First Day Hike at the RefugeStart the New Year with a hike along the La Riviere Trail!Start the New Year with a leisurely hike along the La Riviere Trail of the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge in Fremont. Meet at the Visitor Center. Dress warmly and bring your binoculars! We will have ...
Where: FremontCost: Free
After Dark: AfterglowStep into the world of radiance and wonder in the New Year! Watch artist Akiko Nakayama create her signature Alive Painting in person. Interact with a glowing T. rex skeleton, learn about bioluminescent bugs and plants, and bask in the shimmer of artworks that explore color, motion, and reflection.
Where: San FranciscoCost: $22.95 General, Free for members
Friday, 01/02/26
Into the Woods 1-Hour Tour Journey into the heart of Muir Woods National Monument on a 1-hour ranger-led tour with a national park ranger and naturalists. See the forest through the eyes of an expert as they expand your understanding of this diverse ecosystem and help you observe its rich complexity.Covered topics vary and include old growth redwood charecteristics, forest ...
Where: Mill ValleyCost: Free
First Friday Nights at CuriOdysseySwing into the weekend with science, animals, music, food trucks, and fun! On the first Friday of every month, parents and kids celebrate together at CuriOdyssey.Dance to some of your favorite hits, while enjoying animal presentations and science activities. Activities and programs are different each time, so make it a ...
Where: San MateoCost:
Saturday, 01/03/26
Ocean Beach Noticing LabJoin us for a drop-in, hands-on exploration of Ocean Beach through interactive “Noticing Tools” that help us see how this coastline is changing in real time. Rotate through activities: where we map how even small shifts in water level move the shoreline, where sandcastle experiments reveal how waves and rising ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free
King Tides: A Royal Tide Watch Along the EmbarcaderoJoin the Exploratorium and Port of San Francisco staff along the Embarcadero to observe, photograph, and discuss “Royal” Tides. These exceptionally high tides are often described as “King Tides,” and will be “normal” tides of the future due to sea level rise.We’ll gather between Pier 3 and Pier 5 on ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free (museum admission not included)
The Physics Show - Three PerformancesThe Physics Show is a fun science show for kids and their families. This year we will have two weekends of shows in September, one weekend in December, and three days of shows in January.Performances at 10:00, 1:00, and 3:30 each day.Venue: Smithwick TheaterTickets on sale in November
First Saturday Tours are a wonderful way to introduce yourself to the Arboretum or to deepen your knowledge of the Arboretum's plant collections. Each tour is a little different depending on the time of year, the interests of the tour guide, and the people who join in. For example, you ...
Where: Santa CruzCost: Free with admission
January 2026 King Tides at Ravenswood UnitJoin us for a guided walk and discover how the highest tides of the year give us a glimpse into the future of sea level rise. We'll learn what King Tides are, how sea level rise is reshaping our coastal communities, why habitat restoration matters and how you can contribute ...
Where: Menlo ParkCost: Free
January 2026 King Tides in AlvisoJoin us at the Refuge in Alviso for a guided walk and discover how the highest tides of the year give us a glimpse into the future of sea level rise. We'll learn what King Tides are, how sea level rise is reshaping our coastal communities, why habitat restoration matters ...
Where: AlvisoCost: Free
Are There Gray Foxes in Your Backyard?Learn all about our local gray foxes and how to identify evidence of their presence!On a walk/talk from the Visitor’s Center out into the refuge, Bill "The Fox Guy" Leikam will show you how to identify indications of the presence of foxes, and tell stories about gray foxes that he’s ...
Where: FremontCost: Free
Winter WonderLabs at The Tech Interactive: Holi-Dough CircuitsLight up your holidays at The Tech Interactive. In this bright and joyful lab, you will experiment with conductive dough and simple circuits, then bring your creativity to life by crafting a glowing dough character to take home. It is hands-on science with a festive twist, perfect for curious makers ...
Where: San JoseCost: $10.00
Family Astronomy: Discovering the Whole New Worlds of ExoplanetsChabot Space & Science Center's Family Astronomy Series invites families with children ages 6-12 to explore the wonders of the universe together! This program features an engaging presentation in Studio 3 followed by hands-on activities and opportunities to make discoveries together. Each event includes complimentary hot cocoa and snacks.Celebrate the ...
Where: OaklandCost: $25 Adults, $15 Youth, Members $5 off
Sunday, 01/04/26
The Physics Show - Three PerformancesThe Physics Show is a fun science show for kids and their families. This year we will have two weekends of shows in September, one weekend in December, and three days of shows in January.Performances at 10:00, 1:00, and 3:30 each day.Venue: Smithwick TheaterTickets on sale in November
Where: Los Altos HillsCost: $6
AI Beyond ChatGPTThe focus of this discussion will be on General Artificial Super-Intelligence (GASI) coming next after Generative AI (GenAI, such as ChatGPT) based on Large Language Models (LLMs). We'll try to look behind the facade of sensationalist claims and fancy images and videos to understand what is technically possible, what to ...
Where: Los AltosCost: Free
Winter WonderLabs at The Tech Interactive: Holi-Dough CircuitsLight up your holidays at The Tech Interactive. In this bright and joyful lab, you will experiment with conductive dough and simple circuits, then bring your creativity to life by crafting a glowing dough character to take home. It is hands-on science with a festive twist, perfect for curious makers ...
The U.S. electricity system is premised on the ideas that utilities have a duty to serve all customers in their service territories and that electricity supply should always meet demand. Until recently, there has been little reason to question these foundational premises. Now, however, electricity experts predict massive load growth ...
