Hello Science Fans,
I don't want to direct bad wishes to other countries or part of ours but, I'm glad it wasn't us that woke up to orange skies this time. My sympathy goes to Canada and our eastern states. It would appear that we might be in a temporary “normal weather pattern” since we are often seeing Karl in the neighborhoods.
I want to put some light on two of my favorite places with some excellent news.
1St … CuriOdyssey is open! Not only have they been closed for months due to the storms in March, the aviaries has been closed since July last year, but the Aviaries are Open! (Please read that page carefully if you are going to go and work with poultry.)
2nd... The Great Animal Orchestra is now open for your listening pleasure, amazement, inspiration, and wonder. I can't recommend it enough. I have been fortunate to sit in some, by our experience here, exotic places around the world. (Note: People there think where we are is pretty exotic!) It really made me reflect on some of those. Allow some time for this, maybe go early or later in the day when the crowds aren't so 'invasive'? Forget What You Think You Know About Emotions It's a different kind of exhibit. It doesn't have one of the stimuli you would expect as a part of it. Be prepared to sit with your eyes closed as well as open.
I am amazed by all that is known and how still there are deniers of what we really do know is true. Consider what some people believe. Last week featured a talk by Harvard University Speaker: Marc Abrahams, in it we heard about the final recalibration of an Ig Nobel Prize winner.
With all of the chat about chat... I thinkTechno-skepticism might be a worthy area of discussion.
As is often the case, three are more things to attend and learn at than I have time for this week. Here are a few that I think might be worth your attention...
1- Drift - Livestream Wed @ 11:00
2- After Dark: The Sounds of Life Thu @ 6:00 (This includes the Great Animal Orchestra!)
3- Hangin’ Out Live with Leonard Tramiel at the Computer History Museum! Sat @ 11:00
4- Sunset Photography Hike at La Honda Creek Sat @ 4:00 to 7:00
If I could have one dream granted I think it might be to have a beer with Galileo, Keppler, and Newton while watching watching this.
Here are a few more articles on science denial. (I'm particularly sensitive to this lately!) To Understand How Science Denial Works, Look to History, How to Talk to a Science Denier, Science denial: Why it happens and 5 things you can do about it, and Galileo: And the Science Deniers.
Here's my site of the week... Illuminating the Invisible
Have a great week learning cool stuff,
herb masters
“Nothing could be more obvious than that the earth is stable and unmoving, and that we are in the center of the universe. Modern Western science takes its beginning from the denial of this common sense axiom.” — Daniel J. Boorstin In The Discoverers (2011)
Upcoming Events:
Click to see the next two weeks of events in your browser.
Monday, 06/12/2023
A Sign in Space - The Ethics of X - 06/12/2023 09:00 AM
SETI Institute
A Sign in Space is a multidisciplinary art project conceived by artist Daniela De Paulis. De Paulis is leading a global team to send an encoded message from the European Space Agency (ESA) ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) back to Earth, simulating a signal an advanced extraterrestrial civilization could eventually send to Earth. The message will be “detected” by four radio astronomy observatories on Earth: the SETI Institute’s Allen Telescope Array (ATA), The Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope (GBT), the National Science Foundation’s Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA) and the Medicina Radio Astronomical Station observatory managed by INAF (the Italian National Institute for Astrophysics). De Paulis and her team developed the encoded message, but its contents remain unknown, even to most of the collaborating partners.
The message will be transmitted from the TGO on May 24 at 19:16 UTC/12:15 pm PDT. Following the transmission, the A Sign in Space team will host a series of Zoom-based discussions open to the public around topics that consider the societal implications of detecting a signal from an extraterrestrial civilization. The discussions will take place over 6-8 weeks after the transmission.
This is an opportunity to discuss our ideas about the future of contact with a philosophy professor and trained ethicist. We will think critically together about uncertain futures, unknown others, our sense of duty, our sense of wonder, and the effects that extraterrestrial prospects have on us and here and now.
Host: Chelsea Haramia
The Three Ages of Water - 06/12/2023 06:00 PM
Commonwealth Club San Francisco
This year’s precipitation across California is well above average, and snowpack is on track to be one of the largest since 1950. In an arid state that can seem like good news, but floods can be destructive and life-threatening, and they also increase vegetation that may later go up in flames. From too little to too much - will we ever get out of this weather whiplash?
