Hello again science fans!
科学ファンの皆さん、こんにちは!
(The first Japanese immigrants arrived in the Bay Area in 1869. Today about 20,000 Bay Area residents speak Japanese at home.)
SPACE
The OSIRIS-REx Mission collected 120 grams (4 oz) of regolith (broken rock & dust) from the asteroid Bennu in 2020 and returned the sample to Earth in 2023. Just announced: chemists found organic (carbon-based) chemicals in the sample: ammonia, formaldehyde, all 5 of the nucleotide bases of DNA and RNA, and 14 of the 20 amino acids used in proteins of Earthly life. Wow! This suggests that many of the chemical precursors of life are common in the Solar System, that they are not that difficult to be spontaneously synthesized, and they were readily available to early autocatalytic chemical systems of abiogenesis on Earth.
“The sky is falling! The sky is falling!” Allow me to emulate Henny Penny and once again update you on concerns of the Kessler Syndrome where two Low Earth Orbit - LEO - satellites traveling at 7 km/sec collide creating debris that collides with other LEO satellites creating exponentially more debris until it is unsafe to send anything into space. Each of the Starlink System’s 7,000 satellites maneuvers about once every two weeks to avoid passing too close to something else in orbit. Near term, Starlink plans to have 12,000 satellites in LEO. Amazon’s Project Kuiper plans to put 3,236 satellites in LEO. China is planning on putting 26,000 satellites in LEO. Yikes!
A new set of cameras are live-streaming from the ISS. Watch here. As the ISS passes through night time or “loss of signal”, you might see a replay of daytime scenes. [“Loss of signal!” Obviously they are not using Iridium or StarLink.] Captions at screen bottom indicate ‘where you are.’ BTW, the view is moving by at 7.8 km/sec (4.9 mi/sec). Hmmm. I’m thinking about displaying this on a monitor above my desk.
The IceCube Neutrino Observatory began 20 years ago in the Antarctic and now consists of strings of detectors dangling in 86 holes from 1,450 m to 2,450 m (4,757 ft to 8,038 ft) under ice. [¿How does one drill deep holes in ice? You use a hot-water drill.] ¿If you can do this in ice, why not in the Mediterranean? Well underway is the KM3NeT. KM3 = Cubic Kilometer, Ne = Neutrino, T = Telescope
CLIMATE
“We have something that no other manufacturing nation will ever have, the largest amount of oil and gas of any country on Earth, and we are going to use it – let me use it. We will be a rich nation again, and it is that liquid gold under our feet that will help to do it.”
“The ocean’s going to rise one-eighth of an inch over the next 400 years … and you’ll have more oceanfront property, right?”
“The wind doesn’t work. It’s very expensive, kills the birds, destroys everything around it. It’s very, very, very, very bad. It’s the most expensive energy — wind. And then every nine years you have to replace the turbines. You know, they’re made out of steel and they wear out.”
“The United States Ambassador to the United Nations shall immediately submit formal written notification of the United States’ withdrawal from the Paris Agreement….”
“The U.S. Department of Agriculture has directed agency officials to review and remove content related to climate change from its public websites….”
Anyone who has seen a solar liquid salt power plant will never forget the insanely bright tower-top lit by sunlight from thousands of mirrors. It is a fabulous use of sunlight to create electricity. Each individual mirror swivels throughout the day to reflect sunlight onto the tower. Liquid salt is heated in the tower and boils water to drive turbines to generate electricity. Ingenius - but over the years photovoltaics have become cheaper. Ivanpah is closing and similar power plants may never again be built.
RAFFLE
We are offering a 12” wall clock with the first 12 elements of the periodic table. Just send an email before noon Friday to david.almandsmith [at] gmail.com with your guess of an integer between 0 and 1,000. Last time, Lisa guessed closest to the randomly generated 619 to win a Newton’s Cradle.
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
DeepSeek, a Chinese A.I., crashed upon the computer scene this week creating waves in the stock market and Silicon Valley. User fees undercut other A.I. systems such as ChatGPT (OpenAI) and Copilot (Microsoft). Understanding DeepSeek’s advantages is above my pay grade and beyond my ken. But here is someone who perhaps can help: Riley Brown. ¿Can the Chinese government access information used with DeepSeek? ¿Does DeepSeek espouse ideas that conform to the Communist Party of China?
Batteries are great for storing electric power, but if you extract that power too quickly, batteries self-destruct. For the rapid discharge and recharge of electrical power, you need a super-capacitor, but they too will overheat if ‘pushed’ too hard depending on the capacitor film material. With 50,000 potential substances to choose from it’s an alchemist’s nightmare. A.I. to the rescue! The A.I. chose 3 materials that it ‘thought’ would excel and one of those proved to be super.
¿What does a sperm cell have that an egg cell recognizes to let it enter? Researchers asked the AlphaFold A.I. to help and it consumed computer resources for weeks before offering answers. [Far faster than the 7.5 million years Deep Thought used to arrive at the Answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything.] The “key” appears to be a specific bundle of 3 proteins.
THINGS TO DO THIS WEEK - My Picks
Storytelling for Hopeful Climate Futures Tues 4pm, Stanford
¿Human Hibernation: Is it Possible for Space Flight? Wed 7:30pm, San Rafael
A Ruthless Criticism of AI and Capitalism - Thur Noon, (Berkeley of course)
What Teachers Want to Know about Climate Change Livestream Thur 4pm
Unraveling the Mysteries of the Sun’s Atmosphere Fri 8pm, San Mateo
Foothills Family Nature Walk Sat 11am - 12:30pm, Los Altos
Jazz Under the Stars Sat 6 - 8pm, San Mateo
Bay Area Skeptics SkeptiCamp Sun 10am - 5pm, Mountain View
MEDICINE / HEALTH
I believe my roughly 30-year-old children could live healthy lives for hundreds of years. One of the barriers to super-long lives is the diminishing ability of mitochondria in the elderly to supply energy for cell metabolism. Researchers recently published their success in improving one link to thwart the biochemical process of mitochondrial aging. Another set of researchers just announced their findings to potentially improve mitochondrial health in brain cells. These are small steps but more will surely follow.
¿Why are ultra processed foods bad for us? One doctor posits that ultra processed foods are just too yummy to eat with restraint so we simply eat too much of them. There’s more to it than that. ¿Isn’t there?
The following websites and pages of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have been removed by the incoming federal administration:
- The Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System
- AtlasPlus, which housed HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis and STD information
- A contraception page for health care providers
- A page on ending gender-based violence
- Evidence supporting HPV vaccination across genders, ages 22 - 26 years
- Heart disease death rates by gender, by county, Florida
- Information about transgender and gender diverse people
- Pages related to the HIV prevention drug PrEP
- Health Disparities Among LGBTQ Youth
- Creating Safe Schools for LGBTQ+ Youth
- Safer Food Choices for Pregnant People
Others:
- National Institutes of Health Sexual & Gender Minority Research Office
- Health and Human Services page: Protecting Rights of LGBTQI+ People
PALEONTOLOGY
One of the tenets of paleontology is that dinosaurs came into existence in the southern portion of the Pangea continent - Gondwana - and reached the north of the continent - Laurasia - millions of years later. The fossil of a chicken-sized dinosaur, Ahvaytum bahndooiveche, indicates otherwise. Found in Wyoming, it has been dated to 230 million years ago which means it lived in Laurasia far earlier than thought possible.
