Hello again science fans!
This is the first SciSchmooze of the astronomical summer, what with the solstice having occurred this past Thursday. Different countries refer to the start of summer at different times, some May 1, Some June 1. In the US, we tend to say it starts on Memorial Day. The astronomical start is celebrated by some as Midsummer’s Day.
Last Wednesday was Juneteenth. What seems like a recent holiday has roots going back to 1865. Heather Cox Richardson explains the history, as well as efforts since then to get around the freedom Juneteenth represents.
I want to follow up on two stories I’ve writen about in the past.
Almost two years ago, I wrote about Jack Davis, a classics professor at the University of Cincinnatti, and a classmate of mine in college. Here’s a link to that SciSchmooze.
Jack has been elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, joining other members such as former US President John Adams, Noah Webster, of the dictionary Websters, playwright and actor Lin-Manuel Miranda, and George Clooney! Congratulations Jack!
The other story is from 6 months earlier and concerns Dr. Lindsey Doe. I was musing on clear communication in that newsletter and used Dr. Doe as an example of someone trying to effectively and clearly educate about sex. For her efforts she was harrassed and eventually moved out of the US, stopping her YouTube channel.
I’m happy to say that she’s back on YouTube and still staying curious, to quote her catch phrase. Her latest episode is on the status of sex education in the US legal and education system. It is well worth listening to what she has to say, although the numbers she quotes will probably make you angry.
The differences between states, and the things some states are prohibited from teaching are mind boggling. The old phrase “ignorance is bliss” comes to mind. I can’t think of any area of life where being ignorant of something is a benefit. Certainly not sex! This may be one, big country, but where you live is a big factor in how much you are taught, not only about sex, but history, race, and other subjects.
I’ve written before about the issues with Voyager 1 and how problems in its computer memory caused the probe to start sending back nonesense. Well, NASA has fixed it. This is a study in perseverence and pluck…and 46 year old technology!
Edward Stone was a physicist who oversaw both Voyager missions. He passed away last Wednesday, at the age of 88. Hopefully he saw the team supporting the Voyager missions success in reviving the spacecraft before he passed.
Astronomers have been watching a here-to-fore quiet galaxy suddenly come alive, with ultraviolet, optical, and infrared light coming from it. It is roughly 300 million light years away from oearth. Suddenly, it has begun emitting X-ray light, and it is believed we’re watching a black hole coming to life. The reality is this happened 300 million years ago in earth time, but it is still fascinating.
For 40 years, another group of astronomers has searched for the remains of supernova 1987A. Now, using the James Webb Space Telescope, that mystery has been solved.
The Chandra X-ray telescope’s mission is in jeopardy, due to funding cuts. The XRISM spacecraft, which also looks at the X-ray portion of the spectrum, is hampered by a stuck door. This combination hampers space exploration.
Here’s an article on the spread of COVID-19, and how climate change, specifically increases in CO2 in the atmosphere we breathe, made it worse.
Lastly comes this report that wild African elephants may identifiy each other by “name”, using unique calls to refer to specific elephants. Calling Dr. Dolittle!
Have a great week in Science!
Bob
Upcoming Events:
Click to see the next two weeks of events in your browser.
Monday, 06/24/2024
From Cancer to UAP - A Common Investigatory Framework to Study the Knowable - 06/24/2024 05:30 PM
Commonwealth Club San Francisco
Join us in person for a fascinating conversation with Garry Nolan, a cancer researcher at Stanford School of Medicine, whose scientific research interests extend to Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP).
The study of the unknown starts with an observation of nature that begs explanation. Science as a template for exploring nature, or phenomenon, proceeds according to rules laid out over at least two millennia in Western civilization alone. Framed against a universe now thought to be nearly 15 billion years old, what have we yet to learn, and what might others have learned separately from humanity?
Nolan will talk about one path through science that started with traditional investigations of how questions lead to human benefit in his cancer and immunology work over the last few decades, and will use that as a template to focus on the reasons why we should be interested in UAP and the potential benefits even asking those questions might provide to human progress, with an emphasis on exploitation of the potential science of alleged UAP materials and physics.
Speaker: Garry Nolan, Stanford School of Medicine; George Hammond, Author, Moderator
Attend in person or online. Register at weblink.