The increase of d18O values in the rock record (where older samples have lower d18O values than modern) has been attributed to changing ocean temperature, an increase in the d18O value of the ocean water, or diagenesis obscuring paleoenvironmental information. Unlike conventional d18O analysis where the formation water’s isotopic value ...
The traditional motivation behind studying the dynamics of turbulent wind flow in vegetation canopies has been to understand the nature of mass, momentum, and energy exchange between the land surface and the atmosphere. The nature of this interaction determines the microclimate in a forest environment where plants exchange carbon and ...
Deep-sea benthic organisms consume oxygen as part of a global balance between photosynthesis and respiration, but direct observations of oxygen consumption rates from the abyssal seafloor are scarce relative to its areal extent and the diversity of seafloor habitats. In 2024, Sweetman et al. published research from in-situ benthic incubations ...
The ~30 high-silica rhyolite domes and flows of the 15 km-long Mono Craters volcanic chain are some of the youngest rhyolitic volcanoes in the western United States. Their ages range from ~42 ka to 0.7 ka with a total erupted volume of ~8.5 km3 and distinctions based on mineralogy (biotite, orthopyroxene, ...
Encoding Information in Quantum MaterialsWhat if the future of technology depends on the surprising ways matter can remember?Join us for a lecture with Koh Yamakawa, a UC Berkeley physicist studying quantum materials and magnetic topological insulators.From vinyl grooves to hard-drive bits, our world relies on storing information in matter. But what makes this possible? ...
Infragravity waves (IGWs) play a key role in nearshore processes and the excitation of long-period microseisms (the so-called “hum”), yet the dynamics of IGW generation, propagation, and dissipation across diverse beach/shelf morphologies and sea states remain sparsely documented. Using three days of distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) data from the Ocean ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
SETI Live: What to Expect in Space Science 2026 - LivestreamNew missions, new data, new questions about our place in the cosmos.2026 is a pivotal year for space science. From humans returning to the Moon to new telescopes opening more expansive windows on the universe, this year marks a turning point in how we explore space - and why it ...
Where: Cost: Free
From Midcentury Networked Motel to Smart House: Rhetorics and Practices of Tele-hospitalityThis talk explores computer research and design conducted in the 1960s - 70s by IBM and motel/hotel chains like Holiday Inn and Hilton. Through these joint ventures, the hospitality industry developed the first widespread commercial computer networking system in 1965 and designed computers as user-friendly tools that offered safety and ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
Let’s Chat about Healthful Changes - LivestreamLeah shares evidence-based recommendations to help you move from thinking about a healthy change to taking action and motivating you to start now! Whether you’re trying to improve habits around food or movement to keep glucose in range, Leah’s 3 steps for healthy change will help you get there.Speaker: Leah ...
Where: Cost: Free
NightLife: For the BirdsNightLife is flying into 2026. We’re transforming the museum into a full-on aviary of art, science, and wing-worthy fun. Through roaming dance performances, hands-on workshops, and expert-led talks, you’ll discover how migration, communication, and adaptation shape avian life. Whether you’re a seasoned birder or just bird-curious, this is your chance ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Varies
After Dark: Unplug and PlayConnect IRL, get hands on with hundreds of exhibits, and resolve to stay curious.
Where: San FranciscoCost: $22.95 General, Free for members
Mapping the Universe in Six Colors with the Rubin ObservatorySpeaker: Sam Schmidt, UC DavisSearching for Particle Dark Matter UndergroundSpeaker: Emilija Pantic, UC Davis
Learn about the colorful and interesting Dragonflies and their unique biology with enthusiast Kathy Biggs and field biologist Sandra von Arb. These co-authors of Dragonflies (Anisoptera) of California will teach about the 47 species that occur here, how to identify them and present what the Dragonflies need for survival, where to ...
Despite spending billions of dollars to combat homelessness, California has the largest and fastest-growing homeless population in the United States. To explain this result, some have blamed wasteful collusion between government and nonprofits to enrich themselves without ever intending to end homelessness. But this over-simplistic conspiracy theory not only ignores ...
Where: Cost: Free
Friday, 01/09/26
Opportunities at ARPA-EThe Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy (ARPA-E) was established within the US Department of Energy to solve the critical energy needs of the United States. Our work is to identify and fund the development of disruptive technologies that have the potential to transform our energy system capacity and enhance ...
Any chemical species capable of moving or changing phase at the conditions which exist on or near a planetary surface is a volatile. While many volatiles are found in the atmospheres of planets, surface-atmosphere interactions with condensed phases can be especially interesting. These deposits may represent an atmosphere that no ...
Where: Santa CruzCost: Free
Climate Warming: The World and Lake Merritt - LivestreamA special lecture by Dr. Jere Lipps, Professor of the Graduate School UC Berkeley, and Rotary Nature Center FriendsDr. Lipps is the author of a book about Lake Merritt (see cover below) in the Images of America series. He has carried out extensive field research on the microorganisms of Lake ...
Where: Cost: Free
Saturday, 01/10/26
Birding at Cypress Grove PreserveJoin Sonoma County Feminist Bird Club and All Hands Ecology for beginner-friendly birding followed by a potluck - to kick off the new year of birding!Limited attendance, registration required >This is a good opportunity to watch shorebirds and learn about monitoring and conservation efforts by All Hands Ecology staff. At ...
