Hello again, dear reader,
SPACE
While we were Earth-bound this last week, 17 out of Earth’s 8 billion people were in orbit - a new (if soon-to-be-exceeded) record. ¿How high an orbit? Consider the standard (in the U.S.) 12-inch globe. They were orbiting 4 tenths of an inch above its surface. The thickness of a piece of standard copy paper represents the thickness of our atmosphere in which humans can populate - 14,000 feet.
Four of those orbiting people were “private” citizens sent by the Axiom Space company, and their excursion to the ISS was paid for by private funds. ¿How much? Possibly as much as $220,000,000. Their accommodation (including breathable air) on the ISS likely cost over $400,000 per person per day. Not Motel 6 rates.
The Axiom Space company plans to add modules to the ISS beginning next year. Before the ISS de-orbits in 2031, their modules will disconnect from the ISS and become their own autonomous space station.
Those folk at Caltech succeeded in focusing a microwave beam on a speeding satellite with enough energy to light up an LED. The reverse was also done: the satellite beamed energy collected from solar panels back to Earth. That was a proof of concept for the idea of harvesting solar energy from space and beaming it to power grids on Earth.
But maybe it will be cheaper to harness power from underneath. See below . . . .
TECHNOLOGY
Eavor is a company claiming they can fabricate huge closed-system heat exchangers deep underground. [“Just have a think” is British for “Just think about it.”] This is the ‘holy grail’ of geothermal energy research and - if they can indeed do this reliably - could result in low-cost around-the-clock renewable energy anywhere on Earth. I’m hopeful that this goal will be reached - eventually - but not necessarily by this company. Eavor is currently drilling deep into hot rock in Animas, New Mexico where the geothermal gradient is higher than average. They have successfully drilled 5.5 km (3.4 mi) deep where the rock temperature is 250°C (480°F). Their goal is to demonstrate the viability of their technology perhaps as deep as 7 km (4.3 mi) where the rock temperature is over 300°C (570°F). My fingers and toes are crossed.
Linus H. won our last raffle and chose a white coffee mug with blue lettering, “SciSchmooze makes Mondays better!” This time the prize is an 8-inch model kit of the James Webb Space Telescope. Just send an email before noon Friday to david.almandsmith [at] gmail.com with an integer between 0 and 1,000.
DRECK
Another anti-science movie has been released by the same folk who foisted the movie “Died Suddenly” on us which claimed COVID vaccines were killing millions. The new movie, “Final Days,” claims that both the COVID vaccines and the COVID-19 virus contain nano-machines engineered to turn people into automatons that can be controlled by the “Satanic LGBTQIA+ Pedophile Global Elite [who] are trying to be God and alter humanity forever.” I’m certain that producing scary docu-drivel is far more profitable than merely publishing a hackneyed sci-fi novel. [Sigh]
¿Hard of hearing? There’s a snake oil for that.
¿Want to be more sexually attractive? There’s a snake oil for that.
¿Want to be healthier? There are dozens of snake oils for that.
CLIMATE & ENVIRONMENT
State Farm and Allstate will no longer insure properties in California. Wow! The insurance companies cited wildfires as part of their decision. Homes built in ‘wildfire prone’ areas are increasingly difficult to insure with any insurance company. Possibly this will result in our cities becoming more population dense, reaping the benefits of shorter commutes and lower greenhouse gas emissions. We may soon be ceding fire prone areas back to the wilderness from which they came.
I’ve been occasionally staying in SoCal where Colorado River water is essential and where i choose to take Navy showers. Digging into the details of Colorado River water use reveals that “residential use” only accounts for 12% of the total. Growing crops for human consumption uses 24% of the total. The biggest portion, 55%, goes to growing feed for livestock - another good reason for reducing meat in our diets.
The State of Arizona is restricting home construction in the Phoenix area due to the limited supply of water. It is amazing to me that nearly 5 million people already live in the Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler area where the average high temperature is over 100°F (38°C) four months out of the year and it is only going to get hotter.
Wyoming ranks as the 7th largest producer of oil and gas among U.S. States. It was therefore surprising to me that Wyoming is the only State to receive a “solid A” for teaching climate change in their schools, according to our local NCSE and the Texas Freedom Network Education Fund.
