Around the World of Science with the SciSchmooze
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Hello again Science Fans!
We’re in for a week of summer-like weather. While this isn’t unusual for the Bay Area, other parts of the country and world are experiencing record heat and other oddities. the Denver area was in the 80s one day this past week, followed by snow the next that broke numerous tree branches. In Spain, May is now the hottest month this century. The northeastern US endured their first heat wave of the season this weekend. India and Pakistan have seen temperatures over 100 degrees for weeks.
We can expect more heatwaves this summer, with more intensity. While it doesn’t often affect us here in the Bay Area, the Atlantic Hurricane Season starts June 1, and predictions are for an active season, partially due to the Loop Current in the Gulf of Mexico.
COVID-19 isn’t over. New subvariants keep popping up, although keeping track of them continues to be confusing due to the arcane naming conventions used by the powers that be. Here’s a primer on that. For those of us who are vaccinated, severe COVID is unlikely. Caseloads in the Bay Area are increasing, although hospitalizations are not. I know at least four people who have had one version of COVID or another in the past few weeks. At least for me, that’s new in that I haven’t known that many people that have been infected.
And if that isn’t enough to concern you, there’s monkeypox! If you are over 50, you probably had a smallpox vaccination in your youth, and that vaccination will protect you from monkeypox too. But the US stopped vaccinating the general population against smallpox in 1972.
In the fight against plastic polution, there is good news. A newly discovered enzyme can eat up plastics that take hundreds of years to degrade naturally in about a day.
I was in the Pacific Northwest this past week. The two days I was in Seattle were sunny and dry, making Mt. Rainier visible. A new study shows how dangerous this stunning Cascade volcano can be.
The James Webb Space Telescope continues to be fine tuned, but the images sent back to Earth as part of that adjustment process continue to amaze astronomers and the public alike with their clarity. This article shows the Large Magellanic Cloud, both from the Spitzer Telescope and the Webb. The difference between the two is astounding.
The European Space Agency’s Solar Orbiter has returned some stunning videos of our home star. What looks serene to us here on Earth is really a churning cauldron of storms and energy. Beautiful stuff!
Winter is coming, and Ingenuity, the helicopter experiment that has been flying on Mars for over a year, may have finally met its match. The Martian winter and accumulated dust on the helicopter’s solar panels have caused NASA to lose contact with it. Even if NASA can’t re-establish contact, Ingenuity has set records and achieved success beyond anyone’s wildest dreams.
Have a great week in Science!
Bob
Monday, 05/23/2022
The stress on faults: fundamental physics of earthquakes - Livestream - 05/23/2022 03:30 PM
SLAC Colloquium
Earthquakes occur by overcoming fault friction, and therefore quantifying the resistance of faults is central to earthquake physics. Both static and dynamic friction values are required, and the latter is especially difficult to determine on natural faults. Perhaps the only way to solve the problem is to drill into a fault after an extremely large earthquake. The Japan Trench Fast Drilling Project (JFAST) did just this after the 2011 Mw 9.1 Tohoku earthquake and showed that the shear strength during the earthquake was substantially below that predicted by Byerlee's law, which was a touchstone of earthquake physics for a generation. The very low dynamic stress implies a complete reset of the earthquake cycle. The JFAST data also reopens the conundrum of why earthquakes have depth-independent stress drops that are smaller than would be anticipated if friction drops completely. We recreate the phenomenon in the laboratory by imaging ruptures in a transparent, analog model. Surprisingly, the laboratory stress drops are like the natural ones and independent of normal stress apparently due to self-organization of the stress field in a confined rupture.
Speaker: Emily Brodsky, UC Santa Cruz
Climate policies after Paris: Pledge, Trade and Recycle - Livestream - 05/23/2022 04:00 PM
Stanford Energy Seminar
This seminar will summarize insights from the 36th Energy Modeling Forum study (EMF36) on the magnitude and distribution of economic adjustment costs of greenhouse gas emission reduction targets. Under the Paris Agreement, countries have committed to emission reduction targets - so-called Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) - in order to combat global warming. The study suggests that aligning NDCs with the commonly agreed 2 degree C temperature target will induce global economic costs of roughly 1% in 2030. However, these costs are unevenly distributed across regions. Countries exporting fossil fuels are most adversely affected from the transition towards a low-carbon economy. In order to reduce adjustment costs at the global and regional level, comprehensive emissions trading which exploits least-cost abatement options is strongly desirable to avoid contentious normative debates on equitable burden sharing. Lump-sum recycling of revenues from emissions pricing, in equal amounts to every household, appeals as an attractive strategy to mitigate regressive effects and thereby improving the social acceptability of stringent climate policy.
Speaker: Chistoph Bohringer, Car von Ossietzky University, Oldenburg
Mechanisms of lipid quality control and ferroptosis - 05/23/2022 04:00 PM
James H. Clark Center (Bldg 340) Stanford
James Olzmann is an Associate Professor in the Departments of Molecular & Cell Biology and Nutritional Sciences & Toxicology at the University of California, Berkeley and an Investigator at the Chan Zuckerberg Biohub in San Francisco. Dr. Olzmann earned his B.S. in Biology at the University of Michigan and his Ph.D. in Neuroscience at Emory University. As a postdoctoral fellow at Stanford University in Ron Kopito's lab he studied the physical and functional organization of the endoplasmic reticulum-associated degradation (ERAD) pathway, a process that mediates the ubiquitin-dependent clearance of proteins from the early secretory pathway. Since 2013, Dr. Olzmann's research group at UC Berkeley has developed systems-level discovery approaches to uncover the cellular mechanisms that govern cellular lipid homeostasis, including the regulation of lipid droplets and ferroptosis. In this seminar, Dr. Olzmann will discuss recent advances in our understanding of cellular lipid quality control and ferroptosis.
Room: Auditorium
Two talks: Discovering Secrets of Galaxies - Livestream - 05/23/2022 06:00 PM
Astronomical Society of the Pacific
The First Stars & Galaxies
Aishwarya Balivada from Purdue University will briefly review the timeline of our earlier Universe, up until the Epoch of Reionization. Then describe the period, the instruments (telescopes) used to detect what is going on in the period, and the large scale structures she's been studying. Her discussion will conclude with how a value called tau, helped us characterize how the first stars and galaxies formed.
A Cosmic 'Where's Waldo?': An Intro to Dwarf Galaxies
Madeline Shepley from Ball State University will take attendees through the basic properties of dwarf galaxies as compared to their normal galaxy counterparts, and then provide a taste of the galaxies research she's worked on.
Register at weblink
Student Work: AI-based computer interface for enhanced accessibility - Livestream - 05/23/2022 07:00 PM
SF Bay Association of Computing Machinery
While volunteering at AbilityPath, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing services to people with disabilities, I realized a major problem some people faced was not access to technology but being able to use it. Specifically, the high levels of fine motor control needed to use the interface (such as mice, trackpads, keyboards, and game controllers) prohibit many people's access. This problem led me toward a project to enhance computer accessibility without increasing cost.