This event was originally scheduled for February 21, 2024
'Doppelgängers³' - 06/24/2024 08:30 PM
The New Parkway Theater Oakland
Throw away all common sense and tap into your madness as you follow Dr. Nelly Ben Hayoun-Stépanian ⎯ a London-based artist and educator of Armenian and Algerian descent ⎯ on a fascinating journey to build a new civilization on the moon. Along with her doppelgängers, Myriam and Lucia, Nelly challenges us to defy power structures and reject planetary exploitation by letting go of the constraints of borders, gender, and religion to embrace what diversity could be in the vast landscape of our imaginations.
Prior to their mission, Nelly and her parallel version of self speak with a wide-ranging collection of experts. There’s an LGBTQ+ rights activist, an astronomer, a political scientist, an archaeologist who also makes wine, a theoretical physicist, an environmental designer, a horror filmmaker, and a mathematical economist. They are all crucial to their quest to uncover the key to a queer, eco-feminist future devoid of generational trauma, colonization, and imperialism. However, as the analog space mission takes unexpected turns, the future remains as uncertain as the condition of Schrödinger’s Cat. Featuring the music of Pussy Riot and Colin Self, Doppelgängers³ had its world premiere at the SXSW Film Festival.
The film features SETI Institute co-founder Dr. Jill Tarter and SETI Institute senior planetary astronomer Dr. Franck Marchis. Both Ben Hayoun-Stépanian and Marchis will be at the San Francisco screening on June 24.
Tuesday, 06/25/2024
Artificial Intelligence: The Future of Medicine & Health Care Is Here - 06/25/2024 09:30 AM
Dublin Ranch Golf Course Dublin
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is advancing the scientific understanding of disease, improving the practice of clinical medicine, and orchestrating the delivery of health care. Join Stanford Medicine for a discussion on the transformative effects of AI on medicine and health care, and to hear how we are using AI responsibly for the benefit of our Tri-Valley community and beyond.
Remote sensing of greenhouse gas emissions from the oil and gas sector: Data synthesis and method development - 06/25/2024 12:00 PM
Green Earth Sciences Building Stanford
Methane, the primary constituent of natural gas, is the second most significant anthropogenic greenhouse gas. Recent advancements in remote sensing technologies have yielded new datasets that address critical questions about methane emissions from the oil and gas sector. In this talk, I will present three interconnected projects. The first project provides an analysis of two datasets of aerially-detected methane point sources in the Permian Basin. By reconciling regional emission estimates based on the two datasets, we demonstrate the reliability of remote sensing for methane emission detection and quantification. The second project quantifies the expected duration of aerially-detected methane emission events. Accurate duration estimates are crucial for calculating emission volumes of snapshot measurements taken remotely and determining penalties for operators responsible for these emissions. The third project explores the use of hyperspectral data to quantify carbon dioxide emissions from flaring activities in the Bakken Basin, North Dakota. These projects collectively enhance our understanding of methane and carbon dioxide emissions from the oil and gas sector and aim to provide robust methodologies for the use of aerial datasets in methane emissions quantification and regulatory compliance.
Speaker: Yulia Chen, Stanford University
Attend in person or online. See weblink
On Call: A Book Talk with Dr. Anthony Fauci - 06/25/2024 02:30 PM
Manny's San Francisco
We will be joined by Dr. Anthony Fauci to discuss his new book, On Call: A Doctor's Journey in Public Service! He'll share stories from his work in government, answer questions from the audience, and give us the ins and outs of the life of America's most famous doctor.
Book is included in the cost of all in-person tickets! Must present valid ID upon event check-in and name on ID must match name on ticket. Limit 1 ticket per person.
Anthony Fauci is arguably the most famous - and most revered - doctor in the world today. His role guiding America sanely and calmly through Covid (and through the torrents of Trump) earned him the trust of millions during one of the most terrifying periods in modern American history, but this was only the most recent of the global epidemics in which Dr. Fauci played a major role. His crucial role in researching HIV and bringing AIDS into sympathetic public view and his leadership in navigating the Ebola, SARS, West Nile, and anthrax crises, make him truly an American hero.His memoir reaches back to his boyhood in Brooklyn, New York, and carries through decades of caring for critically ill patients, navigating the whirlpools of Washington politics, and behind-the-scenes advising and negotiating with seven presidents on key issues from global AIDS relief to infectious disease preparedness at home. ON CALL will be an inspiration for readers who admire and are grateful to him and for those who want to emulate him in public service. He is the embodiment of “speaking truth to power,” with dignity and results.