Where: MarshallCost: Free
The Physics Show - Three PerformancesThe Physics Show is a fun science show for kids and their families. This year we will have two weekends of shows in September, one weekend in December, and three days of shows in January.Performances at 10:00, 1:00, and 3:30 each day.Venue: Smithwick TheaterTickets on sale in November
Where: Los Altos HillsCost: $6
Foothills Family Nature WalkJoin us at Foothills Nature Preserve for a family-friendly nature walk, guided by EV docents. Good for ages 6 and up; all children must be accompanied by an adult.Please click the link to register via EventBrite. Space is limited
Where: Los AltosCost: Free
Starry Nights Star PartyJoin the San Jose Astronomical Association (SJAA) and Santa Clara County Open Space Authority (OSA) for an unforgettable night of exploring the night sky. Our knowledgeable docents, members of SJAA, will be your guides to providing valuable insights into the wonders of our universe. The viewing site, Rancho Canada del ...
Where: Morgan HillCost: Free
Sunday, 01/11/26
Junior Rangers at the Refuge: Salt Marsh SensesLove learning about new habitats? Curious about wildlife? Our Junior Rangers at the Refuge program is perfect for your family! Join us each month as we explore the Don Edwards SF Bay National Wildlife Refuge through fun, educational activities.For this program, we will use our senses to explore the salt ...
Where: AlvisoCost: Free
Things That StingJoin us at the Visitor Center to learn about stinging insects (and how to avoid getting stung)!In this talk, you will learn about several kinds of stinging insects and ways you can avoid being stung. Most of our focus will be on yellow jackets, a commonly-encountered wasp at home and ...
Where: FremontCost: Free
Solar ObservingIt’s there for us year round, lighting our days and providing energy for our lives, so maybe it’s time to give it a closer look. Join SJAA for amazing and detailed views of the Sun, and be assured that we’ll be using special telescopes that will keep your eyeballs perfectly ...
Where: San JoseCost: Free
Marine Science Sunday: Animals of the ArcticJoin us to find out about the creatures that have learned to love the cold. Explore what makes polar bears, walruses and whales able to survive in record cold temperatures!Talks at 10:30 AM, 12:00 PM, or 2:00 PM.Space is limited
Most philosophical work on language produced or interpreted by artificial systems has focused on questions about the sense in which those systems might be able to produce or grasp linguistic meanings. For example, if Grice is right that a string is meaningful when it is produced by a speaker who ...
Engineered “smart” materials such as stimuli-responsive microspheres hold the promise to alleviate a barrier to scaling sustainable subsurface energy technologies. Unlike most engineering disciplines, inadequate control of fluid flow paths dominates the financial uncertainty of commercial-scale subsurface energy projects. In this talk, Dr. Hawkins will illustrate the impact of these ...
Sequential Experimental Design for Materials Strength Model CalibrationDue to the time and expense associated with physical experiments, there is significant interest in optimal selection of the conditions for future experiments. Selection based on reduction in parameter uncertainty provides a natural path forward. We consider this type of optimal sequential design in the context of Bayesian calibration of ...
Where: Santa CruzCost: Free
What do high-power lasers have to do with conjugated polymers? Nothing.The only tenuous connection is my scientific path from PhD student in Berkeley to DDS&T at SLAC, which was heavily influenced by having access to the three Bay Area National Labs.I will thus spend the first part of this talk describing my research in laser-induced damage in fused silica at ...
Metals are critical to technology, but their supply chain includes antiquated techniques with large carbon emissions. A sustainable economy requires new science to connect science to engineering needs across the supply chain - from metal extraction to part fabrication. My group uses and develops advanced characterization techniques to study the ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
Fire Cameras, AI and Satellites Unblinking Eye: Early Wildfire DetectionWildfire safety relies heavily on detecting fires early to both extinguish them before they grow unmanageable, as well as to alert and evacuate communities as early as possible if immediate suppression becomes impossible. Following 2017, Sonoma built up a network of fire detection cameras. Starting in 2021, Sonoma became the ...
Many experiments in cancer research require a supply of expandable cancer cells. Current methods for growing cancer cells outside the body are known to lose relevance to a patient's cancer over time. Organoids are a developing technology that uses stem cells to grow 3D human tissues. My research shows that ...
Survey research is a centerpiece of life in America and throughout the world. Billions of dollars are spent by commercial companies, governments, academics, NGOs, and others to track people's life experiences (e.g., the unemployment rate comes from surveys) and opinions (e.g., presidential approval, preferences for government policies, satisfaction with products ...
Cosmic relics such as the cosmic neutrino background (CvB) are among the most compelling and elusive targets in fundamental physics. With conventional detectors, the interaction rate is so small that a 10-cm sphere of matter would see fewer than one event over the age of the universe. I will describe ...
For decades, computing has leapt forward by turning barriers into breakthroughs - the demise of Dennard scaling and the end of planar transistor scaling represent two such barriers. Each challenge sparked a paradigm shift, redefining what was possible. Drawing on my three decades at Intel, I will share lessons from ...
Join us for a Talk & Tacos with leading mycologist Christian Schwarz, coauthor of Mushrooms of the Redwood Coast!Join Fork in the Path for a special talk & tacos with leading mycologist Christian Schwarz, co-author of Mushrooms of the Redwood Coast, plus tacos by renowned mycochef Chad Hyatt.What You'll LearnThe ...
San Francisco is charting an ambitious path toward a climate-positive future built on systemic changeWhat does it actually take to transform a major city's relationship with energy, buildings, and environmental justice?Join us for a conversation with Tyrone Jue, Director of San Francisco's Environment Department, on the city's updated Climate Action ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $18 in person, $9 online
Skeptics in a Real PubEnjoy an evening of socializing and feasting with fellow Bay Area science-forward folk in an Irish Pub on the Peninsula with great food. < Menu >
Philosophers, cognitive scientists, and animal welfare advocates tend to agree that consciousness evolved to support action. Yet, puzzlingly, most accounts take relatively passive sensory experiences and bodily sensations (e.g. pains, visual perceptions, and hunger pangs) to be the basic contents of subjective experience. What if consciousness were not a “point ...