I aimed to simplify and make computer interfaces more natural and accessible by using a much more common and direct form of communication: gestures. Using (I show how to get) signals captured by the webcam, I will show how the data is processed before being fed through two major AI models to first extract hand-landmark positions and then gestures from the landmarks.
Although existing commercial methods using facial expressions captured by a camera to control a game do exist, there is an overwhelming population of people who have troubles with fine motor control and won't benefit from an unintuitive, fairly unnatural form of the game interface. I minimized the required technology to further universalize the access, by using open-source software and free tools, as well as making the entire project open-source and thus free.
Speaker: Henri Sayag, Kehillah High School
Register at weblink to receive connection information, or watch here.
Tuesday, 05/24/2022
Battery R&D: The Strength of Electrochemistry - Supported by Analytics - 05/24/2022 11:00 AM
Shriram Center Stanford
Results from conventional direct-current (galvanostatic) operation during charge and discharge provide important key performance indicators such cycle life, capacity retention and rate performance. Systematic and smart adaptation of this technique can reveal precious additional information and can uncover underlying operation mechanisms and possible failure sources. In parallel, chemical-analytical methods cannot only prove and validate the assumptions elaborated from electrochemical diagnostics, but is able to deliver complementary missing ("blank area") information, beyond the possibilities of electrochemical techniques. This presentation will show selected examples of this complementary approach for high voltage/high capacity lithium ion batteries and lithium metal batteries, both being hot topics in actual battery R&D.
Speaker: Martin Winter, University of Munster
May Butterfly Walk - First Session - FULL - 05/24/2022 01:30 PM
UC Botanical Garden Berkeley
Join Sally Levinson, 'caterpillar lady', and Sarab Seth, 'butterfly guy,' for a guided, family friendly, one hour walk through the Botanical Garden in search of butterflies. Bring binoculars if you have them. This walk follows uneven terrain, with areas of paved and unpaved trail.
Register at weblink
May Butterfly Walk - Second Session - 05/24/2022 03:00 PM
UC Botanical Garden Berkeley
Join Sally Levinson, 'caterpillar lady', and Sarab Seth, 'butterfly guy,' for a guided, family friendly, one hour walk through the Botanical Garden in search of butterflies. Bring binoculars if you have them. This walk follows uneven terrain, with areas of paved and unpaved trail.
Register at weblink
Ice Friction and the seismicity of icy moons - 05/24/2022 03:30 PM
Natural Science Annex Santa Cruz
Speaker: Christine McCarthy, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory - Columbia University
The Race to Free Washington's Last Orca in Captivity - Livestream - 05/24/2022 07:00 PM
American Cetacean Society
Join the American Cetacean Society, San Francisco Bay Chapter for an inspiring presentation by Howard Garrett, founder of Orca Network. Mr. Garrett will speak about his organization's efforts to return Southern resident killer whale, Tokitae, to her native habitat. Tokitae ("Toki") was captured from the L pod in 1970 at about age 4 and delivered to a Miami marine park. Toki has not only survived almost 52 years confined in the same tiny tank, she's miraculously maintained her courage and gentle nature to this day.
Now the economics and politics around her are changing rapidly, although much of the press coverage about her is missing both her astounding resilience and a series of dramatic developments. The Miami Seaquarium where she is held now has a new owner. The USDA has required that the whale stadium must remain closed, and a new nonprofit organization, Friends of Lolita, is in charge of Toki's future. The new group was founded by a philanthropist and includes Lummi tribal elder Raynell Morris and cetologists Diana Reiss and Roger Payne. As of mid-April, nothing has been announced about moving Tokitae to a sea pen sanctuary, but the only option yet proposed is in the San Juan Islands, her native habitat. Join us to learn more about her current status and the next possible steps.
Register at weblink to receive connection information
Wednesday, 05/25/2022
Mercury contamination in mining-impacted watersheds of Appalachia and the Amazon - 05/25/2022 11:00 AM
Earth and Marine Sciences Building Santa Cruz
Speaker: Jacqueline Gerson, UC Berkeley
Kelp! opening reception - 05/25/2022 06:30 PM
836M Gallery San Francisco
836M Gallery presents "Kelp!," an exhibition centered on California's endangered kelp forests co-curated by Josie Iselin and featuring the work of Bay Area visual artists Tiffany Bozic, Ann Holsberry, Ellen Litwiller, Lina Prairie, Laurie Sawyer, as well as Iselin. The opening reception is free with RSVP at 836m.org/kelp."Bull kelp is the foundational species of California's coastal marine ecology, and they are crucial climate regulators," said Iselin, author of The Curious World of Seaweed. "Unfortunately, the ocean forests along California's North Coast have declined since 2014 due to a convergence of natural factors and human impacts on the oceans. Globally, kelp forests are critical for biodiversity and climate mitigation, but they are disappearing fast.""This ambitious exhibition brings together art and science to inspire wonder, activate visitors' curiosity and catalyze action to protect our great forests of the sea. We learn not only about seaweeds but also their resilience, resourcefulness, poetry and magic." Employing a variety of techniques and media - from drawing, photography, painting, printing and sculpture - the artists, all of them women based in the Bay Area, have devoted their careers to exploring the underrepresented flora of the sea. For this exhibition 836M will be transformed into an immersive environment featuring prints on textile by Iselin, cyanotypes by Ann Holsberry, kelp sculptures by Lina Prairie, prints by Laurie Sawyer, a tondo by Tiffany Bozic and a mural by Ellen Litwiller mounted in the Gallery's adjacent office space. The opening reception will feature chef and author Maria Finn. Before she moved to Sausalito, she worked in the commercial fishing industry in Alaska. Other events include a food tasting, documentary screenings and a policy panel designed to inform voters on matters of environmental concern before election day in the fall.The exhibition continues through December 8.
Do Humans Have What it Takes to Thrive in this Universe? - Livestream - 05/25/2022 07:00 PM
Silicon Valley Astronomy Series
Modern astronomy is revealing the story of our cosmic origins -- where the Galaxy came from, how the Sun and Earth were formed, and how the elements in our bodies were forged in stars and later gathered to form "us". We are now poised to use that knowledge to predict Earth's cosmic future, and it looks bright ahead - one billion years (more or less) of a future livable planet. However, one question then glows in stark relief: does our human species - honed by natural selection - have the makings to thrive on a cosmic time scale? In this lecture, Prof. Faber will share her perspective as a cosmologist, and sketch her vision for what we humans need to do to seize this incredible opportunity.
