Greetings Science Fans, Supporters, and Geeks,
It's been 250 years since Paul Revere announced that the British were coming. It seems odd to claim something literally but, science has been the base of many core beliefs in this country since before its inception. Ten Things About Benjamin Rush These days I am constantly stunned by how science has been and is being rejected these days. Consider this... the rise of anti-science health officials in the US. It really does seem like there's a war on science. It is hard to be non-confrontational with people who espouse distrust, ignorance, acceptance of pseudoscience (astrology, "alternative medicine"), and denial of reason and critical thinking. Especially when you are in a social situation and confronted by Attacks on Science from people you care about. Sort of like talking politics at Thanksgiving! Please don't give up, there are resources to help open discussions, and disagree with friends and family while keeping them as friends and family. Why are people antiscience, and what can we do about it?
Well on those sobering thoughts and suggestions.. Tonight is the start of something humans have been watching since at least 687 BCE. I wonder what people back then would have thought if they could see the sky and planet the way some get to see it today... An astronaut’s awe-inspiring views from life in space and NASA's Lucy probe is asteroid storming and dodging as I type this. It was only 3 weeks ago that Burma (reminds me of the Gulf of Mexico!) was hit by a major earthquake leaving more than 3600 dead. It turns out that one of the contributing factors is what did so much damage here in 1989.
Here's something to ponder. It might be more than a viral problem. There is concern developing about having a chiral problem. Scientists are wondering about what would happen if they made some DNA that was "left handed". They've been working on mirror life awhile!
As I mentioned last week, there is too much (not really) happening in informal science education this time of the year! Again, we have over 100 listings for the next 2 weeks. Here are a few that I'd like to highlight...
One big opportunity doesn't even fit on the calendar!!! Check out SF Climate Week April 19-27, 2025!
- Celebrate Earth Day on Alcatraz - 04/22/2025 10:00 AM
- After Dark: Climate Futures - 04/24/2025 06:00 PM
- PelicanFest: Earth Day Celebration in Pacifica - 04/26/2025 10:30 AM
In case you are looking for more cool and interesting stuff...
The Ocean Spectacle that Has Entranced Sailors for Centuries
A first-of-its-kind survey reveals just how glued kids are to their phones and Study: Kids With Smartphones Are Less Depressed, Anxious, Bullied Than Peers Without Them
Since it is spring, here's a great guide to Wildflower Walks in San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties.
Check out MOON TREKS, MARS TREKS, and many other NASA TREKS
Most Humanoid Robots Fail to Finish Half Marathon
There's so much cool stuff to learn!
Have a Great Earth Celebration
herb masters
"We've arranged a society on science and technology in which nobody understands anything about science and technology, and this combustible mixture of ignorance and power sooner or later is going to blow up in our faces," he told Rose. "I mean, who is running the science and technology in a democracy if the people don't know anything about it?” Carl Sagan
Upcoming Events:
Click to see the next two weeks of events in your browser.
Be sure to click the link if the topic looks interesting to you. We can’t put all of the info in this and the event website has the latest updates.
Monday, 04/21/2025
The Unusual Mating Behavior of Harbor Porpoises - RESCHEDULED - 04/21/2025 12:00 PM
Sonoma State University - Biology Colloquium Rohnert Park
Speaker: Bill Keener, The Marine Mammal Center
Editor's Note: This event is now scheduled for April 14, 2025.
Restoration on the Kashia Coastline - 04/21/2025 12:00 PM
Sonoma State University - Biology Colloquium Rohnert Park
Speaker: Daniel Swezey, Kashia Band of Pomo Indians of Stewarts Point Rancheria
Editor's Note: This event was originally scheduled for April 14, 2025
The Role of Radiating Flows in Giant Planet Accretion - 04/21/2025 12:10 PM
Campbell Hall, Rm 131 Berkeley
Having detected accretion signatures of forming planets in the PDS 70 system and with several other candidates identified, we are entering an era of new avenues to constrain our theories of gas giant formation. At the same time, actual planetary accretion rates are not well understood from a theoretical point of view due to the range of spatial and temporal scales involved.
Speaker: Avery Baily, University of Arizona
Model-based Battery Management Systems - Where Solvers Fail - 04/21/2025 12:30 PM
Green Earth Sciences Building Stanford
Fast charging is being heavily researched for the widespread implementation of lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles. However, charging at high currents accelerates several parasitic reactions that lead to the degradation of the cell, affecting its lifetime. It is possible to study material degradation mechanisms and predict their impact on capacity loss under several operating conditions using physics-based multi-scale battery models.
Speaker:Venkat Subreamanian, University of Texas
Probing Quantum Dynamics in Space-Time of Two-level Systems with Light-STM - 04/21/2025 02:30 PM
Birge Hall Berkeley
Diffraction limited resolution has been a long-standing challenge for microscopy. The combination of light with the scanning tunneling microscope (STM) has made it possible to reach atomic-scale resolution with wavelength of light many orders larger than the sample’s features. With ultrashort light pulses, simultaneous temporal resolution is obtained. The advancement in precision measurement with light-STM has been applied to two-level systems in double-well potentials.