The air in Norway is measurably cleaner now due mainly to the public’s adoption of electric cars. Last year, 80% of new car sales were for electric vehicles. Tesla sales alone amounted to 30% of all new cars. (BTW, the Tesla Model 3 is now the best-selling car in the world.) It’s not all roses and chocolate candy in Norway, however. The installation of charging stations is proceeding quickly but failing to meet demand. Frustration and irritation are growing. Let this be a lesson for the U.S.
My Picks of the Week
– Towards Water Justice: Existing Tools & Frameworks 12:30 Monday, Stanford
– Women in Science: Achievements & Barriers Livestream 11:30 - 4pm Thursday
– Improbable Research & the Ig Nobel Prizes Livestream 7:30pm Thursday
– Taking on Big Ag & Going Big on Climate, Cory Booker Noon Friday, S.F., $
– Climate Change from Space 10am Saturday, Chabot Space & Science Center, $
– Family Nature Walks: Foothills Nature Preserve 11am Saturday, Los Altos
BIOLOGY
A vaccine for Lyme disease has been approved.- for mice. Although deer ticks are a common source of human infection, the major reservoir of the causative Borrelia bacteria is in mice populations. ¿How do you vaccinate millions of mice? Coat mouse kibble with an oral version of the vaccine and distribute the kibble by helicopter. Happy mice, happy people.
Controlling polio is one of the major health advances from the 20th century. However, out of millions of vaccinations occasionally the vaccine mutates in a person and becomes infectious to unvaccinated people. Such is the situation announced this year in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and in Burundi.
¿How did life start? That question is misleading since it suggests a singular beginning of life; and how do we define “life.” A better question is: What sequences of self-replicating and autocatalytic sets led to biology? This video does a far better job than i could in discussing the beginnings of the unbroken web of evolution.
FUN NERDY VIDEOS
UC Berkeley Falcons - 5 mins
Maze-Solving Competition - Veritaseum - Derek Muller PhD - 23 mins
Largest Sofa Problem - Up and Atom - Jade Tam-Holmes - 10 mins
Three New JWST Results - Dr. Becky - Becky Smithurst PhD - 25 mins
Your Brain: Who’s in Control? - PBS NOVA - 52 mins
Science News - Sabine Hossenfelder PhD - 18 mins
Quest for Quantum Gravity - Quanta Magazine - Renate Loll PhD - 5 mins
Be adventurous - there’s no telling what you’ll discover within yourself & outside,
Dave Almandsmith, Bay Area Skeptics
“The fact that we live at the bottom of a deep gravity well, on the surface of a gas covered planet going around a nuclear fireball 90 million miles away and think this to be normal is obviously some indication of how skewed our perspective tends to be.”
― Douglas Noël Adams (1952-2001) English author, humorist, and screenwriter
Upcoming Events:
Click to see the next two weeks of events in your browser.
Monday, 06/05/2023
A Sign in Space - Electronic Literature - 06/05/2023 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 workshop will be hosted by Professors Scott Rettberg and Joseph Tabbi of the Center for Digital Narrative will explore the potentialities of electronic literature (e-lit) for the reception and interpretation of extraterrestrial communication. The workshop will include inputs from four leading digital authors: Natalia Fedorova, Jason Nelson, Allison Parrish, and Rob Wittig. The workshop will conclude with the launch of a new “netprov” - a collectively written fiction that all workshop attendees can contribute to both during the workshop and after. We welcome up to 40 participants in the workshop.
Towards Water Justice: Exploring the Effectiveness of Existing Tools and Frameworks - 06/05/2023 12:30 PM
Environment and Energy Building (Y2E2) Stanford
Water for centuries has been a resource taken for granted by society. However, in recent years, water shortages and ageing infrastructure have forced decision-makers to place the costly burden of supporting water system back on end-users. The distribution of this burden has been shown to disproportionately impact vulnerable communities (e.g., lower-income and BIPOC communities). Dr. Osman in this talk will explore the socio-technical dimensions of the provision of water and how to center justice in the decision-making process. Specifically, this seminar covers two case studies: 1) exploring the inclusion of drinking water in the federal Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool and 2) examining drinking water system consolidations within the state of California to determine whether consolidation has sufficiently provided reliable drinking water to vulnerable communities.