As we enter an era defined by climate disruption, the control, access and quality of water determines our ability to survive and thrive. How can we ensure a future where clean water exists for all who need it - including the ecosystems we depend on - and navigate the challenges of too little or too much? In his latest book, The Three Ages of Water, Dr. Peter Gleick explores this changing dynamic from life’s beginnings to today’s pressing climate and water challenges.
Join Climate One Co-host Ariana Brocious for a live conversation with Peter Gleick about our evolving relationship with this fundamental force.
Speaker: Peter Gleick, Pacific Institute, Author
Attend in person or online.
Charting the High Frontier of Space - 06/12/2023 07:30 PM
California Academy of Sciences San Francisco
Dr. Ed Lu, a former NASA astronaut, is Executive Director of the Asteroid Institute. He will present the case for a four-dimensional solar system map in a talk titled “Charting the High Frontier of Space.” The map he and his Asteroid Institute team are building is the key to protecting Earth from asteroid impacts and will also help spur future scientific exploration and commercial activities in space.
Speaker: Dr. Ed Lu, Asteroid Institute
Tuesday, 06/13/2023
Open-sourcing DNA damage detection for Citizen Science - 06/13/2023 06:00 AM
Counter Culture Labs Oakland
Bring along your toothbrush to gently collect your own cheek cells and assess baseline levels of DNA damage during this hands-on workshop. Bring a friend, or partner up with another participant, and you will each prepare slides of your own cheek cells, then swap off for scoring. Under the microscope you will count your cells and observe their nuclei. If a big piece of chromosome has broken off in your cell, occasional micronuclei can be found. Some micronuclei are entirely normal (maybe 5 in 1000), but too many (maybe 50 or more in 1000) might mean you should consider whether you are being exposed to genetic risk factors, or to environmental toxins such as lead or mercury.
This guest workshop is taught by our good friend and renowned biohacker Rachel Aronoff from Hackuarium in Switzerland! Rachel is an experienced molecular biologist and geneticist with active projects around a big picture concept of 'genomic integrity' currently in progress at Hackuarium. Learn about quantitative methods essential for informative experiments, better understand the statistical challenges for interpretation of results and potentially realize how choices made about environmental risks might influence health. Do It Together!
$10 workshop fee goes towards helping offset Rachel's travel expenses. Noone turned away for lack of funds, but please chip in if you can!
Limited to 12 participants. RSVP online
Wednesday, 06/14/2023
A Sign in Space - WRETI: Writing in Response to ETI - 06/14/2023 09:00 AM
SETI Institute
A Sign in Space is a multidisciplinary art project conceived by artist Daniela De Paulis. De Paulis is leading a global team to send an encoded message from the European Space Agency (ESA) ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) back to Earth, simulating a signal an advanced extraterrestrial civilization could eventually send to Earth. The message will be “detected” by four radio astronomy observatories on Earth: the SETI Institute’s Allen Telescope Array (ATA), The Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope (GBT), the National Science Foundation’s Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA) and the Medicina Radio Astronomical Station observatory managed by INAF (the Italian National Institute for Astrophysics). De Paulis and her team developed the encoded message, but its contents remain unknown, even to most of the collaborating partners.
The message will be transmitted from the TGO on May 24 at 19:16 UTC/12:15 pm PDT. Following the transmission, the A Sign in Space team will host a series of Zoom-based discussions open to the public around topics that consider the societal implications of detecting a signal from an extraterrestrial civilization. The discussions will take place over 6-8 weeks after the transmission.
The implications of A Sign in Space by Daniela de Paulis, using a wealth of literary experience to engage with the cultural resonances of this artwork. The four established writers on the panel (including Tracie Morris, Jaap Blonk, Christian Bök, and Luigi Serafini) all plan to offer their productive impressions of this project. How might we write about aliens? How to respond to alien writing? What are the limits of our language in the face of radical Otherness?
Co-Hosts: Daniela de Paulis, Gregory Betts Panelists: Tracie Morris, Jaap Blonk, Christian Bök, and Luigi Serafini register on-line
Drift - Livestream - 06/14/2023 11:00 AM
Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute
The Monterey Bay Aquarium’s new exhibition Into The Deep has been foundational in helping people connect with the deeper, darker 2/3’s of our planet. Some of the animals exhibited there were collected at night while drifting many miles offshore from my home in Kona, Hawaii. Popularly termed “blackwater,” I’ve been dedicating my Friday nights for the past decade to going offshore, staring into the abyss and sharing it with a new assortment of guests every dive. This hour will present on patterns that we see in diversity with abiotic factors such as moon phase and seasonality. What factors best predict our biodiversity? Where do we find this life? And what are we actually looking at? I have photos, stories, data, and more. Sit back and drift for an hour over lunch, and let’s get nerdy!
