Greetings Science Fans, Acceptors, and Believers, (Super bowl fans too!)
I’m not even sure where to begin this week. There has been such amazing progress in science and yet I have to admit that I am often caught by some of what I can only say is bizarre stuff. More about that later.
There have been many things that science has proved that are still denied by some. It seems like we might be getting to some level of coexistence with covid. One of the many things that I have learned over the years is that science isn’t particularly democratic or responsive to what the public wants it to be. Somehow many people think that we are exempt from how the universe (nature) actually works or even how nature works in other countries. As I often mention, we are truly lucky to be living in a time where science actually seems to work. It’s hard to do do science, maybe even harder than ever before. But the push to defy what has and is being learned is staggering. I long to hear a leader say “an abundance of caution” when reducing safety protocols. I’m sure that we will learn a lot of interesting new bits of social science in the upcoming years from what has happened. Vaccine or science denial, I think for a many people, has become politics with a very small bit of real concern and thought underlying it. It does have a history though. Social values have driven some recent resistance as well.
Amazing things are still happening in science every day. One of the things that I love learning about is how something that looks so simple can be so complex and effective. Consider The Astounding Physics of N95 Masks and Why Discovering 'Nothing' in Science Can Be So Incredibly Important. Even pandemics have helped us get where we are and are stimulating new science and discovery. 2,470 years ago Anaxagoras proposed a question that is only now being solved.
It’s cold but still needs to cool down more. You may remember when Hubble first looked out at the heavens things didn’t go so well. Well this time, it seems like the James Webb Telescope is off to an amazing start even though is has a long way to go before the real science begins.
One more bit of local news… The explOratorium has a new leader, if you haven’t seen this version I suggest that you watch it, it’s much more about the museum and the future than some of the other reports have been.
There’s a lot of things going on this week as well.
Live from the Field: Conservation Through Art & Science - Livestream Mon @ 12:00
Whales, their song, their culture: another intelligence on Earth - Livestream Tue @ 11:00
#NoToPlastic Community Clean-Ups Sat @ 9:45 Oakland
Starting this week the explOratorium is going full Mars! See a full scale model of Perseverance in the museum! After Dark: Mars! Thu 2.17 @ 6:00 at the museum Persey's First Year on Mars – Livestream Fri 2.18 @ 1:00 Mars Rover Landing Anniversary Party! Sat 11:00 to 4:00 at the museum (Sunday too!)
Of course I would love everyone to have and share a passion for science! So as I said earlier… Wow! Chimpanzees seem to be practicing medicine and there’s some crazy and bizarre stuff out there. We all here about the price of real estate. Please don’t make your decisions using these articles… Mercury in Retrograde: Your Guide to Buying and Selling While the Planets Go Crazy, 7 Feng Shui Mistakes That Can Give You Bad Vibes, The Home Style That's Right for You, According to Your Zodiac Sign, Pushing Your Luck? 9 Surprising Things in Your Home That Give Off Bad Juju
If you’re getting the urge to travel I suggest that while they might be interesting Null Island and Point Nemo are not good choices!
Finally here’s some good Valentines day news!
Have another great week learning cool new stuff. Of course a great way to do that would be to go to the science museum closest to where you live. Tell me about it!
herb masters
"It is wrong, always, everywhere, for anyone to believe anything on insufficient evidence"
William Kingdon Clifford
Upcoming Events:
Click to see the next two weeks of events in your browser.
Monday, 02/14/2022
Live from the Field: Conservation Through Art & Science - Livestream - 02/14/2022 12:00 PM
Sonoma State Biology Colloquium
Speakers: Six Researchers & Artists from Field Stations & Marine Labs Across the Country
See link for Zoom information
Benchmark NLP Datasets - Livestream - 02/14/2022 12:15 PM
Stanford Symbolic Systems Forum
Like many areas of AI, present-day NLP is data-driven. As a result, the available benchmark datasets are the primary factor in shaping the field itself. This has wide-ranging consequences for research, technology, and increasingly for society. How do we conceptualize different tasks, and which tasks receive the most attention from researchers? Which languages are adequately represented in our literature? Which groups benefit most from language technologies? Where will our systems deliver results that are embarrassing or worse? The answers to all these questions lie largely in the data we have for training and assessment. It is therefore in our best interests to deeply understand the datasets on which we are so dependent, and to seek out innovative new ways of collecting and validating relevant data. In this talk, I will report on a number of recent efforts to create more meaningful benchmarks for the field, and I will seek to identify persistent challenges and open questions in this area.
Speaker: Chris Potts, Stanford University
See weblink to register
Advancing oil and gas decarbonization through technology - Livestream - 02/14/2022 12:15 PM
Stanford Energy
As the oil and gas industry comes under increasing pressure to decarbonize, companies are responding in several ways. A common denominator underlying most of them―reducing emissions from core operations, exploiting existing oil and gas assets for decarbonization purposes, launching new low-carbon business lines―is the technology and broader forms of innovation needed to enable them. Because the pace and direction of technology advances in these areas will largely determine the industry’s progress toward its low-carbon future.