Speaker: Dr. Khalid Osman, Stanford University
ChatGPT via AR and sleep rhythms in neurodegenerative disease - 06/05/2023 12:30 PM
Environment and Energy Building (Y2E2) Stanford
RizzGPT: Enhancing charisma with augmented reality and GPT-4
We will be sharing our project, RizzGPT, that recently blew up on social media. RizzGPT harnesses the capabilities of Brilliant Labs' cutting-edge AR device, Monocle, and OpenAI's GPT to create novel interfaces that immerse users in a more engaging and informative manner. With Monocle, users can experience an augmented reality environment that overlays digital information onto their physical world. The device is a compact and portable tool that empowers innovative hacking approaches, facilitating creative ventures that transform user experience. On the other hand, OpenAI's GPT, a state-of-the-art language model that integrates deep learning, enhances information processing and natural language understanding. By combining the capabilities of Monocle and GPT, RizzGPT has the potential to craft interfaces that captivate and engage users in a truly novel way.
Speakers: Bryan Chiang and Alix Cui, Stanford University
Characterizing sleep-wake rhythms in neurodegenerative disease
Disrupted sleep and fragmentation of sleep-wake rhythms are common in the context of healthy aging as well as in neurodegenerative disease, resulting from a combination of physiological, societal, and behavioral factors. As wearable devices become increasingly popular among older adults, there is a need to understand how the measurement of sleep-wake behavior might be able to identify neurodegenerative disease and differentiate disease etiology and severity. This talk, focusing on healthy aging, Alzheimer’s disease, and Parkinson’s disease, will review actigraphy-estimated 24-hour rhythm and sleep impairment in these populations, both in a large epidemiological sample and our own deeply phenotyped Stanford cohort, in order to illustrate how wearables offer the opportunity to utilize sleep-wake impairment as a tool for early detection of disease and a potential treatment target.
Speaker: Joseph Winer, Stanford University
Attend in person or online (see weblink)
Achieving Environmental Justice at the California Public Utilities Commission - Livestream - 06/05/2023 04:30 PM
Stanford University Energy Seminar Stanford
Achieving justice has become a central tenet in the climate and clean energy policies of many states and the federal government. This lecture will focus on the California Public Utilities Commission’s adoption and implementation of its Environmental & Social Justice Action Plan, one of the most far-reaching plans among state energy agencies and public utilities commissions.
Speaker:Clifford Rechtschaffen was a commissioner at the Calfornia Public Utilties Commission (CPUC) from January 2017 to December 2022.
This event was originally scheduled on April 10, 2023.
Particle-like Dark Matter: When All Other Lights Go Out - 06/05/2023 07:00 PM
Hewlett Teaching Center Stanford
Deep in underground laboratories sit some of humanity’s most sensitive detectors. Their purpose is to discover dark matter, an unknown substance that makes up ~80% of the mass in our universe, but whose nature remains shrouded in mystery. New particles with extremely weak interactions have been proposed as natural candidates for dark matter, and physicists are actively building detectors to search for them. In this lecture, Dr. Jelle Aalbers will discuss efforts to build and operate large detectors that search for rare small light flashes from dark matter particles bouncing off of regular atoms. He will present what we have learned so far from these experiments, including preliminary results from the LUX-ZEPLIN experiment, a dark matter detector filled with 7 tons of liquid xenon in a South Dakota gold mine.
Speaker: Jelle Aalbers, Stanford University
Register at weblink to attend on line, or attend in person.
Tuesday, 06/06/2023
Whole Earth Seminar - 06/06/2023 03:30 PM
Natural Science Annex Santa Cruz
Speaker: Syee Weldeab, UC Santa Barbara
Build the Future: Merging Minds in Construction and Robotics - 06/06/2023 06:00 PM
DPR Construction San Francisco
Join us for an exciting evening of networking and discussion on the future of construction robotics. Our event will kick off with a networking session where you'll have the opportunity to meet and connect with fellow industry professionals, entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, and robotics enthusiasts.
Following the networking session, we'll begin with a quick mission statement that highlights the vision of the organizers and our plans to carry the momentum of this event sustainably into the future.
The main event of the night will be a panel discussion featuring some of the top experts and thought leaders in the field of construction robotics. Our panelists will explore the topic of why construction is the best industry for robotics, hear from seasoned startups, the investors that fund them, the challenges and opportunities facing the industry, and the potential impact that robotics could have on the construction sector.
