Herb had some technical challenges this week, so I’ll be your guest editor. It’s only been seven years since my last turn at the wheel - let’s see how this goes!
It’s been over 20 years since the Human Genome Project was “completed” - a monumental scientific achievement marking the successful sequencing of the entire human genetic code. This groundbreaking milestone ushered in a new era of genomic discovery that continues to revolutionize healthcare and scientific research to this day. One story caught my eye about the history and legacy of that work.
In an incredible investigative piece, Ashley Smart details the story of RP11, an anonymous donor to the Human Genome Project, who likely contributed nearly 70% of the information for the final sequence. It’s a fascinating story of time pressures, competition from a private company, and technical challenges in blending multiple genomes, leading to an over-reliance on one donor.
MY PICKS of the WEEK
Typically, science events slow down in the summer, but I’m amazed by the bevy of fascinating offerings this week. I first when to SkeptiCal in 2011 (my age is showing!) - I remember Dan Wertheimer speaking on Exobiology and Yau-Man Chan talking about the reality behind his experience on Survivor. The event is still going strong after more than a decade. I recommend the Global Skeptics in the Pub - 24 hours of virtual discussion with groups across the globe (coordinated by David Almandsmith) and the panel on the music of skepticism, with my personal nerd hero, Helen Arney.
As Ed Yong so aptly noted in the NY Times this spring, birding isn’t just for the retirees. This brings us to a second shout-out to the livestream hosted by the Golden Gate Bird Alliance with author Jennifer Ackerman about her stunning book What an Owl Knows. It was one of my favorite science books last year - an intimate look into the experience of owls.
Nerd Nite SF #144 - July 17, $
What an Owl Knows - Online July 18, Free
SkeptiCal 2024 - Online/In Person July 19 - 21, $
Have a science-filled week!
-Kishore
Upcoming Events:
Click to see the next two weeks of events in your browser.
Monday, 07/15/2024
In it together: Microbial interactions with threatened marine hosts and ecosystems - 07/15/2024 11:00 AM
UC Davis Bodega Marine Laboratory Research Talks Bodega Bay
Coral reefs are diverse, productive and valuable but highly threatened by global change stressors. My research group seeks creative ways to leverage microbial symbionts and trophic interactions to improve coral and reef health. This talk will describe these efforts and associated challenges, with a particular focus on the roles and impacts of viral infections on corals.
Speaker: Adrienne Correa studies how microorganisms influence the health and resilience of marine ecosystems and strives to make these systems more accessible to all through hands-on teaching and outreach.
This event is open to the public, but is intended for an academic audience. Dr Correa will give a general audience- oriented lecture on July 17. See our listing
RSVP at the weblink to attend online. No registration required to attend in person
Advancing the Science: The Latest in Alzheimer’s and Dementia Research - 07/15/2024 05:30 PM
Commonwealth Club San Francisco
Alzheimer’s is a global health problem, with nearly 7 million people living with the disease in the United States alone. Tremendous gains have been made in the understanding of the science and basic biology underlying Alzheimer’s and other dementias. These advances are leading to great strides in strategies for prevention, detection, diagnostics and therapeutic interventions.
The Alzheimer’s Association is a global leader in research, mobilizing the field to advance the vision of a world without Alzheimer’s and all other dementia. This presentation will include: Highlights in Early Detection and Diagnosis, Latest Advances in Clinical Trials, Treatments and Lifestyle Interventions, Risk Reduction, and Alzheimer’s Association initiatives and how you can get involved.