Another dinosaur species comes from Mexico. Its ‘hands’ are unusually long so paleontologists gave it the moniker Mexidracon longimanus, meaning ‘long-handed Mexican dragon’. ¿What did it look like? Dunno, but here are two representations:
FUN (?) NERDY VIDEOS
Prolonging Life - The Right Chemistry - Joe Schwarcz - 5 mins
Alien Life Similar Life on Earth? - Sabine Hossenfelder - 5 mins
We Have to Talk about Weed - Kurzgesagt - 11 mins
Homo juluensis - History with Kayleigh - Kayleigh A.N. - 11 mins
Decarbonizing Industry - Just Have a Think - Dave Borlace -12.5 mins
¿Does Life Need a Multiverse? - PBS SpaceTime - Matt O’Dowd - 13 mins
The Copernican Principle - Dr. Becky - Becky Smethurst - 14 mins
Dome Paradox & Newton’s Laws - Up & Atom - Jade Tan-Holmes - 21 mins
On Being Wrong - StarTalk - Neil deGrasse Tyson & Chuck Nice - 23 mins
Kary Mullis and DNA Polymerase - Veritasium - Deriek Muller - 32 mins
Is the Presidency Becoming Too Powerful? - WHYY “Studio 2” - 37 mins
What Whales Tell Us - CNN: The Whole Story - 45 mins
Decoding the Universe: Quantum - PBS NOVA - 54 mins
Last Friday i filled out the annual Depression/Anxiety Scale Questionnaire for my doctor. Afterward i sent this note to her: “I responded that i have been experiencing "worry" in the last 2 weeks. Damn straight! With Trump in office we all should be worried!”
She responded: “Agreed. Maybe they'll come up with a Trump era version of the Depression/Anxiety Scale. Oh wait, that would be too "woke."
Reach out to friends and family this month. Especially this month.
Dave Almandsmith
Bay Area Skeptics
“When you worship power, compassion and mercy will look like sins.”
Rev. Benjamin Cremer, Pastor, Church of the Nazarene, Boise ID
Upcoming Events:
Click to see the next two weeks of events in your browser.
Monday, 02/03/2025
Skeletal Muscle Cell Physiology, Plasticity, and Performance - 02/03/2025 12:00 PM
Sonoma State University - Biology Colloquium Rohnert Park
Speaker: James Bagley, San Francisco State University
Artificial Humanities - 02/03/2025 12:00 PM
Sutardja Dai Hall Berkeley
Nina Beguš will present artificial humanities, an interdisciplinary framework using the humanities to thoughtfully approach the development of AI. We will focus on both fictional and historical representations of AI - from Eliza Doolittle to Eliza the chatbot - and reflect on recent product developments in AI and language while considering the powerful role that fictional narratives play in tech spaces.
Register to attend in person, or watch online. See weblink.
What goes down must come up: Changing oxidation conditions in the Santorini magmatic system as a tracer of subduction components through time - 02/03/2025 12:00 PM
Braun (Geology) Corner (Bldg 320), Rm 220 Stanford
The redox state of volcanic arc systems is highly variable globally, although arcmagmas are generally recognized to be more oxidized than those of mid-ocean ridges. The origins of these oxidation differences are complex; they may represent primary source region differences, potentially related to variations in slab-derived sediments, melts, or fluids, or they may form through secondary means, such as interactions with the overlying mantle wedge or crust during storage and ascent. In this talk I will present new data from drill cores collected during IODP Expedition 398 that has implications for the origin and evolution of the primary redox signature of Santorini magmas through arc history. Trace element geochemistry is used to determine magmatic oxidation state and provide evidence of correlation with fluid infiltration, suggesting slab-derived fluids have had a primary role in determining magmatic redox in the Santorini magmatic system throughout its evolution.
Speaker: Molly McCanta, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Attend in person or via Zoom (see weblink)
White Dwards as Probes of Convective Overshoot and Evolved Exoplanetary Systems - 02/03/2025 12:10 PM
Campbell Hall, Rm 131 Berkeley
White dwards are the stellar remnants left behind by the majority of stars. In 30 - 50% of the population, material such as asteroids, comets, moons, and even planets from their disrupted planetary systems can be identified by metal absorption lines detected in the white dwarf atmosphere. These stellar remnants thus offer the unique window through which to infer the bulk composition of exoplanetary material, but this method depends on accurate models of the white dwarf atmosphere. Most white dwarfs nave surface convection zones, and one key uncertainty here and throughout stellar evolution theory, it in the treatment of convection, in particular convective overshoot, which provides enhanced mixing outside of the convection zone.
I will present the first 3D radiation-hydrodynamic simulations of white dwarfs with passive scalar particles that provide a characterisation of the additional mixing caused by convective overshoot. As a test of these models, I have recently confirmed with the Chandra X-ray Observatory that the canonical metal-polluted white dwarf, G29-38, is a sourc of soft X-rays. This discovery provides the first independent measurement of the accretion rate at a metal-polluted white dwarf, and opens the opportunity for a new window through which to study these systems.
Speaker: Tim Cunningham, Harvard University
Unraveling the History of Atomic Force Microscopy - The Genesis and Evolution of AFM from Laboratory Instruments to Industrial Nanometrology - 02/03/2025 02:30 PM
Birge Hall Berkeley
This presentation will trace the remarkable journey of Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) from its invention in 1985 by G. Binnig, C. F. Quate, and Ch. Gerber at Stanford University - during my time as a graduate student under Prof. Quate - to its current role as a critical tool in semiconductor metrology. I will highlight my contributions to commercializing AFM and the subsequent innovations, such as the flexure-based orthogonal scan system, non-contact mode in air, Z-servo optimization, and system automation, that have elevated AFM’s precision, speed, and usability. These advancements have made AFM indispensable for nanoscale research and semiconductor manufacturing. Today, Park Systems leads the AFM market, driving innovation and holding the top position in revenue and market share.
Speaker: Sang-il Park
Continuous approximation models for some modern logistical problems - 02/03/2025 03:30 PM
Etcheverry Hall Berkeley
Continuous approximation modelling is a logistical paradigm with origins at UC Berkeley in which detailed operational data is replaced by statistical summaries to analyze large-scale routing and distribution problems. This presentation introduces some new applications of computational geometry and geometric probability theory to study modern problems in last-mile delivery, districting, and order fulfillment. Building on the seminal 1959 Beardwood-Halton-Hammersley theorem, we give analytical frameworks that characterize the optimal solutions for various problems in an asymptotic limit as demand becomes large.