Whether you're a seasoned pro or just getting started in the world of construction robotics, this event is a must-attend for anyone interested in the future of the industry. Don't miss your chance to be a part of this exciting discussion and learn more about the role of robotics in shaping the future of construction.
Register in advance at weblink
Wednesday, 06/07/2023
A Sign in Space - Extraterrestrial Intelligence and Islamic Thought - 06/07/2023 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.
One of the most influential heavenly messages in the history of humanity has been the Quran. The revelation received by Prophet Muhammad contains many references to intelligent beings from outside our world, including jinn, angels and God himself. This webinar discusses how extraterrestrial intelligence has been understood from an Islamic perspective.
Hosted by Jörg Matthias Determann (Virginia Commonwealth University with Shoaib Ahmed Malik (Zayed University), Hamza Karamali (Basira Education) and Richard Playford (Leeds Trinity University)
Silicon Valley Talks: John Tinnell - 06/07/2023 12:00 PM
Hohbach Hall, Room 123 Stanford
Join the Silicon Valley Archives as author John Tinnell discusses his book, The Philosopher of Palo Alto: Mark Weiser, Xerox PARC, and the Orginal Internet of Things.
When developers and critics trace the roots of today’s Internet of Things - our smart gadgets and smart cities - they may single out the same creative source: Mark Weiser, the first chief technology officer at Xerox PARC and the so-called “father of ubiquitous computing.” But Weiser, who died young at age 46 in 1999, would be heartbroken if he had lived to see the ways we use technology today. As John Tinnell shows in this thought-provoking narrative, Weiser was an outlier in Silicon Valley. A computer scientist whose first love was philosophy, he relished debates about the machine’s ultimate purpose. Good technology, Weiser argued, should not mine our experiences for saleable data or demand our attention; rather, it should quietly boost our intuition as we move through the world.
Informed by deep archival research and interviews with Weiser’s family and colleagues, The Philosopher of Palo Alto chronicles Weiser’s struggle to initiate a new era of computing. Working in the shadows of the dot-com boom, Weiser and his collaborators made Xerox PARC headquarters the site of a grand experiment. Throughout the building, they embedded software into all sorts of objects - coffeepots, pens, energy systems, ID badges - imbuing them with interactive features. Their push to integrate the digital and the physical soon caught on. Microsoft’s Bill Gates flagged Weiser’s Scientific American article “The Computer for the 21st Century” as a must-read. Yet, as more tech leaders warmed to his vision, Weiser grew alarmed about where they wished to take it.
In this fascinating story of an innovator and a big idea, Tinnell crafts a poignant and critical history of today’s Internet of Things. At the heart of the narrative is Weiser’s desire for deeper connection, which animated his life and inspired his notion of what technology at its best could be.
Register at weblink to attend
Thursday, 06/08/2023
All a buzz... - Livestream - 06/08/2023 10:00 AM
John Muir Laws
Join us for a discussion about bees, viruses, science illustration, and communicating about science and more.
You’ve heard of the “Save the Bees” movement, but how are bees really doing? Join a conversation with Nina Sokolov where she describes the health of managed and wild bees in the US, and how you can help. Additionally, did you know that bees can get sick with viruses? Nina will also describe her research which focuses on the spillover of different viruses between managed honeybees and native wild bees in California. In addition to being a scientist, Nina is also an artist, and uses her observational skills to identify and illustrate the subtle differences between insect species.
Speaker: Nina Sokolov, UC Berkeley
Click here to join the meeting via Zoom.
Women in Science: Achievements and Barriers - Livestream - 06/08/2023 11:30 AM
California Section American Chemical Society
Inspired by its 2023 exhibition Pursuit & Persistence: 300 Years of Women in Science, the American Philosophical Society will host two international conferences that will explore the history of women in science, the present state of science and society, and the opportunities to create a more inclusive and diverse practice of science. The Society’s first gathering, “Women in Science: Achievements and Barriers,” explores the history and present work of women in science. It will be held in-person on June 8-9 at the American Philosophical Society in Philadelphia and will also be livestreamed.
Registration is free; more details and a full program are available on the Society’s website: https://www.amphilsoc.org/women-science-achievements-and-barriers
Registration URL: https://www.amphilsoc.org/form/registration-for-women-in-scienc
This is a two day event. See our listing for June 9.