Speaker: Carolyn Seto, IHS Markit
See weblink for Zoom information
Quantum Nanophotonics Hardware: From Nanofabrication to Quantum Circuit Mapping - Livestream - 02/14/2022 02:30 PM
UC Berkeley Condensed Matter Physics Seminar
Photonic systems are the leading candidates for deterministic quantum sources, quantum repeaters, and other key devices for quantum information processing. Scalability of this technology depends on the stability, homogeneity and coherence properties of quantum emitters. Here, color centers in wide band gap materials offer favorable properties for applications in quantum memories, single-photon sources, quantum sensors, and spin-photon interfaces [1,2]. Silicon carbide, in particular, has been an attractive commercial host of color centers featuring fiber-compatible single photon emission, long spin-coherence times and nonlinear optical properties [3]. Integration of color centers with nanophotonic devices has been a challenging task, but significant progress has been made with demonstrations up to 120-fold resonant emission enhancement of emitters embedded in photonic crystal cavities [4]. A novel direction in overcoming the integration challenge has been the development of triangular photonic devices, recently shown to preserve millisecond-scale spin-coherence in silicon carbide defects [5,6]. Triangular photonics has promising applications in quantum networks, integrated quantum circuits, and quantum simulation. Here, open quantum system modeling provides insights into polaritonic physics achievable with realistic device parameters through evaluation of cavity-protection, localization and phase transition effects [7]. Mapping of this dynamics to gate-based quantum circuits opens door for quantum advantage in understanding cavity quantum electrodynamical (QED) effects using commercial Noisy Intermediate-Scale Quantum (NISQ) hardware [8].
Speaker: Marina Radulaski, UC Davis
Attend in person or online. See weblink for Zoom information
Detecting Dark Matter in Celestial Bodies - Livestream - 02/14/2022 03:30 PM
SLAC Colloquium
The theory describing dark matter remains completely unknown, and requires new search ideas to resolve its identity. It turns out that stars and planets can be ideal playgrounds to discover dark matter. In this talk, I will review a range of dark matter searches using celestial objects, including neutron stars, exoplanets, solar-system planets, and our Sun. I will discuss different search strategies, their opportunities and limitations, and the interplay of regimes where different celestial objects are optimal dark matter detectors.
Speaker: Rebecca Leane, SLAC
See weblink for Zoom information
Energy, Engineering, Education, and Everything - Livestream - 02/14/2022 04:00 PM
Stanford Energy Seminar
Drawing on Dr. Swisher's two decades of teaching clean energy and climate solutions at Stanford and state universities, we'll explore new models for teaching and learning with a mission to avert climate change and achieve sustainability, which are also the charge of Stanford's new School.
Speaker: Joel Swisher, Western Washington University
See weblink for connection link.
Bridging the process-pattern divide in ecology and evolution - Livestream - 02/14/2022 04:00 PM
Stanford University
Dr. James T. Stroud is an evolutionary ecologist that explores the processes responsible for the generation and maintenance of large-scale patterns of biological diversity, primarily using lizards as a model system. Specifically, his research focuses on bridging this process-pattern divide by studying how ecological and microevolutionary processes - those able to be observed and measured in the wild - may underlie macro-scale patterns of diversity through space and time. James is currently a postdoctoral research fellow at Washington University in St. Louis, having previously completed his PhD at Florida International University. In 2021, James was named a recipient of the American Society of Naturalist's Jasper Loftus-Hills Young Investigator Award.
See weblink for access
UC Berkeley Physics Colloquia - Canceled - 02/14/2022 04:15 PM
UC Berkeley
Speaker: TBA
See weblink for Zoom information
Slugs & Steins : What is the Dark Matter? - Livestream - 02/14/2022 06:30 PM
UC Santa Cruz
Four fifths of the matter in the universe is made of something completely different from the "ordinary matter" we know and love. I will explain why this "dark matter" is an unavoidable ingredient to explain the universe as we observe it, and I will describe what the fundamental, particle nature of the dark matter could possibly consist of. I will then give an overview of strategies to search for dark matter as a particle, describe a few examples of possible hints of discovery, and outline ways forward in this exciting hunt.
Speaker: Stefano Profumo, UC Santa Cruz
Register at weblink to receive connection information
Tuesday, 02/15/2022
Weekday Morning Hike at Rancho Cañada del Oro - FULL - 02/15/2022 10:00 AM
Rancho Canada Del Oro Open Space Preserve Morgan hill
Join Peninsula Open Space Trust for an excursion where you’ll explore the Mayfair Ranch - Longwall Canyon trails of Rancho Cañada del Oro! You will be guided by POST Ambassadors who will share with you the history of the preserve, the region, and the importance of conservation in the area.
The hike is moderate to strenuous at about 4 miles round trip with about 700 feet of gradual elevation gain.
This wonderful preserve is a hub for wildlife, such as deer, bobcats, mountain lions, and more! In the Spring, you can expect a colorful array of wildflowers adorning the hillsides, and you may get a chance to see a beautiful little creek running through Llagas meadow.
Register at weblink
Whales, their song, their culture: another intelligence on Earth - Livestream - 02/15/2022 11:00 AM
SETI Institute
Whales have been on this planet for longer than humans have walked upright. Are they intelligent? Linguists contend that even the most intelligent non-human animals lack a communication system that could be called language. But could whales prove an exception?
Biologists have studied whales for decades and quickly realized that they lead complex social lives.
For example, sperm whales have the animal kingdom’s biggest brains, six times larger than ours. They live in female-dominated social networks and exchange codas in a staccato duet, especially when near the surface. They segregate into clans of hundreds or thousands, identifying themselves using different click codas. In a sense, clans speak different dialects.
Interestingly, this is a complex communication and a musical culture for humpback whales. Deep-sea recordings have shown that their songs change over time. New ones appear regularly and evolve across the Pacific ocean, transmitted from one individual to others over several years.
Scientists recently envisioned developing an ambitious new Apollo program to create a translation tool from those aliens of the deep. The quest, dubbed Project CETI (Cetacean Translation Initiative), is likely the most extensive interspecies communication effort in history.