Speaker: Winner of the National Medal of Science, Sandra Faber is Professor Emerita of Astronomy & Astrophysics at UC Santa Cruz.
Nerd Nite SF #125: Explosions, Godzilla, and a 500 Mile Walk! - 05/25/2022 08:00 PM
Rickshaw Stop San Francisco
The Explosive History of Exploding Wires
For about 175 years prior to the Trinity test in 1945, exploding wires had been noted but neither understood nor much studied. The success of implosion fission - reliant on exploding wire detonators - kicked off intense research on ex-wires in the US and abroad, as many parties around the world launched their own weapons development programs. In short, exploding wires made the bomb possible, while the success of the bomb drove decades-long efforts to understand exploding wires. This peculiar symbiosis has continued ever since, with exploding wires making regular appearances in the historical record of nuclear weapons R&D. This talk will give a very brief introduction to exploding wire phenomena, and survey the role ex-wires have played in nuclear weapons R&D.
Speaker: Glenn Carroll is a former Machine Learning researcher with time in both academic and corporate environments.
Godzilla: History, Biology, and Behavior of Hyper-Evolved Theropod Kaiju
Tsunami, earthquake, hurricane and typhoon all rolled in one, Godzilla, "King of the Monsters," has both plagued and benefited humanity for over half a century. By examining the origins and zoology of this force of nature, people and nations will be better equipped to deal with the awesome destructive power of our radioactive visitor from the Cretaceous.
Speaker: Shyaporn Theerakulstit is an actor, writer, YouTuber, cosplayer and general "nerd about town."
Eat. Sleep. Walk. Repeat
For over a millennium, pilgrims of all ages, genders, races, religions, and nations have walked the Way of St. James / Camino de Santiago ("the Camino"). The most common route is a 500 mile, 30 day journey starting in southern France and ending in northern Spain, in Santiago de Compostela. What is the Camino? Why has it appealed to religious and non-religious alike through the centuries? In recent years, why have so many people gone? (Since 2013, more than 200,000 pilgrims per year!). Why has it made such an imprint on the pilgrims who have walked it? (Paulo Coelho walked the Camino and named his protagonist in The Alchemist Santiago).
Come learn about why you should consider doing the Camino from Dwight Asuncion, world traveler and travel writer. Dwight has traveled to all 7 continents and 25+ countries and considers his Camino experience the best / most important trip of his life.
Deep Sea Mining, Coming Soon to an Ocean Near You? - 05/25/2022 08:00 PM
Museum of Art and History Santa Cruz
Global demand for technologies like cellphones and laptops is increasing every year, and the transition to green energy is creating a need for more and new batteries. These both result in huge projected increases in metal demand which are now driving mining companies into the deep ocean in search of new mineral resources. We have known that the deep sea contains vast reserves of metals and minerals since the 1800s, but until now the economic pressures and required technologies have been insufficient for deep sea mining to begin in earnest. This is arguably one of the biggest, most important issues facing mankind at this moment marking how we will approach the transition away from fossil fuels and what ocean stewardship will look like in the future. In this talk I will present fundamental information on this global issue and present the latest ongoing deep sea research in relation to deep sea mining. The possible environmental impacts are vast and still poorly understood. The deep sea with both its fantastic and alien communities of animals and its mineral resources are legally the common heritage of all mankind, and so you, me and everyone on this planet are stakeholders in this debate.
Speaker: Astrid Leitner, UC Santa Cruz
Thursday, 05/26/2022
Bird Migration: Opportunity Wants A Map - Livestream - 05/26/2022 12:00 PM
Stanford University
Avian migration is one of the most beautiful events on earth. From the clamorous departure of Geese flying north overhead to the cautious arrival of Songbirds in spring, these ancient feats of orientation, navigation, and critical fuel management are all around us. Join us for a webinar with Matthew Dodder, Executive Director of the Santa Clara Valley Audobon Society, and learn how this behavior evolved, how it works, and why it may be at risk. We will also explore ways you can observe migration in your own back yard.
Register at weblink for connection information
This event was originally scheduled for May 11, 2022
Deceiving the Superorganism: Infiltration of Ant Societies by Stealth Beetles - Livestream - 05/26/2022 05:00 PM
Cafe Scientifique Silicon Valley
What allows a freeloading outsider to don a disguise and infiltrate a tight-knit society? Extreme evolution. By means of rapid and dramatic behavioral, anatomical, and chemical adaptations, a group of insects named rove beetles can assimilate into ant colonies - normally fiercely xenophobic - and exploit their social hosts undetected. This remarkable group of beetles, the most species-rich family in the animal kingdom, provides a paradigm for studying how interactions between species emerge during evolution.
Speaker: Joseph Parker, California Institute of Technology
Register at weblink to receive connection information
NightLife - 05/26/2022 06:00 PM
California Academy of Sciences San Francisco
Calling all creatures of the night: explore the nocturnal side of the Academy at NightLife and see what's revealed. With live DJs, outdoor bars, ambiance lighting, and nearly 40,000 live animals (including familiar faces like Claude the albino alligator), the night is sure to be wild.
On May 26th catch a sneak peek of new exhibits, Bugs and Hidden Wonders, officially opening on May 27th.
Step inside the iconic Shake House and our four-story Rainforest, where you can explore the Amazon's treetops surrounded by free-flying birds and butterflies. Reservations for these exhibits are no longer required. However, please note that the last entry into the rainforest is 7:30 pm - our animals need their sleep.
Venture into our latest aquarium exhibit Venom to encounter live venomous animals and learn the power of venom to both harm and heal.
Visit the BigPicture exhibit in the Piazza to marvel at the most recent winners of the BigPicture Natural Photography competition.
Bask in the glow of one of the largest living coral reef displays in the world: our 212,000-gallon Philippine Coral Reef tank.
Take in the interstellar views from the Living Roof, then grab a bite from the Academy Cafe and head to the West Garden outdoor bar to drink and dine under the stars. For adults 21+.
Using Military Remote Sensing Technology to Support Federal Civil Agency Science: Sunk Cost, Well Spent - Livestream - 05/26/2022 06:00 PM
US Geological Survey Public Lecture Series
Speaker: Paul M. Young, Director of the USGS National Civil Applications Center
The USGS has a long history of using images from military and Intelligence community satellites to support our science.Learn how public safety, disaster response, and environmental monitoring missions are supported. This cooperation benefits all Americans and is an example of good government.
Go to weblink to join the lecture
After Dark: See for Yourself - 05/26/2022 06:00 PM
ExplOratorium San Francisco
Spark your curiosity at After Dark! As the Sun sets, we'll hit the rainbow lights, turn the music up, and open our doors, inviting you to take your imagination out to play. Fuel up with a cocktail and prepare to roam free through six spacious outdoor and indoor spaces. Be ready to bring fresh eyes to old favorites and uncover phenomenal new experiences.