Speaker: Wilson Ho, UC Irvine
Breaking free of Lotka and Volterra - 04/21/2025 04:00 PM
James H. Clark Center (Bldg 340) Stanford
Madhav.s interests and collaborations have grown, with his team working across developmental biology, ecology, and cell biology. A unifying theme across the team's work is to search for the "right variables" for a complex biological phenomena and engage in longstanding dialogues with experimental groups.
Room: Auditorium
Two Eyes are Better than One: JWST and ALMA Look at Star Formation - 04/21/2025 04:00 PM
Sonoma State University - What Physicists Do Rohnert Park
Stars and their planetary systems form in cold insterstellar gas and dust clouds impermeable to the optical light our eyes can see. By contrast, light at much longer wavelengths is able to penetrate these regions allowing us to directly observe stars that are currently forming. The Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) aboard the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is sensitive to ices, warm dust and hot gasses emanating from these objects, whereas the ground-based Atacama Large Millimeter/Submillimeter Array (ALMA) is capable of resolving the cold gas and dust environments of protostars.
Speaker: Mary Barsony, SETI Institute
This event was originally scheduled for April 7, 2025.
Exploring the Roles of Nuclear Spins, Quantum Coherence, and Entanglement in Ultracold Chemistry - 04/21/2025 04:15 PM
Physics North Berkeley
Coherence and entanglement are key features of quantum mechanics, although they are susceptible to environmental perturbations. A conventional strategy to entangle qubits with high fidelity is to leverage precisely controlled interactions while keeping qubits from decohering. By leveraging electric dipolar interactions, I will report entangling individual trapped NaCs molecules in optical tweezers and realizing a quantum logic gate with trapped molecules.
Speaker: Kang-Kuen Ni, Harvard University
Can Innovations Scale? Production at the Materials-Energy Nexus - 04/21/2025 04:30 PM
Stanford University Energy Seminar Stanford
From grid-scale batteries to carbon-negative nanomaterials, scalable production methods are unlocking new possibilities in storage, transmission, and conversion. High-temperature gas-phase processes like CVD and spray pyrolysis enable the current mega-ton production of tailored nanomaterials, and are poised to power breakthroughs from CNT fibers to lithium-ion electrodes. Our team’s journey - marked as much by failures as commercial successes - shows how coupling nanoscale manufacturing with system-level insight drives innovation.
Speaker: Adam Boies, Stanford University Attend in person or watch online (see weblink)
Tuesday, 04/22/2025
Celebrate Earth Day on Alcatraz - 04/22/2025 10:00 AM
Pier 33 San Francisco
Join us for a special Earth Day experience on Alcatraz Island, where history meets nature. Explore the island’s stunning gardens, discover sustainable gardening practices, and participate in a hands-on marine science activity that connects us to the health of San Francisco Bay.
Alcatraz Historic Gardens Open Hours: 10 AM - 3:30 PM
Wander through the Rose Terrace and Officers’ Row to see Alcatraz’s unique gardens in full bloom.Learn about composting and water catchment systems in action.Meet Dick Miner, the Worm Man of Alcatraz, and get an inside look at the island’s composting process.Hands-on demo: Learn how to build your own worm bin and start composting at home.
Crabbing On Alcatraz: 3 - 4:30 PM
What can crabs tell us about the health of SF Bay?Go beyond the usual prison and Civil War-era fort tour - help catch and release crabs from the waters around Alcatraz.Learn about the San Francisco Bay ecosystem and how marine life helps us track environmental health.Don’t miss this opportunity to celebrate Earth Day with hands-on activities that connect us to nature.
Get your Alcatraz tickets through Alcatraz City Cruises or call (415) 981-ROCK (7625).
UC Berkeley Organic Chemistry Seminar - 04/22/2025 11:00 AM
Latimer Hall Berkeley
Speaker: Barry O'Keefe, National Institutes of Health
Climate One x SF Climate Week - 04/22/2025 11:00 AM
Commonwealth Club San Francisco
Climate One will be celebrating SF Climate Week with a series of programs featuring California's leading voices in state and local policy, climate justice, arts and culture. The week will feature interviews, Q&As and performances that acknowledge today’s challenging political reality, while showcasing what’s doable and sparks joy in the climate community.
Climate solutions in the United States are moving forward despite dwindling federal support and funding for climate work. From state-level leaders and organizers to climate-focused companies, climate solutions are continuing to be rolled out and implemented across the country. Amid this, how do we determine which solutions are most urgently needed to stop climate change? And how do we cut through the noise to elevate them - and the diverse leaders championing them - in the public imagination?
