Hello Science Fans,
I hope you are looking forward to the longest day of the year this week. This Tuesday June 21 at 7:57 AM marks the spot where the sun will be a its northernmost point for the year. It will rise about 5:47 AM and set at 8:34 PM. This marks the end of spring, and the beginning of summer with the longest day of the year. It will be 14 hours 47 minutes between sunrise and sunset or 5 hours 14 minutes longer than it was at its' shortest just 6 months ago. I often wonder how things were figured out before we had the benefits of so many great scientists and equipment.
What is this artificial intelligence stuff we keep hearing about? Might it be Techno-Narcissism? How Can Science Be More Creative? I think one way to figure out how to approach new stuff including AI is by watching kids solve problems. I'm not much of a kid person but they can be fascinating to watch if you don't normally have much or any exposure to them! Just yesterday I was watching a kid play with an exhibit at CuriOdyssey when one of the pieces got stuck inside. It seemed like he immediately figured out what to do using other parts of the exhibit. Watching kids, and adults who aren't self-conscious about themselves when they are trying to solve a problem can be really inspiring, I highly recommend it!
Another big day for CuriOdyssey is happening this week. Last week they reopened after being closed for almost 3 months due to damage from the storms in March. This Saturday they will celebrate the opening of the Bay Gallery and its' inaugural exhibition, Viewpoint: Looking here, near, & far. I suggest that you take out a membership this week so you can get in for the members preview!
We are into summer break time for schools and vacation time is starting up. Even with that, there are plenty of presentations to catch and learn from. Here are a few that I think are worth some consideration from you and your friends and family...
Note: Humans are pumping out so much groundwater that it's changing Earth's tilt!
2- Digital Dilemmas Salon: Digital Technologies in Armed Conflicts - 06/20/2023 06:00 PM
3- Wonderfest: Astronomy for Planet Earth - 06/20/2023 07:00 PM
5- Science on Tap: Predators: Mysteries, Myths, & Marvels - 06/22/2023 05:30 PM
PLUS... There's a bunch of star parties!
Speaking of stars... Want to see next year’s total solar eclipse? Make plans now!
I had a really hard time choosing which extra reading material to add this week so I’m letting you choose!…
Evaluating sources of scientific evidence and claims in the post-truth era
Science can still lead to new paradoxes … “I don't have the mind of a mathematician, I have the mind of an auto-mechanic, what works is what's practical.” Leonard Susskind
Have a great week learning cool new stuff.
herb masters
“Well, there is no "truth" to science. I like to think about science in two ways. Science is a verb as in the scientific method, as in being curious, as in exploring things. And I don't think that any of us would have a problem with that. I believe that science has gone a long way towards improving our lives. But science, the noun, is where there's a lot of yelling and screaming. Science in terms of the facts makes a difference because science is predicated on the idea that the facts may change over time. I mean, you can take a classic example. It used to be that the sun revolved around the earth. That was a fact up until Galileo and Copernicus came along and said, well, maybe it's not such a fact anymore and proved that the situation was different. The same holds for a lot of the beliefs we have today, let's talk for a second about air pollution, and let me be real clear. We all want clean air.” Charles Dinerstein
(Note: Some guy named Aristarchus of Samos was ahead of Galileo and Copernicus by 1600 years or so though!)
Upcoming Events:
Click to see the next two weeks of events in your browser.
Monday, 06/19/2023
Tuesday, 06/20/2023
From Warning to Navigation - 20 Years Past and Future - Livestream - 06/20/2023 10:00 AM
Post Carbon Institute
Those of us who care about the fate of younger generations and the more-than-human world know that the warnings of the last few decades have largely fallen on deaf ears. Post Carbon Institute turns 20 this year, a milestone that has prompted us to reflect on what’s transpired since our founding in 2003. Some events surprised us (the way cheap credit and fracking postponed Peak Oil). Some rattled us (the pandemic). And some were sadly predictable (the inability of our institutions to transition away from fossil fueled-growth). While the world has experienced tremendous change and destabilization in the last two decades, it looks certain that the next 20 years will be marked by even greater environmental and societal (poly)crisis - what the great environmental philosopher Joanna Macy calls the “Great Unraveling.”