We invited two renowned whale biologists to describe their research and discuss the culture of whales, the understanding of their song and this ambitious CETI. Ellen Garland from the University of St Andrews, UK, focuses primarily on cultural transmission, vocal learning, and function of humpback whale song and Shane Gero, Scientist-In-Residence at Ottawa’s Carleton University and Founder of The Dominica Sperm Whale Project.
Senior Astronomer Franck Marchis will moderate this conversation. They will discuss how we may be on the verge of understanding what whales say to one another as they go about their lives in the wild and how this work might provide a framework for conversing with extraterrestrial life in the future.
Uncovering Cancer-Associated Epigenetic Events Using Novel Chemical Tools - 02/15/2022 11:00 AM
Latimer Hall Berkeley
Cellular proteins continuously undergo non-enzymatic covalent modifications (NECMs), which alter protein structure, function, stability and binding-partner affinity. These chemical modifications accumulate under normal physiological conditions but can also be stimulated by various changes in the cellular environment, such as redox state and metabolite concentration. The half-life of histones is among the longest in the cellular proteome, making them prime targets for NECMs. In addition, histones have emerged as key regulators of transcription, acting primarily through post-translational modification to their disordered N-terminal regions, which are rich in lysines and arginines. Indeed, we have recently shown that non-enzymatic glycation is a pathophysiological modification that specifically accumulates on histones in metabolically abrogated cells such as cancer tumors. We further showed that histone glycation disrupts regulatory post-translational modifications (PTMs, acetylation, methylation, etc.) as well as chromatin architecture. Additionally, we identified several potent regulator of histone glycation in vitro and in cells and define it as new therapeutic targets. In my talk I will describe the chemical tools we have developed in order to characterize this new class of histone modifications, their effect on the epigenetic landscape as well as the enzymes we revealed to regulate them, presenting a direct link between metabolism and cell fate through epigenetic mechanisms.
Speaker: Yael David, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
What lies beneath? Using sub-ice geologic archives to bridge the gap between modern ice-sheet processes and paleo reconstructions - 02/15/2022 03:30 PM
Natural Science Annex Santa Cruz
Speaker: Ryan Venturelli, Tulane University
Topologically Protected Boundary Modes in 2D and 3D materials - 02/15/2022 04:00 PM
Latimer Hall Berkeley
Topological insulators and superconductors host exotic boundary states with unique properties such as Dirac dispersion and chiral spin texture. The helical and chiral edge modes of a two-dimensional TI can carry dissipationless currents while similar modes in topological superconductors are expected to be (the elusive) Majorana fermions which are thought to be useful for quantum computation. Realizing and measuring the properties of these modes is therefore fundamentally and technologically interesting. In this talk I will introduce the essential concepts of topologically non-trivial materials and present scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) studies of a few different types of topological materials: a two-dimensional topological insulator (monolayer film of 1T-WTe2) and a three-dimensional superconductor (FeSeTe). I will show STM images of topological boundary modes in both systems and show evidence for existence of Majorana fermions in FeSeTe. As time permits, I will show how STM can be used to image the wavefunctions of chiral edge modes in Co3Sn2S2.
Speaker: Vidya Madhavan, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champagne
Two Talks: Popping the Science Bubble - Livestream - 02/15/2022 05:30 PM
Berkeley Public Library
Good Viruses: Powerful Tools Deliver a Next Generation of Life-Saving Medicines
Viruses are conventionally known as the bad guys: societal antagonists that can cause destruction in our bodies, sicknesses, birth defects, and even death. Adam introduces a whole different class of viruses - those that are being programmed as research tools to better understand our biology and as medicines to cure cancers, infections, and genetic diseases.
Speaker: Adam Schieferecke, UC Berkeley
Cerebral Visual Impairments: A Childhood Brain Based Visual Impairment
The opposite of seeing is not always blindness. In cases of CVIs, children can have “seeing”, and at times, perfectly functioning eyes but limited useful visual information. Vision involves processing visual information and using this information to identify and navigate things around us. In this condition, there is a discrepancy between vision function and functional vision. In other words, we try to identify how useful vision is in the child’s everyday tasks. In my talk, we will look more closely at the processes involved in what we call higher-order visual perceptual abilities and how this disorder is diagnosed.
Speaker: Reem Almagati, UC Berkeley
See weblink for Zoom and Facebook Live links
Wild Mushroom Cookery - Livestream - 02/15/2022 07:00 PM
Mycological Society of San Francisco
Chad Hyatt has made a name for himself in Northern California and beyond by sharing his delicious spin on wild mushroom cookery at public and private events. Both an expert forager and classically trained chef, he has cooked in a variety of restaurants and private clubs around the San Francisco Bay area, where he can often be found putting on wild mushroom themed dinners and teaching mushroom related classes.
Chad's cooking career began more than a decade ago, after leaving an engineering career for culinary school. He has cooked in a wide range of kitchens, from Michelin-starred fine dining to opening a BBQ restaurant, and from country club to gastropub. He is passionate about approachable comfort food, based on local, seasonal ingredients, and, of course, wild mushrooms.
See weblink for Zoom information
Wednesday, 02/16/2022
Clean Hydrogen - Blue vs Green Hydrogen and its role in our energy future - Livestream - 02/16/2022 12:00 PM
Electrify Now
Hydrogen is emerging as an important, potential zero-emission transportation, industrial and energy storage fuel. But there are many ways to make hydrogen and not all of them are climate friendly. Colors have been used to indicate how the hydrogen is made. Green hydrogen for example indicates hydrogen that has been created using renewable energy while grey hydrogen is created using fossil fuels. Blue hydrogen is created by using fossil fuels but includes carbon capture and storage to sequester some of the carbon dioxide emitted.