Join Climate One’s Kousha Navidar in conversation with Jonathan Foley, executive director of Project Drawdown, and Nikhil Swaminathan, CEO of Grist, on how science and evocative, fact-based storytelling can spotlight the solutions our world needs most.
Following the events onstage, join us in our Action Lounge to meet local organizations (Fixit Clinic, Climate Reality Project and more!) to learn about various pathways to climate actions we can take as consumers and civically engaged residents. Meet our guests Nikhil Swaminathan and Jonathan Foley, and stop in to get your copy of Saving Time signed by author Jenny Odell (copies available for purchase on-site). Plus, we’ll be sharing climate-friendly treats alongside stunning views of the Bay Bridge!
Mapping and Mending Dexterous Movement Control with Neurotechnology - Livestream - 04/22/2025 12:00 PM
Berkeley Sensor & Actuator Center
Dexterous movement is a hallmark of human motor ability, enabling us to interact skillfully with our environment. The loss of this capability due to movement disorders, such as Parkinson’s disease or stroke, strips individuals of independence and quality of life. This talk explores the neural underpinnings of dexterity, focusing on how the nervous system integrates sensory and motor signals to achieve precise control. We then examine how these mechanisms break down in movement disorders, leading to impaired motor function. Finally, we turn to neuroengineering technologies which aim to restore movement in affected individuals.
Speaker: Preeya Khanna, UC Berkeley
Geochemistry and petrology of long-lived primitive volcanism at Clear Lake volcanic field, CA - 04/22/2025 12:00 PM
Braun (Geology) Corner (Bldg 320), Rm 220 Stanford
Clear Lake Volcanic Field (CLVF) is the northernmost and youngest (~8 ka - 2.8 Ma) of six slab window-related volcanic centers distributed along the San Andreas transform fault in the California Coast Ranges. Ongoing geothermal and seismic activity as well as recent geophysical imaging indicate potential for future eruptions, thus the USGS California Volcano Observatory (CalVO) is conducting a multidisciplinary Next Generation hazard assessment.
Speaker: Dawnika Blatter, USGS California Volcano Observatory
Attend in person or online (see weblink)
Catalyzing Regeneration to Combat Climate Change and Biodiversity Loss - 04/22/2025 03:00 PM
California Academy of Sciences San Francisco
Celebrate Earth Day with an inspiring panel discussion about regeneration and individual actions, climate change, and biodiversity loss featuring top scientists from the California Academy of Sciences - the only place in the world with a rainforest, aquarium, natural history museum, and planetarium all under one living roof. Sustainability is not enough. To fight climate change and repair our damaged ecosystems, we need to learn from the past as we move toward a thriving future. It’s time to regenerate the natural world.
After the talk, attendees are welcome to explore the museum and our new exhibits, Dino Days and Unseen Ocean, during our final opening hour, from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Attend in person or to watch online.
UC Berkeley AI Policy Research Symposium 2025 - 04/22/2025 03:30 PM
Sutardja Dai Hall Berkeley
Please join the UC Berkeley AI Policy Hub for the UC Berkeley AI Policy Research Symposium taking place Tuesday, April 22 3:30 - 5 pm, Banatao Auditorium, Sutardja Dai Hall. The Fall 2024 - Spring 2025 AI Policy Hub fellows will present cutting-edge research and advocacy efforts on topics including: cryptography for AI auditing, user-driven differential privacy techniques; documenting AI incidences to inform global AI governance strategies; safeguards for AI use during legal proceedings; guidance for responsible use of data-driven tools in social service provision; and strategies to support effective stakeholder engagement in AI/ML design, adoption, and oversight.
Don’t miss this incredible opportunity to hear from leading AI policy researchers at UC Berkeley.
Quantum Simulators: a Pointilist Perspective on Many-body Physics - 04/22/2025 03:30 PM
Hewlett Teaching Center Stanford
This talk will review recent progress in optical lattice emulators of correlated electron systems. These experiments feature high tunability of the microscopic Hamiltonians and come with novel snapshots of many-body states with single particle resolution. We’ll delve into experiments that use mixed-dimensional systems to demonstrate magnetically mediated pairing. We will discuss how experiments with cold atoms help us understand a new type of magnetism discovered in moire materials.
Speaker: Eugene Demler, Stanford University
MASTERING ION TRANSPORT IN LIQUIDS, SOLIDS AND INTERFACES FOR BATTERIES BEYOND LI-ION - 04/22/2025 04:00 PM
Latimer Hall Berkeley
Rechargeable Li-ion batteries form the main source of indispensable mobile power in our daily lives, from cell phones to electric mowers. More pressing is that the widespread integration of renewable, intermittent energy sources such as wind or solar is dependent upon the development of efficient large-scale energy storage systems for load-levelling the electric grid. As vital to everyday life, the wide-spread adoption of electric vehicles, along with new needs for powerful drones and home or medical robots hinge on the availability of intermediate scale, safe, low-cost energy storage batteries.