Cell Phone Miniscope 6:00 - 10:00 p.m. Crossroads
We invite you to open your eyes to the amazing world of the ultra-tiny! Be sure to grab a miniscope kit and directions - then convert your cell phone into a portable, picture-taking miniscope using a simple plastic lens from a laser pointer. Use it to see the Exploratorium at its smallest scale, then take it home to continue exploring new environments!
Birds of Peninsula Open Space Trust Protected Lands - Livestream - 05/26/2022 07:00 PM
Peninsula Open Space Trust
Whether you're new or familiar to birding and POST, this photo filled presentation will provide a snapshot of several bird species you may find on POST protected lands.
Diane and Peter Hart are adult-onset birders who slouched into birding and bird photography while winding down their professional careers. Diane as an educator and author of 20 textbooks, Peter as an Artificial Intelligence and robotics pioneer, founded or led half a dozen companies and international research centers. They have complemented their field time with volunteer service to the word of birds, Diane as past president of the Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society, and Peter as a Board member of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
In the Summer of 2020, as the full scope and impact of COVID became apparent, Diane had the bright idea of using the enforced isolation and separation from others as an opportunity to start a new bird photography project. Her concept was to create a photographic record of the avifauna found on lands protected by POST, the Peninsula Open Space Trust.
Working as a team, they have photographed birds on more than 50 POST-protected locations and created the photo gallery Birds of Protected Lands. The gallery currently holds nearly 2,000 photos representing 196 species from 49 avian families. The photos are organized taxonomically by family and species, as you would find in any field guide.
This talk will present the best-of-the-best of these photos, organized not taxonomically but as you would find species if you visited the many distinct habitats that POST has protected. Check out POST's Natural Guide to Bay Area Birds for a sneak preview of bird species you may find.
Register at weblink.
Friday, 05/27/2022
Onset of convection in rotating spherical shells - 05/27/2022 12:00 PM
Earth and Marine Sciences Building Santa Cruz
Speaker: Ankit Barit, Johns Hopkins University
Calling Bullshit: The Art Of Skepticism In A Data-Driven World - Livestream - 05/27/2022 04:00 PM
Skeptical Inquirer
Today's world is more thoroughly quantified than ever before. We are awash in numbers, statistics, figures, algorithms, and data graphics. Quantitative information is power: it is used to convey objectivity, to strengthen arguments, and to inform decisions - and all too often it is used to impress, overwhelm, and persuade without any conviction to truth. Fortunately, one doesn't need an advanced degree in statistics or computer science to see right through the vast majority of quantitative misinformation. Drawing on examples of misleading claims from the COVID pandemic, misuses of artificial intelligence and other world events, we will empower you to push back when confronted by numerical arguments and data-hungry technologies. By focusing attention on the data sources and their weaknesses, rather than on the complex and often obscure algorithms and statistical procedures, you can see through the hype and hold your own against those who would sell you digital snake-oil.
Speakers: Carl Bergstrom and Jevin West, University of Washington
Register at weblink to receive connection information
Saturday, 05/28/2022
Science Saturdays - Day of the Dinosaur - 05/28/2022 10:00 AM
Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History
Prepare for time-travel during this prehistoric Science Saturday, when we'll set our sights on the age of the dinosaurs. This event will feature fossils, footprints, and more as we learn what made the dinosaurs so successful, and also what led to their extinction.
NASA's Artemis Takeover - 05/28/2022 10:00 AM
Chabot Space and Science Center Oakland
In Artemis I, the most powerful rocket in the world takes flight, leading the way for humanity's return to the Moon. To mark this summer's historic launch, NASA's Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley is taking over Chabot Space & Science Center with a day of hands-on learning. Get ready to explore NASA's next big mission with a new rover model unveiling, interactive activities, conversations with NASA scientists and technology from Ames.
VIPER Rover rolls into Chabot
See a scale model of NASA's Artemis lunar rover, the Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover, or VIPER. Launching in 2023, this rover is heading to the Moon's South Pole in search of ice and other potential resources. Its 100-day mission will answer big questions about lunar water and how it can be used for future human space exploration.
Urban Hikes: City College to San Francisco State - 05/28/2022 12:00 PM
Shaping San Francisco
Learn about the struggle for union rights and a Free City College, visit the Urbano Sundial, and end at the historic SF State University campus, where the 1968-69 student/faculty strikes led to the establishment of the first College of Ethnic Studies in the U.S.
RSVP required: shaping@foundsf.org to obtain specific location information.
Sunday, 05/29/2022
NASA's Artemis Takeover - 05/29/2022 10:00 AM
Chabot Space and Science Center Oakland
In Artemis I, the most powerful rocket in the world takes flight, leading the way for humanity's return to the Moon. To mark this summer's historic launch, NASA's Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley is taking over Chabot Space & Science Center with a day of hands-on learning. Get ready to explore NASA's next big mission with a new rover model unveiling, interactive activities, conversations with NASA scientists and technology from Ames.
VIPER Rover rolls into Chabot
See a scale model of NASA's Artemis lunar rover, the Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover, or VIPER. Launching in 2023, this rover is heading to the Moon's South Pole in search of ice and other potential resources. Its 100-day mission will answer big questions about lunar water and how it can be used for future human space exploration.
Monday, 05/30/2022
Wonderfest: The Science of Psychedelics - 05/30/2022 05:30 PM
Hopmonk Tavern Novato
Recent evidence reveals that psychedelics seem to be helpful for the treatment of several mental health conditions. Specifically, clinical findings show that psilocybin, MDMA, LSD, ayahuasca, ibogaine, and ketamine may be effective in treating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), generalized anxiety disorder, depression, alcohol and substance use disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. MDMA ("ecstasy") will most likely be the first psychedelic to undergo evaluation for full FDA approval (for treatment of PTSD) and DEA rescheduling.
Speaker: Jennifer Mitchell, UC San Francisco
Tuesday, 05/31/2022
Whole Earth Seminar - 05/31/2022 03:30 PM
Natural Science Annex Santa Cruz
Wednesday, 06/01/2022
Educating the Planet with Social Entrepreneur Sal Khan - 06/01/2022 04:30 PM
Computer History Museum Mountain View
Java in the Real World - Livestream - 06/01/2022 06:30 PM
UC Santa Cruz Silicon Valley Professional Ed.