You may also attend virtually. Register here. Book is not included.
Wonderfest: The Science of Fog (Karl, in particular) - 06/25/2024 07:00 PM
Hopmonk Tavern Novato
As poet Carl Sandburg observed: "The fog comes on little cat feet. It sits looking over harbor and city on silent haunches, and then moves on." What is the nature of The City's renowned Karl the Fog? Do those super-fine droplets consist of more than just water? Why does our beloved(?) Karl creep over the Bay Area so often, and will that creeping continue in light of climate change?
Our speaker, Alicia Torregrosa, knows Karl inside and out. As Program Officer at the U.S. Geological Survey, Alicia is a physical scientist who led the USGS Pacific Coastal Fog Project, yielding an international and interdisciplinary expansion of coastal fog research.
Wednesday, 06/26/2024
Bodega Marine Lab Seminar Series - Livestream - 06/26/2024 03:00 PM
Bodega Marine Laboratory
Speaker: Katy Seto, UC Santa Cruz
Register at weblink to receive connection information
Thursday, 06/27/2024
Astronomy on Tap Baton Rouge - Livestream - 06/27/2024 04:00 PM
Astronomy on Tap
Celebrating 25 Years of the Chandra X-ray Observatory: From Fierce Planets to Fierce Astrophysics
Speaker: Dr. Rob Hynes, Louisiana State University
Frozen Fierce: The Cold and Lonely Planets That Will be Found by the Nancy Grace Roman Telescope
Speaker: Dr. Matt Penny, Louisiana State University
Hearts and Minds: Rebuilding Respect for Science Through Engaging Science Communication - Livestream - 06/27/2024 04:00 PM
Skeptical Inquirer
The American public is increasingly skeptical of experts, including scientists, healthcare professionals, and other researchers. Many experts respond by sharing more facts and information and/or bemoaning the lack of science literacy. Laura Lindenfeld believes there is another, more effective way to rebuild public trust in science and research.
Join Skeptical Inquirer Presents for a free livestream conversation with Laura Lindenfeld, executive director of the Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science and Dean of the School of Communication and Journalism at Stony Brook University. Lindenfeld will discuss the Alan Alda Center’s approach to science communication, how it differs from more traditional approaches, and why it works. She’ll also offer strategies that interested scientists and researchers can experiment with in their personal and professional lives.
Register at weblink
Science on Tap: Backyard Predators - Coexistence in the Urban-Wildland Interface - 06/27/2024 05:30 PM
Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History Pacific Grove
It’s a fact we’re all well aware of: human settlements don’t exist in a vacuum, no matter where we are, there will always be wildlife to interact with. As we’ve adapted to living in ecosystems so has wildlife, at times to their benefit and at others to their detriment. Join us for an amazing panel all about some of the predators we live with on a daily basis: bobcats, coyotes, and skunks, with an incredible panel of experts including Rachel Roberts, Senior Environmental Scientist with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and Cesar O. Estein, NSF Graduate Research & Chancellor Fellow at UC Berkeley’s Schell Lab, and Jen Hunter, Director of Hastings Natural History Reservation. We’ll also be joined by Zach Mills, the CDFW Biologist for our county, to answer any specific questions you might have about the wildlife in your backyard!
Register at weblink
PRIDE NightLife - 06/27/2024 06:00 PM
California Academy of Sciences San Francisco
Celebrate the LGBTQ+ community with a night dedicated to community, activism, and joy. Featuring drag by Oaklash.
Three Years of Exploring Mars - Livestream - 06/27/2024 06:00 PM
Night Sky Network
The Perseverance Rover has spent three years exploring the Jezero Crater on Mars. After exploring the crater floor, Perseverance is now exploring the Delta and working its way to the crater rim.
Speaker: Kim Steadman, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
See weblink for links to watch on YouTube
After Dark: Pride - 06/27/2024 06:00 PM
ExplOratorium San Francisco
Kick off Pride weekend at After Dark! We embrace the full spectrum of sci-curious and art-oriented folks. Come play with our 650+ exhibits, grab a drink, and enjoy a roof-raising music set from the 2024 Pride Grand Marshal Tory Teasley!
Making News: How Tech Shapes Journalism and Society - 06/27/2024 07:00 PM
Computer History Museum Mountain View
Today, journalism, technology, and political polarization are profoundly changing one another - and us. But this is far from the first time these forces have collided. What lessons does history hold?