Join us for a webinar that will explore the differences between green vs blue hydrogen with one of the leading experts on the topic, Cornell Professor Robert Howarth. He released a study in August 2021 showing that blue hydrogen is energy intensive and releases significant green house gas emissions even when sequestering some of the carbon dioxide released. Robert Howarth is also an expert in natural gas leakage and will discuss the important topic of underreported methane leaks.
This Way to the Universe ... and to the Edge of Reality - Livestream - 02/16/2022 03:00 PM
Commonwealth Club - Online Event
Modern physics provides a stunning view of the universe on scales both vast and miniscule, and, of course, on the scale of our everyday lives. In his new book, This Way to the Universe: A Theoretical Physicist's Journey to the Edge of Reality, Dr. Michael Dine describes humanity's - and his own - attempts to face profound mysteries like Dark Matter, Dark Energy, and (even) why the universe consists of something rather than nothing! Prof. Dine describes the danger of falling in love with math as he shows how our arcane-but-essential approaches to understanding the stuff of reality - like String Theory - may be experimentally testable.
Speaker: Michael Dine, UC Santa Cruz
See weblink for discount code from Wonderfest
Coastal acidification in estuaries: lessons of vulnerability and exposure from the Eastern oyster - Livestream - 02/16/2022 03:40 PM
Estuary & Ocean Science Center
Predicting exposure and vulnerability of estuarine ecosystems to coastal acidification requires a good understanding of global ocean acidification as well as the complex, existing spatial and temporal gradients in carbonate chemistry. To anticipate effects of coastal acidification on coastal species, like the Eastern oyster, it is crucial to characterize existing variability in carbonate chemistry and interpret this variability in the context of a population’s tolerance thresholds. First, I will discuss emerging results from investigations of acidification tolerance thresholds in Eastern oysters. Then, I will present a case study for leveraging water quality time series to explore excursions of water chemistry below physiological tolerance thresholds. Then, I will summarize of our efforts to characterize regional drivers of exposure and vulnerability, including submerged aquatic vegetation and stakeholder resilience. This work provides important insight on when and where impacts of coastal acidification on Eastern oysters may first emerge in the Chesapeake Bay region.
Speaker: Emily Rivest, Virginia Institute of Marine Science
See weblink for Zoom registration
Climate Change and Drought - Livestream - 02/16/2022 04:00 PM
Acterra
California’s ecosystems are undergoing a tremendous and rapid shift as a result of warming and drying - telltale fingerprints from global climate change observed on a regional scale. In this three-part series, our invited experts will delve into the “how,” “why,” and “when” of the complex feedback loops in our climate system - moving from climate change to drought, from drought to wildfires; and finally, to wildfire-related emissions further exacerbating climate change. The series will explore ecosystem stressors, management, restoration, adaptation, and resilience in California, incorporating the latest available scientific data.
Speaker: Pablo Ortiz Partida is a Bilingual Climate and Water Scientist for the Climate & Energy program at the Union of Concerned Scientists. Pablo works on developing strategies for vulnerable sectors and populations in California to cope with and adapt to the current and projected impacts of climate change, particularly related to water impacts. He holds a Ph.D. in Hydrology and Water Resources Management and carries out primary analysis on how changing climate patterns are impacting key sectors and populations, especially with regards to precipitation and water supply changes.
From Healthy Whales to Healthy Oceans - Livestream - 02/16/2022 05:30 PM
UC Santa Cruz
Whales are iconic ocean animals that hold special places in the hearts of many�€"and are a critical link in the structure of healthy marine ecosystems. Our research team has developed tools and novel approaches to studying the underwater lives of these ocean giants. New information on how much food whales consume allows us to calculate the amount of nutrients that they then recycle, promoting primary production and growth of vital components of the food web. This knowledge�€"when combined with information on where the critical foraging areas are for whales�€"provides the foundation for the development of marine protected areas that minimize the impacts of human activities.
Register at weblink to receive connection information
February LASER Event - Livestream - 02/16/2022 06:00 PM
LASER Leonardo Art Science Evening Rendezvous
Sam Kriegman (Harvard Medical School) on "Computer-designed Organisms" Rachel Rossin (Media Artist) on "TBA" Laura Marks (Simon Fraser Univ) on "Soul-Assemblage Media"
See weblink to register
Nature x Humanity - 02/16/2022 07:00 PM
Herbst Theater San Francisco
Working at the intersection of technology and biology, architect and designer Neri Oxman is calling for a fundamental shift in the way we design and construct the built environment - to one that aligns with principles of ecological sustainability.
Oxman and her team draw on multiple scientific fields to invent new manufacturing practices that grow rather than assemble. Oxman advocates for advancing a new kind of ecology in which the assembly line is replaced by environmentally informed multi-functional materials, products and buildings: a Material Ecology.
This emergent field of Material Ecology presents new opportunities for design and construction that are inspired, informed, and engineered in collaboration with Nature.
Attend in person or online.
