Eunice Foote and the SciSchmooze
Discover more from SciSchmooze
Hello again Science fans!
Have you ever heard of Eunice Foote? No? She’s someone we all should know more about, and she was the subject of the Google Doodle on July 17th (pictured above), on what would have been her 204th birthday!
Eunice was a women’s rights activist. She was the first woman to be published in a physics journal. In 1856 she wrote “Circumstances Affecting the Heat of Sun’s Rays”, a paper that laid out the basics of climate science. Three years after the publication, scientist John Tyndall would be credited for laying this groundwork, not Foote. It wasn’t until the 2010s that her work began to be recognized.
Unfortunately, there are many, many more stories like Eunice Foote’s. Here is more about her, and the work Google is doing to support current research on climate change.
Being skeptical of all you hear and read, especially online, is important. Not only do we need to be alert for scams and half truths, but we need to teach our young people how to do so for themselves. On Wednesday, the Florida Board of Education approved new social studies standards. On the surface, the standards don’t look so bad. But dig a little deeper and you will see a disturbing pattern of racisim and a rewriting of history. Professor Heather Cox Richardson, whom I’ve linked to before, looks at this new standard and points out what can only be called whitewashing. I find it ironic that those on the right who call out “wokeness”, are guilty of doing the things they seem to be against. Here’s Dr. Richardson’s analysis.
In the realm of politics, several incidents have occurred where the right (notably Alabama and Texas) are defying court orders to implement their version of how they see the world. Another link to Dr. Richardson’s reporting of these events.
Yesterday, I returned from an extended road trip to the eastern US and back. While I missed the extreme heat in the southwest and most of the Canadian smoke in the northeast, I didn’t miss all of it. Each time I take such a trip, I’m struck by the variety of the landscapes I traverse. The US has a beautiful, diverse geography. The high deserts of Arizona and New Mexico, the transition to green forests in Alabama and Tennessee, the mountains of NW North Carolina and West Virginia, the rolling corn and soybean fields in Iowa and Nebraska, the transition to grasslands in Wyoming, and, of course, the diversity of California. The scenery seems to change every few hours, and I find it peaceful to take it all in as I travel across the country. I visited with friends, some of whom I hadn’t seen in 28 years! I took part in an annual sporting event where I have volunteered for 47 years. It was a wonderful journey, but I’m glad to be back home today, writing the Schmooze!
So, let’s get on with it!
Have you heard about Sea Otter 841? She’s been snatching surfboards from surfers, chasing them off their boards and into the water. So far, authorities have been unable to capture her. Yes, she’s adorable, but she’s also aggressive and dangerous to surfers.
Scientists at Purdue University have invented a white paint that reflects up to 98% of the Sun’s heat back into the atmosphere, cooling the surface it covers. We need more ideas like this!
The James Webb Space Telescope has been in operation for a year now (already?!). NASA released another breathtaking image, this time of the Rho Ophiuchi stellar nursery. Not all the amazing images come from JWST though. Here are ten images from the Astronomy Photographer of the Year awards. The winners have not been announced yet, but these ten are amazing.
Rare Earth minerals are used in all sorts of high tech devices, from TVs to computers to batteries. To date, most of these minerals come from China, and therein lies a political problem. As the Western world struggles with China’s policies, any threat to cut off the world supply would cause alarm. Now Sweden had found a huge deposit of such minerals in an iron ore mine in Kiruna, Sweden’s northern-most city.
Meanwhile, in Bavaria, hops, which are grown for beer, are flourishing when grown under solar panels! Other crops also seem to produce more when under such panels, giving dual usage to the acreage. Here in California, Solar AquaGrid is about to cover some of our water canals with solar panels. Doing so will not only generate electricity, but could save as much as 63 billion gallons of water a year from evaporating if all 4,000 miles of our canals were covered.
Here in California we have an Earthquake Early Warning system that can provide valuable seconds of warning when a large earthquake strikes. By analyzing seismometer data from many such quakes, scientists found a pattern of fault motion up to two hours before the main quake. This discovery may lead to better early warning systems.
Have a great week in Science!
Bob
Upcoming Events:
Click to see the next two weeks of events in your browser.
Monday, 07/24/2023
Life on Other Planets - Livestream - 07/24/2023 03:00 PM
Commonwealth Club San Francisco
Is anybody else out there? As a child, Aomawa Shields was always looking at the sky and dreaming of becoming an astronaut. Now an astronomer and astrobiologist at the top of her field, Dr. Shields studies the universe outside our Solar System, researching and uncovering the planets circling distant stars with just the right conditions that could support life.