Before the rise of the web and social media, cable television introduced a profit-driven news industry with dramatic consequences for the partisan divide. But earlier technological revolutions, from the rise of the postal service to the telegraph, enabled mass communication and changed journalism. With the hindsight of history, we'll explore today's challenges and opportunities.
Join CHM as we decode technology's continuing impact on news, partisanship, and society.
What You’ll Experience
Explore contemporary concerns and historical context about tech and the news with historians and journalists.Learn more about technology's impacts on journalism and political polarization. Gain insights into today's journalism and information environment.
Friday, 06/28/2024
Coastal Walk at Cowell-Purisima Trail - 06/28/2024 10:00 AM
Cowell Purisima Coastal Trailhead Half Moon Bay
Join Peninsula Open Space Trust for a beautiful walk along the Cowell-Purisima trail that POST helped create by protecting adjacent farmland. While it may be foggy, we hope to catch gorgeous views of the ocean, nearby farmland, and glimpses of harbor seals, pelicans, hawks, rabbits, and whales during the winter season.
You will be guided by POST ambassadors who will share details about POST’s work with farmers on the coast, and to create recreational opportunities along one of the most scenic stretches of our state’s coastline!
This walk is moderate at about 4.5 miles round trip with about 400 feet of gradual elevation gain. It is mostly flat throughout, however, it is quite a long walk.
The Golden Era of Time Domain Astrophysics: New explosions and their Origins - SOLD OUT - 06/28/2024 08:30 PM
Lick Observatory Mt. Hamilton
Speaker: Dr. Stefano Valenti is an Associate Professor of Physics and Astronomy at UC Davis.
Saturday, 06/29/2024
Asteroid Day - 06/29/2024 10:00 AM
Chabot Space and Science Center Oakland
Embark on a voyage through the asteroid belt with us for the 9th annual Asteroid Day! In Partnership with the B612 Foundation, delve into the fascinating world of these space rocks with expert-led talks and captivating demonstrations. Learn about global efforts to highlight asteroid detection, cutting-edge asteroid research, as well as the current and future missions to explore them. Expert scientists will explore the latest asteroid science and answer your biggest questions!
T. REX 3D Premiere - 06/29/2024 11:00 AM
Lawrence Hall of Science Berkeley
Showtimes at 11:00 a.m., 1:00, & 3:00 p.m.
Be the first to see a brand-new 3D film about the king of dinosaurs! We’re rolling out the red carpet for T. REX 3D, which reimagines our understanding of the legendary Tyrannosaurus rex through pioneering visual effects and work with top scientists and paleontologists. The film, which opens nationwide this summer, aims to be the most dazzling and accurate T. rex documentary ever made. And as of May, our screen is twice as big; it’s mammoth!
The T.Rex 3D premiere kicks off Dinosaur Activity Week at The Lawrence! Learn more about our prehistoric party!
Stewardship Saturday: Protecting Our Oceans Day and Night - 06/29/2024 06:00 PM
Natural Bridges Visitor Center Santa Cruz
Join DarkSky International’s Santa Cruz Chapter, Natural Bridges State Beach’s Interpretive Team, and The Marine Mammal Center as we explore ways to protect our beaches, oceans, and marine life during daylight and nighttime hours. Protection doesn’t stop when we close our eyes, and there is a lot we can do to help at all hours. Through this event you will get to support habitat restoration of a beach where some of The Marine Mammal Center’s patients are commonly rescued, and then explore ways to make sure we are keeping these beaches and waters safe from light pollution once night falls. We hope by the end of this event you will have a stronger understanding of the effects of invasive plants and light pollution on our coastal ecosystems, and will have some goals for next steps to take on your conservation journey.
Intended for high school students.
Register at weblink
The Universe in Us - 06/29/2024 08:30 PM - SOLD OUT
Lick Observatory Mt. Hamilton
Speaker: Dr. Enrico Ramirez-Ruiz is a Professor and the Vera Rubin Presidential Chair at the University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC).
Artist: White Album Ensemble Chamber Orchestra
Starry Nights Star Party - 06/29/2024 09:30 PM
Rancho Cañada Del Oro Open Space Preserve Morgan hill
The San Jose Astronomical Association (SJAA), working with the Santa Clara County Open Space Authority (OSA), is glad to co-host a public star party at Rancho Canada del Oro (RCDO) Open Space Preserve. This site, just 30 minutes south of downtown San Jose, features dark skies. It's dark enough to see the band of our Milky Way galaxy in the summer.
