Hello again Science fans!
We’re into the meat of the holiday season and the number of events on our calendar is quite reduced through the end of the year. But don’t let that stop you from finding interesting science things to educate you, or your family.
On December 26 - 28, the San Mateo County public library system is hosting several telescope viewing nights at various library locations around the county. See our listings for the locations and times.
Still looking for a science gift? Plenty of tickets remain for “The Physics Show” (January 6 and 7, 20 and 21) as we go to press tonight. But the January 20 shows are selling the fastest.
I want to mention something that didn’t make it into my last newsletter, and that is the November 19th death of former first lady Rosalynn Carter at age 96. Among so many other causes she and Jimmy Carter supported, Habitat for Humanity stands out. The Carters did not found Habitat, contrary to public opinion, but were very active in it from the start. I’ve volunteered with Habitat locally for almost 23 years and had the great pleasure of meeting the Carters, briefly, at a Carter Build in Oakland a few years back. If only our political leaders would follow the legacy of service the Carters leave behind…
On to the news…
This coming Thursday marks the Winter Solstice (at 7:27 PM PST). As long as people have been around, the solstice has been a significant event, as this article explains. While you won’t see much of a difference day to day, from this point until mid-June the amount of daylight in the northern hemisphere will increase each day.
The capsule from the OSIRIS-REx mission that returned to earth in September still hasn’t been opened, despite efforts by scientists. Anyone who has struggled trying to loosen a stuck bolt will appreciate this situation. Remember that the mission returned much more material from asteroid Bennu than expected, and analysis of the material that was sitting outside the capsule has been underway for a while. All this is complicated by the fact that the capsule and the material have been in a nitrogen-filled glove box so that the contents aren’t contaminated by anything.
The sun shot out a massive solar flare, one of the largest such events ever recorded, and it has interfered with some radio frequencies here on Earth. The sun is nearing the peak of its 11 year-long solar weather cycle.
Have you ever heard of Ai-Da? She’s an ultra-realistic AI robotic artist who has some chilling “thoughts” on our robotic future. Make sure you watch the YouTube video linked in the article. Just a wee bit creepy!
It is that time of year again, when publications put out their “best-of” or “worst-of” lists. There’s lots of doom and gloom about AI and the environment out there, but also some good news. Here are 10 climate tech innovations and 9 breakthroughs for climate and nature from 2023 that you may have missed. And here are the Smithsonian’s picks for the 10 best science books of the year. Happy reading!
Have a great week in Science! I’ll be back on Christmas Eve with more.
Bob Siederer
Upcoming Events:
Click to see the next two weeks of events in your browser.
Tuesday, 12/19/2023
Tour of highlights from the Astronomy Picture of the Day archive for 2023 - Livestream - 12/19/2023 06:00 PM
Astronomical Society of the Pacific
Join the NASA Night Sky Network along with Dr. Robert Nemiroff for a tour of highlights from the Astronomy Picture of the Day archive for 2023.
Along with Jerry Bonnell, Robert Nemiroff has written, coordinated, and edited NASA's Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD) since 1995 at apod.nasa.gov. The APOD archive contains the largest collection of annotated astronomical images on the internet.
See weblink for link to the stream
Wonderfest: Innovations in Forensic Science: A Brief History - 12/19/2023 07:00 PM
Hopmonk Tavern Novato
In some ways, forensic science (also known as criminalistics) has changed little since the 1880s when fictional detective Sherlock Holmes first solved a crime with a thumbprint. While modern forensic scientists continue to embrace the tried-and-true methods of the past, modern innovations in ciminalistics have enabled technogical advances that are anything but "Elementary!"
Speaker: Hillary Daluz, US Army
Thursday, 12/21/2023
The Kitchen Mycologist: The delicious surprises, the unfortunate flops, the great tips, and the ultimate lessons I learned - 12/21/2023 05:00 PM
Sonoma County Mycological Association
Speaker: Eugenia Bone is an internationally known food and nature writer. Her work has appeared in many anthologies, magazines, and newspapers, including The New York Times, The National Lampoon, Saveur, Gourmet, BBC Science, and The Wall Street Journal, where she is a frequent book reviewer.