This month, we have two excellent talks lined up: Dr. Stephen Bailey (LBNL) will tell us how we make 3D maps of the Universe. Then we’ll have a talk from Dr. Nick Rodd (LBNL) about the heaviest and lightest particles in the Universe!
We all admire the beauty of birds, but you may not realize that beauty is more than skin deep. With an unusual perspective, we'll look at birds from the inside out, considering design and function. With this new view of birds you will not only appreciate their grace and beauty, ...
This talk pursues the fashion for re-constructing Iron Age-style roundhouses across Britain. Iron Age houses have been re-constructed since the 1930s, but the main period of interest commenced in the mid- to late-1970s with the creation of the Iron Age Farm at Butser (Hampshire, England) and the broadcasting of the ...
Western Monarch Butterflies: Protecting Our PollinatorsJoin us for the Spring 2026 Horace Albright Lecture, featuring a special screening of Western Monarch Butterflies: Protecting Our Pollinators - an inspiring documentary by filmmaker Ian Nelson that follows the monarch’s extraordinary migration and the communities working to protect these vital pollinators.Watch the trailer here.Following the screening, stay for ...
This month, we’re hosting:Macy Huston, PhD (UC Berkeley) - Discovering the Invisible with Gravitational MicrolensingandBernardita Ried Guachalla (Stanford University) - Cosmic Silhouettes: Galaxies Seen Through Ancient Light
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free (one drink minimum)
The Psychology of Illusion: A Magician Reveals His SecretsMagic isn’t just about tricking the eyes - it’s about understanding the mind.Join Sanjeev Vinodh, professional magician and cognitive scientist, for an interactive lecture that pulls back the curtain on how illusions really work.Sanjeev will break down the techniques behind his magic, revealing how language, movement, and technology are carefully ...
SETI Live: When Galaxies Collide - Euclid Reveals What Triggers Active Black Holes - LivestreamUsing early data from the European Space Agency’s Euclid space telescope, astronomers have analyzed over one million galaxies to test a long-standing idea in astrophysics: that galaxy mergers help trigger the growth of supermassive black holes.In this SETI Live, host Dr. Moiya McTier will explore two new Euclid studies that ...
Climate change and the global energy transition increasingly require improved understanding of subsurface systems that control groundwater resources, critical minerals, and energy infrastructure. Electromagnetic (EM) geophysics provides a powerful means of imaging subsurface electrical properties across a wide range of spatial scales. This presentation focuses on EM methods applied at ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $22.95 General, Free for members
NightLifeThursdays hit different at NightLife. The museum comes alive after hours - wilder, more curious, and full of exciting creatures. Grab your friends, grab a hand-crafted drink, and let yourself wander into whatever weird or wonderful corner calls you. You never know what you’ll stumble into next, and that’s the ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Varies
The Growth of Cosmic BehemothsDr. Devontae Baxter (UC San Diego) is an observational and computational astrophysicist investigating the dependence of environment on galaxy formation and evolution. His work is primarily centered on understanding the astrophysical processes responsible for the divergent evolution of galaxies that reside in low- and high-density regions of the cosmos. In ...
Time-dependent seismic hazard models predict earthquake likelihood as a function of time elapsed since a prior event. The most widely applied model at present is the Brownian Passage Time (BPT), which is based on the periodic characteristic earthquake model with added noise that leads to aperiodic behavior. Using long paleoseismic ...
Speaker: Mark Blumberg, University of IowaAttend in person or via ZoomThis event has been rescheduled for April 17, 2026
Where: StanfordCost: Free
Special Documentary Screening: Western Monarch Butterflies, Protecting Our Pollinators - SOLD OUTJoin us for a very special night with Ian Nelson, director of Western Monarch Butterflies: Protecting Our Pollinators. We’ll host an exclusive screening followed by a Q&A with Ian. It will be a fantastic night for anyone passionate about monarch butterfly conservation. Proceeds from the evening will be split between ...
Where: Pacific GroveCost: $20 General, $12 Members
Salt of the Earth Artist TalkArtist Barbara Boissevain and Dr. Nicole Ardoin discuss the ongoing restoration of the South Bay and the intersections of art and science.Join us for an evening with photographer Barbara Boissevain and Nicole Ardoin, Associate Professor of Environmental Social Sciences and Senior Fellow at the Woods Institute for the Environment. Together, they ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
In Town Star PartyCome join San Jose Astronomical Association (SJAA) for an evening of stargazing. Event details:Events are held at the parking lot of our headquarters, Houge Park, San Jose. The event duration is 2 hours. SJAA volunteers will share night sky views from their telescopes.Please refrain from bringing your own telescopes ...
Walk for Wellness: Exploring Nature and Chronic Pain SupportIf you or someone you know is experiencing chronic pain, we invite you to participate in a movement-based conversation at Bouverie Preserve.Join Bilingual Environmental Education Specialist Andrea Salazar and longtime docent, Cara Wasden, who both personally understand the challenges of living with chronic pain.On a fairly easy walk through the ...
Where: Glen EllenCost: Free
B-29 SuperfortressThe Boeing B-29 was the ultimate manifestation of strategic airpower, the practice of striking deep into the heart of an enemy’s industrial war machine, to serve in World War II. Created by Boeing, creators of the legendary Flying Fortress, it was named “Superfortress” for reasons that were quickly seen to ...