Shocking Origin: Meteor Impacts and the Chemistry of Life - Livestream - 02/16/2022 07:00 PM
San Francisco Amateur Astronomers
When and where life originated on Earth, and if, or where, life exists elsewhere in the cosmos are some of the biggest unanswered scientific questions of our time. Simple organic materials in meteorites and comets are often cited as potential sources for the initial organics which seeded prebiotic evolution on Earth. However, upon impact the original compounds present are not always delivered unchanged. Collisions and impacts between objects at all scales, from meteorites to planets, can produce novel molecules relevant to prebiotic chemistry - including complex amino acids and nucleobases. Previous studies have focused on either characterizing the final products or observing the kinetics of their formation on longer timescales. These studies have shown that in the initial moments of a collision any organics present will fragment into ions and radicals which then recombine to form more complex products. These impact processes generate extreme conditions of pressures a million times atmospheric pressure and temperatures as hot as the surface of the Sun. In order to study how these complex organic fragments form and rules governing breakdown of the starting molecules and build-up of complex materials, we use SLAC’s X-ray Free Electron Laser to visualize chemical bonds breaking and forming in femtoseconds. In this presentation, I will show how the process of shock compression may hold the key to revealing the origin of life via complex chemical dynamics taking place at ultrafast timescales at extraordinary high-pressures and -temperatures.
Speaker: Arianna Gleason-Holbrook, Stanford University
See weblink for streaming links
Nerd Nite SF # 122: Glass, Ecology, Identity! - 02/16/2022 08:00 PM
Rickshaw Stop San Francisco
Speakers:
Nate Watson, Executive Director of Public Glass, San Francisco’s only public glass studio and school. He will be getting nerdy about glass art with us, and sharing how he’s improved access to glass making.
Dr. Suzanne Pierre, Principal Investigator of the Critical Ecology Lab. She will be nerding out about developing the lab’s interdisciplinary framework that considers the social dimensions of global environmental change.
Jason Smith - Founder of Mixed Googlers, one of the first Fortune 100 employee resource groups for multiracial employees. Previously a Nerd Nite Austin fan, he will be taking the SF stage to share his nerdy insights into multiracial identities and rethinking identity paradigms.
Thursday, 02/17/2022
Habitat Talk: Woodlands - Livestream - 02/17/2022 11:00 AM
London Natural History Society
This talk is the first in a series by the LNHS Vascular Plants Recorder and eminent botanist Mark Spencer looking at key habitats and describing their features and the plants that characterise them. This initial talk will look at woodlands.
Register at weblink to receive connection information
Join us for our first Midday Science Cafe of 2022 as we take a look at Earth’s most valuable resource, water, stored beneath the Earth’s surface. First, we’ll hear from Dr. Federico Munch, who will take us on a journey deep beneath the surface to learn about the “deep water cycle.” That is, how plate tectonics redistribute water over large distances and timescales via the Earth's crust and mantle. This phenomenon has implications for seismic activity and volcanism. Next, we’ll hear from Dr. Bhavna Arora, who focuses on agricultural managed aquifer recharge, a strategy where farmers intentionally flood croplands to refill underlying pools of water. By studying the effects of varying flood frequency, duration between floods, amount of water, and different soil textures, Dr. Arora is looking into ways to reduce groundwater pollution.
See weblink for more information
Virtual Tour: The UCBG Asian Collection - 02/17/2022 01:00 PM
UC Botanical Garden
Take a virtual tour of the Garden’s Asian Collection with Horticulturist Eric Hupperts. This stunning collection represents the diversity found on the world’s largest continent, with strong representation from the Himalayas, western China, and Japan. This year, 2022, marks 90 years since the initial donation of rare and noteworthy rhododendron species, one of which is featured as the UCBG logo. Join Eric to learn more about these plants, what’s currently in bloom, and other treasures to discover in this collection.
Predictive Analytics for Power Systems with High Penetrations of Distributed Energy Resources - Livestream - 02/17/2022 01:30 PM
Stanford Energy
Rui Yang will discuss National Renewable Energy Laboratory's (NREL) predictive analytics tools that improve the visibility and controllability in power systems with high penetrations of distributed energy sources.
Speaker: Rui Yang, National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Register at weblink to receive Zoom information
Tank Automation for Wine - Livestream - 02/17/2022 04:00 PM
Sonoma State Engineering Colloquium
Wine has been around for thousands of years and often evokes images of rolling hills and rustic chateaus. Technology is something that is usually not associated with Wine. With industry challenges such as increasing competition, high energy costs, droughts, fires, and labor challenges wineries are turning to technology for help. During this session, we will explore how tank automation technology is being leveraged/evaluated to address challenges in the wine-making process.
Speaker: Lucio Hernandez, Jackson Family Wines
See weblink for Zoom information
Low Carbon Scenarios and Policies for the Power Sector in Botswana - Livestream - 02/17/2022 04:00 PM
Stanford Energy
Climate change is a global issue. However, the discussions for mitigation of GHG emissions tend to revolve around the large emitting countries and the countries below are overlooked. African countries may have a small contribution to the global GHG emissions at the moment, but the population of this region is growing rapidly, and urbanization rate is also fast. Eventually, there will be a higher demand for electricity, transportation, manufacturing, and other CO2 intensive industries. Hence, focusing on the large emitting countries may solve the immediate problems, but similar issues could be repeated once the developing countries’ economies grow following the traditional development pathways. This talk by Dr. Yong Jun Baek, researcher at the Stanford Center at the Icheon Global Campus in South Korea, will discuss a case study of Botswana and scenario analysis performed using LEAP (Long-Range Energy Alternatives Planning System) model to examine the low carbon development pathways of the power sector.