Speaker: Claire Day, Alzheimer's Association/ Patrick O'Reilly, Commonwealth Club, Moderator
July LASER Event - 07/15/2024 07:00 PM
Li Ka Shing Center for Learning and Knowledge Stanford
Program (the order of the speakers might change):
Patricia Alessandrini(Stanford) on "Ada's Song: Artistic Research in Robotics from a (Cyber)Feminist Perspective" Alessandrini will speak about her work as a composer/sound artist, from the design of interfaces and instruments for inclusive performance to the development of the Piano Machine, a system that mechanically excites piano strings using Machine Learning processes in response to live performance. She will also discuss her new project employing soft robotics in a cyberfeminist, futurist installation and performance.Joon Park(Stanford) on "Smallville: Illustrating Our Lives with Generative Agents" (click here for more)Rohini Devasher(Media Artist in India) on "Between Wonder and the Strange" Devasher will share work that maps the complexities of ecology, cosmology, and technology viewed through the twin lenses of wonder and the strange. The theoretical grounding of her work draws from the history of science, astronomy, philosophy and speculative fiction.Richard Lowenberg(Artist and Eco-cultural Activist) on "Telluride 2024 - The Nature of Information"
Room: LK102
Tuesday, 07/16/2024
Enhancing In-Situ Denitrification - Batch and Column Tests to Pilot Barriers - Livestream - 07/16/2024 08:00 AM
Microbial Insights
Join us as Dick Raymond and Dr. Michael Lee speak on Enhancing In- Situ Denitrification. Nitrate levels in groundwater and surface water are elevated in many areas of the world because of anthropogenic sources of nitrogen to groundwater, notably discharge from septic systems and nitrogen-containing fertilizers from agriculture. Discharge of nitrogen-enriched groundwaters to coastal embayments can lead to eutrophication, a process whereby excess growth of algae negatively impacts water quality and ecology. Eutrophication poses human health risks as well as economic impacts from reduction in tourism, commercial fishing, and property values. Nitrate in drinking water, which can be impacted surface water or groundwater, is also linked to various adverse health effects. In addition to reducing the human health risks, compliance with the federal CWA and state water quality standards is a key driver to finding methods for reducing nitrogen in the groundwater that feeds into surface water bodies.
Identifying economical and sustainable methods for reducing the nitrogen entering the surface water bodies from the groundwater is an objective for communities across the United States and globally. One such method is permeable reactive barriers(s) or PRBs that are a widely used approach for removing and/or treating contaminants in groundwater. PRBs can address multiple non-point sources of nitrogen that percolate into the aquifer and remove nitrogen from groundwater before discharging to surface water or a potable water extraction well. Permeable Reactive Barriers(s) (PRBs) have been widely used for removal and/or treatment of a range of contaminants in groundwater using various injected/emplaced substrates and/or materials. This presentation will focus upon the remediation product development and design and installation of PRBs for the in-situ biological treatment of nitrate in groundwater using direct injection of carbon substrate electron donors, specifically emulsified vegetable oil (EVO). We will review the key learnings
Using Virtual Reality for Well-being, Social Connections, and Meaningful Experiences - 07/16/2024 02:00 PM
Belmont Village Senior Living Albany
This lecture delves into the past, present, and future of research on XR technology, which encompasses augmented, virtual, and mixed reality (AR, VR, and MR). We will cover what the technology is, how it works, and its various applications in education, socializing, healthcare, and beyond. We examine how various factors can shape people’s experiences within these virtual environments.
In the second half of the lecture, we will focus on how older adults uniquely interact with VR. We will discuss the specific benefits VR can offer to older adults, such as enhanced physical and mental well-being through immersive exercises and cognitive training, opportunities for social engagement and reducing feelings of isolation, and therapeutic uses in managing pain and anxiety. We will also address the challenges, including the need for age-friendly designs and considerations for usability and comfort.
Through real-world examples and interactive demonstrations, attendees will gain insight into how VR can enrich the lives of older adults and the importance of creating inclusive VR experiences that cater to their needs. Join us to discover the exciting potential of VR and how it can transform.
Register at weblink
Efficient LLM Deployment at the Edge Through Quantization - 07/16/2024 06:30 PM
Hacker Dojo Mountain View
The widespread adoption of large language models (LLMs) has sparked a revolution in the development of innovative solutions, with inference expected to account for 90% of the costs associated with LLM applications, compared to only 10% for training. This cost disparity, along with the environmental impact of inference and data privacy concerns, has underscored the need for optimization at the edge. Quantization has emerged as a crucial technique, offering significant performance gains in computation and memory usage. In this presentation, we will delve into modern quantization techniques that facilitate the deployment of LLMs at the edge. We will explore popular methods including AWQ, SmoothQuant, and Block Quantization, examining their trade-offs and optimizations. Using popular open-source models like Llama, OPT, and Mistral, along with Llama.cpp, a well-regarded C++ implementation, as a case study, we will analyze the impact of quantization on model performance and provide insights into best practices for achieving overall efficiency in LLM deployments.