Thursday, 06/02/2022
NoteLife: Buggin' Out - 06/02/2022 06:00 PM
California Academy of Sciences San Francisco
After Dark: Discover Wonder - 06/02/2022 06:00 PM
ExplOratorium San Francisco
The Awe of Birdwatching - Livestream - 06/02/2022 07:00 PM
Golden Gate Audubon Society
NightSchool: Life on Reefs - 06/02/2022 07:00 PM
California Academy of Sciences
Seeing the Universe through Quantum Eyes - Livestream - 06/02/2022 07:00 PM
SLAC Public Lecture Series Menlo Park
Friday, 06/03/2022
Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics Seminar - 06/03/2022 12:00 PM
Earth and Marine Sciences Building Santa Cruz
First Friday: Rainbows - 06/03/2022 06:00 PM
Chabot Space and Science Center Oakland
Astronomy Talk - Livestream - 06/03/2022 08:00 PM
San Mateo County Astronomical Society
Evening with the Stars at Lick Observatory - 06/03/2022 08:30 PM
Lick Observatory Mt. Hamilton
Saturday, 06/04/2022
Road to a Livable Climate - Bike and Walk for the Planet! - 06/04/2022 08:00 AM
Oakland Museum of California Oakland
Music of the Spheres at Lick Observatory - 06/04/2022 07:30 PM
Lick Observatory Mt. Hamilton
Gravitational Waves: The Discovery that Won the Nobel Prize - Livestream - 06/04/2022 07:30 PM
Mt. Tam Astronomy
Sunday, 06/05/2022
Road to a Livable Climate - Bike and Walk for the Planet! - 06/05/2022 08:00 AM
Veteran's Memorial Park Napa
Monday, 06/06/2022
Spins, Bits, and Flips: Essentials for High-Density Magnetic Random-Access Memory - Livestream - 06/06/2022 03:30 PM
SLAC Colloquium
Cosmic Catastrophes: Transient Phenomena and the Renaissance of Astrophysics - 06/06/2022 07:30 PM
California Academy of Sciences San FranciscoMonday, 05/23/2022
The stress on faults: fundamental physics of earthquakes - Livestream - 05/23/2022 03:30 PM
SLAC Colloquium
Earthquakes occur by overcoming fault friction, and therefore quantifying the resistance of faults is central to earthquake physics. Both static and dynamic friction values are required, and the latter is especially difficult to determine on natural faults. Perhaps the only way to solve the problem is to drill into a fault after an extremely large earthquake. The Japan Trench Fast Drilling Project (JFAST) did just this after the 2011 Mw 9.1 Tohoku earthquake and showed that the shear strength during the earthquake was substantially below that predicted by Byerlee's law, which was a touchstone of earthquake physics for a generation. The very low dynamic stress implies a complete reset of the earthquake cycle. The JFAST data also reopens the conundrum of why earthquakes have depth-independent stress drops that are smaller than would be anticipated if friction drops completely. We recreate the phenomenon in the laboratory by imaging ruptures in a transparent, analog model. Surprisingly, the laboratory stress drops are like the natural ones and independent of normal stress apparently due to self-organization of the stress field in a confined rupture.
Speaker: Emily Brodsky, UC Santa Cruz
Climate policies after Paris: Pledge, Trade and Recycle - Livestream - 05/23/2022 04:00 PM
Stanford Energy Seminar
This seminar will summarize insights from the 36th Energy Modeling Forum study (EMF36) on the magnitude and distribution of economic adjustment costs of greenhouse gas emission reduction targets. Under the Paris Agreement, countries have committed to emission reduction targets - so-called Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) - in order to combat global warming. The study suggests that aligning NDCs with the commonly agreed 2 degree C temperature target will induce global economic costs of roughly 1% in 2030. However, these costs are unevenly distributed across regions. Countries exporting fossil fuels are most adversely affected from the transition towards a low-carbon economy. In order to reduce adjustment costs at the global and regional level, comprehensive emissions trading which exploits least-cost abatement options is strongly desirable to avoid contentious normative debates on equitable burden sharing. Lump-sum recycling of revenues from emissions pricing, in equal amounts to every household, appeals as an attractive strategy to mitigate regressive effects and thereby improving the social acceptability of stringent climate policy.
Speaker: Chistoph Bohringer, Car von Ossietzky University, Oldenburg
Mechanisms of lipid quality control and ferroptosis - 05/23/2022 04:00 PM
James H. Clark Center (Bldg 340) Stanford
James Olzmann is an Associate Professor in the Departments of Molecular & Cell Biology and Nutritional Sciences & Toxicology at the University of California, Berkeley and an Investigator at the Chan Zuckerberg Biohub in San Francisco. Dr. Olzmann earned his B.S. in Biology at the University of Michigan and his Ph.D. in Neuroscience at Emory University. As a postdoctoral fellow at Stanford University in Ron Kopito's lab he studied the physical and functional organization of the endoplasmic reticulum-associated degradation (ERAD) pathway, a process that mediates the ubiquitin-dependent clearance of proteins from the early secretory pathway. Since 2013, Dr. Olzmann's research group at UC Berkeley has developed systems-level discovery approaches to uncover the cellular mechanisms that govern cellular lipid homeostasis, including the regulation of lipid droplets and ferroptosis. In this seminar, Dr. Olzmann will discuss recent advances in our understanding of cellular lipid quality control and ferroptosis.
Room: Auditorium
Student Work: AI-based computer interface for enhanced accessibility - Livestream - 05/23/2022 07:00 PM
SF Bay Association of Computing Machinery
While volunteering at AbilityPath, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing services to people with disabilities, I realized a major problem some people faced was not access to technology but being able to use it. Specifically, the high levels of fine motor control needed to use the interface (such as mice, trackpads, keyboards, and game controllers) prohibit many people's access. This problem led me toward a project to enhance computer accessibility without increasing cost.
I aimed to simplify and make computer interfaces more natural and accessible by using a much more common and direct form of communication: gestures. Using (I show how to get) signals captured by the webcam, I will show how the data is processed before being fed through two major AI models to first extract hand-landmark positions and then gestures from the landmarks.
Although existing commercial methods using facial expressions captured by a camera to control a game do exist, there is an overwhelming population of people who have troubles with fine motor control and won't benefit from an unintuitive, fairly unnatural form of the game interface. I minimized the required technology to further universalize the access, by using open-source software and free tools, as well as making the entire project open-source and thus free.
Speaker: Henri Sayag, Kehillah High School
Register at weblink to receive connection information, or watch here.
Tuesday, 05/24/2022
Battery R&D: The Strength of Electrochemistry - Supported by Analytics - 05/24/2022 11:00 AM
Shriram Center Stanford
Results from conventional direct-current (galvanostatic) operation during charge and discharge provide important key performance indicators such cycle life, capacity retention and rate performance. Systematic and smart adaptation of this technique can reveal precious additional information and can uncover underlying operation mechanisms and possible failure sources. In parallel, chemical-analytical methods cannot only prove and validate the assumptions elaborated from electrochemical diagnostics, but is able to deliver complementary missing ("blank area") information, beyond the possibilities of electrochemical techniques. This presentation will show selected examples of this complementary approach for high voltage/high capacity lithium ion batteries and lithium metal batteries, both being hot topics in actual battery R&D.