Speaker: Jeff Millisen, photographer, diver, naturalist
Register at weblink to get Zoom information
Tides of change: Insights for conservation and climate solutions from coastal ocean dynamics - Livestream - 06/14/2023 11:30 AM
Hopkins Marine Station
Speaker: Kristen Davis
See weblink to join the livestream
Thursday, 06/15/2023
Water Conservation Showcase - 06/15/2023 08:00 AM
San Ramon Valley Conference Center San Ramon
Are you interested in discovering innovative ways to protect one of Earth’s most valuable resources? Look no further than the FREE Water Conservation Showcase on June 15th at the San Ramon Valley Conference Center! This free event, open to the public, is dedicated to showcasing scalable strategies and solutions that can make a real impact on our water conservation efforts. Attend in-person in San Ramon to network with like-minded individuals and check out the latest water conservation products in the expo hall. Lunch and raffle prizes provided.
See schedule at weblink
Coastal Walk at Pillar Point Bluff - 06/15/2023 10:00 AM
Pillar Point Bluff Moss Beach
Join Peninsula Open Space Trust for an afternoon walk at Pillar Point Bluff just north of Half Moon Bay! You will be guided by a POST representative who will share details about the area’s interesting natural history, from the coastal scrub habitat to the Fitzgerald Marine Reserve that hosts tide pools and breeding grounds for harbor seals.
The walk is moderate at about 2.5 miles round trip with around 350 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.
Please note that all minors must be accompanied by a parent or guardian for the entire duration of the hike. While dogs are allowed on this trail, we kindly ask that your pups stay home for this community hike.
Register at weblink
Understanding MDMA - 06/15/2023 05:30 PM
Commonwealth Club San Francisco
Few drugs in history have generated as much controversy as MDMA - or held as much promise, according to some. Once vilified as a Schedule I substance that would supposedly eat holes in users’ brains, MDMA (also known as Molly or Ecstasy) is now being hailed as a therapeutic agent that could transform the field of mental health and outpace psilocybin and ketamine as the first psychedelic approved for widespread clinical use.
Award-winning science journalist Rachel Nuwer separates fact from fantasy, hope from hype, in the drug’s contested history and still-evolving future. Hear more as Nuwer explains the cultural and scientific upheaval that is rewriting our understanding of our brains, our selves, and the space between.
Speaker: Rachel Nuwer, Science Journalist; Danielle Venton, KQED Public Media
After Dark: The Sounds of Life - 06/15/2023 06:00 PM
California Academy of Sciences San Francisco
If we could listen to the secret language of the natural world, what would we hear? Tonight, learn about the scientists studying this question and their astonishing findings about the hidden sounds of nature. We now know that many animals - and even some plants - once thought to be silent have actually been communicating and conversing all this time. Tonight, inspired by the recent book The Sounds of Life by Karen Bakker, we will listen to these secret sounds, and learn about the scientists tracking them. Experience the impressive diversity of sounds surrounding us and their possible meanings, from warnings about predators to connection and community building and explore the inventive techniques and groundbreaking digital tools used to capture them. And don’t miss a performance by Ana Roxanne, created in close collaboration with recording legend Bernie Krause and drawing on his extensive archive documenting the music of wild animals and natural environments.
NightLife - 06/15/2023 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. Reservations for these exhibits are no longer required. However, please note that the last entry into the rainforest is 7:30 pm - our animals need their sleep.
Venture into our latest 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. For adults 21+.
Astronomy on Tap Santa Cruz: Investigating Dark Energy with Vera C. Rubin Observatory - 06/15/2023 06:30 PM
Humble Sea Brewing Co Santa Cruz
Most large observatories make exquisite pictures of tiny parts of the sky, but what if you had one that could visit all parts of the overhead sky every few nights and do that over and over again for 10 years? That’s how the Vera C. Rubin Observatory will enable discoveries about a wide range of topics, from small objects in our solar system to the structure of the Universe, and many topics in between. Come find out about this unique observatory, now nearing the end of construction on a mountaintop in Chile, and hear about one of the topics being pursued by UCSC scientists: what is the nature of the mysterious dark energy that is speeding up the expansion of the Universe?