In order to ultimately achieve her life-long dream Dr. Shields had to overcome discouragement from others, self-doubt, and uncertainty that she belonged. Her complex journey included a period where she left the field and pursued acting professionally.
Hear more as Dr. Shields reflects on her life as an astronomer, classically trained actor, and Black woman in STEM. Additionally, she is the founder and director of Rising Stargirls, a program dedicated to encouraging girls of all colors and backgrounds to learn, explore, and discover the universe using theater, writing and visual art.
In conversation with Julia Flynn Siler, Author and Journalist
Tuesday, 07/25/2023
International Conference on Applied Data Science - Livestream - 07/25/2023 08:00 AM
IEEE Computer Society of Silicon Valley
Agenda:
8am - 9am PT AI-based Decision Frameworks for Smart Environments - Some Case Studies
Prof. Ram Mohana Reddy Guddeti, India
9am - 10am PT Performance-based content generation for language learning
Dr. Kostas Karpouzis, Panteion University of Social and Political Sciences in Athens, Greece.
10am - 11am PT Panel Discussion: Should AI development really take a pause?
Dr. Patrikakis Charalampos, University of West Attica, Greece
Dr. Vishnu S. Pendyala, San Jose State University, CA, USA
Manish Mradul, Director, Palo Alto Networks
Moderator: Krupa Kothadia
11am - 12pm PT Using Machine Learning Tools in the Cloud: Experience Gained from the Ask4Summary research project
Prof. Maiga Chang, Athabasca University, Canada
See weblink to register and for abstracts on the sessions
The Age of Print and the Internet - 07/25/2023 06:00 PM
Commonwealth Club San Francisco
As a technology, print at its birth was as disruptive as the digital migration of today. Now, as the internet ushers us past print culture, Jeff Jarvis offers an overview of important lessons from the era we leave behind.
Jarvis traces the epoch of print from its fateful beginnings to our digital present. He tracks Western industrialized print to its origins; explores its invention, spread, and evolution; as well as the bureaucracy and censorship that followed. Additionally print gave rise to the idea of the mass - mass media, mass market, mass culture, mass politics, and so on - that came to dominate the public sphere.
Hear more about this complex and compelling history of technology and power and the lasting impact it has today.
Speaker: Jeff Jarvis, City University, New York, in conversation with George Hammond, Author
Attend in person or online
The Forgotten Whale of Gräsö - the discovery and confused nomenclatural history of the gray whale - Livestream - 07/25/2023 07:00 PM
American Cetacean Society
Please join us to hear from ACS' president and marine mammal illustrator and author, Uko Gorter, as he relates a fascinating story of early human awakening and understanding of gray whales. The mid-nineteenth century was an interesting time with regard to the science of whales and zoology in general. Not only did we see the groundbreaking publication by Charles Darwin, On the Origin of Species (1859), and the subsequent debate on evolution, but it also represents a period in which we see a huge spike of new cetacean species being described. Even so, knowledge of whales was still in a confused state in this Victorian era, where egos often stood in their own way.
Against this backdrop, the scientific discovery and description of the living California gray whale happened while subfossil remains of an unknown whale were found on an island off the Swedish coast. It took over 70 years before a link between the two was established. This is a tale of a forgotten population, brash and overzealous naturalists, and a whale that goes by many names.
Register at weblink to receive connection information
Going from the State of the Art (SOTA) to the Future of LLMs and Generative AI - 07/25/2023 07:00 PM
Hacker Dojo Mountain View
What is the future of AI? There has been a buzz lately about ChatGPT and Large Language Models (LLMs). It helps to understand the past, current state of the art, before discussing the future trends, concerns and excitement. This presentation intended to broadly cover many topics, to get a broad sense of what is going on.