Speaker: Martin Winter, University of Munster
May Butterfly Walk - First Session - FULL - 05/24/2022 01:30 PM
UC Botanical Garden Berkeley
Join Sally Levinson, 'caterpillar lady', and Sarab Seth, 'butterfly guy,' for a guided, family friendly, one hour walk through the Botanical Garden in search of butterflies. Bring binoculars if you have them. This walk follows uneven terrain, with areas of paved and unpaved trail.
Register at weblink
May Butterfly Walk - Second Session - 05/24/2022 03:00 PM
UC Botanical Garden Berkeley
Join Sally Levinson, 'caterpillar lady', and Sarab Seth, 'butterfly guy,' for a guided, family friendly, one hour walk through the Botanical Garden in search of butterflies. Bring binoculars if you have them. This walk follows uneven terrain, with areas of paved and unpaved trail.
Register at weblink
Ice Friction and the seismicity of icy moons - 05/24/2022 03:30 PM
Natural Science Annex Santa Cruz
Speaker: Christine McCarthy, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory - Columbia University
The Race to Free Washington's Last Orca in Captivity - Livestream - 05/24/2022 07:00 PM
American Cetacean Society
Join the American Cetacean Society, San Francisco Bay Chapter for an inspiring presentation by Howard Garrett, founder of Orca Network. Mr. Garrett will speak about his organization's efforts to return Southern resident killer whale, Tokitae, to her native habitat. Tokitae ("Toki") was captured from the L pod in 1970 at about age 4 and delivered to a Miami marine park. Toki has not only survived almost 52 years confined in the same tiny tank, she's miraculously maintained her courage and gentle nature to this day.
Now the economics and politics around her are changing rapidly, although much of the press coverage about her is missing both her astounding resilience and a series of dramatic developments. The Miami Seaquarium where she is held now has a new owner. The USDA has required that the whale stadium must remain closed, and a new nonprofit organization, Friends of Lolita, is in charge of Toki's future. The new group was founded by a philanthropist and includes Lummi tribal elder Raynell Morris and cetologists Diana Reiss and Roger Payne. As of mid-April, nothing has been announced about moving Tokitae to a sea pen sanctuary, but the only option yet proposed is in the San Juan Islands, her native habitat. Join us to learn more about her current status and the next possible steps.
Register at weblink to receive connection information
Wednesday, 05/25/2022
Mercury contamination in mining-impacted watersheds of Appalachia and the Amazon - 05/25/2022 11:00 AM
Earth and Marine Sciences Building Santa Cruz
Speaker: Jacqueline Gerson, UC Berkeley
Kelp! opening reception - 05/25/2022 06:30 PM
836M Gallery San Francisco
836M Gallery presents "Kelp!," an exhibition centered on California's endangered kelp forests co-curated by Josie Iselin and featuring the work of Bay Area visual artists Tiffany Bozic, Ann Holsberry, Ellen Litwiller, Lina Prairie, Laurie Sawyer, as well as Iselin. The opening reception is free with RSVP at 836m.org/kelp."Bull kelp is the foundational species of California's coastal marine ecology, and they are crucial climate regulators," said Iselin, author of The Curious World of Seaweed. "Unfortunately, the ocean forests along California's North Coast have declined since 2014 due to a convergence of natural factors and human impacts on the oceans. Globally, kelp forests are critical for biodiversity and climate mitigation, but they are disappearing fast.""This ambitious exhibition brings together art and science to inspire wonder, activate visitors' curiosity and catalyze action to protect our great forests of the sea. We learn not only about seaweeds but also their resilience, resourcefulness, poetry and magic." Employing a variety of techniques and media - from drawing, photography, painting, printing and sculpture - the artists, all of them women based in the Bay Area, have devoted their careers to exploring the underrepresented flora of the sea. For this exhibition 836M will be transformed into an immersive environment featuring prints on textile by Iselin, cyanotypes by Ann Holsberry, kelp sculptures by Lina Prairie, prints by Laurie Sawyer, a tondo by Tiffany Bozic and a mural by Ellen Litwiller mounted in the Gallery's adjacent office space. The opening reception will feature chef and author Maria Finn. Before she moved to Sausalito, she worked in the commercial fishing industry in Alaska. Other events include a food tasting, documentary screenings and a policy panel designed to inform voters on matters of environmental concern before election day in the fall.The exhibition continues through December 8.
Do Humans Have What it Takes to Thrive in this Universe? - Livestream - 05/25/2022 07:00 PM
Silicon Valley Astronomy Series
Modern astronomy is revealing the story of our cosmic origins -- where the Galaxy came from, how the Sun and Earth were formed, and how the elements in our bodies were forged in stars and later gathered to form "us". We are now poised to use that knowledge to predict Earth's cosmic future, and it looks bright ahead - one billion years (more or less) of a future livable planet. However, one question then glows in stark relief: does our human species - honed by natural selection - have the makings to thrive on a cosmic time scale? In this lecture, Prof. Faber will share her perspective as a cosmologist, and sketch her vision for what we humans need to do to seize this incredible opportunity.
Speaker: Winner of the National Medal of Science, Sandra Faber is Professor Emerita of Astronomy & Astrophysics at UC Santa Cruz.
Nerd Nite SF #125: Explosions, Godzilla, and a 500 Mile Walk! - 05/25/2022 08:00 PM
Rickshaw Stop San Francisco
The Explosive History of Exploding Wires
For about 175 years prior to the Trinity test in 1945, exploding wires had been noted but neither understood nor much studied. The success of implosion fission - reliant on exploding wire detonators - kicked off intense research on ex-wires in the US and abroad, as many parties around the world launched their own weapons development programs. In short, exploding wires made the bomb possible, while the success of the bomb drove decades-long efforts to understand exploding wires. This peculiar symbiosis has continued ever since, with exploding wires making regular appearances in the historical record of nuclear weapons R&D. This talk will give a very brief introduction to exploding wire phenomena, and survey the role ex-wires have played in nuclear weapons R&D.
Speaker: Glenn Carroll is a former Machine Learning researcher with time in both academic and corporate environments.
Godzilla: History, Biology, and Behavior of Hyper-Evolved Theropod Kaiju
Tsunami, earthquake, hurricane and typhoon all rolled in one, Godzilla, "King of the Monsters," has both plagued and benefited humanity for over half a century. By examining the origins and zoology of this force of nature, people and nations will be better equipped to deal with the awesome destructive power of our radioactive visitor from the Cretaceous.
Speaker: Shyaporn Theerakulstit is an actor, writer, YouTuber, cosplayer and general "nerd about town."