Speaker: Dwith Chenna, Advanced Micro Devices
Attend in person or online (see weblink)
Wonderfest: Ask a Science Envoy: Scavengers + Dark Matter + Biomolecules - 07/16/2024 07:00 PM
Hopmonk Tavern Novato
Wonderfest Science Envoys are early-career researchers with special communication skills and aspirations. Following short talks on provocative modern science topics, these three Science Envoys will answer questions with insight and enthusiasm:
Stanford ecologist Chinmay Sonawane on How Scavenging Animals Protect Human Health - Wildlife is rapidly disappearing globally. But why should we care? The loss of scavengers (consumers of already-dead animals) provides an intriguing example of how biodiversity loss has had, and will continue to have, profound consequences for human health.UC Berkeley physicist Bethany Suter on Direct Detection of Dark Matter - Ubiquitous, yet deeply mysterious, dark matter constitutes 85%(!) of the material universe. What do we know - and not know - of elusive dark matter particles? Novel laboratory materials may allow us to detect dark matter directly, shining light into the pervasive cosmic shadows.Stanford biophysicist Sean Waterton on Making Biomolecules from Electricity - Solar panels produce ever-more clean electricity. At the same time, human activity produces copious amounts of CO2. Modern research in synthetic biology allows us to use electricty and CO2 to create valuable molecules like fats and proteins - and, hopefully, more specialized molecules like medications.
Traveling Light: The Universe’s Oldest Story Told by the Cosmic Microwave Background - 07/16/2024 07:00 PM
Hewlett Teaching Center Stanford
The afterglow of the Big Bang, known as the cosmic microwave background (CMB), is the oldest light in the Universe, emitted when the Universe was only 0.003% of its current age. This ancient light has traveled across space for nearly 14 billion years, carrying with it vital information about the early Universe. By studying this ‘baby picture’ of the Universe, scientists can uncover clues about how the Universe began, how it has evolved over time, and what its future might hold. In this lecture, I will discuss the journey of this ‘traveling light,’ including how it interacts with other cosmic structures -- such as galaxies and dark matter -- through phenomena like gravitational lensing.
Speaker: Federico Bianchini, Stanford University/SLAC
Attend in person or online (see weblink to register)
Understanding Addiction and Drug Policy - 07/16/2024 07:30 PM
Manny's San Francisco
Addiction and substance abuse are complex issues that sit at the intersection of psychology, policy, public safety, and public health. Cities across the US grapple with how to manage the need to treat those suffering while cutting off access to illegal and dangerous drugs. Writing good drug policy from the federal government down to the local level has been a fraught process, and distrust from the "war on drugs" still lingers in American society.
Joining us at Manny's to discuss the current state of drug policy in the US and where we can go from here is Keith Humphrey's - Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University and policy expert.
Wednesday, 07/17/2024
My home is my castle… my boat … my fishing net - Livestream - 07/17/2024 11:00 AM
Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute
Appendicularians are wondrous creatures found everywhere in the world’s oceans. They build complex houses they use as a safe home, as a filtration device to capture food, and as their marine Winnebago. Using these houses, the animals can remove tiniest particles down to the size of viruses from the water and play an important role in the global carbon cycle, by facilitating the carbon efflux into the deep sea. We show, how the appendicularian house functions and how this function differs between species. We explain what is known about the production of the house as an intricately folded mucus rudiment by specialized cells of the animals’ skin. We also present the latest results from our ongoing studies of the evolution of the diversity of the 70 known species of appendicularians and discuss their crucial role for our understanding of the evolutionary transition from invertebrates to vertebrates.
Speakers: Thomas Stach and Mai-Lee Van Le, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin Institut für Biologie
Register at weblink to attend
Bodega Marine Lab Seminar Series - Livestream - 07/17/2024 03:00 PM
Bodega Marine Laboratory
Speaker: TBA
Register at weblink to receive connection information
Thank you for biting? Understanding and leveraging microbial symbioses to mitigate global change impacts - 07/17/2024 04:00 PM
UC Davis Bodega Marine Laboratory Research Talks Bodega Bay
Coral reefs are beautiful, valuable ecosystems that are being degraded by human activities. Microorganisms play key roles in coral health and disease. This talk shows how predators spread key coral microorganisms and explores how this might support reef resilience to warming seas.