AI Progress in the PAST * Types of AI Algorithms * Growth in Complexity over Time * Time Series, From Regression to Large Language Models (LLMs) * How LLM is a Time Series * Caution: a model is no better than it's training data * Emergent Properties
AI State of the Art NOW * Emergent Properties * One Place to find State of the Art (SOTA)* AI's rapid growth * Generative AI: Text to Image DALL*E2 * Microsoft's New AI Can Simulate Anyone's Voice From a 3-Second Sample * I Challenged my AI Clone to Replace me for 24 Hours - WSJ * Intel Introduces Real-TIme Deep Fake Detector * ChatGPT 4.2 Test Taking, Languages * Chain of Thought - Size Matters for Reasoning * ChatGPT + Tree of Thoughts Reasoning * Constitutional AI (for ethics and rules) * There is a lot of Generative AI Evolution in a Short Time * Portugal Startup Makes ChatGPT its CEO * ChatGPT 5 coming in 2024 * Meta's ImageBind
Looking to the FUTURE of AI * LLM Short term impact to the economy, McKinsey report * Supporting Tech to drive AI * AI in 2-5 years * AI in 10+ years * 3 Levels of Future Impossibilities, Michio Kaku * AI, Class I-II Impossibilities
Speaker: Greg Makowski, Johnson Controls
Register at weblink to attend online or in person
Wonderfest: Pandemic(s) Update - 07/25/2023 07:00 PM
Hopmonk Tavern Novato
The SARS-CoV-2 virus has killed 7 million people. (16% of those deaths were in the US, yet we have only 4% of global population). Last century, the influenza virus killed more than 20 million. Humankind may face famine, war, and disease for centuries to come, but we are learning to lessen the death toll. Dr. Robert Siegel, infectious disease expert at Stanford, will discuss the progress that we've made - and must extend - against COVID and other, future, scourges. Welcoming attendee questions, he will address our growing understanding of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and its affects on the human mind and body.
Speaker: Dr. Robert Siegel, Stanford University
Wednesday, 07/26/2023
Operationalizing eDNA for Routine Marine Biomonitoring - Livestream - 07/26/2023 11:00 AM
Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute
Environmental DNA (eDNA) is a powerful, cost effective, scalable, and automatable tool that can enhance marine ecosystem/biodiversity monitoring programs. However, unlocking the full promise of eDNA requires transitioning this rapidly evolving field into routine marine biodiversity operations. This talk highlights successes and ongoing challenges in operationalizing eDNA for routine biomonitoring drawing from a suite of collaborative research advances in 1) improving our ability to characterize marine biodiversity, 2) understanding temporal and spatial dynamics, 3) deriving quantitative abundance estimates from eDNA approaches, and 4) harmonizing eDNA methods and data management across NOAA and U.S. West Coast through the West Coast Ocean Biomolecular Observation Network. Ultimately, through rigorous benchmarking and widespread adoption of best practices, eDNA approaches will continue to enhance marine biodiversity monitoring efforts providing higher resolution inventories of our critical marine resources needed to better inform marine conservation and management decisions.
Speaker: Zack Gold, NOAA Pacific Marine Environmental Lab
Register at weblink to receive Zoom information
Thursday, 07/27/2023
After first contact: meeting the cosmic in-law - Livestream - 07/27/2023 09:00 AM
SETI Institute
A workshop considering some of the following questions: Should we reply? Why and how should we send a message? What do we say after we say hello? In deciphering the message, what have we assumed? How will we treat each other? Will we have immunity as diplomats or traders? With interstellar space technology, different experiences, cultures, communication methods and appearance, more questions arise: what they want - why they are here - how we will change each other. What about migration and colonisation? Haley and Fasan's Metalaw and the background of the 1967 Outer Space Treaty suggests ways of interacting with extraterrestrial civilisations. Historic encounters show different ways of interaction in different civilisations - examples can be taken from South-East Asia and the Pacific, the Americas, the embassies between Rome and India, or from Europe to China and Japan.
Register at weblink
NightLife: Hella - 07/27/2023 06:00 PM
California Academy of Sciences San Francisco
YAAAAY AREAAAA! This NightLife, we’re hella juiced to honor our favorite place: The Bay. Come through and celebrate the region’s famed and far-reaching legacy, from hip-hop history to homegrown fashion favorites and more. Featuring special programming from KQED.
After Dark: Listen - 07/27/2023 06:00 PM
ExplOratorium San Francisco
Shhh . . . do you hear that? Hearing is one of the first senses a new baby usually develops as a way of understanding the world, as it allows us to take in complex and nuanced information about our environment. Listening helps us judge size, distance, and velocity - crucial survival skills in prehistoric times and modern alike. In addition, sounds can communicate both threat and affection and evoke a world of emotions and memories. Tonight, come celebrate our unique capacity to listen. Explore our collection of sound exhibits and then join our feature presentation of 32 Sounds (2023, 98 mins.), a meditation on the power of sound by Oscar-nominated documentary filmmaker Sam Green.