Hate in the Homeland: The New Global Far Right - Livestream - 06/08/2023 04:00 PM
Skeptical Inquirer
Hate crimes. Misinformation and conspiracy theories. Foiled white-supremacist plots. The signs of growing far-Right extremism are all around us, and communities around the globe are struggling to understand how so many people are being radicalized and why they are increasingly attracted to violent movements.
Join us for our next Skeptical Inquirer Presents livestream with Cynthia Miller-Idriss. Learn how tomorrow’s far-Right nationalists are being recruited in surprising places, from college campuses and MMA gyms to clothing stores, online gaming chat rooms, and YouTube cooking channels. Dr. Miller-Idriss details the path to radicalization and offers ideas about the role that all of us - from academics to parents to TV presenters - can play in working to halt the march of extremism in the United States, Europe, and around the world.
Register at weblink to attend
Starstruck: Finding Light in the Dark - 06/08/2023 05:30 PM
Commonwealth Club San Francisco
Egyptian-American Sarafina El-Badry Nance is a PhD candidate in Astrophysics at UC Berkeley. She has just published her first book, Starstruck: A Memoir of Astrophysics and Finding Light in the Dark, the principal subject of this presentation. The book intertwines two content strands: each chapter begins with an intriguing science lesson, and concludes with an account of personal and social obstacles overcome, including racism, sexism, anxiety, self-doubt, and even cancer. This event happens both in-person and online, simultaneously. Sarafina will join the Commonwealth Club's Gerald Harris in conversation, and audience questions are encouraged.
Moderated by Gerald Harris, Quantum Planning Group
Use code WonderfestPromo for $10 off in-person tickets, or to attend online for free
Discovering the Cosmos - 06/08/2023 05:30 PM
Commonwealth Club San Francisco
As a child, Sarafina El-Badry Nance spent nearly every evening with her father gazing up at the flickering stars and pondering what secrets the night sky held. The daughter of an American father and Egyptian mother, Sarafina dreamed of becoming an astronomer. But it wasn’t long before she was told, both explicitly and implicitly, that girls just weren’t cut out for math and science.
In a field that sees few women and women of color, Sarafina reflects on the obstacles that she faced to pursue her passion for the cosmos.
Join us for an in-depth talk with astrophysicist Sarafina El-Badry Nance.
Attend in person or online
Moderator: Gerald Harris, Quantum Planning Group, Commonwealth Club
NightLife: Under the Sea Prom - 06/08/2023 06:00 PM
California Academy of Sciences San Francisco
Will you go to prom with us? Dust off your best prom look and shell-ebrate the return of Under the Sea Prom, featuring a special live performance from Jada Imani, a mesmerizing dive show, and more!
Featured events:
Don't miss Jada Imani on the West Garden stage, with an opening set by DJ Lady Ryan. With roots in the Bay Area, Imani is a rising Hip-Hop and R&B artist known for curating vibrant community spaces for local artists. Now she's taking her talent worldwide, fostering cross-cultural global connections through her music. Watch in awe as divers plunge into another world, mingling with eels, starfish, coral, and more in our Philippine Coral Reef tank, one of the deepest and largest displays of living coral in the world. Join the Museum of Craft and Design to create your own perfect prom acc-sea-ssory, from Neptune crowns to coral corsages. Want to learn more about ocean science? Meet experts from the Academy who work tirelessly to study and protect our precious seas.
Improbable Research and the Ig Nobel Prizes - Livestream - 06/08/2023 07:30 PM
Bay Area Skeptics
The Ig Nobel Prizes honor achievements that make people LAUGH, then THINK. Ten new prizes have been awarded every year since 1991. The magazine Annals of Improbable Research organizes the Ig Nobel ceremony, which is held at Harvard University.
Speaker: Marc Abrahams, editor, Annals of Improbable Research
Friday, 06/09/2023
Women in Science: Achievements and Barriers - Livestream - 06/09/2023 06:15 AM
California Section American Chemical Society
Inspired by its 2023 exhibition Pursuit & Persistence: 300 Years of Women in Science, the American Philosophical Society will host two international conferences that will explore the history of women in science, the present state of science and society, and the opportunities to create a more inclusive and diverse practice of science. The Society’s first gathering, “Women in Science: Achievements and Barriers,” explores the history and present work of women in science. It will be held in-person on June 8-9 at the American Philosophical Society in Philadelphia and will also be livestreamed.