Speaker: Adrienne Correa is an associate professor in the Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management at UC Berkeley.
RSVP at the weblink to attend in person or online.
Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society Speaker Series: Ivan Phillipsen - Livestream - 07/17/2024 07:00 PM
Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society
One of the things we love most about birds is their wild array of plumage colors and patterns. Where does all that color come from? In this presentation, you’ll learn how pigments and microscopic structures in feathers create the kaleidoscope of beauty we find in the avian world. We’ll cover topics such as iridescence, molting and feather wear, the evolution of feather color, and the functions of feather colors.
Ivan Phillipsen is a professional naturalist guide with a background in scientific research.
Register at weblink
Nerd Nite SF #144: Virtual Sex, Psychedelic Drugs, and the Philosophy of War - 07/17/2024 07:00 PM
Rickshaw Stop San Francisco
It’s Hot Nerd Summer and we’re playing the hits! We’re bringing the traditional trifecta of “sex, drugs, and rock n’ roll” into the modern age with sexuality in video games, re-matriation of psychedelics, and the real life inspiration behind the darkly comedic film “The Men Who Stare at Goats.” It’s going to be a wild ride, and where else would you rather beat the summer heat?
“Virtual Intercourse is Real: Sexuality in Video Games Part 2”By: Mark Shteller, Diamond Dust Games
Come join us on another wild journey through the world of video games and sex. We’ll do a deep exploration of simulated intimacy in Virtual Reality, dive straight into the caves of anime games, and have a hard and long look at the hottest daddies in gaming.
“From Patriarchy to Matriarchy: Psychedelics and the Feminine Wisdom”
By: Kristina Soriano
Ever wondered how the transition from patriarchal to matriarchal values could shape the psychedelic space? Join Kristina Soriano for a mind-expanding journey through the role of feminine wisdom in psychedelics. Learn about the transformative power of women and elders, dive into the legacy of pioneers like Ann Shulgin and Laura Huxley, and discover the groundbreaking work of the Women’s Visionary Council. Plus, hear firsthand experiences from Kristina’s recent dieta retreat in Pucallpa. Prepare for an evening filled with insights, inspiration, and a dash of humor!
Kristina Soriano is a Texan-born Filipina who has called San Francisco home since 2005. With a Master’s Degree in Healthcare Administration, she is dedicated to advancing psychedelic advocacy through her work with the Women’s Visionary Council and the Psychedelic Literacy Fund, which she co-founded to translate psychedelic therapy books into various languages.
“The Warrior Monk Revisited”By: Dave Wegbreit
A look at Jim Channon, the U.S. Army lieutenant who inspired the film Men Who Stare at Goats, his attempts to bring the New Age into the United States army, and the lessons we can learn from the last hundred years on how to do better together.
Dave Wegbreit contains nerdy multitudes. These days he helps teams develop business software and obsesses over processes and frameworks. In the past he has produced video games, covered the school bus industry as a journalist, and written and directed a take on Vagina Monologues about classic movie monsters.
Thursday, 07/18/2024
Coastal Walk at Pillar Point Bluff - 07/18/2024 10:00 AM
Pillar Point Bluff Parking Lot Moss Beach
Join Peninsula Open Space Trust for a beautiful walk at Pillar Point Bluff just north of Half Moon Bay! You will be guided by POST ambassadors who will share details about the area’s interesting natural history, from the coastal scrub habitat to the Fitzgerald Marine Preserve which hosts tide pools and breeding grounds for harbor seals.
The walk is moderate at about 2.5 miles round trip with about 300 feet of gradual elevation gain.
In 2004, POST stepped in to fund protection of the Bluff, restore it to ecological health, and construct a 1.6-mile section of the California Coastal Trail that now runs across it. Today all 161 acres of the Bluff are fully protected in perpetuity - a process that took four transactions, 11 years of work, and an array of visionaries, landowners, and donors, both public and private.