The Future of Science Storytelling with Data - 07/27/2023 06:00 PM
swissnex San Francisco San Francisco
Join us for an evening on telling the stories of science with data. Storytellers from Cal Academy, The Los Angeles Times, and Reuters will share visualizations, followed by a panel discussion and reception.
Cosmic Shadow Theater: Casting Light on Galaxies - 07/27/2023 07:00 PM
Stanford Linear Accelerator (SLAC) Public Lecture Series Menlo Park
The afterglow from the Big Bang, called the "cosmic microwave background radiation," serves as the backlight in a shadow theater where galaxies are the actors. The structure of galaxies is still mysterious despite ever-improving telescope observations, because many of their components - including dark matter and diffuse gas - are invisible in ordinary light. But we can indirectly detect these features by observing the shadows that galaxies cast on the cosmic microwave background radiation. The shadows provide clues to how galaxies form and evolve, and help us to work out the nature of dark matter and dark energy in the universe. I will describe the efforts led by SLAC scientists to reveal these galaxy silhouettes, using cosmic microwave background experiments and galaxy surveys of unprecedented scale.
Speaker: Emmanuel Schaan, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory
Attend in person or online
Friday, 07/28/2023
Sunset Science: Starlight Astronomy - 07/28/2023 06:00 PM
Chabot Space and Science Center Oakland
What does a star’s color tell us about the star? What do we learn by studying a star’s spectrum? How fast does a star’s light travel through space? Why do stars appear to twinkle in the night sky? Astronomy is the science that investigates objects in space and is informed almost entirely by starlight.
In this Sunset Science program, we’ll learn about the brightest star in the sky to our very own Sun and all about the energy and light they give. Observe some of the most unique stars in the sky through our historic research-grade telescopes. Listen to expert astronomers present about starlight and enjoy hands-on family-friendly activities and games that will explore all aspects of stars.
Saturday, 07/29/2023
Stewardship Saturday: Exploring the Bay Shore with Cafe Ohlone - 07/29/2023 09:00 AM
Coyote Hills Parking Lot Fremont
This free program for high school students features rotating themes exploring the science of the Center.
In collaboration with Cafe Ohlone and The Marine Mammal Center, join us on a hike through the marshes, along the bay shore and up the hill with Cafe Ohlone co-founders and chefs Vincent Medina and Louis Trevino. Learn about Ohlone culture and history, how the Ohlone people use shoreline plants; and the importance of protecting the bay.
Register to attend at weblink
Science Safari - Let's talk Herptiles! - 07/29/2023 10:30 AM
Youth Science Institute Los Gatos
Come learn about our scaly and slimy friends at YSI! Learn about the amazing group of Herptiles and what makes them such unique creatures. Have a chance to touch a toad’s warty skin, feel the scales of different types of snakes, and stretch like a newt! We hope to see you there! Ages 4 - 12 accompanied by a registered adult.
Summer Science Fundays - Les Aerielles - 07/29/2023 11:00 AM
Lawrence Hall of Science Berkeley
As part of its season of summer programs and exhibits, The Lawrence Hall of Science will host ten Summer Science Fundays, each offering family-friendly shows, hands-on science activities, and more. Summer Science Fundays include events that will be familiar to Lawrence members and repeat visitors, and exciting new opportunities to explore science.
The Lawrence Hall of Science is UC Berkeley’s public science center, with a mission to inspire and engage through science discovery and learning in ways that advance equity and opportunity. In addition to exhibits and programs for kids and families, The Lawrence develops curricula and learning materials for educators and researches how kids learn science.
July 29 - Les Aerielles: Celebrate the human body and what it can do when put to music! Les Aerielles is returning for this summer with their incredible young trapeze arts performers - performance times: 12:00, 1:00, 2:00.
Summer is a bustling time at The Lawrence Hall of Science because our most important visitors are out of school, yet still brimming with curiosity. Our Summer Science Fundays provide a gigaton of fun and educational activities for families. Summer Science Fundays showcase local community organizations, including SaveNature, Cal Taiko Band, Les Aerielles, and more, to bring a variety of unique experiences to our visitors.