Speaker: Linda Nazar, University of Waterloo
Planning for a Just Transition led by Fossil Fuel Workers and Communities - 04/22/2025 04:00 PM
UC Berkeley Labor Center Berkeley
Celebrate Earth Day 2025 and get engaged in local community climate work! In this student-facilitated event, we will explore a groundbreaking transition planning effort happening right here in the Bay Area - the Contra Costa Refinery Transition Partnership.
RSVP at weblink
Feathers, Flocks, and Fire - Recent Science from Coyote Creek Field Station - Livestream - 04/22/2025 05:30 PM
San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory
Does wildfire smoke affect birds? What does climate change have to do with bird molt? How long do Bushtit friendships last? In this Birdy Hour talk, Landbird Program Science Director Katie LaBarbera, PhD, will explain recent scientific findings coming from SFBBO's bird banding program at Coyote Creek Field Station. They will describe how we get data from bird banding, discuss how collaborations maximize the impact of our data, and explain what we have learned - and are still learning - from our ongoing work with the birds.
Speaker: Katie LaBarbera
Inspired by Intelligence: Purpose and Creativity in the AI Era - 04/22/2025 07:00 PM
The Interval at Long Now San Francisco
Kim Carson will explore the profound question of how to rediscover and define human purpose in the age of AI. With influences ranging from Brene Brown’s courage-centered leadership to Paulo Coelho’s exploration of personal destiny, Kim’s work weaves together practical strategies and philosophical insights, guiding audiences in understanding how AI can serve as a partner in awakening creativity, navigating uncertainty, and fostering a deeper connection with others and ourselves.
Wednesday, 04/23/2025
Diverse Voices in Fisheries Seminar - 04/23/2025 11:00 AM
Ocean Health Building Santa Cruz
UCSC's Fisheries Collaborative Program and the Santa Cruz-Monterey Bay Area Subunit of the American Fisheries Society invite you to the fifth annual, Diverse Voices in Fisheries Science Seminar. This will be a five-part series. We are excited to present Jonas Banta, UC Santa Cruz and Norris Center for Art + Science Fellow.
Geomorphic expression and obfuscation of tectonic processes - 04/23/2025 12:00 PM
Earth and Marine Sciences Building Santa Cruz
Speaker: Joel Scheingross, University of Nevada Reno
Have your fish and eat it too: Protecting Marine Organisms, Ecosystems, and Fisheries in a Changing Climate - Livestream - 04/23/2025 03:00 PM
Bodega Marine Laboratory
Join us for the UC Davis Bodega Marine Laboratory Seminar Series, featuring speakers from within the marine sciences community and beyond.
Speaker: Erica Ferrer, UC Santa Cruz
Register at weblink to receive connection information
Open ocean ecology shapes life history evolution in long-lived mammals - 04/23/2025 03:30 PM
Estuary & Ocean Science Center Tiburon
Speaker: Roxanne Beltran, Assistant Professor, University of California Santa Cruz
Attend in person or click here to watch on Zoom
Unlocking the Secrets of Human Longevity: Exploring the Role and Function of Longevity Genes - 04/23/2025 04:00 PM
Morgan Hall Berkeley
The pursuit of understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying human longevity has emerged as a central focus in biomedical research, driven by the challenges posed by an aging global population. In this presentation, I will explore recent advancements in the identification and characterization of human longevity genes, shedding light on the complex interplay between genetic factors and lifespan regulation.The discussion will center on the functional analysis of a newly discovered longevity gene OSER1.Additionally, I will highlight the potential therapeutic implications of this research, emphasizing innovative strategies and interventions designed to modulate the expression or activity of longevity genes.
Speaker: Lene Juel Rasmussen, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
Energy and Resources Group Colloquium - 04/23/2025 04:00 PM
Giannini Hall Berkeley
Speaker: Gbemi Akinsipe & Jess Carney
Climate Conversations: Rising Seas, Resilient Communities - 04/23/2025 06:00 PM
Manny's San Francisco
Join Save The Bay for an evening of conversation and community at Manny’s! This engaging panel discussion on sea level rise brings together experts from across the Bay to explore solutions to growing climate risks. Hear from local leaders in policy, government, and environmental advocacy as they share innovative, nature-based strategies to protect our shoreline and communities. After the discussion, connect with fellow climate advocates during an informal meet-and-greet. Whether you're a longtime supporter or new to this work, this is your chance to learn, get inspired, and take action for a more resilient Bay Area!
More than one million people live within a mile of the San Francisco Bay shoreline, and preparing for the future requires bold, coordinated action. Be part of the conversation and get an inside look at the innovative solutions shaping our region’s response to sea level rise.
Thursday, 04/24/2025
Coastal Walk at Pillar Point Bluff - 04/24/2025 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.