Speaker: John Gunnar Carlsson, University of Southern California
Room 3108
How Balls Bounce and Fly: Physics of Baseball - 02/03/2025 03:30 PM
Stanford Linear Accelerator (SLAC) Colloquium Series Menlo Park
Most sporting activities involve a ball. In comparison to the impacting device (bat, club, racket, paddle, etc) the ball is consumable and tends to receive relatively little attention. Yet the ball is complex, inelastic, highly non-linear, and is an integral part of determining equipment performance. This presentation will consider mechanisms where the ball contributes to equipment performance, how these properties are measured and used to control performance, and the effectiveness of current regulating practices. Ball aerodynamic behavior, for instance, is important in many sports, but is often not regulated or measured. Measuring ball aerodynamic response is complicated by the effect of spin on both lift and drag, while laboratory methodologies to achieve spin often interfere with its free flight flow behavior.
Speaker: Lloyd Smith, Washington State University
Attend in person or online. See weblink for Zoom link
Bacterial Lipoproteins: From Bacteria to Biomaterials - 02/03/2025 04:00 PM
James H. Clark Center (Bldg 340) Stanford
Speaker: Naima Sharaf, Stanford University
Room: Auditorium
FOXSI-4: The Science and Engineering Behind the Suborbital Rocket Capturing Solar Flares - 02/03/2025 04:00 PM
Sonoma State University - What Physicists Do Rohnert Park
Hunter Kanniainen from UC Berkeley's Space Sciences Laboratory will discuss the recently launched Focusing Optics X-ray Solar Imager (FOXSI) sounding rocket.
Experimental Studies of Black Holes - Status & Prospects - 02/03/2025 04:15 PM
Physics North Berkeley
More than a century ago, Albert Einstein presented his general theory of gravitation. One of the predictions of this theory is that not only particles and objects with mass, but also the quanta of light, photons, are tied to the curvature of space-time, and thus to gravity. There must be a critical mass density, above which photons cannot escape. These are black holes. It took fifty years before possible candidate objects were identified by observational astronomy. Another fifty years have passed, until we finally can present detailed and credible experimental evidence that black holes of 10 to 1010 times the mass of the Sun exist in the Universe. Three very different experimental techniques have enabled these critical experimental breakthroughs. It has become possible to investigate the space-time structure in the vicinity of the event horizons of black holes. I will summarize these interferometric techniques, and discuss the spectacular recent improvements achieved with all three techniques. In conclusion, I will sketch where the path of exploration and inquiry may lead to in the next decades.
Speaker: Reinhard Genzel, Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics & UC Berkeley
Tuesday, 02/04/2025
Transforming Organic Chemistry Teaching and Learning using Theory and Evidence - 02/04/2025 11:00 AM
Latimer Hall Berkeley
There is a large body of work from the learning sciences providing us with insights into how people learn; and from Discipline Based Education Research (DBER) we know what discipline-specific difficulties students face. However, it is quite surprising that relatively little of this understanding has made its way into the design of science and engineering curricula offered at most colleges and universities. This is particularly true of Organic Chemistry curricula, which have changed little over the past 50 years. This presentation will focus on the need for evidence-based curriculum transformations, the research findings that can guide them, and how we might assess the results of these transformations. An approach to systemic reform that focuses on helping students use their knowledge in scientifically meaningful ways, will be discussed using examples from the transformed curriculum "Organic Chemistry, Life, the Universe and Everything" (OCLUE). Evidence to support how these transformations impact student learning and course culture, and implications for systemic reform will also be discussed. Finally I will discuss how Generative AI systems may impact teaching and learning in the coming years, and potential approaches for its productive use.
Speaker: Melanie Cooper, Michigan State University
Rethinking Clark Kerr: The Uses of the University in the Age of Generative AI - 02/04/2025 12:00 PM
Sutardja Dai Hall Berkeley
Speaker: Gerald Chan, a scientist and legendary venture capitalist, has started over a dozen companies with intellectual property spun out from universities. Currently working at the intersection of AI and medicine, he is pushing the frontiers of population health. As a philanthropist and thought leader in higher education, his work has had an impact on universities around the world.
Ultrathin and Stretchable Organic Photovoltaics for Emerging Applications - Livestream - 02/04/2025 12:00 PM
Berkeley Sensor & Actuator Center
Extreme thinness can reduce the weight of electronics, which dramatically reduces discomfort when wearing. Furthermore, it also improves their mechanical robustness to bending because applied strain is determined by the material's softness and device thickness. In the simplified model, the film thickness is inversely proportional to the strain value, such that a thinner thickness means that the device experiences less strain for the same bending radius [1]. Furthermore, intrinsically stretchability enables attachment onto movable parts such as body joints. These advantages have inspired research into ultra-thin and stretchable organic solar cells and related integrated electronics.
We are focusing on improving both power conversion efficiency (PCE) and environmental stability of flexible/stretchable organic solar cells. We achieved waterproof and high-performance ultrathin organic solar cells that can be operated underwater [1]. An innovation in the structures enabled much improved water stability of flexible organic solar cells. Additionally, we developed a self-powered wearable sensor by integrating all-solution processed trilayer structure with organic optoelectronics [2]. With such ultrathin organic solar cells, we enabled rechargeable wearable electronic systems for living small insects using ultra-thin organic solar cells [3]. The ultimate thinness and lightweight properties enable secured basic motion abilities of insects even with our solar cell modules attached to their abdominal surface.
Speaker: Kenjiro Fukuda, RIKEN
Editor's Note: Berkeley's website shows this as occuring on February 2 for some listings. February 4 is the correct date.
Origins and Growth of Fractures on Low Gravity Bodies: Insight from Earth to Asteroid 4 Vesta - 02/04/2025 12:00 PM
Braun (Geology) Corner (Bldg 320), Rm 220 Stanford
Fracturing on small planetary bodies is controlled by low gravity, which differs from what is observed on Earth and other large planets. Studying the tectonics of small bodies is crucial for understanding the planetary evolution of recent and past lithospheres, from large to small, rocky to non-rocky bodies in the Solar System. Asteroid 4 Vesta displays a remarkably large set of troughs, Divalia Fossae, encircling the asteroid around the equator, while planetary-scale impact basins occupy most of the southern hemisphere. A series of geologic constraints are inconsistent with the leading hypothesis that the Divalia Fossae were directly formed by the large impact in the southern hemisphere via normal faulting, but rather had a spinning-related origin as a long-term consequence of large impacts, accommodating opening-mode displacements. A field investigation of the Koa’e Fault System, Hawaii studied the transition from jointing to faulting, which is comparable to the proposed fracturing process on low-gravity bodies. This research investigates several topics related to the growth and origin of fractures on low-gravity planetary bodies, drawing a comprehensive understanding of the deformation of planetary lithospheres.
