work of Gramazio Kohler Research with Digital Building Technologies at Swiss university ETH Zurich.The exhibition examines the digital transformation ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $10
Challenges at the entanglement frontier: Quantum Computing AlgorithmsThe Center for Quantum Coherent Science presents The Spring 2019 Berkeley Quantum Science and Technology Seminar. Join the group for talks and conversations over refreshments. Talks feature distinguished scientists in the fields of Math, Physics, Chemistry, Engineering, and Computer Science.Speaker: John Preskill, CaltechNote new location
PittSmartLiving is a $1.4M 3 year National Science Foundation project hosted in University of Pittsburgh to reduce public transit congestion by designing a market connecting travelers with time-sensitive local business coupons. It funds three labs: Data, Systems, and Human Behavior. We look at the social science side of the question ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Teacher Workshop: Biogeology - integration of biological and geological principles from soil to pond ecologyCollecting data on energy release from compost;Â decomposers found in compost; soil classification; creating soil from biological and geologic componenets; measuring food waste that turns to compost and record observation; learn how to make a compost lab on campus while preventing food waste going to landfillsLearn about the different food ...
Where: FremontCost: Free
Countering Infrastructural Violence: Pro-Poor Financing of Water and Sanitation Infrastructure in African CitiesHundreds of millions residing in urban areas of the developing world do not have access to safely managed drinking water and sanitation services. While policy has largely focused on the financial investments required, other scholars argue the real problem is “infrastructural violence,†a form of indirect violence in which elite ...
Metal halide perovskites (MHPs) are revolutionizing the solar cell research field - the record power conversion efficiency of MHPs based solar cells has reached 23%, which rivals that of silicon solar cells. What is particularly exciting about MHPs is that they can be manufactured into solar cell devices at low-cost ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Teaching for LearningWhen we think of the task of teachers as facilitating learning rather than as delivering information content it leads to a profound shift in how we teach and what we stress in the process. I will talk about the ideas and research base underlying the "Framework for k-12 Science Education" and ...
We humans often do battle with creepy invaders of our living spaces. This lively talk will present the latest research on the biology, detection, and control of the villainous house guests that occupy the crevasses of our homes. You might be surprised to find which room in your home is ...
NASA's New Horizons made history when it flew by Kuiper Belt object 2014 MU69, nicknamed 'Ultima Thule' on New Year's Day of this year. Today, even though only 10% of the scientific data that the spacecraft collected has been sent to Earth, New Horizons has provided an amazing glimpse into ...
Where: Menlo ParkCost: Free
Managing California Water in a time of ChangeMention California water and inevitably comments arise about water wars, adages about fighting about water and drinking whiskey, and a whole host of seemingly intractable and contrary statements on what the challenges are and what the solutions are. Whatever one thinks the challenges are, they are all made far more ...
The Modern Elder and the Intergenerational WorkplaceWhat can fifty-somethings bring of value to companies that are mostly twenty-somethings, and vice versa? A needed blending of depth with currency.Chip Conley, a long-time hotelier (Joie de Vivre Hospitality) and author (Peak; The Rebel Rules; Emotional Equations), was hired at 52 by the drastically youthful, disruptive startup Airbnb to ...
Welcome to our 32nd annual π Day! Help us celebrate this never-ending number (3.14159 . . .) and Einstein's birthday as well. On the afternoon of Thursday, March 14, 2019, visit us for Community Pi Day, participate in π-related activities, and enjoy a piece of pie. Founded at the Exploratorium by our own Prince of ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Pay what you wish
The Star-Formation History of the Universe revealed by gamma raysThe light emitted by all galaxies across the history of the Universe is encoded in the intensity of the extragalactic background light (EBL), the diffuse cosmic radiation field at ultraviolet, optical, and infrared wavelengths. The EBL is a source of opacity for high-energy γ rays via the photon-photon interaction, leaving ...