Beyond the Curb: Berkeley Recycling Center Tour - FULL - 07/29/2023 11:00 AM
Berkeley Recycling Center Berkeley
Calling all recycling enthusiasts! Join the Community Conservation Centers and the Ecology Center for an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of the Berkeley Recycling Center. Discover the magic of recycling as we explore the inner workings of the facility. Let’s go beyond the curb and uncover the secrets of transforming materials into valuable resources. Though we can’t solely rely on recycling to get us out of the plastics crisis, recycling is an essential bridge for our shift to a circular economy. This is the perfect opportunity to learn about this important system. Space is limited, don’t miss out on this fun and educational experience!
Limited capacity, register at weblink
Sunday, 07/30/2023
Coastal Walk at Cowell-Purisima Trail - 07/30/2023 10:00 AM
Cowell Purisima Coastal Trailhead Half Moon Bay
Join Peninsula Open Space Trust for a beautiful Sunday walk along the Cowell-Purisima trail that POST helped create by protecting adjacent farmland. While it may be foggy, we hope to catch gorgeous views of the ocean, nearby farmland, and glimpses of harbor seals, pelicans, hawks, rabbits, and whales during the winter season.
You will be guided by POST ambassadors who will share details about POST’s work with farmers on the coast, and to create recreational opportunities along one of the most scenic stretches of our state’s coastline!
The walk is moderate at about 4.5 miles round trip with about 400 feet of gradual elevation gain. It is mostly flat throughout, however, it is quite a long walk.
Easy Hike at Wavecrest - 07/30/2023 05:00 PM
Wavecrest Open Space Preserve Half Moon Bay
Join Peninsula Open Space Trust for a very easy 2-mile walk at Wavecrest Open Space in Half Moon Bay! We’ll walk through groves of trees and fields where we’ll have a great chance to spot a variety of birds, especially raptors! We’ll also walk along the coastal bluffs where we may see whale spots and other sea life.
You’ll hear from POST representatives about how we have been working for years to protect a variety of properties that make up this beautiful open space. We will proceed at a very slow and easy pace so this hike is great for all ages and ability levels.
Please RSVP as space is limited. We will share the meetup location and directions closer to the event, so please ensure your e-mail address is valid when you register!
Monday, 07/31/2023
SCVAS Learn: Terns - Livestream - 07/31/2023 07:00 PM
Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society
Get ready for the summer push of Terns in our county. The lakes and ponds along the bay provide opportunities to see the common and not-so-common Terns in the South Bay. Join Matthew Dodder for one session overview of our resident and migrant Terns with useful tips on how to differentiate confusing species, recommendations on where to focus your search, and reflections on a few rarities that have shown up in nearby counties.
Tuesday, 08/01/2023
Wonderfest: The Risk of AI - 08/01/2023 07:00 PM
Hopmonk Tavern Novato
Wednesday, 08/02/2023
All Hands on Science: Cranky Critters - 08/02/2023 11:00 AM
ExplOratorium San Francisco
Navigating the South San Francisco Bay Shoreline: A Conversation of the Shoreline Project in North San José and Santa Clara County - 08/02/2023 05:00 PM
SF Planning + Urban Research Assoc. (SPUR) San Jose
Thursday, 08/03/2023
Hate in the Homeland: The New Global Far Right - Livestream - 08/03/2023 04:00 PM
Skeptical Inquirer
NightLife - 08/03/2023 06:00 PM
California Academy of Sciences San Francisco
After Dark: See for Yourself - 08/03/2023 06:00 PM
ExplOratorium San Francisco
Friday, 08/04/2023
Free National Parks Day - 08/04/2023 07:00 PM
Various
First Friday: Colorful Constellations - 08/04/2023 06:00 PM
Chabot Space and Science Center Oakland
Saturday, 08/05/2023
Summer Science Fundays - Bug Bonanza - 08/05/2023 11:00 AM
Lawrence Hall of Science Berkeley
Psychology of Religion: Part 1 Evolution of Religion - Livestream - 08/05/2023 03:00 PM
Bay Area Humanists
Nested Dust Shells Around the Wolf-Rayet Binary WR 140 - Livestream - 08/05/2023 08:00 PM
San Jose Astronomical Society
Sunday, 08/06/2023
Drop-in at the Charleston Slough Observation Deck - 08/06/2023 09:00 AM
Charleston Slough Observation Deck Palo Alto
Monday, 08/07/2023
The Heat Will Kill You First - 08/07/2023 05:30 PM
Commonwealth Club San Francisco
SCVAS Learn: Shorebirds 2023 - Livestream - 08/07/2023 07:00 PM
Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society