Speaker: Jupiter Hansen, University of Alabama
Attend in person or via Zoom (see weblink)
What did the metals know, and when did they know it? Tabletop M-edge XANES reveals hidden states in transition metal photocatalysts - 02/04/2025 04:00 PM
Latimer Hall Berkeley
X-ray absorption near edge spectroscopy (XANES) is a powerful technique for electronic structure determination. Recent developments in extreme ultraviolet (XUV) light sources using the laser-based technique of high-harmonic generation have enabled core-level spectroscopy to be performed on femtosecond to attosecond timescales. We have extended the scope of tabletop XUV spectroscopy and demonstrated that M2,3-edge XANES, corresponding to 3p - 3d transitions, can reliably measure the electronic structure of molecular first-row transition metal complexes with femtosecond time resolution. In the same 40-100 eV energy range, the 5p
Speaker: Joshua Vura-Weis, University of Illinois - Champaign
Storytelling for Hopeful Climate Futures - 02/04/2025 04:00 PM
Mitchell Earth Sciences Building (04-560) Stanford
How can stories help us create hopeful climate futures? What storytelling strategies might open pathways to imagine what lies beyond the dystopian and post-apocalyptic narratives so prevalent in popular culture? If we are not only to survive but to thrive over the next century, we need to reframe the stories we tell ourselves about who we are and who we want to be in this altered world. We need to transform anxiety and despair into courage and resilience. While this is no small feat, theatre can help. As a live storytelling medium, theatre can provide clues on how we may collectively take this existential leap.
Speaker: Chantal Bilodeau, Arts and Climate Initiative
Register at weblink
Room: Hartley Conference Center
A Revolution in Medicine: The Science Fueling a New Age of Cures - 02/04/2025 05:30 PM
Commonwealth Club San Francisco
Join us for this talk to learn about scientific achievements that might give you and your loved ones access to transformational treatment options today or in the near future.
Maybe you've heard about CRISPR gene editing or stem cell therapy in the headlines - now you can find out what these and other technologies really mean for you. Can you imagine if your cells could be taken from a simple blood draw, reprogrammed in a lab dish, then infused back into your body to cure heart disease, treat Alzheimer’s, or shrink a cancer tumor? Or if a simple infusion could rewrite your genetic code to cure a DNA-driven disease? These scenarios may sound like science fiction, but such advances are happening now - forever changing our perspective of disease. No longer must we accept a dire health condition; we have the tools and technology to actually solve it for good.
We encourage you to attend in-person so you can join us for a post-event wine and cheese reception, where you’ll have the chance to mingle with Dr. Deepak Srivastava and other world-recognized Gladstone scientists who are dedicated to overcoming disease.
Speaker: Deepak Srivastava, Gladstone Institutes; Robert Lee Kilpatrick, Commonwealth Club, moderator
Wednesday, 02/05/2025
Electrification and Decarbonization of Chemical Synthesis - 02/05/2025 10:15 AM
Tan Hall Berkeley
Chemical synthesis is responsible for significant emissions of carbon dioxide worldwide. These emissions arise not only due to the energy requirements of chemical synthesis, but since hydrocarbon feedstocks can be overoxidized or used as hydrogen sources. Using renewable electricity to drive chemical synthesis may provide a route to overcoming these challenges, enabling synthetic routes which operate at benign conditions and utilize sustainable inputs. We are developing an electrosynthetic toolkit in which distributed feedstocks, including carbon dioxide, dinitrogen, water, and renewable electricity, can be converted into diverse fuels, chemicals, and materials.
Speaker: Karthish Manthiram, California Institute of Technology
Identifying energy poverty in the built environment using large datasets - 02/05/2025 10:30 AM
Mulford Hall Berkeley
Broadly, energy poverty is defined as insufficient energy access. One often missed sign of energy poverty is an inability to maintain a safe and comfortable indoor temperature. Using residential electricity consumption datasets in multiple regions, we determine the outdoor temperatures at which households start using their heating and cooling systems. We add to the literature by quantifying the cooling slope gap (i.e., amount of electricity households forgoes over the cooling season). The cooling slope gap aids with identifying infrastructure and climate adaption gaps in current energy systems. Using these metrics, we identify disparities in heating and cooling between high and low income groups which identify health risks.
Speaker: Dr. Destenie Nock, Carnegie Mellon University
Deep Learning and Deep Sequencing for mRNA Design - 02/05/2025 12:00 PM
Stanley Hall Berkeley
Two decades past the human genome project, genomics is at an inflection point from an era of discovery to an era of engineering. My research journey has paralleled this transition from uncovering fundamental mechanisms of gene regulation to developing new therapeutic applications. I’ll describe how our lab combines machine learning with high-throughput experiments to understand and engineer key processes controlling genome output: mRNA translation and splicing. By building quantitative models of how sequence determines protein output, we’ve decoded the rules for designing therapeutic mRNAs. Our deep learning models of splicing regulation have enabled a novel CRISPR-based strategy to treat genetic diseases by engineering ‘poison exons.’ These advances showcase how mechanistic insights, coupled with modern computational and molecular tools, allow us to not just read but rewrite the genome’s regulatory code.
Speaker: Liana Lareau, UC Berkeley
UC Santa Cruz Whole Earth Seminar - 02/05/2025 03:30 PM
Earth and Marine Sciences Building Santa Cruz
Speaker: Sophie Silver, University of Pennsylvania
Illuminating Marine Symbioses: Microbial Interactions, Evolution, and Inclusive Science - 02/05/2025 03:30 PM
Estuary & Ocean Science Center Tiburon
Interactions among organisms are catalysts for biological innovation; this is especially true for symbiotic relationships between marine bacteria and their animal hosts. From the glowing symbioses of anglerfish to gooey lesions on sharks and the intricate partnerships between bacteria and coral reefs, my research unravels the diverse and fascinating microbial interactions across marine life. Leveraging advanced sequencing methodologies and bioinformatics, my research explores evolutionary trajectories, ecological strategies, and transmission methods of symbiotic bacteria. Understanding interactions is also essential to fostering a more inclusive scientific community. At my position at CSUMB I aim to expand on existing undergraduate and post-baccalaureate programs, as well as initiate strategic partnerships with local organizations and leverage diverse communication platforms to diversify outreach initiatives at CSUMB and beyond.
Speaker: Lydia Baker, Assistant Professor, California State University Monterey Bay
Attend in person or click here to watch on Zoom
The Paradox of Sustainability - 02/05/2025 04:30 PM
Shriram Center Stanford
The transition to sustainable energy systems presents a fundamental paradox: developing nations are expected to achieve both rapid modernization and environmental sustainability in a fraction of the time that developed nations took to industrialize. This talk examines this temporal disconnect through the lens of coal-powered electricity, comparing the centuries-long industrialization of Western Europe and the United States with the compressed timeline facing Southeast Asian and Indian economies today. This accelerated modernization timeline creates unique challenges for developing economies. The discussion concludes by exploring how renewable energy technologies and enhanced international cooperation could help bridge this temporal gap, offering pathways to reconcile rapid development with environmental sustainability.