Where: San CarlosCost: Free with admission
Sunday, 01/18/26
Raptors: Birds of PreyRaptors are masters of the air. Come learn about this impressive group of predators!The Don Edwards SF Bay National Wildlife Refuge is home to several different species of raptors. Learn about these amazing birds of prey!This presentation will take place in the Visitor Center and is led by USFWS volunteer ...
Where: FremontCost: Free
Tuesday, 01/20/26
Cryogenic X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy for pristine interface chemistry analysis in batteries - LivestreamUnderstanding the chemical environment of pristine interfaces is a long-sought goal in electrochemistry, materials science and surface science. A substantial understanding of one such interface, the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) in lithium anodes, originates from X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). However, room temperature (RT) combined with ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) can induce ...
Measurements of the atmospheres of small planets are now feasible with the James Webb Space Telescope. These planets are generally hotter and bigger than the Solar System rocky planets, but smaller than our outer ice giants Neptune and Uranus, and many have primitive atmospheres like those that the rocky Solar ...
Retinal degenerative diseases lead to blindness due to loss of photoreceptors, while neurons in the inner retinal layers are still preserved. We developed a system substituting the lost photoreceptors with photovoltaic arrays. Visual information captured by a camera is projected onto the subretinal implant from augmented-reality glasses using pulsed near-infrared ...
The deep sea is Earth’s largest biome and home to countless unknown lifeforms. Ongoing efforts to map the ocean and census marine life highlight how much remains to be discovered, especially in remote ice-covered polar seas. These waters host fascinating species that continue to surprise us with amazing solutions to ...
Where: Pacific GroveCost: Free
Reade Me: The Books that Inspired the Computing RevolutionWhether you're an expert, student, or simply curious, how can you truly grasp what is happening in computing? One powerful answer has endured: “Read a book!”In Readme, historian W. Patrick McCray explores how influential books shaped the trajectory of computing innovations and ideas that echo in the current AI revolution.Here’s ...
Aotearoa - the land more commonly as New Zealand is young in many ways: In recent geologic history, it nearly drowned after splitting off from the Australian continent, and it was the last bit of Earth’s land to be inhabited by human beings. This island nation is a wild and wondrous place ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free
Wednesday, 01/21/26
Homeschool Days at The Tech InteractiveHomeschool Days are back at The Tech Interactive!What are Homeschool Days? Our special Wednesday programs are crafted for homeschooling families who love to tinker, test, and explore at their own pace. Learners will enjoy a flexible schedule of hands-on activities, guided labs, and drop-in STEAM demonstrations.Each Homeschool Day includes:- Full access ...
Ubiquitous and cryptic, parasites are often ignored, yet can have surprising and devastating effects on their hosts population. My primary research goals are to find ecological organizing principles of how parasites and disease will respond to the changing environment. Using sunflower sea stars (Pycnopodia helianthoides) and sea star wasting disease ...
Join Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence Policy Fellow Riana Pfefferkorn for a conversation about the potential future(s) of AI and humanity with Adam Becker, author of More Everything Forever, and Jon Evans, author of Exadelic and the Gradient Ascendant newsletter. Who are the individuals and communities predicting AI doom, AI boom, or ...
Debates about artificial intelligence (AI) tend to revolve around whether large models are intelligent, autonomous agents. Some AI researchers and commentators speculate that we are on the cusp of creating agents with artificial general intelligence (AGI), a prospect anticipated with both elation and anxiety. There have also been extensive conversations ...
China’s immense northwest holds the key to the country’s internal geopolitical and socioeconomic restructuring and global soft power today. In addition to hosting mega investments in energy, mining, infrastructure, and urban development, this resource-rich and ethnically diverse, yet under-studied, territory of 3.7 million square kilometres is leading China’s rising developmental ...
In README, historian Patrick McCray argues that in order for computers to become ubiquitous, people first had to become interested in them, learn about them, and take the machines seriously. A powerful catalyst for this transformation was, ironically, one of the oldest information technologies we have: books. The author uses a ...
Amy Franceschini (Futurefarmers) on "Excursions through Domains of Familiarity and Surprise" Michael Frank (Stanford/) on "Bridging the Data Gap between Babies and Large Language Models" Luciano Chessa (Composer) on "Cena Oltranzista nel Castelletto al Lago - A Career Retrospective" Editor's Note: Start time has changed to 5:30 PM from 7:00 ...
On tap this month we have a talk from U of A graduate students Devin Hoover, who will tell us what we know about Titan, and Brock Parker, here to give us a brief history of detecting light!Click here to watch
Where: Cost: Free
Naturalist Training - Winter Wonders: Mushrooms, Lichens, and Slime Molds! - LivestreamAre you curious about fungi, lichens, and slime molds? This webinar is for you, whether you are a beginner or experienced enthusiast!Join BioBlitz Club and Keep Coyote Creek Beautiful for this highly informative webinar covering these unique, hard-to-classify, important pieces of nature.During the webinar, Alison Pollack, JJ Johnson, and Damon ...
Join SCVBA for an evening with Philip Higgins, co-founder of Talon Ecological and one of the foremost experts on Burrowing Owls in Santa Clara County. We'll learn about the ongoing work happening to protect these birds in our county, like habitat restoration, artificial burrows, and a captive breeding program, and ...