RSVP at weblink for Zoom access
Playing with Power: Interdisciplinary Insights from the Fastest Creatures - Livestream - 02/17/2022 05:00 PM
Cafe Scientifique Silicon Valley
The fastest, repeated-use movements on the planet are produced by small organisms that have harnessed energetic control of elastic materials to propel their movement. Whether the bullet-like impacts of mantis shrimp hammers or the bizarre leaps of legless larvae, these systems exemplify how biological systems explore the limits of physics and present capabilities not yet achieved by engineering. We will explore the biological realm of the ultrafast, tradeoffs of moving at the outer limits of physics, and interdisciplinary translation of this extraordinary world where organisms play exquisitely with mechanical power.
Speaker: Sheila Patek, Duke University
Register at weblink
Noise Pop Nightlife - 02/17/2022 06:00 PM
California Academy of Sciences San Francisco
Get amped for the return of the official Noise Pop Festival pre-party featuring a special outdoor performance from Kamaal Williams and more. Full event details coming soon!
Science of Cocktails @ After Dark - SOLD OUT - 02/17/2022 06:00 PM
ExplOratorium San Francisco
Grab your friends or a date, and join us for a tasty pop-up version of Science of Cocktails, our beloved fundraiser focused on mixology science. At Science of Cocktails @ After Dark, you’ll enjoy experiments by the glass in the VIP lounge. Enjoy an all-inclusive open bar with specialty cocktails and snacks, reserved seating at boozy science demonstrations, and more.
Your ticket also includes full access to After Dark - play with hundreds of interactive exhibits in Pier 15’s spacious galleries, and enjoy the evening’s thought-provoking programming. After Dark Thursday Nights are our adults-only evenings at the Exploratorium. Each week offers a unique and fascinating mix of activities, ranging from guest speakers and music to interactive art and films.
Whether you’re already a Science of Cocktails fan, or you’re ready to level up your After Dark evening, don’t miss this special Science of Cocktails @ After Dark.
See weblink to ticket link and costs.
After Dark: Mars! - 02/17/2022 06:00 PM
ExplOratorium San Francisco
NASA’s Perseverance rover has been hard at work exploring the Red Planet hundreds of millions of miles from our planet. Here on Earth you can experience a full-scale, lifelike model and some out-of-this world programs starting with tonight’s After Dark.
Since landing on Mars on Feb. 18, 2021, Perseverance has been hunting for signs of ancient microbial life in order to collect and store samples of Martian rock and sediment to be retrieved by planned future missions for closer study on Earth. Join NASA Jet Propulsion Lab scientists and engineers to learn about the mission, the data the rover is collecting, their findings, the possibility of life on Mars, and the engineering and technology behind the rover.
The Mars Perseverance Model is on loan from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory as part of their Roving with Perseverance tour.
Editor's Note: We originally listed this for 2/24 in error.
The California Spotted Owl - Livestream - 02/17/2022 07:00 PM
Golden Gate Audubon Society
Wildfires swept through California again in the summer and of 2021. While forest thinning and controlled burns may help reduce the risk of future fires, laws that protect old-forest species that are associated with dense canopies and big, old trees often slow the pace and scale of these treatments. However, these species are simultaneously threatened by high-severity fires as well, leading to a lose-lose scenario. The California spotted owl is one such old-forest species, yet like other Sierra Nevada natives, it evolved under a frequent lower-severity fire regime, begging the question: “How do different kinds of fire influence the California spotted owl?” We examined owl behavior in a high-severity mega-fire, as well as in fire-restored National Parks and found consistent preferences regarding fire severity and patch size that inform future forest and fire management throughout the region and influence the future of these owls as well as human communities and the Sierra Nevada ecosystem as a whole.
Speaker: H. Anu Kramer, University of Wisconsin - Madison
See weblink for Zoom information
Virtual Telescope Viewing - 02/17/2022 09:00 PM
Chabot Space and Science Center
Join our resident astronomers on Facebook Live and YouTube live from Chabot’s Observation deck!
Each week, our astronomers will guide us through spectacular night sky viewing through Nellie, Chabot‘s most powerful telescope. Weather permitting we will be able to view objects live through the telescopes and our astronomers will be available for an open forum for all of your most pressing astronomy questions.
See weblink for Facebook Live and YouTube links
Friday, 02/18/2022
Toward Cognitive Search - Using Machine-Learning on Digital Media Collections - Livestream - 02/18/2022 11:00 AM
Computer History Museum
The CHM collection contains a vast audio and video collection with more than a thousand video-recorded oral history interviews with technology pioneers and innovators. Since current users must painstakingly sift manually through each video to find what they’re looking for, the collection is vastly underutilized.
Thanks to a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, we’ve been on an 18-month journey to discover whether machine-learning technology can make our video collection more accessible and searchable for museum patrons around the world.
We’re ready to share what we’ve learned with you. If you’re a museum professional or simply fascinated by machine learning, join us for this free webinar on February 18 at 11 am PT.
What you’ll learn
What were the project’s main objectives? What obstacles did we face and how did we surmount them?Can machine learning technology successfully automatically assign metadata to video archives to deliver specific information requested and reveal new connections and insights?Until recently only large institutions could afford to experiment with machine learning. Can a small- or medium-size institution implement this kind of technology?
The webinar will include a demonstration of the platform we utilized by CHM’s Chief Technology Officer Dave Evans and Senior Director, Collections & Archives Paula Jabloner.
Register at weblink to receive connection information
The Red Sun - Livestream - 02/18/2022 11:30 AM
Astronomical Society of Edinburgh
Lyn will take us on a journey through the solar atmosphere or Chromosphere, viewed best through the H-alpha line at the red end of the spectrum and thus visually produces a “red Sun”. Not only are we going to look at the usual features found in the Chromosphere, prominences, filaments and flares, but we are going to look in more detail at all the features the more advanced observer can find there and also provide a challenge for imagers looking for a new project.