To sign up, please complete the Eventbrite registration. Please register using a valid e-mail so you receive your e-ticket & the pre-hike instructions.
Please note that dogs are not allowed at this Community Walk and that all minors must be accompanied by a parent and guardian for the entirety of the walk.
Register at weblink
Lunch Break Science - Livestream - 07/18/2024 11:00 AM
The Leakey Foundation
Lunch Break Science is a dynamic live web series featuring fascinating short talks, engaging interviews, and lively Q&A with Leakey Foundation scientists. Each episode digs deeper into the latest human origins discoveries, with topics like Neanderthals, chimpanzee behavior, and more! Even better, you can interact with researchers during the show and have your questions answered on air.
See weblink to join
Can small be the next big thing? Plasma Accelerator R&D at DESY - 07/18/2024 03:30 PM
Stanford Linear Accelerator (SLAC) Colloquium Series Menlo Park
In laser- or particle beam-powered plasma-based accelerators, electrons surf on waves and can reach multi-GeV energy levels in a few 10’s of cm. If one relies on conventional methods, this would require machines that are multiple football fields long. Although many challenges remain, this new technology is at the brink of offering a profoundly different way in which we may build particle accelerators. An overview of the latest progress and the next steps in the R&D needed to advance this technology will be presented. Experiments will be discussed that are conducted at the FLASHForward facility that uses an FEL quality electron beam for powering plasma accelerators. In those experiments, beam quality preserving, high-efficiency acceleration has been achieved with relevance to energy boosters for FELs, as well as future colliders. At the laser-driven LUX and KALDERA facilities, an advanced generation of laser-plasma accelerators (LPA) is being developed that can power compact X-ray sources and FELs, and can be used in medical applications. Last but not least, the know-how gained is being deployed towards our “Moonshot” LPA application: an innovative 6 GeV full-energy injector for the new PETRA IV synchrotron.
Speaker: Prof. Wim Leemans, Director of the Accelerator Division at DESY, Hamburg, Germany
Attend in person or via Zoom
History on Tap: Stories of Point Pinos - 07/18/2024 05:30 PM
Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History Pacific Grove
Point Pinos is one of the most popular attractions in Pacific Grove, and like many local institutions, has a long and storied history to go along with it. While the rocky coast and rolling sand dunes at the southern entrance to Monterey Bay has long enchanted locals and visitors, the lighthouse and the land around the reserve has a long history and recently have been a source of scientific research and artistic expression. Visit the Museum in July for a talk that will highlight a beautiful and historically significant area in California. Learn about the pioneering scientific, technological, and artistic advancements that occurred on Point Pinos from the 1800s, through the Cold War, to today with the knowledgeable panel of David Laws, Bill Wolfe, and Geva Arcanin.
Learn about the pioneering scientific, technological, and artistic advancements that occurred on Point Pinos from the 1800s, through the Cold War to today. The speakers will focus on the Lighthouse and the former Navy/NOAA building.
Panel: Geva Arcanin, Researcher; David Laws, photographer, writer, and historian; Bill Wolfe, Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History docent
After Dark: ExtraOrdinary - 07/18/2024 06:00 PM
ExplOratorium San Francisco
Step into the world of ExtraOrdinary! and let the stunning artworks transform you! Discover what happens when artists assemble objects not ordinarily used in art: shoes become faces, saxophones take flight, and cardboard whispers. And don’t miss Crochet Jam with local artist Ramekon O’Arwisters and a talk about Recology’s Artist in Residence program.
NightLife - 07/18/2024 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 60,000 live animals (including familiar faces like Claude, our alligator with albinism), the night is sure to be wild.
Step inside the iconic Shake House and our four-story Osher Rainforest, where you can explore the Amazon’s treetops surrounded by free-flying birds and butterflies.
Venture into our aquarium exhibit Venom to encounter live venomous animals and learn the power of venom to both harm and heal.
Bask in the glow of one of the largest living indoor coral reef displays in the world: our 212,000-gallon Philippine Coral Reef habitat.
Take in the interstellar views from the Living Roof, then grab a bite from the Academy Café and head to the West Garden outdoor bar to drink and dine under the stars.