Registration is free; more details and a full program are available on the Society’s website: https://www.amphilsoc.org/women-science-achievements-and-barriers
Registration URL: https://www.amphilsoc.org/form/registration-for-women-in-scienc
Weekday Morning Hike at Rancho Cañada del Oro - 06/09/2023 10:00 AM
Rancho Canada Del Oro Open Space Preserve Morgan hill
Join Peninsula Open Space Trust for an excursion where you’ll explore the Mayfair Ranch - Longwall Canyon trails of Rancho Cañada del Oro! You will be guided by POST Ambassadors who will share with you the history of the preserve, the region, and the importance of conservation in the area.
The hike is moderate to strenuous at about 4 miles round trip with about 700 feet of gradual elevation gain.
This wonderful preserve is a hub for wildlife, such as deer, bobcats, mountain lions, and more! In the Spring, you can expect a colorful array of wildflowers adorning the hillsides, and you may get a chance to see a beautiful little creek running through Llagas meadow.
Please note that dogs are not allowed on this preserve due to active cattle grazing and that all minors must be accompanied by a parent/guardian for the entirety of the hike.
Register at weblink
Geodetic Investigations of Inelastic Earthquake Cycle Deformation at the Makran Subduction Zone - 06/09/2023 12:00 PM
Earth and Marine Sciences Building Santa Cruz
In many numerical modeling studies of the Earth system. Crustal deformation in response to earthquake rupture is assumed to be an elastic process, where earthquake-induced strain is recoverable after several earthquake cycles. Inelastic deformation, or permanent damages caused by the earthquake are ignored in under the elastic assumption, leading to inaccurate estimation of earthquake hazard potential, earthquake mechanisms, or fault zone properties. This presentation focuses on revealing the inelastic behaviors of the Earth during or after large earthquakes, through the application of satellite-based geodetic observations and numerical modeling techniques.
Speaker: Guo Cheng, UC Santa Cruz
Taking on Big Ag and Going Big on Climate - 06/09/2023 12:00 PM
Commonwealth Club San Francisco
The upcoming farm bill presents an opportunity to infuse more climate-smart practices in American agriculture, which accounts for about 10 percent of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. But doing so involves confronting industrial practices that focus on short-term gains and commodity subsidies that have deep support in both parties. U.S. Senator Cory Booker has introduced legislation that he says would challenge beef and pork packagers and tilt the balance of power in our industrial agriculture system, giving workers and family farms and ranches a better deal.
This moment is a precarious time for America’s efforts to decarbonize its economy. The Inflation Reduction Act is inspiring companies to invest in battery factories in the United States and consumers to buy electric vehicles and heat pumps. But green energy faces opposition in red states, even though they see an influx of clean tech investment and jobs.
Join us for a conversation with a passionate advocate of reforming America’s food system and progressive voice for bold climate action.
Speaker: Cory Booker, US Senator (D-N.J.); Greg Dalton, Climate One, Moderator
NASA’s Newest Space Telescope and the Exoplanet Atmospheres Revolution - SOLD OUT - 06/09/2023 08:30 PM
Lick Observatory Mt. Hamilton
Saturday, 06/10/2023
Investigating Space: Climate Change from Space - 06/10/2023 10:00 AM
Chabot Space and Science Center Oakland
Our changing climate is one of the biggest challenges facing the world today. Fortunately, there are many dedicated scientists working to lessen the effects of climate change for people around the world. Sometimes it takes a different perspective to get the full picture. Private technology companies, university researchers and NASA are using satellites to track climate change to make fighting its effects easier and more effective. Join us for special demos, hands-on activities and guest speakers that will take us through the process of fighting climate change from space!
Family Nature Walks - Foothills Nature Preserve - 06/10/2023 11:00 AM
Foothills Nature Preserve Los Altos
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!
Each group will have a maximum limit of 12 participants.
Families/groups are welcome to sign up for as many as they like. The nature walks are intended for children aged 6 to 11, and we ask that each group is accompanied by an adult.
Summer Science Fundays - Fun with the Sun - 06/10/2023 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 10 - Fun with the Sun: Kick off our summer Science Fundays with a celebration of our sun and other stars. Search for sunspots, learn how dust particles come together to form planets and stars and explore how solar eclipses work.
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.