Eat. Sleep. Walk. Repeat
For over a millennium, pilgrims of all ages, genders, races, religions, and nations have walked the Way of St. James / Camino de Santiago ("the Camino"). The most common route is a 500 mile, 30 day journey starting in southern France and ending in northern Spain, in Santiago de Compostela. What is the Camino? Why has it appealed to religious and non-religious alike through the centuries? In recent years, why have so many people gone? (Since 2013, more than 200,000 pilgrims per year!). Why has it made such an imprint on the pilgrims who have walked it? (Paulo Coelho walked the Camino and named his protagonist in The Alchemist Santiago).
Come learn about why you should consider doing the Camino from Dwight Asuncion, world traveler and travel writer. Dwight has traveled to all 7 continents and 25+ countries and considers his Camino experience the best / most important trip of his life.
Deep Sea Mining, Coming Soon to an Ocean Near You? - 05/25/2022 08:00 PM
Museum of Art and History Santa Cruz
Global demand for technologies like cellphones and laptops is increasing every year, and the transition to green energy is creating a need for more and new batteries. These both result in huge projected increases in metal demand which are now driving mining companies into the deep ocean in search of new mineral resources. We have known that the deep sea contains vast reserves of metals and minerals since the 1800s, but until now the economic pressures and required technologies have been insufficient for deep sea mining to begin in earnest. This is arguably one of the biggest, most important issues facing mankind at this moment marking how we will approach the transition away from fossil fuels and what ocean stewardship will look like in the future. In this talk I will present fundamental information on this global issue and present the latest ongoing deep sea research in relation to deep sea mining. The possible environmental impacts are vast and still poorly understood. The deep sea with both its fantastic and alien communities of animals and its mineral resources are legally the common heritage of all mankind, and so you, me and everyone on this planet are stakeholders in this debate.
Speaker: Astrid Leitner, UC Santa Cruz
Thursday, 05/26/2022
Bird Migration: Opportunity Wants A Map - Livestream - 05/26/2022 12:00 PM
Stanford University
Avian migration is one of the most beautiful events on earth. From the clamorous departure of Geese flying north overhead to the cautious arrival of Songbirds in spring, these ancient feats of orientation, navigation, and critical fuel management are all around us. Join us for a webinar with Matthew Dodder, Executive Director of the Santa Clara Valley Audobon Society, and learn how this behavior evolved, how it works, and why it may be at risk. We will also explore ways you can observe migration in your own back yard.
Register at weblink for connection information
This event was originally scheduled for May 11, 2022
Deceiving the Superorganism: Infiltration of Ant Societies by Stealth Beetles - Livestream - 05/26/2022 05:00 PM
Cafe Scientifique Silicon Valley
What allows a freeloading outsider to don a disguise and infiltrate a tight-knit society? Extreme evolution. By means of rapid and dramatic behavioral, anatomical, and chemical adaptations, a group of insects named rove beetles can assimilate into ant colonies - normally fiercely xenophobic - and exploit their social hosts undetected. This remarkable group of beetles, the most species-rich family in the animal kingdom, provides a paradigm for studying how interactions between species emerge during evolution.
Speaker: Joseph Parker, California Institute of Technology
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NightLife - 05/26/2022 06:00 PM
California Academy of Sciences San Francisco
Calling all creatures of the night: explore the nocturnal side of the Academy at NightLife and see what's revealed. With live DJs, outdoor bars, ambiance lighting, and nearly 40,000 live animals (including familiar faces like Claude the albino alligator), the night is sure to be wild.
On May 26th catch a sneak peek of new exhibits, Bugs and Hidden Wonders, officially opening on May 27th.
Step inside the iconic Shake House and our four-story Rainforest, where you can explore the Amazon's treetops surrounded by free-flying birds and butterflies. Reservations for these exhibits are no longer required. However, please note that the last entry into the rainforest is 7:30 pm - our animals need their sleep.
Venture into our latest aquarium exhibit Venom to encounter live venomous animals and learn the power of venom to both harm and heal.
Visit the BigPicture exhibit in the Piazza to marvel at the most recent winners of the BigPicture Natural Photography competition.
Bask in the glow of one of the largest living coral reef displays in the world: our 212,000-gallon Philippine Coral Reef tank.
Take in the interstellar views from the Living Roof, then grab a bite from the Academy Cafe and head to the West Garden outdoor bar to drink and dine under the stars. For adults 21+.
Using Military Remote Sensing Technology to Support Federal Civil Agency Science: Sunk Cost, Well Spent - Livestream - 05/26/2022 06:00 PM
US Geological Survey Public Lecture Series
Speaker: Paul M. Young, Director of the USGS National Civil Applications Center
The USGS has a long history of using images from military and Intelligence community satellites to support our science.Learn how public safety, disaster response, and environmental monitoring missions are supported. This cooperation benefits all Americans and is an example of good government.
Go to weblink to join the lecture
After Dark: See for Yourself - 05/26/2022 06:00 PM
ExplOratorium San Francisco
Spark your curiosity at After Dark! As the Sun sets, we'll hit the rainbow lights, turn the music up, and open our doors, inviting you to take your imagination out to play. Fuel up with a cocktail and prepare to roam free through six spacious outdoor and indoor spaces. Be ready to bring fresh eyes to old favorites and uncover phenomenal new experiences.
Cell Phone Miniscope 6:00 - 10:00 p.m. Crossroads
We invite you to open your eyes to the amazing world of the ultra-tiny! Be sure to grab a miniscope kit and directions - then convert your cell phone into a portable, picture-taking miniscope using a simple plastic lens from a laser pointer. Use it to see the Exploratorium at its smallest scale, then take it home to continue exploring new environments!
Birds of Peninsula Open Space Trust Protected Lands - Livestream - 05/26/2022 07:00 PM
Peninsula Open Space Trust
Whether you're new or familiar to birding and POST, this photo filled presentation will provide a snapshot of several bird species you may find on POST protected lands.
Diane and Peter Hart are adult-onset birders who slouched into birding and bird photography while winding down their professional careers. Diane as an educator and author of 20 textbooks, Peter as an Artificial Intelligence and robotics pioneer, founded or led half a dozen companies and international research centers. They have complemented their field time with volunteer service to the word of birds, Diane as past president of the Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society, and Peter as a Board member of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
In the Summer of 2020, as the full scope and impact of COVID became apparent, Diane had the bright idea of using the enforced isolation and separation from others as an opportunity to start a new bird photography project. Her concept was to create a photographic record of the avifauna found on lands protected by POST, the Peninsula Open Space Trust.
Working as a team, they have photographed birds on more than 50 POST-protected locations and created the photo gallery Birds of Protected Lands. The gallery currently holds nearly 2,000 photos representing 196 species from 49 avian families. The photos are organized taxonomically by family and species, as you would find in any field guide.
This talk will present the best-of-the-best of these photos, organized not taxonomically but as you would find species if you visited the many distinct habitats that POST has protected. Check out POST's Natural Guide to Bay Area Birds for a sneak preview of bird species you may find.