What an Owl Knows - Livestream - 07/18/2024 07:00 PM
Golden Gate Bird Alliance
Human’s fascination with owls was first documented in the cave paintings at Chauvet in southern France. With their forward gaze and quiet flight, owls are often a symbol of wisdom, knowledge, and foresight. But what does an owl really know? And what do we really know about owls? Some 260 species of owls reside on every continent except Antarctica, but they are far more difficult to find and study than other birds because they are cryptic, camouflaged, and mostly active at night. Jennifer Ackerman explores the rich biology and natural history of owls and examines remarkable new scientific discoveries about their brains and behavior.
Speaker: Jennifer Ackerman, author
Editor's Note: This event was originally scheduled for March 21, 2024
Friday, 07/19/2024
Global Skeptics in the Pub - Livestream - 07/19/2024 07:00 PM
Bay Area Skeptics The first ever Global Skeptics in the Pub will be held on July 19
Global Skeptics in the Pub will begin at 7pm local time in New Zealand on Friday, July 19, will go around the world, and end at 9pm local time in Hawai’i (24 hours later on the same calendar day)
Note that start time of 7PM is for New Zealand where it all begins.
This event will take place on Zoom. Download the Zoom app to your mobile phone or computer in advance to participate from anywhere. Download from: https://zoom.us/download
Event coördinated by the Bay Area Skeptics. Detailed instructions for participants will be available soon
Hosts: If you would like to host this Zoom event for 2 or 3 hours, email david.almandsmith@gmail.com
Participants:
may join or leave at any time; we expect most will join around their local time of 7pm
are encouraged to take event photos & videos, which will be posted publicly on the web (details TBD).
are expected to conduct themselves in the spirit of civil discourse. Contentious political issues, religion bashing, and ad hominem attacks will not be condoned.
groups are encouraged to meet together to build local camaraderie, but both groups and individuals are welcome
Sunset Walk at Bair Island - 07/19/2024 06:00 PM
Bair Island Wildlife Refuge & Trail Redwood City
Join Peninsula Open Space Trust for a walking tour at the Bair Island Unit of the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge! You’ll be guided by POST ambassadors who will share the history of this beautiful protected space, information about the species that live there, and what you can do to contribute.
This easy 1 mile walk with little to no elevation gain will highlight the wetlands and the marine life that live within, such as: Endangered Ridgeway’s rails and salt marsh harvest mice. Also cottontail rabbits, peregrine falcons, pelicans, egrets, terns, and stilts. We recommend bringing binoculars to catch sight of some of the beautiful birds at Bair Island.
To sign up, please complete the Eventbrite form. Please register using a valid e-mail so you receive your e-ticket & the pre-event instructions.
Please note that dogs are not allowed at this Community Walk and that all minors must be accompanied by a parent and guardian for the entirety of the walk.
Register at weblink
Saturday, 07/20/2024
SkeptiCal: the Scientific Skepticism Conference - Online - 07/20/2024 07:00 PM
Northern California Skeptics
The SkeptiCal Conference brings stimulating and entertaining speakers to a world-wide audience of science fans, critical thinkers, and, in the words of Carl Sagan, questioners of “extraordinary claims”. Join us for two engaging days of speakers, interviews, and discussions. And test your wits on a round of SkeptiCal trivia, and try your hand at SkeptiCal’s popular Skepardy!game.
SkeptiCal is sponsored by the Northern California Skeptics groups. The conference begins on July 19 and ends on July 21.
Global Skeptics in the Pub continues - Livestream - 07/20/2024 07:00 PM
Bay Area Skeptics The first ever Global Skeptics in the Pub starts July 19 and ends on July 20 (local time)
Global Skeptics in the Pub will begin at 7pm local time in New Zealand on Friday, July 19, will go around the world, and end at 9pm local time in Hawai’i (24 hours later on the same calendar day)
Note that start time of 7PM is is for New Zealand where it all begins.
This event will take place on Zoom. Download the Zoom app to your mobile phone or computer in advance to participate from anywhere. Download from: https://zoom.us/download
Event coördinated by the Bay Area Skeptics. Detailed instructions for participants will be posted here soon.