Speaker Gita Wirjawan, Ancora Group
Attend in person or online (see weblink for connection information)
Transforming Pacific salmon recovery from genes to ecosystems - 02/05/2025 05:30 PM
UC Santa Cruz Silicon Valley Campus Santa Clara
For millennia, Pacific salmon have been integral to the health of coastal ecosystems and human communities from California to Alaska. Salmon are ecological and cultural keystone species, connecting marine and freshwater food webs and supporting thriving fisheries. Yet, wild salmon have declined precipitously due to a combination of factors including dams, overharvest, hatcheries, and climate change. Efforts to recover salmon populations have struggled to reverse these trends.
In this engaging Kraw Lecture, Eric Palkovacs will describe the development of transformative approaches to recover wild salmon populations by connecting novel insights from genes to ecosystems. Learn how this integrative research program spanning the fields of genomics, physiology, behavior, and ecology can provide insights to transform the future of Pacific salmon and the ecosystems and fisheries they support.
Reception starts at 5:30, lecture at 6:00
Human Hibernation: Is it Possible for Space Flight? - 02/05/2025 07:30 PM
Marin Science Seminar San Rafael
Sci-Fi movies often depict hibernation as the secret to long-duration human spaceflight. (Note: Even with ideal starship acceleration and deceleration - AND with the benefit of relativistic effects - the nearest exoplanet is 3.6 YEARS away!) Of course, the boundary between science fiction and science fantasy is hazy. Advances in anesthesia may facilitate hibernation. Physiologically, however, general anesthesia is detrimental in the short term, and worse in the long term. Will long-spaceflight medical advances ever be able to deal with this sobering hibernation fact that roughly half of naturally-hibernating animals never revive? Join us to find out. Bring your questions and your curiosity!
Speaker: Art Wallace, UC San Francisco & SF Veteran's Administration Medical Center
Thursday, 02/06/2025
Innovation-Driven Environment of Silicon Valley - Livestream - 02/06/2025 07:00 AM
swissnex
This webinar in collaboration with Movetia will discuss two trending topics on the US West Coast that are shaping the future of workplace: Artificial Intelligence and Entrepreneurship.
Register at weblink to receive connection information
Molecular Therapeutics Seminar - 02/06/2025 10:30 AM
Innovative Genomics Institute Building (IGIB) Berkeley
Speaker: Rushika Perera, UC San Francisco
A Ruthless Criticism of AI and Capitalism - 02/06/2025 12:00 PM
Social Sciences Building Room 820 Berkeley
Recently, the science fiction author Ted Chiang observed that “most of our fears or anxieties about technology are best understood as fears or anxiety about how capitalism will use technology against us.”
The sudden boom of interest in artificial intelligence - driven by torrents of cash and threats to transform society from top to bottom - has clarified this relationship between technology and capitalism even further. People are more aware than ever of the power dynamics that drive systems like AI. It is now common in public discourse to see skeptical inquiry about how technologies are made, who decides their purpose, who uses them, and who they are used against.
The impacts of AI are no longer merely abstract or distant concerns. The ecological, economic, and human costs are increasingly material and immediate.
By taking seriously our social anxieties about how capital forges technologies to then wield against us, this talk outlines three key concepts that are crucial for a political economic analysis - and a ruthless criticism - of AI and capitalism. The first is innovation realism. The second is cheap data. The third is the perpetual value machine.
Speaker: Jathan Sadowski, Monash University
Human evolution in comparative perspective - 02/06/2025 12:30 PM
Valley Life Sciences Building Berkeley
In the early 1970s, Milford Wolpoff suggested that a trait then considered unique to hominins - 'culture' - likely changed how speciation occurs in hominins compared to how it does in other taxa. Although culture (socially transmitted behaviour or information), technology, and other 'uniquely human' traits are now known to characterise other extant and extinct taxa, the broader underlying question raised by Wolpoff remains, given the extreme expression of these traits in our lineage. To what extent do the processes that characterise the evolution of our lineage operate in the same way as they do in other animal groups? In this talk, I will discuss my recent comparative work on two processes in human evolution, studied across both micro- and macroevolutionary scales: (1) speciation and (2) interspecific competition.
I will first describe how quantitative approaches to deal with sampling bias in the fossil record can produce new insights into the mode of speciation across hominin taxa, with ‘budding’ speciation being more common than previously supposed. I then move on to considering how population-level processes drive speciation in mammals, and propose a taxonomic model that will allow these processes to be studied in hominins. I will briefly outline ongoing work that moves these two lines of research forward: the inference of a new hominin phylogeny that expands taxonomic coverage, and is based on a character matrix that includes, for the first time, postcranial characters. The first stages of this project have produced a phylogeny that clarifies the phylogenetic position of the highly contested 'Little Foot' Australopithecus prometheus individual.
Whilst interspecific competition is known to play an important role in vertebrate evolution, surprisingly little explicit attention has been given to this process in hominins. I will discuss my recent work that indicated a role for interspecific competition between hominin taxa in speciation and extinction across 4 million years of hominin evolution, and describe pilot results that extend this framework to potential nonhominin competitors of our lineag - Plio-Pleistocene papionins, suids, and felids. Finally, I will introduce my long-term field site in Guinea, West Africa, where I currently head a research programme on interspecific competition between hominids (Western chimpanzees), papionins (sooty mangabeys, spot-nosed guenons), and suids (red river hogs). The vast amount of data being generated in this project has, so far, generated insights relevant for wild, unhabituated chimpanzee social (and interspecific!) learning, but my primary motivation is to use these taxa as models for interspecific interactions across ecological time in human evolutionary history.
Speaker: Laura van Holstein, University of Cambridge
Future Energy Ventures - 02/06/2025 01:30 PM
Environment and Energy Building (Y2E2) Stanford
The future of our energy systems depends on cutting-edge innovations in Grid Infrastructure Technology (Grid Infra Tech), essential for integrating renewable energy and supporting a sustainable, resilient grid. This seminar will explore the evolving innovation landscape in Grid Infra Tech, with a special focus on the critical subsectors where transformative advancements are occurring. It is estimated that failing to upgrade and expand our grid could result in up to 80% of federal funding dedicated to energy transition goals being lost - a powerful reminder of the urgent need for accelerated smart grid and interconnection solutions. Join us as we delve into how new technologies, from AI-driven grid management tools and interconnection management to advanced energy storage and trading, are set to address these pressing challenges. By uncovering key growth areas, this session will highlight how next-generation solutions can drive impactful change and accelerate the global transition to clean energy.