Join PCI’s Senior Fellow Richard Heinberg and Rachel Donald, journalist, educator, and host of the Planet: Critical podcast, for this anniversary webinar. Richard will lead a discussion about what we’ve learned from the last 20 years and Rachel will shine a light on what the next 20 years could hold.
A Vision of Intelligent Train Control - Livestream - 06/20/2023 12:00 PM
IEEE Computer Society of Silicon Valley
The progressive adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and advanced communication technologies within railway control and automation gave rise to a huge potential in terms of optimization, learning and adaptation, due to the so-called “self-x” capabilities. However, it has also raised several dependability concerns due to the lack of measurable trust that is needed for certification purposes. In this talk, a vision will be provided about future train control that builds upon existing automatic train operation, protection, and supervision paradigms. The basic concepts for autonomous driving in digital railways will be provided, and feasibility will be addressed in terms of challenges and opportunities, including explainability, autonomic computing, and digital twins. Due to the clear architectural distinction, traditional train protection (ATP) can act as a safety envelope for intelligent operation to optimize energy, comfort, and capacity, while intelligent protection based on signal recognition and obstacle detection can improve safety through advanced driving assistance.
Speaker: Francesco Flammini, Malardalen University, Sweden
Register at weblink to receive connection information
Computer-aided design of engineered cells: vision and some highlighted challenges - 06/20/2023 12:00 PM
Shriram Center Stanford
Stanford Synthetic Biology (SB) presents SB.Talk, a community event where we will discuss the science, its importance, and how to get involved.
Speaker: Cyrus Knudsen; Stanford University
RSVP at weblink
The Proof Is in the Water: Touring the Silicon Valley Advanced Water Purification Center - 06/20/2023 12:30 PM
Silicon Valley Advanced Water Purification Center San Jose
As its climate changes, Northern California will likely experience more frequent and extreme droughts, punctuated by very wet years. More severe droughts could - but don’t have to - limit the region’s prosperity. Water recycling can stretch our region’s supply and allow for agricultural and industrial uses. A further step is purifying the water to drinking water standards. Valley Water is working on expanding water reuse by purifying highly treated wastewater that eventually can be incorporated into drinking water supplies. Join us on a tour of the Silicon Valley Advanced Water Purification Center to learn how Valley Water is already producing drinking-water quality water and to discover how recycled and purified water fits into a sustainable future for a growing region.
Register at weblink to attend.
Popping the Science Bubble - 06/20/2023 05:30 PM
Berkeley Central Library Berkeley
Every month, learn about cutting-edge research happening at UC Berkeley, directly from the scientists themselves.
Context in the brain: how the brain enables context-dependent decisions
Speaker: Thomas Elston, Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute
Shedding Light on the Mysteries of Radioactivity: From Discovery to Modern Medical Applications
Speaker: Alexia Cosby, Lawrence Berkeley National Lab
Attend in person or register here to attend online.
Tech X The Future of News Forum - 06/20/2023 06:00 PM
Computer History Museum Mountain View
Technology has revolutionized access to information, enabling news to spread instantly around the world, and to reflect and represent diversity. And yet together with this promise, comes risk, when disinformation goes viral. Amid these changes in the digital era, we have a unique opportunity to help shape the future of news - both the practice of journalism, and news business -- with intention to restore trust, build shared understanding, preserve the vital role of the free press in our society, and empower citizens to help shape a better future.
But how?
Forum speakers will explore the underlying drivers of change, what’s at stake, and who decides and benefits. Conversations will center on these issues through three inter-connected threads:
Evolving audiences engaging with news through technologies in new ways Tech-powered changes in news creation and consumption - from AI-generated content to news delivery on TikTok Transformation of business models, and evolving regulation and policy impacting the industry
Join CHM for a dynamic and timely public forum on Tech and the Future of News, featuring top newsmakers, experts and changemakers at the intersection of media and technology.
Latest Developments in Alzheimer's and the AAPI, LGBTQIA+ Communities - 06/20/2023 06:00 PM
Commonwealth Club San Francisco
Alzheimer's disease is the most common type of dementia. It begins with mild memory loss and progresses to more severe effects, in some cases leading to the loss of the ability to carry on a conversation or respond to the surrounding environment. According to the CDC, in 2020, 5.8 million Americans were living with Alzheimer's; the number of people living with the disease doubles every five years beyond the age of 65; and as many as 14 million people in the United States are projected to have Alzheimer's by the year 2060.