The many phases of massive galaxies In past years, large and deep photometric and spectroscopic surveys have significantly advanced our understanding of galaxy growth, from the most active time in the universe (z~2) to the present day. In particular, the evolution in stellar mass, star formation rate, and structure of complete galaxy samples have provided independent ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Grid Voltage Regulation with Distributed Energy ResourcesUtilities manage voltage drop along feeder circuits that can extend tens of miles. According to industry standards, a utility is obligated to keep the voltage at each service within 5% of its rated values. It usually accomplishes this using distributed capacitor banks and voltage regulators - automatically adjustable load-tap - ...
Feeling a little irrational? How about transcendental? Excited to taste some math puns? Don’t miss the Exploratorium’s favorite holiday - after all, we made it up - and make sure to taste some savory, sweet, and mathematically specific baked goods at Pairings: Pie. Mmmmm, circle constants!
Where: San FranciscoCost: $19.95 door, $0.00 with A.D. membership
AI NightLifeAn electric and eclectic night awaits as NightLife investigates artificial intelligence and the ways in which it’s already transforming our world. Explore immersive experiences, AI, blockchains, and other technological innovations that will shape our future with interactive projects by students at the California College of the Arts and other Bay Area ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $15 General, $12 Members
Trying to decide how you're going to celebrate Pi Day (3.14) this year? Avoid the congested airports and typical math holiday madness, and join us instead for Ask a Scientist's Pi Day Puzzle Party a boisterous math and logic puzzle competition, hosted by Juliana Gallin and Wes Carroll. You can compete solo or ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: free
Linguistics: making sense from noiseLanguage is a ubiquitous part of our lives, yet most of us give little conscious thought to the many linguistic choices we make every day. Why do we sound the way we do, and choose the words we say? How do other people perceive our speech? What’s so difficult about ...
WHAT: Australia’s Psychic Detectives and Psychic “Predictionsâ€Just how many crimes have so-called Psychic Detectives solved in Australia? How do their claims stack up against the results? Do Police really call upon the paranormal to find missing people? Join Australian Skeptic Richard Saunders as he examines some famous crimes and the ...
Single-Cell BioMEMS Tools for Monitoring Cancer ImmunotherapyI will begin with discussing a novel bioMEMS device technology for single-cell immune function profiling, in particular, the co-detection of 40+ cytokines/chemokines at the level of single cells, representing the highest multiplexing recorded to date for a single-cell protein secretion assay. I will describe how this microdevice called ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Lectures & Lasers - Space in your Face!: Food in SpaceSpace in Your Face! is a variety show combining science and art to yield a highly immersive and engaging event. Hosted by astrobiologist Julia DeMarines. Lecture is at 7:00
Pine Flat History with Author and Local Historian Joe Pelanconi - CANCELEDCome and enjoy this casual walk through Pine Flat with Joe Pelanconi, author of Quicksilver Mining in Sonoma County: Pine Flat Prospect Fever. You’ll learn about the mercury-mining boom-town of the mid-1870’s and some of the personalities involved. Joe tells some great stories based on his research, and his book about Pine ...
Where: GeyservilleCost: $20 suggested donation
Habitat Restoration: Marin StablesSprinkle or shine, meet your friends and family at Marin Stables for a day of habitat restoration. Have a fun morning pulling broom and then enjoy Cowboy Chili with all the fixin’s at noon! Meeting location Marin Stables, end of Wood Lane, off Porteous Ave in Fairfax. Family friendly.Please bring ...
Where: FairfaxCost: Free
Guided Nature WalkExperience the beauty and rich natural history of this 535-acre preserve. Our 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 and flower-carpeted oak woodland. Guided Nature Walks begin at 10:00am ...
Calling All Eco-Explorers! Youth ages 5-15 will be up to their elbows in FREE, hands-on activities. Learning through fun interactive, nature science experiences and regional field trips, your kids will find out all about the Bay Area ecosystem and become the next generation of Citizen Scientists! We have extended Welcome ...
Where: OaklandCost: Free
Are red dwarf planets habitable?Much recent news about exoplanets has concerned the discovery of earth-sized planets in the “habitable zone†of “red dwarf†stars. This is partly because such planets are more easily found around small stars, and partly because most stars are red dwarfs. Can planets in the habitable zone around a red ...