Hosts: If you would like to host this Zoom event for 2 or 3 hours, email david.almandsmith@gmail.com
Participants:
may join or leave at any time; we expect most will join around their local time of 7pm
are encouraged to take event photos & videos, which will be posted publicly on the web (details TBD).
are expected to conduct themselves in the spirit of civil discourse. Contentious political issues, religion bashing, and ad hominem attacks will not be condoned.
groups are encouraged to meet together to build local camaraderie, but both groups and individuals are welcome
Plastic Free Recycling Center Tour - 07/20/2024 11:00 AM
Berkeley Recycling Center Berkeley
Join us for a free Berkeley Recycling Tour this Plastic Free July and dive deeper into the world of recycling. Discover how recyclables are prepared for markets, learn about source separation, and explore waste sorting processes. Plus, at the end of the tour, you’ll receive plastic-free giveaways.
RSVP at weblink
ExtraOrdinary! Festival - 07/20/2024 11:00 AM
ExplOratorium San Francisco
Come enjoy the summer’s most imaginative and playful exhibition! Immerse yourself in ExtraOrdinary! and the stunning artworks made from everyday objects. Don't forget to bring out your inner artist-scientist with our fun programs for all ages: tinker with cardboard and add to a collective creation, join a crochet jam, get hands on at a stuffed animal making workshop, and more. See the ordinary transformed - maybe you will be too!
Stewardship Saturday: Experiencing Fish Kitchen - 07/20/2024 11:30 AM
Marine Mammal Center Sausalito
oin us for an extra Stewardship Saturday in the month of July! During this exclusive behind-the-scenes opportunity you will have the chance to support our hard-working volunteer crews during our peak patient season. Our patients are consuming up to 1,000 pounds of fish per day during this time of the year! That’s a lot of mouths to feed and a lot of fishy dishes. We will be preparing all the food for these animals, allowing you a glimpse into what it is like to be one of our committed animal care volunteers. Our hope is that you leave this event with an increased understanding of patient needs, and some goals for what you can do to support our ocean.
Free lunch and snacks will be provided.
We can sign community service forms for you if you attend this event!
For high school students
Register at weblink
'Climate Capitalism - Winning the Race to Zero Emissions and Solving the Crisis of Our Age' - 07/20/2024 04:00 PM
Manny's San Francisco
Our age will be defined by the climate emergency. But contrary to the doomist narrative that’s taken hold, the world has already begun deploying the solutions needed to deal with it.
On a journey across five continents, Climate Capitalism tracks the unlikely heroes driving the fight against climate change. From the Chinese bureaucrat who did more to make electric cars a reality than Elon Musk, to the Indian entrepreneur showing how to deploy solar on a tight budget, or the American oil executive building the technology that can reverse climate damage, we meet the people working to scale technologies that are finally able to bend the emissions curve.
Through stories that bring people, policy, and technology together, Akshat Rathi reveals how the green economy is not only possible but profitable. This inspiring blend of business, science, and history provides the framework for ensuring that future generations can live in prosperity and that the wheels of progress don’t falter.
Speaker: Akshat Rathi, Bloomberg News; James Temple, MIT Technology Review
Register at weblink
The Conjunctive Theory of Mental Imagery - 07/20/2024 07:30 PM
East Bay Astronomical Society Oakland
We live in two worlds: the outer world, where we exist, interact with others, and deal witheveryday life, and the inner world, where we dream, think, and imagine. Our mental imageryconnects these worlds, and how we connect them shapes our reality. The way we see the worldgoverns this connection. Viewing the world through artistic and scientific perspectives is vitalfor experiencing our reality fully.
The Conjunctive Theory of Mental Imagery examines how the interplay between our internaland external worlds influences and shapes our perception of the world. Since mental imagesserve as the foundation for artistic and scientific progress in society, it is important to approachartworks and scientific theories with both artistic and scientific perspectives in order to fullycomprehend and appreciate them. This lecture supports these assertions.
Speaker: Mohsen Janatpour, College of San Mateo
Sunday, 07/21/2024
SkeptiCal: the Scientific Skepticism Conference - Online - 07/21/2024 07:00 PM
Northern California Skeptics
The SkeptiCal Conference brings stimulating and entertaining speakers to a world-wide audience of science fans, critical thinkers, and, in the words of Carl Sagan, questioners of “extraordinary claims”. Join us for two engaging days of speakers, interviews, and discussions. And test your wits on a round of SkeptiCal trivia, and try your hand at SkeptiCal’s popular Skepardy!game.