The disease and its impact can be experienced in different ways in different communities.
Join us live as television host Michelle Meow leads a discussion with health experts and Alzheimer's advocates. They'll discuss Alzheimer's awareness, caregiving and the API stigma, filial piety, a personal caregiving story, LGBTQ caregiving and family dynamics, early detection, and brain health.
This is a free event - your chance to learn more about this disease affecting millions of people.
Panel: Jarmin Yeh, UC San Francisco; Stan Wong, Volunteer; Xiaorong, University of Southern California; Michelle Meow, Commonwealth Club, Host
Attend in person or online
Digital Dilemmas Salon: Digital Technologies in Armed Conflicts - 06/20/2023 06:00 PM
swissnex San Francisco San Francisco
Join us for the first event in the ‘Digital Dilemmas Salon Series’, focusing on generating insights and actions about how technology could be designed to better serve the needs of vulnerable people living in armed conflict.
The acceleration of the global digital transformation is profoundly affecting society, business, and governance. This transformation - including mobile connectivity, biometrics, social media, often created in the Bay Area - generates unique dynamics and effects in armed conflicts.
While digital technologies offer unprecedented opportunities, the risks around their impact, misuse and consequences are profound. How can technologies work better for people living in armed conflicts? How can we embrace the prism of people living in conflict to think about ethics, responsibility and the impact of technologies?
Wonderfest: Astronomy for Planet Earth - 06/20/2023 07:00 PM
Hopmonk Tavern Novato
The past few decades of astronomical discovery have been breathtaking: thirty years of awe-inspiring images from two Space Telescopes (Hubble & Webb), thousands of planets found circling nearby stars, mind-bending and spacetime-bending gravity waves and, quite recently, a stunning image of the black hole at the center of the Milky Way. What is the value of all of these discoveries? Can learning about our place in the Universe inspire us, as Carl Sagan put it, to preserve and cherish the Pale Blue Dot?
Speaker: Adrienne Cool, San Francisco State University
Nerd Nite SF #133: Kinky Critters, Sexy Video Games, & Nerdy Law! - 06/20/2023 07:00 PM
Manny's San Francisco
Kinky Critters: The Wild, Bizarre and Sordid sex lives of animals by Guido Nuñez- Mujica
Over the span of 3.7 billion years, life has adapted to many situations, and that has changed the way animals reproduce. Traditional expectations of male-female couplings solely for reproduction are very far from reality for many species, as are expectations of the roles of females and males. Life is far more twisted than we can imagine. A species of clonal lesbians? Check! Golden showers? Check! Blowhole sex? Check! Even Vore?! Check. From lesbian clone lizards to self-sucking squirrels and pegging insects, come and explore the real wild side!
Guido (he/him) is computational biologist and data scientist currently working at The Breakthrough Institute. He’s a TED Fellow, a Cornell Alliance for Science Fellow and does volunteer work about immigration and human rights, LGBT issues. On his spare time you might find him doing science communication, at a South of Market Leather bar, coding for fun, working on his documentary project, learning Hindi or making his urine glow under UV light. You can follow along on Twitter @OSGuido.
Sexuality and Game Design: Undressing the past present and future of sex and representation in the video game industry by Mark Shteller
Over the last decade, video games have become the #1 most profitable form of entertainment, yet in many ways the industry is still going through its teenage years. There’s no other subject this fact is more apparent in than in sexuality. How did we get from questionable pixelated sex acts in Atari games to full blown simulated intercourse in VR? What moral panic resulted from gamifying romance and relationships? Why do developers hide queer content behind the #GayButton? In addition we’ll ride down Rainbow Road and discuss where the game industry is today regarding LGBTQ+ representation.