MSI takes to the tidepools for a treasure hunt of nature's beautiful intertidal secrets. We'll spend our time taking advantage of the low tide to reach the outer edges of Bean Hollow.
Where: PescaderoCost: $20
San Francisco City Star Party @ Point Lobos, San Francisco, CACome 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!
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free
Jazz Under the StarsCome peer through our telescopes and see craters on the Moon, the visible planets, star clusters, and more while we listen to CSM's very own KCSM Jazz 91 FM. Dress warmly. Free parking in Marie Curie Lot 5. Directions are available on the Maps, Directions & Parking page.
Where: San MateoCost: Free
Sunday, 03/17/19
Sea Star Wasting Syndrome: An Unfolding StorySea star wasting syndrome has taken a heavy toll on Monterey Bay’s sea star populations in the last five years. Among the hardest hit species were the ochre stars, iconic tidepool residents and important keystone predators. Researchers are searching for potential culprits, documenting the spread of this disease, and tracking ...
Electrical transport and spectroscopy studies of the delafossite layered metalsThe delafossites, named after the French crystallographer Gabriel Delafosse, are triangular lattice layered materials with general formula ABO2. The family includes insulators, large gap semiconductors and a few astonishingly high conductivity metals. I will describe our group’s work on the latter, focusing on three aspects of our recent research. Firstly, ...
Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning have emerged as essential tools for the deployment of applied technologies such as self-driving cars, security, robotics and even consumer electronics. The fundamental physical and biological sciences, however, have not fully embraced AI/ML to leverage these tools for what they can offer in advanced data ...
When a Symmetry BreaksWhat is common among a magnet, a flounder, a rack of laundry, your heart on the left of your body, and the Higgs boson? The concept of spontaneous symmetry breaking is ubiquitous among many natural phenomena. I'll describe the basic concept and its applications. In particular, the original concepts from ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Big Screen Science: Jurassic ParkHold onto your butts, it’s the epic movie 65 million years in the making! After the film Kishore Hari (@sciencequiche) and Jeffrey Silverman (@J_M_Silverman) will discuss the science behind all those rampaging dinos, including which ones were portrayed accurately and which ones actually had feathers. They'll also talk about what ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $16
My Dinner with AlbertA staged reading of a new one-act play that imagines a meeting between Albert Einstein and George W. Bush. Equal parts The Twilight Zone and Waiting for Godot, the comically tragic encounter is getting its first public reading at The Dragon Theatre in Redwood City.
The human body is colonized by trillions of microorganisms that exert a profound influence on human biology, in part by providing functional capabilities that extend beyond those of host cells. In particular, there is growing evidence linking chemical processes carried out by the microbial inhabitants of the gastrointestinal tract to ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Developing a Standard Model of Galaxies In this presentation Peter Capak will argue that a combination of large galaxy surveys and the latest machine learning techniques are allowing astrophysicists to develop a robust statistical model of the extra-galactic universe. If optimally constructed, this model would encapsulate all available information on the likelihood of observing a given ...
Proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) reactions play a vital role in a wide range of chemical and biological processes. This talk will focus on recent advances in the theory of PCET and applications to catalysis and energy conversion. The quantum mechanical effects of the active electrons and transferring proton, as well ...
Ariel Waldman set out to Antarctica in August 2018 to reveal the "Microbial Serengeti" that lives beneath the ice finding a complex ecosystem of micro-organisms, including tardigrades, that thrive in this polar desert. Her observations will amaze you and enrich your understanding of Antarctic ecology.  Register at the weblink.
Entanglement in Quantum Solids and the Second Quantum RevolutionQuantum entanglement is the origin of both the weirdness associated with  quantum systems and the power of many proposed quantum technologies. While largely studied in the the context of a few particles, recent work has emphasized its importance in macroscopic systems, such as electronic solids with many interacting particles. I ...
Dr. Prasant Mohapatra is serving as the Vice Chancellor for Research at University of California, Davis. He is also a Professor in the Department of Computer Science and served as the Dean and Vice-Provost of Graduate Studies at University of California, Davis during 2016-18. He served as an Associate Chancellor ...