Speakers: Steven Ritz and Hubert Bretonniere
Climate Smart Solutions for Grassland Birds: Conservation Ranching California - Livestream - 06/15/2023 07:00 PM
Golden Gate Audubon Society
Grassland bird conservation is inextricably linked to management practices on millions of acres of rangelands, the vast majority of which are privately owned. Significant rangeland habitat enhancement can only be achieved through cooperative approaches that work with ranchers that live and work on these lands. Audubon’s Conservation Ranching Program uses an innovative, market-based approach to connect conservation-conscious consumers to ranchers who employ bird-friendly management practices in raising their livestock. The program addresses loss in ecosystem function and health through the conservation of focal bird species and the habitat they depend upon. It incentivizes bird-friendly livestock management practices, emphasizing regenerative grazing approaches that improve soil health, diversify habitat structure, and ensure environmental sustainability that benefits pollinators and other grassland wildlife
Speakers: Matt Allshouse and Pelayo Alvarez, Conservation Ranching Program
See weblink for Zoom information
Friday, 06/16/2023
The Future of Technology in California - 06/16/2023 12:00 PM
Sutardja Dai Hall Berkeley
What will the next hundred years of technological innovation bring to California? As the culmination of our research into the future of computing, energy, biotechnology, the tech workforce, and the integration of technology into California's governmental services, this event will present recent research, new perspectives, and conversation about how California can continue to build technologically-fueled growth and development.
Schedule:
12pm - 12:30pm - Attendees pick up lunch; introduction to the event and California 100 research reports (California 100)
12:30pm - 1:15pm - Future of Energy in California (Reed Walker, David Wooley, Maximilian Auffhammer)
1:15 - 2:00 pm - Future of Biotech in California (Allison Berke, India Hook-Barnard, Susan Jenkins)
2:00pm - 2:45pm - Future of the Tech Workforce and Tech Education in California (Jill Finlayson, Emma Fraser, Sara Hinkley)
2:45pm - 3:30pm - Future of Computing in California (Michael Bartl, Jessica Newman, Andrew Reddie)
3:30pm - 4pm - Wrap-up and future directions for technology in state government (California 100)
Saturday, 06/17/2023
Family Nature Walks - Baylands Nature Preserve - 06/17/2023 10:30 AM
Palo Alto Baylands Nature Preserve Palo Alto
Environmental Volunteers’ Family Nature Walks program is designed to help students and their families get to know our local open space areas. Small family groups will be guided by a knowledgeable environmental educator during an exploration of a local open space. These small groups will be introduced to fun nature-based activities, and a chance to learn more about the plants and animals all around us. Join us for some fun, outdoor learning!
The nature walks are intended for children aged 6 to 11.
Register at weblink
Summer Science Fundays - Build, Engineer, and Invent - 06/17/2023 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 17 - Build, Engineer, and Invent: Explore building in two and three dimensions while discovering the design properties involved in constructing sturdy structures, bridges, roller coasters, and more! We bring the building materials; you supply the creativity!
Summer is a bustling time at The Lawrence Hall of Science because our most important visitors are out of school, yet still brimming with curiosity. Our Summer Science Fundays provide a gigaton of fun and educational activities for families. Summer Science Fundays showcase local community organizations, including SaveNature, Cal Taiko Band, Les Aerielles, and more, to bring a variety of unique experiences to our visitors.
Hangin’ Out Live with Leonard Tramiel at the Computer History Museum! - 06/17/2023 11:00 AM
Computer History Museum Mountain View
Bay Area Skeptics member Leonard Tramiel is the perfect person to take us through Mountain View’s Computer History Museum, having himself been a pioneer in the computer and video game industries. His father Jack Tramiel was legendary as founder of Commodore (remember the Commodore 64?). Leonard was part of the team that developed Commodore’s first computer, the PET. After earning a Ph.D. in physics from Columbia, he went on to become a VP at Atari, where he worked on both computers and video games. Several of the machines he worked on are on display at the museum. Join us for a day of fun and history with someone who himself made personal computer and video game history.