Star Trek Law: Not Every Case is the Kobayashi Maru by Joshua Gilliland
The world of Star Trek has presented legal issues in infinite diversity in infinite combinations. Join the attorney Joshua Gilliland on the Away Team to discovery the new world of assumption of risk for Red Shirts, whether Tribbles are an invasive species, if Scotty argue the insanity defense for being possessed by Jack the Ripper, comparative law from Klingons to Cardassians, and more from every Generation of Star Trek.
Astronomy on Tap Tucson #88: New Worlds + Black Holes - Livestream - 06/20/2023 07:30 PM
Astronomy on Tap
Strange New Worlds Through the Eyes of JWST - Sarah Moran & Giant Black Holes and How We Study Them - Haowen Zhang
On tap this month, we have Dr. Sarah Moran from the Lunar and Planetary Laboratory telling us all about the JWST view of planets (both inside and outside of our Solar System), and Steward Observatory’s Haowen Zhang talking about black holes and how we learn about them! We’ll also be hearing all about the latest Astronomy in the News from Drs. Jackie Champagne and Danny Krolikowski, so please join us to learn about the latest and greatest in the astronomical world.
You can join us online
Wednesday, 06/21/2023
Coastal Walk at Cowell-Purisima Trail - 06/21/2023 10:00 AM
Cowell Purisima Coastal Trailhead Half Moon Bay
Join Peninsula Open Space Trust for a beautiful 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 5 miles round trip with about 400 feet of gradual elevation gain. It is mostly flat throughout, however, it is quite a long walk.
Register at weblink
Earth to Earth, Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Dust --- The Birth and Death of Worlds - 06/21/2023 07:00 PM
Silicon Valley Astronomy Lecture Series Los Altos Hills
For centuries we have known that Earth is only one of multiple worlds orbiting the Sun. Near the turn of the 21st century we discovered that our solar system is but one of countless others. Where did these planets come from? What are their fates, and ours? Dr. Chiang will describe the life cycle of planets, how they are born and die and are born again. The story follows microscopic grains of dust, from the dark and icy clouds of the Milky Way, to the fiery winds from planets burning in the glare of their stars.
Eugene Chiang is a Professor of Astronomy and of Earth and Planetary Science at UC Berkeley. He is a theoretical astrophysicist with interests in all things planetary, from planet formation to orbital dynamics to planetary atmospheres.
Australia 2023: FUNGA, flora and fauna - 06/21/2023 07:30 PM
Bay Area Mycological Society Berkeley
A whirlwind tour of mostly mushrooms, from the East coast of Australia to the West, and down to the island of Tasmania.
Collaborating with mycologists across the Australian states, Debbie brings an up close and personal view of the amazing biota of Oz. Travel with her to the magical land Down Under, and see some of these wonders for yourself!
Speaker: Debbie Viess
Thursday, 06/22/2023
My 50+ Years of Antiquackery Activity | Stephen Barrett, MD, in conversation with William M. London - 06/22/2023 04:00 PM
Skeptical Inquirer
When it comes to combatting misinformation and pseudoscience about healthcare and nutrition, Stephen Barrett is in a class by himself. An expert in medical communications, Dr. Barrett operates twenty-three websites, including CFI’s Quackwatch. He has written fifty-three books and thousands of articles; delivered hundreds of talks at colleges, universities, and medical schools; and been a peer-review panelist for several top medical journals.
Skeptical Inquirer Presents welcomes Stephen Barrett and longtime Quackwatch collaborator William M. London to reflect on Barrett’s five decades of work fighting health misinformation. Dr. Barrett will discuss the history of quack devices, dietary supplements, homeopathy, multi-level marketing, and delusion-based chiropractic and what our government can do to combat medical quackery.
Science on Tap: Predators: Mysteries, Myths, & Marvels - 06/22/2023 05:30 PM
Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History Pacific Grove
Join the Museum for a night of teeth, claws, and mythbusting as we talk about three incredibly interesting, misunderstood, and incredible predators with a panel of brilliant experts! Sharks, mountain lions, and rattlesnakes will all get a spotlight from brilliant scientists John O’Sullivan, Dr. Emily Taylor, and John J. Morgan. Beer for this event will be provided by our incredibly talented friends at Alvarado Street Brewery!
Pride NightLife - 06/22/2023 06:00 PM
California Academy of Sciences San Francisco
Kick off SF Pride in style at NightLife! Featuring fierce performances by The Oaklash Festival & so much more.