Where: CupertinoCost: Free
Everyday Rewards and the Science of Addiction - SOLD OUTWhat if addiction isn’t just about substances - but about the rewards that compete with them?Join Dr. Keanan Joyner, UC Berkeley Assistant Professor of Psychology and director of the C.R.E.A.M. Lab, for a fresh look at how addiction develops and persists.While most addiction research focuses on what drugs do to ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $25
Taming Tech Debt for Platform ReliabilitySite Reliability Engineering (SRE) at Google is a job function, mindset, and set of engineering practices focused on ensuring the reliability, scalability, and efficiency of production systems. The term is created in the early 2000s. This talk aims to reframe the conversation around technical debt. Rather than viewing it ...
Moons in the outer Solar System release heat as they orbit their host planets, creating intense volcanism and subsurface water oceans. However, few experimental constraints exist on the geodynamics of materials under moonlike conditions, limiting understanding of moon evolution and subsurface deformation. This talk discusses the importance of understanding moons ...
Progress and Peril in a Warming WorldRecent progress on climate policy coupled with more rapid than expected declines in clean energy costs have bent down the curve of future emissions. Growing consensus is that 21st century warming will likely remain below 3?C.However it is difficult to fully preclude an eventual warming of 4?C or more under ...
Where: Santa CruzCost: Free
After Dark: Dark SkiesCatch Glow before it closes and immerse yourself in a breathtaking musical performance about the night sky with Fourth Wall Ensemble.
Where: San FranciscoCost: $22.95 General, Free for members
Tiny NightlifePwease join us for a NightLife takeover we know you’ll LUB, featuring internet sensation Tiny Chef. Expect food, tattoos, and all things Tiny.
Where: San FranciscoCost: Varies
Advancing Living Shorelines in SF Bay - LivestreamMarilyn Latta (California State Coastal Conservancy) will share information about living shoreline efforts in San Francisco Bay led by the State Coastal Conservancy and a diverse mix of partners. Living shorelines utilize natural materials and nature-based and hybrid green-gray approaches to protect shorelines from sea level rise and enhance habitat ...
Where: Cost: Free
Humans Navigating Complexity with AI HelpersModern particle accelerator control rooms are like busy air traffic control centers, where skilled operators juggle hundreds of interconnected and time-sensitive tasks to generate and shape high-energy particle beams. Control room tasks are increasingly performed with the support of AI. This talk explores our study of how operators select and ...
Seals and sea lions have a way of making us pay attention. They haul out on beaches, look us in the eye, and - whether we deserve it or not - remind us we're connected. When one of them is in trouble, the whole coastline feels it.For half a century, ...
Where: AlamedaCost: Free
Treat Yourself Like a Friend: The Power of Self-CompassionWhat if the way you speak to yourself matters just as much as the challenges you face?Join us for a lecture with Dr. Serena Chen, UC Berkeley Professor of Psychology and leading researcher on the self, identity, and self-compassion.Self-compassion is more than being “nice” to yourself - it's a scientifically ...
Where: OaklandCost: $25
Friday, 01/23/26
Glaciers: Meanings and Mythologies - LivestreamAn environmental historian, a geographer, and a glaciologist will discuss how glaciers loom large in both science and cultural expression. Not just sites of study, glaciers impact local and international power relations, and their fate is often intertwined with Indigenous communities. Home to plant, animal, and human life for millennia, ...
Where: Cost: Free
Krillin' in the California CurrentJoin Point Blue Conservation Science’s (PBCS) marine laboratory team to see how they study krill. Krill, also known as euphausiids, are marine crustaceans and an important part of the zooplankton community - the animal drifters of the ocean. Krill are prey for so many marine wildlife, including fish, birds, and ...
Earthquakes that share similar waveforms are a frequent feature of the seismicity at volcanoes. Studies suggest that temporal variations in the size, rate, and character of repeating seismicity are often correlated with other changes in a volcano’s behavior, therefore, rapid identification of trends or changes in the behavior of repeating ...
Evolving Discoveries: Exploring Science, Research, and Data TogetherVisit Cypress Grove Preserve for an informative and discussion-based talk with our conservation science team at All Hands Ecology.Join an engaging conversation with Quantitative Ecologist Scott Jennings about the awe that sparks science and the past, present and future of research and data collection at All Hands Ecology. We’ll examine how ...
Join us for a series of fun and engaging days of creativity and sustainability. Let’s come together to transform plastic waste into beautiful works of art that examine the connection between plastic and ocean life cycles, and inspire change. Your created pieces will be part of a community art installation ...
Where: Palo AltoCost: Free
How this place is made: Geology, Decisions, Photography, and the OysterHow This Place Is Made: Geology, Decisions, Photography, and the Oyster is a panel discussion at the Berkeley Art Center exploring how the Bay Area’s natural and cultural landscapes have been shaped by geology, ecology, and human decision-making. Held in conjunction with the exhibition [Obstructed view of the house through ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Jazz Under the StarsJazz Under the Stars is a FREE monthly public stargazing event! Usually occurring on the Saturday nearest the 1st quarter moon (check our Events Page), join us in Building 36 on the 4th floor observatory for a night of smooth jazz, bright stars, and a lot of fun! We play our ...
Where: San MateoCost: Free
Sunday, 01/25/26
Microbes vs. Climate Change: Bay Area EditionPOV: You are amongst the smallest and mightiest population in the Bay Area. Join us to see how microorganisms cope with climate trends!Imagine life as some of the smallest, but mightiest living things in the Bay Area: microbes! Join us for an interactive presentation and activity to learn about some ...