Climate One x SFCW: Alexis Madrigal, Margaret Gordon and Abby Reyes - 04/24/2025 11:00 AM
Commonwealth Club San Francisco
Climate One will be celebrating SF Climate Week with a series of programs featuring California and the San Francisco Bay Area’s leading voices in state and local policy, climate justice, arts and culture. The week will feature interviews, Q&As and performances that acknowledge today’s challenging political reality, while showcasing what’s doable and sparks joy in the climate community.
SETI Live: Is Intelligent Life Easy? - Livestream - 04/24/2025 11:00 AM
SETI Institute
Human-Like Life Probably Evolves "Right on Time" ?A recent study proposes a new model for the evolution of intelligent life, which challenges the long-standing "hard steps" theory that the emergence of intelligent life is an exceedingly rare event due to a series of improbable evolutionary milestones. A team led by postdoctoral researcher Dan Mills from the University of Munich suggests that the development of intelligent life is a natural outcome of planetary evolution. .READ THE PRESS RELEASE! READ THE PAPER!WATCH ON -line
SFCW at Climate One with San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, Rep. Jared Huffman - 04/24/2025 05:30 PM
Commonwealth Club San Francisco
Climate One will be celebrating SF Climate Week with a series of programs featuring California and the San Francisco Bay Area’s leading voices in state and local policy, climate justice, arts and culture. The week will feature interviews, Q&As and performances that acknowledge today’s challenging political reality, while showcasing what’s doable and sparks joy in the climate community. Rep. Jared Huffman has represented California’s 2nd District - from the Golden Gate Bridge to the Oregon border - for more than a decade.
Attend in person or online
Acterra Teacher Training Workshop - Livestream - 04/24/2025 06:00 PM
Acterra
Acterra’s youth Education Program offers free teacher training workshops. This year, we will be focusing on renewable energy education and the benefits of using a Zero Emissions Vehicle (ZEV). These workshops will help educators learn about climate change basics, and how to encourage younger generations to choose a ZEV as their first car, if possible.
Register at weblink
After Dark: Climate Futures - 04/24/2025 06:00 PM
ExplOratorium San Francisco
Celebrate the art and science of creating a hopeful climate future! Choose your own adventure with our illuminating programs, from artworks that embody changes in the natural world, to demos of transformative climate technology. Part of this year’s SF Climate Week, this After Dark promises an optimistic and inspiring look at climate science.
Adults 18+
Friday, 04/25/2025
Geophysical and Planetary Physics Lecture - 04/25/2025 12:00 PM
Earth and Marine Sciences Building Santa Cruz
Speaker: TBA
The Influence of Power and Authority on Indigenous Management in the Northwest Forest Plan - 04/25/2025 03:30 PM
Mulford Hall Berkeley
Speaker: Ryan Reed, UC Berkeley
Attend in person or via Zoom (see weblink)
Saturday, 04/26/2025
Hike at Windy Hill - 04/26/2025 09:00 AM
Windy Hill Open Space Preserve Portola Valley
Join POST on a guided hike on one of the first open spaces we protected as an organization! A POST Representative will share a few words about POST’s decades of conservation success before hiking groups leave to explore a strenuous but rewarding 7 mile hike with 1,500 feet of elevation gain.
Register at weblink to receive exact starting location
Science Saturday: Earth and Sustainability - 04/26/2025 10:00 AM
Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History Pacific Grove
This engaging event invites educators, families, and all ages to explore the vital connections between our planet's health and sustainable practices. Through interactive games, activities, and learning, participants will discover innovative solutions for environmental challenges and learn how to take meaningful action in their own lives.
Experience the beauty of the Central Coast while deepening your understanding of ecology and sustainability. Together, we can make a difference for our planet's future.
From Oakland to the Stars: A weekend celebration of our new exhibit, Universe Unveiled - 04/26/2025 10:00 AM
Chabot Space and Science Center Oakland
Join us for a weekend full of hands-on discovery and community connection as we unveil our newest outdoor exhibit, Universe Unveiled, on the Observation Deck. From stunning space images to student-engineered rovers and hikes through the redwoods-there’s something for everyone!
Opening April 26: Universe Unveiled A new outdoor exhibit exploring how we capture and imagine the cosmos. Ongoing Experiences All Day Universe Unveiled Exhibit | Observation DeckHands-On Science Demos | Observation Deck: Create constellations, explore “invisible” astronomy, and become a solar detective!Galaxy Photo Booth | AstroLight: Snap a pic with props and a glowing galaxy backdrop-tag @chabotspacePlanetarium Shows | HourlyFuse: A Pop-Up Art Gallery | Mezzanine: Fuse is a limited engagement pop-up experience that celebrates the fusion of art and science
PelicanFest: Earth Day Celebration in Pacifica - 04/26/2025 10:30 AM
Linda Mar State Beach North Lot Pacifica
Join us at PelicanFest, an Earth Day celebration, an that event invites the Bay Area to discover and celebrate pelicans Booths will line the North Parking Lot with engaging activities for adults and children, to learn about pelicans and other local nature! Join environmental and community groups, and inspirational speakers as we celebrate Earth Day and keep watch for pelican sightings just offshore. PelicanFest will follow a morning of taking action from 9 - 11 AM via getting our heads dirty by volunteering at cleanups and habitat restoration locations around the peninsula.