After Dark: Pride in Our Future - 06/22/2023 06:00 PM
ExplOratorium San Francisco
What does a queer future look like? Pride celebrations typically highlight LGBTQ+ history, culture, and past accomplishments. Tonight at the Exploratorium we are taking a look forward instead and celebrating the creative expression, scientific progress, political activism, and civic attitudes paving the way to a future influenced by and inclusive of the full spectrum of LGBTQ+ perspectives and voices! Ages 18+ only.
Why Government Is Failing in the Digital Age - 06/22/2023 06:00 PM
Commonwealth Club San Francisco
Government at all levels has limped into the digital age, widening the gap between the policy outcomes we intend and what we get.
Jennifer Pahlka served as President Barack Obama’s former deputy chief technology officer. Join us for an in-depth talk as she offers a bold reexamination of how our government operates and the improvements that she says need to be made to end bureaucratic dysfunction.
It’s not more money or more tech we need; Pahlka calls for "recoding" American government to reclaim it for the people it is supposed to serve.
Speaker: Jennifer Pahlka, Former Deputy Chief Technology Officer for the United States; DJ Patil, Former US Chief Data Scientist, moderator
Friday, 06/23/2023
Astro 101: Sights of the Cosmos, Intro to Astronomy - 06/23/2023 08:00 PM
San Jose Astronomical Association San Jose
This event provides a different introduction to astronomy than our Intro to the Night Sky talks. During this hour, you'll gain an appreciation for the size and scale of the cosmos and our place within it. You'll see many examples of the beautiful objects visible in the night sky, learn something about how we see them through our telescopes and what we can deduce about them through the light they send us. And then you can make your own prediction of whether we're alone in the universe.
This talk is free of charge. Just come and enjoy the show. After the talk, you can check out telescopes that will be set up as part of our In-Town Star Party. (See In Town Star Party event on Meetup.
The talk will be presented by Wolf Witt. Wolf is not an actual astronomer, nor has he ever played one on TV. However, he's been interested in outer space since he was a kid and still thinks that the universe is an amazing place. He's been with SJAA for nine years, and now he'll share with you his enthusiasm and some of what he's learned about the cosmos. Maybe you'll think it's amazing, too.
The Interstellar Medium in the Infrared: Using JWST, Herschel, and SOFIA to study the gas and dust in nearby galaxies - SOLD OUT - 06/23/2023 08:30 PM
Lick Observatory Mt. Hamilton
Dr Jessica Sutter is a postdoctoral researcher in the astronomy and astrophysics department at the University of California San Diego. Her research is focused on using infrared observations of nearby galaxies to study gas and dust between the stars, referred to as the interstellar medium. By studying the interstellar medium in the infrared, environments otherwise hidden by cosmic dust can be revealed.
Speaker: Jessica Sutter, UC San Diego
Tickets go on sale at noon, May 8, 2023. Limit 4 per customer.
In Town Star Party - 06/23/2023 09:30 PM
San Jose Astronomical Association San Jose
Events are held at the parking lot of our headquarters, Houge Park San Jose. Event duration is 2hrs. SJAA volunteers will share night sky views from their personal telescopes.
Please refrain from bringing your own telescopes (Binoculars are welcome). If you like to be a volunteer with or without a telescope please email at "itsp@sjaa.net".
Just before this star party, SJAA is offering an introduction-to-astronomy talk. Please check out this separate event on Meetup
Register at weblink
Saturday, 06/24/2023
Summer Science Fundays - Making Music: Math and Science Out Loud - 06/24/2023 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.
June 24 - Making Music: Math and Science Out Loud Grand Opening: Rock out with science and celebrate the grand opening of our new exhibition Making Music: Math and Science Out Loud!
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 Save Nature, Cal Taiko Band, Les Aerielles, and more, to bring a variety of unique experiences to our visitors.
EV Ride and Drive - 06/24/2023 11:00 AM
Baylands Park Sunnyvale
Kick off your summer by test driving electric vehicles (EVs) at Baylands Park. Explore various makes and models on the market. You can ask owners and experts questions about EVs. Take a test drive in an EV that you have been curious about.