Register at weblink.
Friday, 05/27/2022
Onset of convection in rotating spherical shells - 05/27/2022 12:00 PM
Earth and Marine Sciences Building Santa Cruz
Speaker: Ankit Barit, Johns Hopkins University
Calling Bullshit: The Art Of Skepticism In A Data-Driven World - Livestream - 05/27/2022 04:00 PM
Skeptical Inquirer
Today's world is more thoroughly quantified than ever before. We are awash in numbers, statistics, figures, algorithms, and data graphics. Quantitative information is power: it is used to convey objectivity, to strengthen arguments, and to inform decisions - and all too often it is used to impress, overwhelm, and persuade without any conviction to truth. Fortunately, one doesn't need an advanced degree in statistics or computer science to see right through the vast majority of quantitative misinformation. Drawing on examples of misleading claims from the COVID pandemic, misuses of artificial intelligence and other world events, we will empower you to push back when confronted by numerical arguments and data-hungry technologies. By focusing attention on the data sources and their weaknesses, rather than on the complex and often obscure algorithms and statistical procedures, you can see through the hype and hold your own against those who would sell you digital snake-oil.
Speakers: Carl Bergstrom and Jevin West, University of Washington
Register at weblink to receive connection information
Saturday, 05/28/2022
Science Saturdays - Day of the Dinosaur - 05/28/2022 10:00 AM
Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History
Prepare for time-travel during this prehistoric Science Saturday, when we'll set our sights on the age of the dinosaurs. This event will feature fossils, footprints, and more as we learn what made the dinosaurs so successful, and also what led to their extinction.
NASA's Artemis Takeover - 05/28/2022 10:00 AM
Chabot Space and Science Center Oakland
In Artemis I, the most powerful rocket in the world takes flight, leading the way for humanity's return to the Moon. To mark this summer's historic launch, NASA's Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley is taking over Chabot Space & Science Center with a day of hands-on learning. Get ready to explore NASA's next big mission with a new rover model unveiling, interactive activities, conversations with NASA scientists and technology from Ames.
VIPER Rover rolls into Chabot
See a scale model of NASA's Artemis lunar rover, the Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover, or VIPER. Launching in 2023, this rover is heading to the Moon's South Pole in search of ice and other potential resources. Its 100-day mission will answer big questions about lunar water and how it can be used for future human space exploration.
Urban Hikes: City College to San Francisco State - 05/28/2022 12:00 PM
Shaping San Francisco
Learn about the struggle for union rights and a Free City College, visit the Urbano Sundial, and end at the historic SF State University campus, where the 1968-69 student/faculty strikes led to the establishment of the first College of Ethnic Studies in the U.S.
RSVP required: shaping@foundsf.org to obtain specific location information.
Sunday, 05/29/2022
NASA's Artemis Takeover - 05/29/2022 10:00 AM
Chabot Space and Science Center Oakland
In Artemis I, the most powerful rocket in the world takes flight, leading the way for humanity's return to the Moon. To mark this summer's historic launch, NASA's Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley is taking over Chabot Space & Science Center with a day of hands-on learning. Get ready to explore NASA's next big mission with a new rover model unveiling, interactive activities, conversations with NASA scientists and technology from Ames.
VIPER Rover rolls into Chabot
See a scale model of NASA's Artemis lunar rover, the Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover, or VIPER. Launching in 2023, this rover is heading to the Moon's South Pole in search of ice and other potential resources. Its 100-day mission will answer big questions about lunar water and how it can be used for future human space exploration.
Monday, 05/30/2022
Wonderfest: The Science of Psychedelics - 05/30/2022 05:30 PM
Hopmonk Tavern Novato
Recent evidence reveals that psychedelics seem to be helpful for the treatment of several mental health conditions. Specifically, clinical findings show that psilocybin, MDMA, LSD, ayahuasca, ibogaine, and ketamine may be effective in treating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), generalized anxiety disorder, depression, alcohol and substance use disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. MDMA ("ecstasy") will most likely be the first psychedelic to undergo evaluation for full FDA approval (for treatment of PTSD) and DEA rescheduling.
Speaker: Jennifer Mitchell, UC San Francisco
Tuesday, 05/31/2022
Whole Earth Seminar - 05/31/2022 03:30 PM
Natural Science Annex Santa Cruz
Wednesday, 06/01/2022
Educating the Planet with Social Entrepreneur Sal Khan - 06/01/2022 04:30 PM
Computer History Museum Mountain View
First Fridays: It's Rocket Science - 06/01/2022 06:00 PM
Chabot Space and Science Center Oakland
Java in the Real World - Livestream - 06/01/2022 06:30 PM
UC Santa Cruz Silicon Valley Professional Ed.
Thursday, 06/02/2022
NoteLife: Buggin' Out - 06/02/2022 06:00 PM
California Academy of Sciences San Francisco
After Dark: Discover Wonder - 06/02/2022 06:00 PM
ExplOratorium San Francisco
The Awe of Birdwatching - Livestream - 06/02/2022 07:00 PM
Golden Gate Audubon Society
NightSchool: Life on Reefs - 06/02/2022 07:00 PM
California Academy of Sciences
Seeing the Universe through Quantum Eyes - Livestream - 06/02/2022 07:00 PM
SLAC Public Lecture Series Menlo Park
Friday, 06/03/2022
Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics Seminar - 06/03/2022 12:00 PM
Earth and Marine Sciences Building Santa Cruz
First Friday: Rainbows - 06/03/2022 06:00 PM
Chabot Space and Science Center Oakland
Astronomy Talk - Livestream - 06/03/2022 08:00 PM
San Mateo County Astronomical Society
Evening with the Stars at Lick Observatory - 06/03/2022 08:30 PM
Lick Observatory Mt. Hamilton
Saturday, 06/04/2022
Road to a Livable Climate - Bike and Walk for the Planet! - 06/04/2022 08:00 AM
Oakland Museum of California Oakland
Music of the Spheres at Lick Observatory - 06/04/2022 07:30 PM
Lick Observatory Mt. Hamilton
Gravitational Waves: The Discovery that Won the Nobel Prize - Livestream - 06/04/2022 07:30 PM
Mt. Tam Astronomy
Sunday, 06/05/2022
Road to a Livable Climate - Bike and Walk for the Planet! - 06/05/2022 08:00 AM
Veteran's Memorial Park Napa
Monday, 06/06/2022
Spins, Bits, and Flips: Essentials for High-Density Magnetic Random-Access Memory - Livestream - 06/06/2022 03:30 PM
SLAC Colloquium
Cosmic Catastrophes: Transient Phenomena and the Renaissance of Astrophysics - 06/06/2022 07:30 PM
California Academy of Sciences San Francisco