Speaker: Giancarol Savini, venture capitalist
This event was originally scheduled for January 16, 2025
A coming-of-age story: neuronal control of behavior in early life - 02/06/2025 04:00 PM
James H. Clark Center (Bldg 340) Stanford
Speaker: Harris Kalpan, Harvard University
Room: Auditorium
Radical Innovations in RF and Microwave Instrumentation - 02/06/2025 04:00 PM
Sonoma State Dept. of Engineering Science Rohnert Park
Whereas incremental innovation in RF and microwave instrumentation is continuously happening and even accelerating, radical innovation remains a rare event. I will highlight 2 radical innovation examples from my career: X-parameters and Vector Component Analyzers. Both innovations are dealing with the characterization of active high-frequency devices and components and are now commercially available.
X-parameters were invented in 1998. Before that time, RF measurement experts fruitlessly tried to extend linear S-parameters into the nonlinear domain of amplifiers. They referred to their techniques as Hot-S parameters. By going back to fundamentals and by applying the right mathematical descriptions, Dr. Jan invented X-parameters, an original and complete solution to the problem.
The second example is the more recent Vector Component Analyzer. For many decades, power amplifiers have been characterized by using 2 instrumentation setups: the first setup comprises a vector network analyzer (VNA) and the second setup comprises a vector signal analyzer (VSA) combined with a vector signal generator (VSG). A VNA typically applies one or 2 sine waves as an excitation signal and analyzes transmission and reflection in the frequency domain. Nonlinear characterization is possible through measuring compression, as well as the level of harmonics and 2-tone intermodulation products. A VSA-VSG setup uses a modulated carrier signal and analyzes the in-band and out-of-band nonlinear distortions. The amount of in-band distortion is determined through a demodulation process in the time domain and is typically expressed as error-vector-magnitude (EVM). Dr. Jan invented a way to combine both setups into one and to characterize EVM directly in the frequency domain without the need for demodulation. The technique is based on spectral correlation. Such an instrument is called a Vector Component Analyzer.
Speaker: Jan Verspecht, Keysight Technologies
What Teachers Want to Know about Climate Change - Livestream - 02/06/2025 04:00 PM
Skeptical Inquirer
Do teachers feel knowledgeable when it comes to teaching about climate change? How many hours a week (or year?!) are devoted to climate science in our nation’s schools? Is climate change even part of the national science curriculum? CFI Education Director Bertha Vazquez knows, and the answers will surprise you.
In her new book, What Teachers Want To Know about Climate Change, she challenges her fellow educators to introduce skeptical thinking skills to their students as a necessary aspect of understanding the politics of climate change. Vazquez argues science teachers are trained to teach critical thinking, emphasizing that science is falsifiable and requires tested hypotheses, evidence, and consensus - but they don’t teach how our own flawed thinking and perceptions can get in the way of accepting facts.
Advance registration is required. See weblink
NightLife: Black Thursday - 02/06/2025 06:00 PM
California Academy of Sciences San Francisco
Celebrate Black joy with a vibrant night of creativity, community, and experience.
Distant Early Warning: The Arctic Under Siege exhibit opening - 02/06/2025 06:00 PM
UC Berkeley Berkeley
In 2007, a Russian submarine planted a flag under the North Pole, beginning what has become known as a New Cold War. Part of the security narrative is driven by the idea that once the ice melts, natural resources like oil and new shipping routes will become part of a new northern economy. The result is that many countries that desire natural resources or new economic opportunities want to stake claims on this final geographic frontier on our planet.
The images in the exhibit, named for the radar line stretching from Alaska to Greenland, began as a Guggenheim Fellowship in 2015 and evolved into an assignment for National Geographic Magazine. The pictures examine the growing geopolitical tensions and changing life for indigenous Inuit people with roles and responsibilities in the management of their lands and waters amidst the warming of the planet.
Palu has made over 40 trips to the Arctic since the early 1990’s, resulting in over 200,000 photographs, documenting the transformations taking place in this vast and isolated region.
Speaker: Louie Palu, artist and photographer
RSVP required.
Reception at 6:00, Presentation at 7:00
After Dark: Wondrous Fungus - 02/06/2025 06:00 PM
ExplOratorium San Francisco
Explore the fungi kingdom and get to know mushrooms, yeasts, and other incredible organisms.
Ages 18+
Friday, 02/07/2025
UC Santa Cruz Geophysical & Planetary Physics Seminar - 02/07/2025 12:00 PM
Earth and Marine Sciences Building Santa Cruz
Speaker: TBA
First Friday Nights at CuriOdyssey - 02/07/2025 05:00 PM
CuriOdyssey San Mateo
Celebrate Lunar New Year with us at CuriOdyssey. Enjoy a festive evening filled with delicious bites from local favorites - Dumpling King and Kabob Trolley. Feel the rhythm at our lively dance party, marvel at an exhilarating Lion Dance performance, and embrace the spirit of the season by crafting your own paper lantern. Don’t miss this vibrant First Friday celebration - a perfect way to welcome the Year of the Dragon with family and friends!
First Friday: AFROFUTURISM - 02/07/2025 06:00 PM
Chabot Space and Science Center Oakland
This First Friday, celebrate Black History Month and Black Futures at the Chabot Space and Science Center. Tinker with hands-on robotics designed by youth engineers at the Hidden Genius Project, try your hand at coding with Black Girls Code, and discover the groundbreaking achievements Black scientists and engineers have been making at NASA and around the world. Oh, and don’t forget to bring your dancing shoes, ‘cause we’ll be playing your favorite Afrofunk and futuristic beats!
Unraveling the Mysteries of the Sun’s Atmosphere - 02/07/2025 08:00 PM
College of San Mateo Bldg 36 San Mateo
The Sun, our nearest star, is more than just a blazing ball of fire. Its atmosphere, hotter than its already scorching surface, presents a puzzle that has intrigued scientists for years. How does the Sun’s magnetic field drive the heating of its 10,000-degree chromosphere and million-degree corona? This enigma holds significant implications for Earth, as the Sun’s corona hosts powerful explosions and eruptions that can trigger space weather events affecting our technology-dependent society. From mesmerizing auroras to disruptions in communication systems and satellite operations, the Sun’s activity touches our daily lives in unexpected ways.
In this talk, I will delve into the recent strides made in understanding the Sun’s atmospheric dynamics. Thanks to breakthrough observations from space-based telescopes like NASA’s IRIS and SDO, coupled with advancements in supercomputing, we are gaining deeper insights into the mechanisms driving solar heating. Moreover, I will explore the upcoming frontier in solar research, with future observatories like MUSE poised to revolutionize our understanding of the Sun’s behavior and its impact on our planet and beyond.