SkeptiCal is sponsored by the Northern California Skeptics groups. The conference begins on July 19 and ends on July 21.
ExtraOrdinary! Festival - 07/21/2024 11:00 AM
ExplOratorium San Francisco
Come enjoy the summer’s most imaginative and playful exhibition! Immerse yourself in ExtraOrdinary! and the stunning artworks made from everyday objects. Don't forget to bring out your inner artist-scientist with our fun programs for all ages: tinker with cardboard and add to a collective creation, join a crochet jam, get hands on at a stuffed animal making workshop, and more. See the ordinary transformed - maybe you will be too!
Monday, 07/22/2024
What Does Machine Learning Have to Offer Mathematics? - 07/22/2024 05:30 PM
Calvin Laboratory Berkeley
The interaction of machine learning with math has attracted a lot of attention, because mathematics is in some respects a closed world with well-defined rules (like chess, and unlike poetry-writing) but also a domain where success is ultimately judged by human assessments of ingenuity and importance, not rigid criteria (like poetry-writing, and unlike chess). Can machines prove theorems? Can they have mathematical ideas? Jordan Ellenberg will talk about his joint work with researchers from DeepMind, which used novel techniques in machine learning to make progress in a problem in combinatorics, and will try to chart some near-term ways that machine learning may affect mathematical practice.
Speaker: Jordan Ellenberg, University of Wisconsin - Madison
Register at weblink to attend in person. Lecture will be available on YouTube later (see weblink)
Tuesday, 07/23/2024
Predicting the President: Origins of Computer Forecasting - 07/23/2024 07:00 PM
Computer History Museum Mountain View
Whale Conservation in San Francisco Bay and Beyond - Livestream - 07/23/2024 07:00 PM
American Cetacean Society
Wednesday, 07/24/2024
Mixing electricity with water: The world of marine electromagnetic methods - Livestream - 07/24/2024 11:00 AM
Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute
Does life-long acclimatization to environmental variability promote coral resiliance under global change? - Livestream - 07/24/2024 03:00 PM
Bodega Marine Laboratory
Making AI systems feel guilty - 07/24/2024 06:30 PM
Valley Research Park Mountain View
Thursday, 07/25/2024
NightLife - 07/25/2024 06:00 PM
California Academy of Sciences San Francisco
After Dark: Growing Green - 07/25/2024 06:00 PM
ExplOratorium San Francisco
Open Question: Bioeconomy - What do sustainable food systems look like? - 07/25/2024 07:00 PM
ExplOratorium San Francisco
Friday, 07/26/2024
Women in Batteries Conference - 07/26/2024 11:00 AM
Cardinal Hall Redwood City
Observing Exoplanets with the James Webb Space Telescope - SOLD OUT - 07/26/2024 08:30 PM
Lick Observatory Mt. Hamilton
Saturday, 07/27/2024
Stewardship Saturday: Planting Trees to Restore San Francisco and the Ocean - 07/27/2024 08:45 AM
Bayview San Francisco
Bubblefest - 07/27/2024 10:00 AM
Chabot Space and Science Center Oakland
TechFest: Game Play - 07/27/2024 10:00 AM
Computer History Museum Mountain View
Sunset Hike at Rancho Cañada del Oro - 07/27/2024 04:30 PM
Rancho Cañada Del Oro Open Space Preserve Morgan hill
How Earth Came Alive! - 07/27/2024 06:00 PM
Commonwealth Club San Francisco
“We are stardust: the story of cosmic alchemy” - 07/27/2024 08:30 PM
Lick Observatory Mt. Hamilton
Starry Nights Star Party - 07/27/2024 09:00 PM
Rancho Cañada Del Oro Open Space Preserve Morgan hill
Sunday, 07/28/2024
Hike at Windy Hill - 07/28/2024 09:00 AM
Windy Hill Open Space Preserve Portola Valley
Bubblefest - 07/28/2024 10:00 AM
Chabot Space and Science Center Oakland