After your test drive, enjoy complimentary food from an on-site food truck.
Plus, try out different forms of sustainable transportation. Take e-bikes for a spin.
How interferometry can stabilize and diagnose high resolution spectrographs - 06/24/2023 07:30 PM
East Bay Astronomical Society Oakland
To study exo-Earths with Doppler shifts, one needs extremely accurate spectrograph dimensional stability. This requirement is out of reach for most spectrographs. We describe a technique known as Externally Dispersed Interferometry (EDI) which places a small Michelson interferometer in series with the spectrograph input beam. This imprints an extremely period comb spectrum on the input stellar spectrum, which thereby creates moire patterns. These are stellar spectral features heterodyned down to lower frequencies. These broad moire are dramatically less sensitive to positional drifts or defects in the imaging detector. The moire patterns shift in phase proportionally with Doppler velocity, and have been used to discover exoplanet HD102195 and HD87646 in 2005 and 2016. Recently we have discovered how two different simultaneous signal components in our data counter-rotate in phase under an unwanted wavelength drift ∆x, and have modified our data analysis to combine these signals to cancel the net reaction to drift or pixel positional error. We can reduce the net response to a spectrograph error by 1000 times! This 1000x gain in stability multiplies any conventional gain (ie. from vacuum tank, thermal insulation, or fiber scrambling), to produce an extremely ideal net stability, satisfying the 1/100000 pixel requirement to study exo-Earths.
Speaker: David Erskine, Lawrence Livermore National Labs
Lick Observatory Music of the Spheres - SOLD OUT - 06/24/2023 08:30 PM
Lick Observatory Mt. Hamilton
Each year Lick Observatory brings world-renown musicians and astronomers to the summit of Mount Hamilton for a musical night to remember.
The event activities include:
Concert Astronomy talk by world-renowned scientists Viewing through the historic 36-inch Great Lick Refractor telescope Viewing through the 40-inch Nickel Reflector telescope Astronomy discussions with amateur astronomers and viewing through small telescopes Performer: White Album Ensemble Chamber Orchestra
Speaker: Dr. Agnès Ferté (KIPAC, SLAC)
Tickets go on sale at noon, May 8, 2023. Limit 4 per customer.
City Star Party - Presidio - 06/24/2023 08:30 PM
City Star Parties - Parade Grounds at the Presidio San Francisco
Come join the San Francisco Amateur Astronomers for free public stargazing of the Moon, planets, globular clusters and more!
SFAA members with telescopes are encouraged to attend and share their views of the stars with the general public.
Dress warmly. Due to the pandemic, social-distancing and masks are encouraged, but not required.
Rain, heavy fog and overcast skies cancel. Check the SFAA website for a cancellation notice before leaving for the star party.
Sunday, 06/25/2023
Morning Hike at La Honda Open Space Preserve - 06/25/2023 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 a POST Ambassador on the meandering trails of Lower La Honda Creek, featuring a still-active cattle operation and views of the surrounding ridgelines! You will hear all about the human and natural history of this beautiful preserve!
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
Monday, 06/26/2023
Two Stanford Bio-X Talks - Livestream - 06/26/2023 12:00 PM
Stanford University
YIORGO SKINIOTIS, Professor of Molecular & Cellular Physiology and of Structural Biology and Photon Science “The calcium sensing receptor under the electron microscope: from mechanism to therapeutics”
12:30 PM AXEL BRUNGER, Professor of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, of Neurology & Neurological Sciences, of Photon Science, and (by courtesy) of Structural Biology “Calcium triggered exocytosis: from structures to potential therapeutics”
See weblink for connection information
Tomorrow’s Extremes: California’s Climate on the Edge - 06/26/2023 05:30 PM
swissnex San Francisco San Francisco
With wildfires becoming increasingly frequent and intense, droughts gripping the land, and sea levels steadily rising, it's evident that climate change has reached a critical point in California.
The state is grappling with the profound impacts of this global crisis. How has climate change transformed California's landscapes, from the scorching valleys to the towering forests? What are the consequences for society, including agriculture, public health, and economic stability? In the face of such challenges, what insights can experts like Prof. Dr. Sonia I. Seneviratne and Dr. Noah Diffenbaugh offer to shed light on the gravity of the situation and provide potential solutions? Join us as we delve into the pressing issue of climate change in California and its profound effects on society.