Speaker: Lyn Smith, BAA Solar Section
Crustal deformation and fault slip due to water extraction and injection - 02/18/2022 12:00 PM
Earth and Marine Sciences Building Santa Cruz
Speaker: Stacy Larochelle, Caltech
Persey's First Year on Mars - Livestream - 02/18/2022 01:00 PM
ExplOratorium San Francisco
Since landing inside the 45 kilometer (28 mile) wide Jezero Crater on February 18, 2021, Persy has been busy observing the Mars environment, capturing images, and collecting samples for future retrieval. As we reach the first anniversary of Perseverance’s landing, members of the Mars Mission team will give a rover roundup, outlining how Persy has spent its first year on Mars, and the ways it’s moving toward key mission objectives, such as developing a better understanding of Mars’ astrobiology, including seeking signs of ancient microbial life.
Attend in person or online
X-ray astrophysics enabled by microcalorimeter spectrometers - Livestream - 02/18/2022 07:30 PM
Tri-Valley Stargazers
X-rays from astrophysical objects provide a view into some of nature’s most violent and extreme environments. Telescopes sensitive to 0.1-100 keV photons provide unique probes of accreting black holes and the warped spacetime around them, clusters of galaxies - the Universe’s most massive gravitational potential wells, the growth and evolution of galaxies, and much more. The coming generation of astrophysical x-ray missions will deploy arrays of x-ray microcalorimeters. These detectors enable a powerful combination of high spectral resolution and high quantum efficiency over a broad energy range (0.1-12 keV). In this talk I will review the motivation for observing the universe in the x-ray waveband and highlight the major differences in approach for x-ray observations compared to optical observations, describe the microcalorimeter detector concept and the underlying superconducting sensors, and touch on the space missions that will carry microcalorimeter-based instruments in the years and decades to come.
Speaker: Meghan Eckart, Lawrence Livermore National Lab
See weblink for additional details and to request access to this talk.
Saturday, 02/19/2022
Turtle Observer Program on Mt. Tam - 02/19/2022 09:00 AM
Marin Water
Marin Water is enlisting the help of community scientists to protect the western pond turtle by monitoring habitat conditions, recording their behavior, and educating the public during the spring when they are most visible. The Turtle Observer program is great for individuals, small groups or whole families. Kids typically make up a third of our Observers!
Volunteers that have not previously participated in the program are required to attend two trainings. As a returning volunteer, you can skip the first zoom meeting if you'd like. The second training is mandatory for anyone who wants to volunteer this year. We hope that all Observers will conduct at least three observational visits this spring. Both trainings will be held on zoom from 9:00 a.m to 10:30 a.m.
Once you have completed the trainings, you may visit the watershed at any time to view the turtles. There are several locations where the turtles swim and they are most visible on nice, sunny days. An hour is usually enough time to search for, observe, and record a population of turtles. We hope that all Observers will conduct at least three observational visits this spring.
Part I: Turtle Observer Educational Session will discuss the importance of wildlife conservation, the kinds of turtles on Mt. Tam, and why you should become a community scientist. This first meeting will be held via Zoom on Saturday, February 12, 2022, from 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
Part II: Turtle Observer Technical Training will cover monitoring protocols, turtle ID, and COVID safety precautions. This will take place on Saturday, February 19 from 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. on Zoom.
#NoToPlastic Community Clean-Ups - 02/19/2022 09:45 AM
Oakland Zoo Oakland
Be part of the solution! Join other wildlife enthusiasts to help our local wildlife by cleaning up important habitats in Oakland.
Meet at the Lower Entrance to Oakland Zoo (in front of the Zimmer Auditorium) at 9:45am; shuttle departs at 10:00am sharp for cleanup site.
Location of cleanup will be a different urban watershed habitat in Oakland.
Participants will return to Oakland Zoo between 12:30pm and 1:00pm.
We will provide gloves and safety equipment. Bring a water bottle, snack, and sunscreen. Dress in comfortable layers.
Mars Rover Landing Anniversary Party! - 02/19/2022 11:00 AM
ExplOratorium San Francisco
Join us in celebrating the first anniversary of NASA's Perseverance rover landing on Mars! Since landing on February 18, 2021, Perseverance has been hunting for signs of ancient microbial life in order to collect and store samples of Martian rock and sediment to be retrieved by planned future missions for closer study on Earth.
At this weekend festival you can experience a full-scale, lifelike model of Perseverance and hear directly from Jet Propulsion Laboratory scientists and engineers about the rover, what it's finding, and NASA’s Mars Exploration Program. And, experience youth and artist-made projects and hands-on activities inspired by space exploration!
Investigating Space: Space Tourism - 02/19/2022 01:00 PM
Chabot Space and Science Center Oakland
Look at the next big mission in private space travel and discuss the industry’s next steps with Space.com senior writer, Mike Wall.
2021 was a big year for space tourism, as Virgin Galactic and Blue Origin both launched their billionaire owners to suborbital space and SpaceX flew the first-ever all-private crewed mission to Earth orbit. This year, Axiom Space is poised to launch its first astronaut mission to the International Space Station in March and, perhaps, its second before the end of the year.
Where is all this action leading? Will space tourism fundamentally change how humanity operates in Earth orbit and beyond? Is it possible that one day space travel could be accessible to all?