Love our Earth Festival - 04/26/2025 11:00 AM
Belle Haven Community Campus Menlo Park
Join us for a day of environmental education, family-friendly activities, and community celebration. This cherished annual event brings together local organizations, environmental experts, and community members to promote sustainability and environmental stewardship. Free activities will include: Interactive environmental education exhibitsLocal vendorsChildren’s activities and craftsLive entertainmentFood trucks featuring local plant based cuisineTree plantingT-shirt screenprinting (bring one from home!)
Beginner Birding - 04/26/2025 11:00 AM
Marin Headlands Rodeo Beach Mill Valley
Come join a Ranger Guided Hike and Birding Program with a Marin Headlands Interpretation Ranger! Learn all about the many different types of birds that call the Marin Headlands home while hiking along the scenic Rodeo Lagoon Loop Trail beginning at Rodeo Beach. The program will consist of a 1.5-mile hike with multiple stops along the way to observe and learn about our feathered friends. Get tips and tricks on how to spot and identify birds, birdwatch with a ranger, and connect with your national park!
Registration required, limited to 20 people per session
CuriOdyssey Weekend Workshop: Water Wonders - 04/26/2025 01:00 PM
CuriOdyssey San Mateo
Explore the incredible world of water by examining its unique physical and chemical properties through fun experiments and interactive activities. Discover how water changes forms, reacts with other substances, and why it’s essential for all living things on Earth.
Ages 5 to 10 years old
ART 101: Rotoscoping Animation - 04/26/2025 01:00 PM
San José Museum of Art San Jose
Step into the world of Kambui Olujimi: North Star, where body and movement take center stage, capturing these of weightlessness and freedom. In this hands-on, introductory workshop, you'll learn the technique of rotoscope animation, the process of creating animated sequences by tracing over live-action footage frame by frame. Drawing inspiration from Olujimi's Death Drop Loop (2024), you'll create your own unique animation that reflects your individuality. No prior animation experience is needed - just bring your imagination and creativity.
Art 101 is limited to 25 participants ages 13 and up. Space is limited and advance registration is strongly recommended.
Sunday, 04/27/2025
From Oakland to the Stars: A weekend celebration of our new exhibit, Universe Unveiled - 04/27/2025 10:00 AM
Chabot Space and Science Center Oakland
Join us for a weekend full of hands-on discovery and community connection as we unveil our newest outdoor exhibit, Universe Unveiled, on the Observation Deck. From stunning space images to student-engineered rovers and hikes through the redwoods-there’s something for everyone! This exhibit invites you to journey through time and technology, from early telescope sketches and glass plate photos to stunning modern images captured by passionate local astrophotographers.
Fuse is a limited engagement pop-up experience that celebrates the fusion of art and science
Earth Day Celebration - 04/27/2025 11:00 AM
Lawrence Hall of Science Berkeley
Celebrate Earth Day with us at The Lawrence! Join community partners and UC Berkeley student organizations for our second annual celebration of the Earth and the nature that surrounds us. Learn about the traditional Ohlone method of acorn processing from Cafe Ohlone’s Vincent Medina and Louis Trevino, explore insect biology and discover the importance of pollinators from Nina Sokolov, PhD and Dr. Signe White and the UC Berkeley Entomology Club, and so much more. Plus, explore our newest exhibition, “Future of Food,” and learn about local food heroes working to create a more sustainable future.
Monday, 04/28/2025
Asynchronous Oscillation of the Ca2+-Dependent MLCK-Actomyosin System Defines the Flat Apical Geometry of a Steady State Epithelium - 04/28/2025 12:00 PM
Sonoma State University - Biology Colloquium Rohnert Park
Speaker: Emerson Herrman, Sonoma State University
Constraining low-frequency gravitational-wave source populations with cosmological simulations - 04/28/2025 12:10 PM
Campbell Hall, Rm 131 Berkeley
Speaker: Laura Blecha, University of Florida
Symbolic Systems Forum - 04/28/2025 12:30 PM
Stanford Symbolic Systems Forum Stanford
Speaker: Kalanit Grill-Spector, Stanford University
See weblink for instructions for entering the building.
Vaccination and its Historical Discontents - Livestream - 04/28/2025 02:00 PM
UC Berkeley
Hesitancy and resistance to vaccination is more common than not in U.S. history. This talk will explain how and why public attitudes toward vaccination have changed over time, with an emphasis on the twentieth and twenty-first-century trends reflected in today’s vaccination debates and controversies.