Speaker: Bart De Pontieu, Lockheed Martin
Saturday, 02/08/2025
DNA-mineral interactions at the molecular level: implications for bacterial evolution and ecological inference - Livestream - 02/08/2025 10:30 AM
California Section American Chemical Society
Extracellular DNA (eDNA) in the environment degrades rapidly unless adsorbed onto minerals, which enhances its stability. Currently there are vast amounts of DNA molecules preserved in our sediments. This mineral-bound DNA, although widely used to study past ecosystems, also poses significant implications for bacterial gene acquisition. By utilizing interfacial geochemistry, molecular level and bacterial approaches, this study explores (1) the role of mineral surfaces in DNA preservation in sediments and (2) the potential of soil bacteria to acquire mineral-adsorbed DNA through horizontal gene transfer (HGT).
The findings demonstrate that mineral surface properties substantially impact DNA stability, offering new insights into sedimentary DNA taphonomy. Understanding these interactions can enhance environmental DNA (eDNA) applications for ecosystem. Moreover, our data show that bacterial transformation of mineral-adsorbed DNA can lead to genetic diversity, and is influenced by mineral surface properties. These insights suggest that mineral-facilitated HGT could serve as a pathway for bacterial evolution, potentially affecting gene dispersal over extended temporal and spatial scales. In such an evolutionary scenario mineralogy and interfacial geochemical processes become central to the evolutionary process of maintaining fitness.
Speaker: Karina Krarup Sand, University of Copenhagen
Register at weblink to receive Zoom information
Foothills Family Nature Walk - 02/08/2025 11:00 AM
Foothills Nature Preserve Los Altos
Environmental Volunteers’ Family Nature Walks program is designed to help community members get to know our local open space areas. Small 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!
Each group will have a maximum limit of 12 participants. Meet at the Boronda Lake Dock.
Families/groups are welcome to sign up for as many as they like. The nature walks are intended for all ages 6 and up, but children must be accompanied by an adult.
CuriOdyssey Weekend Workshop: Stop Motion - 02/08/2025 01:00 PM
CuriOdyssey San Mateo
Fan of Coraline or other stop-motion movies? We will take a look back at some of the earliest animation techniques. At the end, participants will put it all together to make their very own stop-motion movie.
Ages 5 to 10 years old
City Public Star Party - 02/08/2025 06:00 PM
City Star Parties - Tunnel Tops Park San Francisco
Come join the San Francisco Amateur Astronomers for free public stargazing of the Moon, planets, globular clusters and more!
The event will take place in Tunnel Tops National Park, parking is located adjacent to Picnic Place (210 Lincoln Blvd for GPS) with the telescopes setup in the East Meadow.
Dress warmly as conditions can be windy or cold in the Presidio. Rain, heavy fog or overcast skies cancel the event. Check the SFAA website for a cancellation notice before leaving for the star party.
Jazz Under the Stars - 02/08/2025 06:00 PM
College of San Mateo Bldg 36 San Mateo
Jazz Under the Stars is a FREE monthly public stargazing event! Occurring on the Saturday nearest the 1st quarter moon, join us for a night of smooth jazz, bright stars, and a lot of fun! We play our jazz from CSM's own KCSM 91.1. Founded in 1964, KCSM has grown to become one of the top 35 most listened to non-commercial stations in the US. With their help, the Astronomy department at CSM opens its observatory doors and balcony, for a night of science and fun! We operate for public viewing 8” dobsonian telescopes, prefect for viewing the planets Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn. We also have a 140mm refractor, with which we view the craters on the moon. Finally, our 11’ schmidt-cassegrain is for our deep sky needs. It can peer deep into globular clusters, and nebulae. Occasionally we even have the chance to image galaxies on our 20" telescope. Our astronomers will also be available for questions and conversation, which you wouldn’t get anywhere else! Feel free to ask us your questions about the cosmos.
*Weather in the bay area is notoriously hard to predict, and often the sources we use don't get it correct. Before leaving you home, be sure to check this webpage. If we are to cancel it will be posted there at least a few hours before the start of the event.*
Sunday, 02/09/2025
Bay Area Skeptics SkeptiCamp - 02/09/2025 10:00 AM
Google Visitor Experience Mountain View
What is the BAS SkeptiCamp?
A SkeptiCamp is an informal in-person, free conference where you can learn about science/skepticism, meet fellow skeptics, and enjoy the company of friends old and new.
To quote our friends at the Manchester Skeptic Society, "you don’t need to be a published author, famous podcaster or professional communicator to get involved." Just an interested skeptic.
We will need presenters as well as individuals who are willing to lend a hand with the organization, publicity, and at-event activities. If you want to present a 20-minute or 40-minute talk, or are willing to help out, contact baskeptics@gmail.com and we’ll get back to you.
Free parking is available a short walk away. Public transportation is available.
Editor's Note: The event time has changed since our original posting due to restrictions at the venue.
SEA Adventures Mammalian Reproduction Lecture - 02/09/2025 11:00 AM
Seymour Marine Discovery Center Santa Cruz
This month’s guest lecturers:
Maddie McNelis is a current PhD Candidate at UCSC studying parental care in wildlife in the department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Biological Anthropology from UC Berkeley.
Mia Reynolds is a Master’s student in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at UC Santa Cruz. She studies beluga whale reproduction, focusing on their dietary needs during different reproductive stages. She earned her undergraduate degree in Marine Biology from UC Davis, and has worked on many species. including orcas and gray whales.
Monday, 02/10/2025
The Insect Barcoding Initiative - 02/10/2025 12:00 PM
Sonoma State University - Biology Colloquium Rohnert Park
Speaker: Brad Balukjian, California Academy of Sciences
What in the Galaxy is Scattering Cosmic Rays? - 02/10/2025 12:10 PM
Campbell Hall, Rm 131 Berkeley
Cosmic rays with energies << TeV affect galaxy evolution on all scales, from ionizing protoplanetary disks and molecular clouds to driving galactic outflows that alter the gas phase hundreds of kiloparsecs from the galactic disk. All models of cosmic-ray physics on "marco" scales (> pc) are sensitive to the assumed models of cosmic-ray scattering on "micro" scales (~ au), which are observationally and theoretically unconstrained. These effects are amplified in the circumglactic medium, where models that fit existing data can vary by many orders of magnitude in their predictions for the cosmic-ray transport rate. Traditional first-principles models, which assume these magnetic fluctuations are weak and uniformly scatter CRs in a homogeneous ISM, struggle to reproduce basic observables such as the dependence on CR residence times and scattering rates on rigidity. In this talk, I will explore a new category of "Patchy" CR scattering models, wherein CRs are predominantly scattered by intermittent strong scattering structures with small volume-filling factors.