Where: FremontCost: Free
Water as Universal Currency: Power, Memory, and Our Shared Future - SOLD OUTWhat if water isn’t just a resource - but a force that connects all living systems across time?Join Greg Niemeyer, data artist and Professor of Media Innovation at University of California, Berkeley, for a lecture that rethinks how water moves through the world - and through us.Taking tiat’s Water Futures ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $25
Green@Home Sustainable Living Showcase: Tour the Bell Brown HomeJoin us at the Bell-Brown Home in Palo Alto for a monthly Green@Home stop filled with eco-friendly tips to make your home greener!Acterra invites you to an intimate, monthly edition of our Green@Home Tour series-hosted at the Bell-Brown residence in Palo Alto! This free, community-powered gathering offers a unique opportunity to explore real-life ...
Where: Palo AltoCost: Free
Marine Science Sunday: Animals of the ArcticJoin us to find out about the creatures that have learned to love the cold. Explore what makes polar bears, walruses and whales able to survive in record cold temperatures!Talks at 10:30 AM, 12:00 PM, or 2:00 PM.Space is limited
Enhanced geothermal systems (EGS) differ from conventional reservoirs in that fractures and faults are central to the engineering problem. The coupled physical processes governing faulted and fractured reservoirs are complex and difficult to model. Traffic light systems (TLS), the current state-of-the-art for managing induced seismic hazard, have shown only limited success, in part due to fundamental limitations ...
Much of the discourse on AI ethics and safety focuses on alignment mechanisms, bias mitigation, and containment of agentic systems. These are crucial concerns. This talk will frame a somewhat different problem: the rhetorical and psychological dimensions of AI's authority. I argue that LLMs have acquired what might be called ...
From the discovery of elementary particles to the detection of gravitational waves, the development of measurement tools has been essential in uncovering the fundamental laws of our universe. In condensed matter physics, we can create tiny “universes” inside quantum materials, each with its own dimensionality, symmetry, and emergent properties. In ...
In Martinique, the “Coffee of Legends” project was launched with the ambitious goal of reviving the island’s historic coffee industry for a global debut at the 2020 Olympics. Yet, more than a decade since its inception, the initiative has produced almost no beans. Moving beyond simple narratives of “failure,” this ...
Cells show a range of complex behaviors which might normally associated with cognition, including basic forms of learning such as habituation. The giant single-celled ciliate Stentor coeruleus is a pond-dwelling organism that attaches to substrates like pond plants and filter feeds by means of a ring of cilia at one ...
Power Systems in the emerging markets have markedly expanded access to electricity over the past two decades. However, Africa remains the world's last major electrification challenge, with approximately 600 million people lacking electricity access - "more than half the global total. This discussion examines the economic conditions and technical barriers ...
A high-luminosity high-energy polarized electron-hadron collider will be built at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) in partnership with Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (TJNAF) and will start operation in the middle of the next decade. The EIC will be capable of colliding polarized & unpolarized electrons on polarized protons/light nuclei and ...
Where: Menlo ParkCost: Free
FeDNA Technique: Environmental Monitoring for the Klamath River Dam RemovalIn 2023-2024, four dams were removed from the Klamath River restoring access to 400 miles of free-flowing river. Before the dams were demolished, a team of Molecular Ecologists sampled the system to establish a baseline of DNA so we could monitor population changes in response to restoration actions. Using the ...
Where: SebastapolCost: $7 Advance, $10 at door
Tuesday, 01/27/26
COP30 Debrief: Reflecting on Belém and the road ahead - LivestreamThe United States has formally withdrawn from the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the United Nations process for countries to negotiate an agreement on how to address climate change. What happens now? Stanford’s delegates to the last major UNFCCC conference of parties (COP30) in Belém, will reflect on that ...
In this talk, Kyle Johnson will present battery-free autonomous microrobots that can fly in the wind or drive independently on the ground using microwatts of energy harvested from light or radio waves. These mobile sensing platforms are expected to have transformative impact in applications ranging from agricultural monitoring and infrastructure ...
Will artificial intelligence replace human workers, or will it empower them? Tech leaders and economists have long warned that AI is fundamentally a "labor-replacing tool" destined to automate away millions of jobs. But this outcome is not inevitable - it reflects specific design choices, not technological fate.This presentation challenges the ...
Cosmic - ray muon tomography provides a passive, high - penetration imaging modality capable of resolving subsurface density distributions at depth and in complex geological environments. Muons - secondary particles generated by cosmic - ray interactions in the upper atmosphere - propagate along near - straight trajectories and lose energy ...
Research security, as defined by the US government, refers to “safeguarding the research enterprise against the misappropriation of research and development to the detriment of national or economic security, related violations of research integrity and foreign government interference.” Countries around the world, and especially in the G7, have adopted policies ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
Stretching the limits of surface reactivity: mechanochemistry and topological catalysisFor the past century and more, physical chemists and chemical physicists have sought to understand chemical reactivity in terms of underlying physical processes. This fruitful connection has led to great breakthroughs in conceptual understanding and practical application for fostering and controlling chemical reactions. Here, we examine how the physical principles ...
Join renowned neuroscientist Dr. Adam Gazzaley as he discusses the leading edge of brain science.What happens when neuroscience meets next-generation technology? In this dynamic talk, Dr. Adam Gazzaley discusses how modern technologies are reshaping the way we understand and improve cognition. From clinical-grade video games to neurostimulation and AI-driven diagnostics, ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $12 General in person, $9 online
Civilizational OptioneeringIndy Johar is co-founder of Dark Matter Labs and of the RIBA award winning architecture and urban practice Architecture00. He is also a founding director of Open Systems Lab, seeded WikiHouse (open source housing) and Open Desk (open source furniture company). Indy is a non-executive international Director of the BloxHub, ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: TBA
Fungi Fundamentals Part III: The Wood Wide Web - LivestreamJoin POST in this 90-minute live, interactive event that will take you beneath the forest floor to understand how fungi connect plants.Have you heard that trees can “talk” to each other through underground fungal networks? It’s one of the most captivating ideas in forest ecology.Back by popular demand after Parts ...