Although economic costs of environmental regulations are widely debated, there is limited empirical evidence on the magnitude of these economic costs and the extent to which these costs persist over time. This paper quantifies the short-run and long-run efficiency costs of air quality regulations on the U.S. electricity production sector. ...
Reconstructing past global temperatures is complicated by changes in instrumentation, measurement practices, spatial coverage, and other factors. This has led to a number of divergent estimates of the warming over the 20th and early 21st century, with particularly large differences around the WW2 era and over the past decade. This ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Deep knockoffs machines for replicable selectionsModel-X knockoffs is a new statistical tool that reliably selects which of the many potentially explanatory variables of interest (e.g. the absence or not of a mutation) are indeed truly associated with the response under study (e.g. the risk of getting a specific form of cancer). This framework can deal ...
Starting in the 1970s, decades of effort went into building human-designed rules for providing automatic maneuver guidance to pilots to avoid mid-air collisions. The resulting system was later mandated worldwide on all large aircraft and significantly improved the safety of the airspace. Recent work has investigated the feasibility of using ...
Where: Mountain ViewCost: $15 - $35
Mama’s Last Hug: What Animal Emotions Reveal About HumansNew York Times best-selling author and primatologist Frans de Waal explores the fascinating world of animal and human emotions. His new book, Mama’s Last Hug, opens with the dramatic farewell between Mama, a dying fifty-nine-year-old chimpanzee matriarch, and biologist Jan van Hooff. This heartfelt final meeting of two longtime friends, ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $20 General, $50 Premium
Part II - From Sorcerer's Apprentice to Mad ScientistCurrent computing and communications networks are complex entities that have evolved piecemeal, layer upon layer, running multiple standards, and proprietary products. As a result, they often are brittle, inflexible, expensive to operate, and insecure. This talk will describe a patented and patent pending software overlay that makes them robust, flexible, ...
Where: San JoseCost: Free
Sea Change - Plastic Straws to Local LawsJoin an engaging panel on solutions to plastic pollution and learn about Berkeley's groundbreaking Single Use Foodware and Litter Reduction Ordinance.Plastic Pollution Coalition presents the film, STRAWS, plus additional short videos, followed by a panel discussion about solutions to plastic pollution and Berkeley’s groundbreaking Single Use Foodware and Litter Reduction ...
Dr. Marchis presents Another Pale Blue Dot: Inside the SETI Institute’s Search for Exoplanets, a talk on the search for planets beyond our solar system - referred to as exoplanets. In only two decades, scientists have gone from the mere speculation about exoplanets to being able to observe them through a variety ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free
Mushroom Hunter’s Kitchen with Chad HyattThe standard lore surrounding mushroom cookery is full of poor advice. Even widely held notions about which wild mushrooms are good or bad to eat need updating. Chef Chad Hyatt will challenge some of the myths that have become accepted teachings about how to handle and cook mushrooms, with samples to taste. ...
Where: Mill ValleyCost: Free
Nerd Nite SF #106: Daring Debutantes, Giant Insects, & Gaming Mice!“Heiress adventurers, battling giant insects, and video games†might sound like the pitch for a new Tomb Raider game, but it’s actually what awaits you beyond the Rickshaw Stop’s doors. A local history sleuth weaves the tale of the Bay Area’s own Lara Croft, an evolutionary ecologist will send us ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $10
Quantization NoiseFor years, rumors have been circulating about quantization noise: (a) The noise is additive and white and uncorrelated with the signal being quantized, and (b) The noise is uniformly distributed between plus and minus half a quanta, having zero mean and a mean square of one twelveth the square of ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
Fungal Fun in New ZealandBAMS Co-Founder Debbie Viess brings you along as she travels across North Island, New Zealand, seeking funga, flora and fauna native to that island continent, and discovers some surprising parallels with CA, as well as wholly unique New Zealand organisms and habitats.