Prof. Dr. Sonia I. Seneviratne from ETH Zurich and Dr. Noah Diffenbaugh from Stanford's Doerr School of Sustainability will be presenting their work and personal research projects on Global Warming, taking first a global perspective and then diving into the local effects we have all witnessed in the past few years.
Truth-O-Meter: Fact-checking content generated by a LLM - Rescheduled - 06/26/2023 07:00 PM
SF Bay Association of Computing Machinery
A text obtained by a Large Language Model (LLM) such as GPT4 usually has issues in terms of incorrectness and hallucinations. We build a fact-checking system 'Truth-O-Meter' which identifies wrong facts, comparing the generation results with the web and other sources of information, and suggests corrections. Text mining and web mining techniques are leveraged to identify correct corresponding sentences; also, the syntactic and semantic generalization procedure adopted to the content improvement task. To handle inconsistent sources while fact-checking, we rely on an argumentation analysis in the form of defeasible logic programming. We compare our fact checking engine with competitive approach based on reinforcement learning on top of LLM or token-based hallucination detection. Our approach is an instance of what we call "Shaped-charge learning architecture" which is intended to combine an efficient LLM with explainable inductive learning. It is observed that LLM content can be substantially improved for factual correctness and meaningfulness.
Speaker: Boris Galitsky
See weblink to register
Editor's Note: This event has been moved to Tuesday, June 27, 2023
Tuesday, 06/27/2023
The Future of Robotics: Human Aids or Replacements? - 06/27/2023 03:00 PM
Commonwealth Club San Francisco
Getting to Know the White Sharks off the California Coast - Livestream - 06/27/2023 07:00 PM
American Cetacean Society
Wonderfest: 3 Ages of Water - 06/27/2023 07:00 PM
Bookshop West Portal San Francisco
Truth-O-Meter: Fact-checking content generated by a LLM - 06/27/2023 07:00 PM
Hacker Dojo Mountain View
Wednesday, 06/28/2023
SETI Talks - Unveiling ‘Oumuamua and its Mysterious Visit to Our Solar System - Livestream - 06/28/2023 08:30 AM
SETI Institute
Digital Dilemmas Salon: Social Media in Armed Conflicts - 06/28/2023 06:00 PM
swissnex San Francisco San Francisco
'Wild Life' Screening - 06/28/2023 06:00 PM
Patagonia Palo Alto
Peninsula Gem & Geology Society - 06/28/2023 07:00 PM
Peninsula Gem & Geology Society Los Altos
Thursday, 06/29/2023
After Dark: Ecological Futures - 06/29/2023 06:00 PM
ExplOratorium San Francisco
NightLife: Says Who? Vol. 3 Gender - 06/29/2023 06:00 PM
California Academy of Sciences San Francisco
Next Generation Topographic Mapping - Map what you want, where you want, when you want with topoBuilder - Livestream - 06/29/2023 06:00 PM
US Geological Survey Public Lecture Series
Friday, 06/30/2023
Sunset Science: Asteroid Day - 06/30/2023 06:00 PM
Chabot Space and Science Center Oakland
Saturday, 07/01/2023
San Vicente Redwoods Bay to Bay Hike - 07/01/2023 09:00 AM
San Vicente Redwoods Trailhead Santa Cruz
BayCon2023: Science Fiction Convention - 07/01/2023 10:00 AM
Santa Clara Marriott Santa Clara
Natural Connection: The Environment and You Festival - 07/01/2023 11:00 AM
ExplOratorium San Francisco
Summer Science Fundays - Float Your Boat - 07/01/2023 11:00 AM
Lawrence Hall of Science Berkeley
Sunday, 07/02/2023
BayCon2023: Science Fiction Convention - 07/02/2023 10:00 AM
Santa Clara Marriott Santa Clara
Infinitely Yours - 07/02/2023 01:00 PM
ExplOratorium San Francisco
Monday, 07/03/2023
BayCon2023: Science Fiction Convention - 07/03/2023 10:00 AM
Santa Clara Marriott Santa Clara