One of the great mysteries of science is how the brain creates conscious experience. Even though neuroanatomy and neuron-control are well understood, and modern tools have revealed many neural circuits, the neuroanatomic center of consciousness remains elusive. We aren’t even really sure how to measure consciousness! If we could build ...
This talk examines why South Sudan’s 2011 referendum on self-determination, a process intended to resolve Sudan’s racial conflict, ultimately intensified racialization for South Sudanese who remained in Sudan’s capital. The talk argues that independence functioned less as a resolution of racial injustice than as a reorganization of it, inscribing racial ...
In Apocalyptic Authoritarianism: Climate Crisis, Media, and Power (Oxford University Press, 2025), climate media scholar Hanna E. Morris (University of Toronto) reveals how national anxieties following the presidential election of Donald Trump in 2016 have shaped American journalistic and political interpretations of climate change in ways that severely limit how ...
Editor's Note: Bruce Macintosh, the original speaker scheduled to talk on "Pictures of Distant Worlds", has been called out of town. This talk will be given instead.Our Universe has provided many surprises to astronomers. One hundred years ago, Edwin Hubble showed it is expanding. In the 1990s, we found that the ...
Where: Los Altos HillsCost: Free
Fusion Energy: The Hope, the Hype, and What Comes Next - SOLD OUTHumanity has tamed fire, wind, steam and even the atom to fuel civilization. Now we’re reaching for the next leap: fusion.Fusion means creating the heat and pressure needed to force atoms to merge and release energy - essentially, building a tiny star on Earth. Long considered out of reach, that changed in December ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $25
Virtual Skeptics in the PubThis is a casual night of socializing with fellow science-forward skeptics and with others inhabiting our oblate spheroidal planet.Please join us! This is a free event brought to you by Bay Area Skeptics. All are welcome.Click here to join
OneTaste hoped orgasm would change the world. Emerging in the midst of the late-aughts for-profit wellness boom, the company was unwavering in its faith in orgasmic meditation, or OM, a fifteen-minute practice featuring a woman being clitorally stimulated by a clothed, usually male partner. Nicole Daedone, the group’s magnetic and ...
Engineering Skin Bacteria for Needle-Free Topical VaccinationThe ubiquitous skin colonist Staphylococcus epidermidis elicits a CD8+ T cell response pre-emptively, in the absence of infection, but the scope and purpose of this program remain unclear. Here, we show that this colonist also induces a potent, durable, and specific antibody response. Colonizing mice with S. epidermidis engineered to ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
One Mother For Two Species: The Complex Lifecycle of Harvester Ants - LivestreamLearn how the complex lifestyle of social insects leads to complex reproductive models in the Brad Ashby Memorial Lecture.Eusociality is a complex reproductive strategy where the sterile worker castes help their sexual relatives reproduce. In this presentation, we will explore how extreme caste differentiation can trigger genetic conflicts within a ...
Where: Cost: Free
SETI Live: Life After Ice - 46,000 Year Old Worm Wakes Up - LivestreamIn this SETI Live episode, host Simon Steel (Deputy Director of the Carl Sagan Center) chats with evolutionary biologist Philipp Schiffer (Worm Lab) about one of the most astonishing discoveries in modern biology: scientists have revived a microscopic worm that had been frozen in Siberian permafrost for roughly 46,000 years. These nematodes entered a state of ...
Firn, the compacted snow layer covering glaciers and ice sheets, controls how surface meltwater is stored or runs off to the ocean and therefore influences sea-level rise. While firn can buffer meltwater and delay runoff, the widespread expansion of ice layers, observed by in situ and remote sensing measurements, may ...
Most people on earth live in cities and they are responsible for the majority of greenhouse gas emissions. Cities are also where exposure to poor air quality is most frequent and most variable. Understanding and managing the path to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions, improved public health and lower public health ...
Brainstem trauma or neurodegenerative diseases can often result in the inability to move or speak, despite intact cognition. The inability to communicate often results in severely decreased quality of life for individuals living with these conditions. Our recent work has shown that brain-computer interfaces (BCIs), can employ neural signals to ...
Join us for a book talk with author and climate scholar Hanna Morris on Apocalyptic Authoritarianism: Climate Crisis, Media, and Power.Copies of the book will be available for purchase and signing at the event. See you there!About the Author: Dr. Hanna Morris is an Assistant Professor at the School of the ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $22.95 General, Free for members
NightLifeThursdays hit different at NightLife. The museum comes alive after hours - wilder, more curious, and full of exciting creatures. Grab your friends, grab a hand-crafted drink, and let yourself wander into whatever weird or wonderful corner calls you. You never know what you’ll stumble into next, and that’s the ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Varies
Pesticide Impacts in and around Monterey BayThe short- and long-term health impacts of pesticide use for local communities on land as well as in the ocean are addressed in a conversation with Yanely Martinez, Katherine Gabriel-Cox, Adam Scow and Logan Pallin.
Where: Santa CruzCost: Free
Astro 101: Moons of the Solar System (online)This event is one of several different introductions to astronomy offered by SJAA. In our solar system, the planets often get all the attention, but the moons have a lot going for them! This presentation visits our planets from Mercury to Pluto, but we'll focus on their moons to learn ...