Sunglasses, Viking Navigation and Astronomy with Polarimetry - 06/10/2023 08:30 PM
Lick Observatory Mt. Hamilton
Each year Lick Observatory brings world-renown musicians and astronomers to the summit of Mount Hamilton for a musical night to remember.
The event activities include:
Concert
Astronomy talk by world-renowned scientistsViewing through the historic 36-inch Great Lick Refractor telescope
Viewing through the 40-inch Nickel Reflector telescope
Astronomy discussions with amateur astronomers and viewing through small telescopes
Performer: Folias Duo
Polarimetry is perhaps the least well known property of light. It was discovered in the 1800s, but before that it was the key to accurate Viking navigation. Today it is an enabling technology in everyday items like sunglasses. Traditionally, in astronomy, it has been used to understand magnetic fields and the dust between stars, as well as the atmospheres of planets. Recent advances in precision are now enabling new discoveries to be made about the atmospheres of stars as well. In this talk I will describe what polarisation is, and how it is used in each of these areas.
Speaker: Daniel Cotton, Monterey Institute for Research in Astronomy
Tickets go on sale at noon, May 8, 2023. Limit 4 per customer.
Binocular Stargazing at Laguna Seca, North Coyote Valley Open Space Preserve - 06/10/2023 09:30 PM
Laguna Seca San Jose
The San Jose Astronomical Association (SJAA) is proud to work with the Open Space Authority (OSA) to co-host a public star party at Rancho Canada del Oro (RCDO). This site is just 30 minutes south of downtown San Jose and features dark skies. It's dark enough to see the band of our Milky Way galaxy in the summer.
Do not bring your own telescope (binoculars are welcomed, but please no tripods). SJAA club members will set up their telescopes to help star party guests get the most knowledge and enjoyment out of the dark Starry Night sky.
In addition to traditional telescopes, the SJAA is excited to incorporate Electronically Assisted Astronomy (EAA) into the Starry Nights Program. We will be using an automated telescope with a camera-like sensor to show live images on an iPad.
Register at weblink. Limited to 70 people. See weblink for additional information
Sunday, 06/11/2023
Sunset Hike at Mindego Hill - 06/11/2023 04:00 PM
Mindego Hill Trail Head Redwood City
Join Peninsula Open Space Trust for a beautiful 5-mile hike from the Russian Ridge Open Space Preserve to the top of the POST-protected Mindego Hill. You will be guided by POST ambassadors who will share details about how we protected this beautiful property featuring panoramic views of redwood ridges and undulating hillsides.
The hike is strenuous at about 5 miles round trip with about 1,000 feet of elevation gain, so be prepared for a workout! Athletic wear and sturdy shoes are recommended! If you’d like to bring your own hiking poles, you’re more than welcome.
Protected by POST and recently opened to the public by the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District, Mindego Hill is an excellent example of how POST works with various partners to protect some of the most threatened lands in our area.
Please note that dogs are not allowed at this Community Hike and that all minors must be accompanied by a parent and guardian for the entirety of the hike.
Register at weblink
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
Wednesday, 06/14/2023
A Sign in Space - WRETI: Writing in Response to ETI - 06/14/2023 09:00 AM
SETI Institute
Drift - Livestream - 06/14/2023 11:00 AM
Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute
Thursday, 06/15/2023
Water Conservation Showcase - 06/15/2023 08:00 AM
San Ramon Valley Conference Center San Ramon
Coastal Walk at Pillar Point Bluff - 06/15/2023 10:00 AM
Pillar Point Bluff Moss Beach
Understanding MDMA - 06/15/2023 05:30 PM
Commonwealth Club San Francisco
After Dark: The Sounds of Life - 06/15/2023 06:00 PM
California Academy of Sciences San Francisco
NightLife - 06/15/2023 06:00 PM
California Academy of Sciences San Francisco
Climate Smart Solutions for Grassland Birds: Conservation Ranching California - Livestream - 06/15/2023 07:00 PM
Golden Gate Audubon Society
Saturday, 06/17/2023
Family Nature Walks - Baylands Nature Preserve - 06/17/2023 10:30 AM
Palo Alto Baylands Nature Preserve Palo Alto
Summer Science Fundays - Build, Engineer, and Invent - 06/17/2023 11:00 AM
Lawrence Hall of Science Berkeley
Sunday, 06/18/2023
Presidio: Changes Through Time - 06/18/2023 11:00 AM
The Presidio San Francisco