Speaker: Professor Elena Conis is a writer and historian of medicine, public health, and the environment. Her research focuses on scientific controversies, science denial, and the public understanding of science. She is currently serving as Acting Dean of UC Berkeley Journalism.
Register at weblink to attend
Imaging Quantum Scars in Electronic Graphene Billiards - 04/28/2025 02:30 PM
Birge Hall Berkeley
The harnessing and manipulation of electronic states in quantum materials has the potential to revolutionize computation, sensing, storage, and communications, thus impacting multiple facets of our everyday lives. In this talk I will discuss my group’s recent experiments with graphene, a highly versatile carbon-based quantum material that hosts ultra-relativistic charges. Specifically, I will focus on an experiment that utilizes confinement, nanoscale visualization, and spectroscopy to reveal new properties of the ultra-relativistic states hosted by stadium shaped graphene-based billiards.
Speaker: Jairo Velasco, UC Santa Cruz
Status of Circular Electron Positron Collider in China - 04/28/2025 03:30 PM
Stanford Linear Accelerator (SLAC) Colloquium Series Menlo Park
After the discovery of Higgs, Higgs factory is now recognized by the community as the highest priority for the future of particle physics. We proposed Circular Electron-Positron Collider in 2012, which is now almost ready for construction. I will describe its design, R&D and the construction planning.
Speaker: Yifang Wang, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Attend in person or online (See weblink)
Reflections on nearly 40 years of SSU Physics & Astronomy - RESCHEDULED - 04/28/2025 04:00 PM
Sonoma State University - What Physicists Do Rohnert Park
Speaker: Lynn Cominsky, Sonoma State University
This event has been rescheduled for May 5, 2025.
New Frontiers of Ultraviolet Photodissociation Mass Spectrometry for Biological Molecules - 04/28/2025 04:00 PM
James H. Clark Center (Bldg 340) Stanford
Speaker: Jenny Brodbelt, University of Texas at Austin
Clark Auditorium
Waves of Topological Origin in the Fluid Earth System and Beyond - 04/28/2025 04:15 PM
Physics North Berkeley
Symmetries and topology are central to our understanding of physical systems. Topology, for instance, explains the precise quantization of the Hall effect and the protection of surface states in topological insulators against scattering from disorder or bumps. However discrete symmetries and topology have not, until recently, contributed much to our understanding of the fluid dynamics of oceans and atmospheres.
Speaker: Brad Marston, Brown University
What should I do with my life (in sustainability)? - 04/28/2025 04:30 PM
Stanford University Energy Seminar Stanford
You are interested in a career in sustainability. You want to make a difference. Save the planet. Save humankind. How do you figure out what career to pursue, in the vast world of sustainability? Would it be better to work in a climate startup or a Fortune 500 company with a big carbon footprint? Would it be more impactful to be a company’s Chief Sustainability Officer, or be in charge of their supply chain that generates most of the company’s carbon emissions? Can I save the planet, *AND* make a lot of money? In the end, it’s about finding the career that would make you happy.
Attend in person or watch online (see weblink)
Speaker: Winnie Lam, Nike
Tuesday, 04/29/2025
Strain-Release Pentafluorosulfanylation: Strange Molecules Doing Stranger Things - 04/29/2025 11:00 AM
Latimer Hall Berkeley
Dreaming, Memory Consolidation, and Body - Brain Interactions in Sleep - Livestream - 04/29/2025 12:00 PM
Stanford University
Artificial General Intelligence and the Future of Physics - 04/29/2025 03:30 PM
Hewlett Teaching Center Stanford
Probing Interfacial Reactivity using Single-Molecule Conductance - 04/29/2025 04:00 PM
Latimer Hall Berkeley
Science Friday and the Future of Science Reporting - 04/29/2025 06:00 PM
Commonwealth Club San Francisco
Wonderfest Ask a Science Envoy: Kilonova Metals; Cat Ecology - 04/29/2025 07:00 PM
Hopmonk Tavern Novato
Going the Distance - One Humpback's Journey of Migration - Livestream - 04/29/2025 07:00 PM
American Cetacean Society
Wednesday, 04/30/2025
Spring Bird Walk - SOLD OUT - 04/30/2025 09:00 AM
UC Botanical Garden Berkeley
Against the Odds: Navigating Deep-Sea Research in Developing Countries - Livestream - 04/30/2025 11:00 AM
Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute
Whole Earth Seminar - 04/30/2025 12:00 PM
Earth and Marine Sciences Building Santa Cruz
Energy Transition Leadership Seminar: International Motors CEO, Mathias Carlbaum - 04/30/2025 01:30 PM
Paul G Allen Building Stanford
Observing the open to coastal ocean with profiling floats and underwater gliders - Livestream - 04/30/2025 03:00 PM
Bodega Marine Laboratory
Panning for evolutionary gold in threespine sticklebacks: why are there nuggets and why do the nuggets recur? - 04/30/2025 03:30 PM
Genetics and Plant Biology Building Berkeley
Crash and Learn? Revising the conservation status of Antarctic fur seals in the South Shetlands - 04/30/2025 03:30 PM
Estuary & Ocean Science Center Tiburon
Applying single cell genomics to microbial communities at the JGI - 04/30/2025 03:30 PM
Estuary & Ocean Science Center Tiburon
The Nuts and Bolts of Teaching Astronomy - Livestream - 04/30/2025 05:00 PM
Astronomical Society of the Pacific
Science on Tap: Exploring Ice Age ecosystems with sedimentary ancient DNA - 04/30/2025 07:00 PM
Museum of Art and History Santa Cruz
Healthcare Simulation Lab! Empowering future medical providers through healthcare simulation - 04/30/2025 07:30 PM
Marin Science Seminar San Rafael
Thursday, 05/01/2025
UC Berkeley Integrative Biology Seminar - 05/01/2025 12:30 PM
Valley Life Sciences Building Berkeley
Recent adventures in evolution and disease - 05/01/2025 03:30 PM
Genetics and Plant Biology Building Berkeley
NightLife - 05/01/2025 06:00 PM
California Academy of Sciences San Francisco
After Dark: Fermentation - 05/01/2025 06:00 PM
ExplOratorium San Francisco
Friday, 05/02/2025
Morning Hike at Rancho Cañada del Oro - 05/02/2025 09:00 AM
Rancho Canada Del Oro Open Space Preserve Morgan hill
Geophysical and Planetary Physics Lecture - 05/02/2025 12:00 PM
Earth and Marine Sciences Building Santa Cruz
First Friday Nights at CuriOdyssey - 05/02/2025 05:00 PM
CuriOdyssey San Mateo
First Friday: A GALAXY (NOT SO) FAR AWAY - 05/02/2025 06:00 PM
Chabot Space and Science Center Oakland
Energy and Resources Group Annual Lecture - 05/02/2025 07:00 PM
Stanley Hall Berkeley
The Moon & Mars: Amazing Places for Humans to Soon Explore, Part 2: Mars! - 05/02/2025 08:00 PM
College of San Mateo Bldg 36 San Mateo
Saturday, 05/03/2025
Spring BioBlitz at the Palo Alto Baylands - 05/03/2025 09:00 AM
Environmental Volunteers EcoCenter Palo Alto
Stewardship Saturday: Investigating Tidepools for Ocean Health - 05/03/2025 09:00 AM
Shell Beach Bodega Bay
Bringing Back the Natives Garden Tour and Green Home Features Showcase - 05/03/2025 10:00 AM
Various
First Saturday: Free Tour at the UC Santa Cruz Arboretum - 05/03/2025 11:00 AM
UC Santa Cruz Arboretum Santa Cruz
CuriOdyssey Weekend Workshop: Nature Art - 05/03/2025 01:00 PM
CuriOdyssey San Mateo
City Public Star Party - 05/03/2025 08:00 PM
City Star Parties - Tunnel Tops Park San Francisco
Jazz Under the Stars - 05/03/2025 08:30 PM
College of San Mateo Bldg 36 San Mateo
Sunday, 05/04/2025
Morning Hike at Wavecrest - 05/04/2025 09:00 AM
Wavecrest Open Space Preserve Half Moon Bay
Bringing Back the Natives Garden Tour and Green Home Features Showcase - 05/04/2025 10:00 AM
Various
Solar Observing - 05/04/2025 02:00 PM
San Jose Astronomical Association San Jose
Monday, 05/05/2025
SynBioBeta 2025: The Global Synthetic Biology Conference - 05/05/2025 07:00 AM
San Jose McEnery Convention Center San Jose
Using Single Cell RNA-seq to Identify Genes that Regulate Zebrafish Ovary Development and Function - 05/05/2025 12:00 PM
Sonoma State University - Biology Colloquium Rohnert Park
What have we actually learned after a decade of observing gravitational waves? - 05/05/2025 12:10 PM
Campbell Hall, Rm 131 Berkeley
Is Dark Energy Evolving? What We’re Learning from DES and DESI - 05/05/2025 03:30 PM
Stanford Linear Accelerator (SLAC) Colloquium Series Menlo Park
Reflections on nearly 40 years of SSU Physics & Astronomy - 05/05/2025 04:00 PM
Sonoma State University - What Physicists Do Rohnert Park
Matrix Factorizations and their applications in Genomics - 05/05/2025 04:00 PM
James H. Clark Center (Bldg 340) Stanford
Stanford Energy Seminar - Four Speakers - 05/05/2025 04:30 PM
Stanford University Energy Seminar Stanford
Finding and Understanding Exoplanets - 05/05/2025 07:30 PM
California Academy of Sciences San Francisco