The Messier Marathon - Livestream - 02/19/2022 07:00 PM
East Bay Astronomical Society
In this talk, Don Macholz will introduce Charles Messier and the comets that he discovered. He will then move on to the Messier Catalogue and the previously missing objects. We will see where the Messier Objects are distributed throughout the sky. We recognize 110 Messier Objects but two major astronomy magazines recognize only 109, and each omits adifferent object.
This brings us to the Messier Marathon, an attempt to find and observe as many Messier Objects as possible in one night. Don will discuss the various inventors of the Marathon, and tips on getting the most out of the night. As an example of what can be done, He will display a summary of the more than 50 Messier Marathons that he has completed. The last part of the talk is a walk through the Messier Objects using star maps, from the first one: M77 to the final object, M30.
See weblink for Facebook link
Sunday, 02/20/2022
Morning Hike at La Honda Open Space Preserve - FULL - 02/20/2022 10:00 AM
La Honda Creek Open Space Preserve La Honda
Join Peninsula Open Space Trust for a beautiful hike at Lower La Honda Creek Open Space Preserve where you’ll experience the area’s sweeping views and gorgeous rolling grasslands! The preserve is over 6,100 acres, of which POST has contributed 5,200 acres. You will be guided by POST ambassadors on the meandering trails of Lower La Honda Creek, featuring a still-active cattle operation and views of the surrounding ridgelines!
The hike is moderate to strenuous at about 6 miles round trip with about 1100 feet of gradual elevation gain. There are some steep portions of this hike so hiking poles, closed-toed shoes with tread, and plenty of water/snacks for yourself is recommended.
Register at weblink
Mars Rover Landing Anniversary Party! - 02/20/2022 12:00 PM
ExplOratorium San Francisco
Join us in celebrating the first anniversary of NASA's Perseverance rover landing on Mars! Since landing on February 18, 2021, Perseverance has been hunting for signs of ancient microbial life in order to collect and store samples of Martian rock and sediment to be retrieved by planned future missions for closer study on Earth.
At this weekend festival you can experience a full-scale, lifelike model of Perseverance and hear directly from Jet Propulsion Laboratory scientists and engineers about the rover, what it's finding, and NASA’s Mars Exploration Program. And, experience youth and artist-made projects and hands-on activities inspired by space exploration!
Monday, 02/21/2022
Microbes in Space: A 'micro' journey from Deep Sea to Deep Space - Livestream - 02/21/2022 12:00 PM
Sonoma State Biology Colloquium
Speakers: Kasthuri Venkateswaran, NASA
See link for Zoom information
Tuesday, 02/22/2022
Whole Earth Seminar - 02/22/2022 03:30 PM
Natural Science Annex Santa Cruz
Intelligent Life Beyond Earth - Livestream - 02/22/2022 05:00 PM
Commonwealth Club - Online Event
The Future of Quantum Materials - Livestream - 02/22/2022 05:00 PM
UC Berkeley
Marine Mammals of the World: A Comprehensive Guide to Their Identification, 3rd Edition Preview - Livestream - 02/22/2022 07:00 PM
American Cetacean Society
Wednesday, 02/23/2022
Nutrient-sensitive transcripts as biomarkers of in situ physiological state in marine phytoplankton - Livestream - 02/23/2022 03:40 PM
Estuary & Ocean Science Center
Colors of Agates and Chalcedony - Livestream - 02/23/2022 07:00 PM
Peninsula Gem & Geology Society
Science on Tap - Why was the weather forecast wrong? And what does that mean for climate change? - 02/23/2022 07:00 PM
Museum of Art and History Santa Cruz
Thursday, 02/24/2022
Processing Conventional and Non-Uniformly Sampled Biomolecular NMR Spectra: How to Do It, and What’s Good to Know - Livestream - 02/24/2022 12:00 PM
California Section American Chemical Society
So You Want to Decarbonize a Building? - Livestream - 02/24/2022 12:30 PM
SF Planning + Urban Research Assoc. (SPUR)
Small Things Considered: How Phytoplankton Make Life Possible - Livestream - 02/24/2022 06:00 PM
Seymour Science Center
NightLife - 02/24/2022 06:00 PM
California Academy of Sciences San Francisco
After Dark: Conversations About Landscape - 02/24/2022 06:00 PM
ExplOratorium San Francisco
Do Droughts Affect Groundwater Quality? A California Story - Livestream - 02/24/2022 06:00 PM
US Geological Survey Public Lecture Series
Outdoor Survival Skills (And How To Avoid Needing Them!) - Livestream - 02/24/2022 07:00 PM
Peninsula Open Space Trust
Friday, 02/25/2022
Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics Seminar - 02/25/2022 12:00 PM
Earth and Marine Sciences Building Santa Cruz
Saturday, 02/26/2022
A Cultural Biography of the Prostate: The Good, The Bad and the Ugly? - 02/26/2022 09:00 AM
Active Surveillance Patients International
Science Saturdays - Animal Athletes - 02/26/2022 10:00 AM
Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History
Monday, 02/28/2022
The Response of Bumble Bees and their Floral Food Sources to Wildfire in California - Livestream - 02/28/2022 12:00 PM
Sonoma State Biology Colloquium
Mechanically Imaging the Chemical Bond - Livestream - 02/28/2022 02:30 PM
UC Berkeley Condensed Matter Physics Seminar
WeightWatcher, an open-source diagnostic tool for analyzing Deep Neural Nets - Livestream - 02/28/2022 07:00 PM
SF Bay Association of Computing Machinery
Wonderfest: Secrets to the Study of Animal Behavior - 02/28/2022 07:00 PM
Hopmonk Tavern Novato