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Thursday, 03/21/19
Seminars in CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS - Andy MackenzieElectrical transport and spectroscopy studies of the delafossite layered metals The delafossites, named after the French crystallographer Gabriel Delafosse, are triangular lattice layered materials with general formula ABO2. The family includes insulators, large gap semiconductors and a few astonishingly high conductivity metals. I will describe our group’s work on the ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
The Search for Life beyond the Solar SystemOne of the most exciting and interdisciplinary frontiers in exoplanet science is the search for life beyond the solar system. Recently discovered planets, especially Earth-sized planets orbiting nearby M dwarfs, will provide intriguing near-term targets for large ground-based telescopes and the James Webb Space Telescope, while even larger telescopes are ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Creating a New Reality for Learning: VR and the Future of Healthcare and Science EducationStarting with their groundbreaking virtual reality experience “The Stanford Virtual Heart,†David Sarno and Dr. David Axelrod have used VR to propel medical and science education into a new era. Collaborating at the San Francisco-based VR company Lighthaus Inc., David and David have worked with Stanford’s Schools of Medicine, Education, ...
Tony Wyss-Coray studies the impact of aging on the human body and brain. In this eye-opening talk, he shares new research from his Stanford lab and other teams which shows that a solution for some of the less great aspects of old age might actually lie within us all.
Where: Palo AltoCost: Free
STEAM FestivalCome to the Science Technology Engineering Arts Mathematics (STEAM) Festival, showcasing projects from students in the gym. There will be demonstrations and information on careers in science. Family and friends welcome.
Where: PittsburghCost: Free
IGNITE San Francisco Spring GalaYou are invited to IGNITE's Annual Gala! Benefiting: IGNITE and their efforts to inspire girls to become the future technology leaders and innovators of our world.Highlights: Keynote address by VP and CIO of Alaska Airlines, Charu Jain and VP Bay Area of Alaska Airlines, Annabel ChangBid on fabulous silent auction items during ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: 150
Neutrinos - The REAL God ParticleJoin us to learn from Dr. Javier Caravaca about the super duper tiny particles called neutrinos. Trillions of neutrinos sail straight through our bodies every day without ever bumping into the matter that makes up our bodies. In fact, electrons are about 500,000 times more massive than neutrinos. But what ...
Exploratorium founder Frank Oppenheimer believed that play - using objects and concepts in ways other than was originally intended - is essential to learning. “In fact,†he wrote, “in our rapidly changing culture, adults probably require play as much as children do.†Take a deep dive with emerging and established ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $19.95 General, $14.95 Daytime Members
Jurassic NightlifeJoin us for a party of Jurassic proportions guaranteed to bring out the dinosaur-loving kid everyone: We’re going back in time with our Dino Days festival - and the most popular dinosaur movie of all time. Encounter life-size dinosaur animatronics repping just a few of the creatures that ruled the Earth ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $15 General, $12 Members
'The Devil We Know' Film Screening and Panel From cosmetics to ski wax, frying pans to waterproof jackets, take-out foodware to stain-resistant fabrics, Teflon-like chemicals are found in hundreds of consumer products -- and now in nearly every American.The documentary The Devil We Know will illuminate the problem, and the panel will offer ways you can protect yourself, ...
Where: OaklandCost: See weblink
'Life Pivots: Seven lessons from my journey from scientist to entrepreneur' Women in ScienceAWIS Palo Alto and Santa Clara City Library invite you to an inspiring evening of women empowerment and lecture by Dr. Maria Artunduaga:"Life Pivots: Seven lessons from my journey from scientist to entrepreneur"Dr. Maria Artunduaga is the CEO of Respira Labs, a startup that detects early signs of deterioration in COPD using ...
As Peregrine Falcons have recovered from endangered status in the 1990s-2000s, they have often been found nesting on bridges and skyscrapers. For the last two nesting seasons, a Peregrine Falcon pair has taken up residence on the Campanile on the UC Berkeley campus, fledging two chicks in 2017, and three ...
Unearthing the California GrizzlyExplore the natural history of the now-extinct California Grizzly with Dr. Alexis M. Mychajliw. Her current work includes researching bone fragments of grizzly bears and using the results to get an idea of their behavior, diet, and where they lived here in California - using the Pacific Grove Museum of Natural ...