Speaker: Iryna Butsky, Stanford University
UC Berkeley Condensed Matter Seminar - 02/10/2025 02:30 PM
Birge Hall Berkeley
Speaker: Sujoy Roy
Queueing Solutions for Scheduling Today’s Data Center Jobs - 02/10/2025 03:30 PM
Etcheverry Hall Berkeley
Most queueing models assume that each job runs on a single server. But this one-server-per-job model is not a good representation of today’s compute jobs, particularly Machine Learning jobs. A typical data center job today occupies multiple cores concurrently, often thousands of cores. We refer to a job that concurrently occupies multiple cores as a multiserver job. Unfortunately, very little is known about response time in multiserver job queueing models. We present the first results on minimizing response time for multiserver job queueing models. We also consider today’s parallel speedup jobs, which can run on any number of cores, but whose speed depends on the number of cores on which the job is run. Here it is even more complicated to understand how to best share a limited number of cores among a stream of jobs, each governed by a different speedup function. We discuss some recent optimality results in this nascent area.
Speaker: Mor Harchol-Balter, Carnegie Mellon University
Room 3108
Nucleic acid-driven self-assemblies: from viral RNA sensors to transcription factors - 02/10/2025 04:00 PM
Stanley Hall Berkeley
My laboratory focuses on the molecular mechanisms of self vs. non-self discrimination by the immune system. Our research has uncovered several protein polymerization processes - distinct from phase separation - that are triggered by nucleic acids in various immune functions. Our earlier work centered on the molecular mechanisms of a family of immune receptors known as RIG-I-like receptors (RLRs), revealing how the innate immune system utilizes protein polymerization to detect viral RNA during infections and link RNA detection to the activation of antiviral signals. More recently, we have broadened our focus to explore the transcriptional regulatory mechanisms involved in T cell self-tolerance. In this presentation, I will discuss our recent findings on multimeric assembly of two key transcription factors, FoxP3 and Aire, in T cell development. In both cases, we have identified protein homo-multimerization as a common molecular principle driving cognate nucleic acid recognition and immune functions.
Speaker: Sun Hur, Harvard Medical School
Barcoding of episodic memories in the hippocampus of a food-caching bird - 02/10/2025 04:00 PM
James H. Clark Center (Bldg 340) Stanford
Speaker: Selmann Chettih, Columbia University
Room: Auditorium
Hunting for Hidden Order - 02/10/2025 04:15 PM
Physics North Berkeley
Most magnetic materials, phenomena and devices are well described in terms of the magnetic dipoles arising from the spin of their constituent electrons. There is mounting evidence, however, of intriguing magnetic behaviors that can’t be explained in terms of electron spin dipole moments; these behaviors are often attributed to "hidden order" since their origin is difficult to decipher with conventional experimental probes. In this talk I will discuss some unusual magnetic effects, such as electric-field induced magnetism, magnetism on apparently non-magnetic surfaces, and unconventional spin splitting of energy bands, and show that they can be understood in terms of a "hidden order" of higher-order magnetic multipoles, beyond the magnetic dipole. While there are clear experimental signatures of such hidden multipolar order, and it is captured nicely in our computer simulations, attempts at direct measurement have so far proved elusive, and I will close with a plea for better ideas.
Speaker: Nicola Spaldin, Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) Zurich
Tuesday, 02/11/2025
UC Berkeley Organic Chemistry Seminar - 02/11/2025 11:00 AM
Latimer Hall Berkeley
Unlocking the (in)finite potential of natural killers - A tale of two CRISPR screens - 02/11/2025 11:00 AM
Weill Hall Berkeley
Bill Gates and Partick Collison, In Conversation - Livestream - 02/11/2025 01:00 PM
Computer History Museum
Discovering the Highest Energy Astrophysical Neutrinos - 02/11/2025 03:30 PM
Hewlett Teaching Center Stanford
Birding in the Amazon - 02/11/2025 07:30 PM
Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History Pacific Grove
Wednesday, 02/12/2025
Modernizing analytical measurement of marine inorganic carbon - Livestream - 02/12/2025 11:00 AM
Monterey Bay Research Institute
Know Your Newts - Livestream - 02/12/2025 12:00 PM
UC Botanical Garden
Monitoring and Modeling Net Ecosystem Carbon Balance in Wetlands - 02/12/2025 03:30 PM
Earth and Marine Sciences Building Santa Cruz
From Peru to California: How ocean processes influence prey and predator abundance in coastal areas? - 02/12/2025 03:30 PM
Estuary & Ocean Science Center Tiburon
Stanford Energy Transition Seminar - 02/12/2025 04:30 PM
Shriram Center Stanford
28 Months Later: Inside the Sprint to Implement the Inflation Reduction Act - 02/12/2025 04:30 PM
Stanford University Energy Seminar Stanford
Ask an Epidemiologist! Everything you wanted to know about the flu (and vaccines) but were afraid to ask - 02/12/2025 07:30 PM
Marin Science Seminar San Rafael
Thursday, 02/13/2025
Silicon Valley Leaders Symposium - 02/13/2025 12:00 PM
Silicon Valley Leaders Symposium San Jose
UC Berkeley Integrative Biology Seminar - 02/13/2025 12:30 PM
Valley Life Sciences Building Berkeley
The Neural Basis of Affective States - 02/13/2025 04:00 PM
James H. Clark Center (Bldg 340) Stanford
NightLife - 02/13/2025 06:00 PM
California Academy of Sciences San Francisco
After Dark: Sexplorations - 02/13/2025 06:00 PM
ExplOratorium San Francisco
Can Star Trek teach us about Evolution? Yup! - Livestream - 02/13/2025 06:30 PM
Bay Area Skeptics
Bay Area Wildlife Guide - Livestream - 02/13/2025 07:00 PM
Marin Audubon Society
Friday, 02/14/2025
Synthesis, Light Emission, and Lasing in Organic Semiconductor-Incorporated Perovskite (OSiP) - 02/14/2025 04:00 PM
Latimer Hall Berkeley
Feel The Future: A Valentine’s Evening - 02/14/2025 06:30 PM
Herbst Theater San Francisco
Saturday, 02/15/2025
Robo Lab at CuriOdyssey - 02/15/2025 10:00 AM
CuriOdyssey San Mateo
Dream Garden: New AI-Powered Immersive Exhibit at The Tech Interactive - 02/15/2025 10:00 AM
The Tech Interactive San Jose
Career-Ready with AI, genAI & Agents - 02/15/2025 02:00 PM
UC Santa Cruz Silicon Valley Campus Santa Clara
Sunday, 02/16/2025
How to Live with a Calculating Cat: Part 1, The Lion Mind - 02/16/2025 10:00 AM
College Nine, Lewis Multipurpose Room Santa Cruz
Monday, 02/17/2025
Informing Better Forestry Management Techniques for Fire Hazard Mitigation Through Information and Tools - 02/17/2025 12:00 PM
Sonoma State University - Biology Colloquium Rohnert Park
UC Berkeley Condensed Matter Seminar - 02/17/2025 02:30 PM
Birge Hall Berkeley
Analogies of the Higg’s Field - 02/17/2025 04:00 PM
Sonoma State University - What Physicists Do Rohnert Park
UC Berkeley Physics Colloquia - 02/17/2025 04:15 PM
Physics North Berkeley