Sunset Photography Hike at La Honda Creek - 06/17/2023 04:00 PM
La Honda Creek Open Space Preserve La Honda
Join Peninsula Open Space Trust for a beautiful photography hike at 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 POST ambassadors along the newly established Grasshopper Trail in La Honda Creek OSP. Along just over a mile, visitors to the trail traverse an amazing diversity of working ranchlands with grazing cattle, coastal grasslands, oak woodlands, and redwood forests with expansive viewpoints along the way. We’ll be photo-documenting this diversity and looking to capture images that truly engage the viewer’s attention with macro and landscape views along the trail and then sharing our favorite photos with others on this hike. Bring your camera and a tripod, as the whole group will make frequent stops to take pictures of the landscape and wildlife.
The hike is easy, at 2 miles round trip with little elevation gain. Closed-toed shoes with tread and plenty of water/snacks for yourself are recommended.
Register at weblink
Sunday, 06/18/2023
Presidio: Changes Through Time - 06/18/2023 11:00 AM
The Presidio San Francisco
Join the National Park Service and celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the GGNRA!
This half-mile, level walk shows the historical changes to the Presidio, from the Spanish fort all the way to the new Tunnel Tops. Who benefitted from these changes, and who did not?
Learn about the people who lived here, and who now occupy these buildings, and how the landscape has been transformed over the years. Afterward take advantage of the food trucks nearby and the stunning views of the Golden Gate.
Tuesday, 06/20/2023
From Warning to Navigation - 20 Years Past and Future - Livestream - 06/20/2023 10:00 AM
Post Carbon Institute
A Vision of Intelligent Train Control - Livestream - 06/20/2023 12:00 PM
IEEE Computer Society of Silicon Valley
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
Popping the Science Bubble - 06/20/2023 05:30 PM
Berkeley Central Library Berkeley
Tech X The Future of News Forum - 06/20/2023 06:00 PM
Computer History Museum Mountain View
Latest Developments in Alzheimer's and the AAPI, LGBTQIA+ Communities - 06/20/2023 06:00 PM
Commonwealth Club San Francisco
Digital Dilemmas Salon: Digital Technologies in Armed Conflicts - 06/20/2023 06:00 PM
swissnex San Francisco San Francisco
Wonderfest: Astronomy for Planet Earth - 06/20/2023 07:00 PM
Hopmonk Tavern Novato
Nerd Nite SF #133: Kinky Critters, Sexy Video Games, & Nerdy Law! - 06/20/2023 07:00 PM
Manny's San Francisco
Astronomy on Tap Tucson #88: New Worlds + Black Holes - Livestream - 06/20/2023 07:30 PM
Astronomy on Tap
Wednesday, 06/21/2023
Coastal Walk at Cowell-Purisima Trail - 06/21/2023 10:00 AM
Cowell Purisima Coastal Trailhead Half Moon Bay
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
Australia 2023: FUNGA, flora and fauna - 06/21/2023 07:30 PM
Bay Area Mycological Society Berkeley
Thursday, 06/22/2023
Science on Tap: Predators: Mysteries, Myths, & Marvels - 06/22/2023 05:30 PM
Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History Pacific Grove
Pride NightLife - 06/22/2023 06:00 PM
California Academy of Sciences San Francisco
After Dark: Pride in Our Future - 06/22/2023 06:00 PM
ExplOratorium San Francisco
Why Government Is Failing in the Digital Age - 06/22/2023 06:00 PM
Commonwealth Club San Francisco
Friday, 06/23/2023
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
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
EV Ride and Drive - 06/24/2023 11:00 AM
Baylands Park Sunnyvale
How interferometry can stabilize and diagnose high resolution spectrographs - 06/24/2023 07:30 PM
East Bay Astronomical Society Oakland
Lick Observatory Music of the Spheres - 06/24/2023 08:30 PM
Lick Observatory Mt. Hamilton
City Star Party - Presidio - 06/24/2023 08:30 PM
City Star Parties - Parade Grounds at the Presidio San Francisco
Monday, 06/26/2023
Tomorrow’s Extremes: California’s Climate on the Edge - 06/26/2023 05:30 PM
swissnex San Francisco San Francisco
Truth-O-Meter: Fact-checking content generated by a LLM - Livestream - 06/26/2023 07:00 PM
SF Bay Association of Computing Machinery
ReplyForward