Do not bring your own telescope (binoculars are welcome, but please no tripods). SJAA club members will set up their telescopes to help star party guests get the most knowledge and enjoyment out of the dark night sky.
Binocular Stargazing at Coyote Valley Open Space Preserve - 06/29/2024 09:30 PM
Coyote Valley Open Space Preserve Morgan Hill
Binocular Stargazing is hosted by the Santa Clara County Open Space Authority with help from members of the San Jose Astronomical Association.
Want to learn the night sky? Want to see the Milky Way and the stars contained in it? Did you know that you don’t need to spend a ton of money on a telescope to do so? All you need is a decent pair of binoculars.
Come out and attend the “Binocular Stargazing” event on Saturday June 29th at 9:30pm at Coyote Valley Open Space Preserve. (Binoculars are required for this event) You will learn all about how the night sky changes by the hour, month, and year.
Our astronomy docents will lead you through the night sky so you can learn how to use your binoculars to find and view asterisms, open and globular clusters, nebulae, and planets. (You will need to have binoculars to attend this event. This is an interactive program in which you will need binoculars to follow along with the program)
Please bring the following items:
10x42mm binoculars or larger. (Tripod recommended on binoculars larger then 10x50)A chair to view in comfort (very important) (lawn chairs are great for this)A red lens flashlight, and warm clothes (extra layers).
Sunday, 06/30/2024
Wrong Answers Only at The Independent - 06/30/2024 07:00 PM
The Independent San Francisco
Dark matter expert Risa Wechsler joins host Chris Duffy and an incredible panel of comedians for this science comedy game show!
Produced by LabX, a public engagement program at the National Academy of Sciences, Wrong Answers Only is science comedy game show featuring celebrity guests who play games and quizzes while learning about exciting research with the help of a scientific expert.
THE HOST: Chris Duffy is a comedian, television writer, and radio/podcast host. Chris currently hosts TED’s hit podcast How to Be a Better Human.
THE EXPERT: Risa Wechsler is the Director of the Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology at Stanford University where she studies galaxy formation and cosmic structure.
THE COMEDIANS: Aparna Nancherla is a comedian and general silly billy. Her sense of humor is dry, existential, and absurd, with notes of uncalled-for whimsy.
Josh Sharp is a writer and comedian who has been featured on HBO’s 2 Dope Queens, Comedy Central’s The Opposition with Jordan Klepper, and TruTV’s At Home With Amy Sedaris.
Joanna Hausmann is a Venezuelan-American comedian, writer and actor who gained popularity through her videos on YouTube and as head-writer/talent on Univision’s digital platform “Flama”.
Doors open at 6:00.
Monday, 07/01/2024
The Future Human Exploration of Mars - 07/01/2024 07:30 PM
California Academy of Sciences San Francisco
The first human mission to Mars will be humanity’s greatest adventure in space exploration this century. As with all expeditions, its success depends on planning. The first steps are already under way, as we build more efficient rockets, achieve longer space flights, plan our return to the Moon, and work in extreme environments on Earth viewed as Mars “analogs.”
Dr. Pascal Lee (SETI Institute and NASA Ames) will present the progress being made around the world, from the Arctic to Antarctica, from basement labs to the International Space Station and the Artemis Program, to achieve the first human voyage to Mars, examining in turn the what, why, how, where, when, and who of the first human mission to Mars.
Friday, 07/05/2024
First Friday: Glow - 07/05/2024 06:00 PM
Chabot Space and Science Center Oakland
Astro 101: Sights of the Cosmos, Intro to Astronomy - 07/05/2024 08:15 PM
San Jose Astronomical Association San Jose
In Town Star Party - 07/05/2024 09:30 PM
San Jose Astronomical Association San Jose
Saturday, 07/06/2024
Nike Missile Site Veteran Open House - 07/06/2024 12:00 PM
Nike Missle Site Mill Valley
Sunday, 07/07/2024
Morning Hike at Skyline Ridge Open Space Preserve - 07/07/2024 09:00 AM
Skyline Ridge Open Space Preserve Los Altos
Five Dollar Day at The Lawrence Hall of Science - 07/07/2024 10:00 AM
Lawrence Hall of Science Berkeley