Family Astronomy: Winter Solstice - The Longest Night - 12/21/2023 06:00 PM
Chabot Space and Science Center Oakland
Explore the fascinating history, diverse cultural customs, and ancient rituals associated with the Winter Solstice. You’ll learn about the shortest day of the year, the various types and stages of night and twilight and how different cultures around the world celebrate this celestial event, from lighting candles and bonfires to creating handmade decorations and sharing stories. Guests will receive complimentary hot cider, hot chocolate, and cookies.
For families with children ages 5+
After Dark: See for Yourself - 12/21/2023 06:00 PM
ExplOratorium San Francisco
Treat yourself this holiday season with a visit to the Exploratorium! Sip a cocktail and learn about tide heights in the San Francisco Bay. Get in touch with yourself like never before by observing the microbiomes in and around you. Then bask under luminous artworks from our seasonal exhibition Glow! You won’t think about yourself - or the world - the same way again.
Saturday, 12/23/2023
Foothills Family Nature Walk - 12/23/2023 11:00 AM
Foothills Nature Preserve Los Altos
Environmental Volunteers’ Family Nature Walks program is designed to help students and their families get to know our local open space areas. Small family groups will be guided by a knowledgeable environmental educator during an exploration of a local open space. These small groups will be introduced to fun nature-based activities, and a chance to learn more about the plants and animals all around us. Join us for some fun, outdoor learning!
Families/groups are welcome to sign up for as many as they like. The nature walks are intended for children aged 6 to 11, and we ask that each group is accompanied by an adult.
Limited to 12 participants
Makerspace Science Talk with Adam Larson - 12/23/2023 11:30 AM
Seymour Marine Discovery Center Santa Cruz
Join Adam Larson for a live demonstration and an up-close look at the Planktoscope, an affordable open-source microscope that empowers communities to monitor plankton in their local fresh and salt waters. The Plankstocope’s integrated flow-through imaging system automates organism detection and quantification, even offline, to create immense datasets enriched by human narratives on water conditions and impacts. By making plankton monitoring accessible, participatory, and illuminating, the Planktoscope aims to advance scientific understanding of algal blooms while building public awareness and stewardship of aquatic habitats.
Family Astronomy: Edible Astronomy - 12/23/2023 06:00 PM
Chabot Space and Science Center Oakland
Explore the wonders of astronomy through delicious and edible creations! This interactive workshop is designed to introduce children to the vastness of space, the planets, and other celestial objects, all while having a scrumptious educational experience. Let’s embark on this cosmic culinary adventure together, concluding with free public telescope viewing. Guests will receive complimentary hot cider and hot chocolate. (Program does not include after-hours general admission or the planetarium.) Public telescope viewing will begin at 7:30pm.
Samples of activities include Oreo moon phases, constellation cookies, marshmallow constellations, and more.
Intended for families with children, 5 y/o and up.
Tuesday, 12/26/2023
Telescope Moon Viewing - San Carlos - 12/26/2023 06:00 PM
San Carlos Public Library San Carlos
Telescope Moon Viewing - Brisbane - 12/26/2023 06:00 PM
Brisbane Public Library Brisbane
Wednesday, 12/27/2023
Telescope Moon Viewing - East Palo Alto - 12/27/2023 05:30 PM
East Palo Alto Public Library East Palo Alto
Telescope Moon Viewing - Pacifica - 12/27/2023 05:30 PM
Pacifica Sharp Park Library Pacifica
Telescope Moon Viewing - Woodside - 12/27/2023 05:30 PM
Woodside Public Library Woodside
Telescope Moon Viewing - Foster City - 12/27/2023 06:00 PM
Foster City Public Library Foster City
Thursday, 12/28/2023
After Dark: Find Your Glow - 12/28/2023 06:00 PM
ExplOratorium San Francisco
Telescope Moon Viewing - Belmont - 12/28/2023 06:00 PM
Belmont Public Library Belmont
Sunday, 12/31/2023
2023 Grand Finale at Lawrence Hall of Science - 12/31/2023 10:00 AM
Lawrence Hall of Science Berkeley