Hello to the Children of Mothers, who Support and Love Science,
Let’s get this off and running as many mothers would do! I hope that even if you didn’t celebrate Mother’s Day you at least reflected a bit on how essential mothers have been throughout history to science. For instance…
Celebrating Some Mothers of Science and Engineering
The Challenges of Being Both a Scientist and a Mom
On another timely note you may have heard a lot about the Aurora in the last few days. Alex Filippenko sent this link to catch the latest AURORA - 30 MINUTE FORECAST at the SPACE WEATHER PREDICTION CENTER You might also want to check out Night sky, May 2024
I can’t stress enough how important I think science is in helping us to understand the importance and understanding of The Lasting Impacts Of Scientific Fraud. Sadly lives are turned upside down or even ended by being duped into believing dangerous and/or at best, mistaken understanding of science. I do have to say that I’m concerned about what influence AI will have on our understanding of science or the news! On a related thought, I think it is important to recognize the impact of science and reason compared to how religion influences our lives and even government, consider abortion. To that point I suggest that you consider The Christian Nationalist Threat to American Democracy - Livestream on Thursday.
There is so much to learn and enjoy about science this week that I’m going to keep it short this week. Here are a few presentations that you might find worth your attention…
-Low Tide Walk at Bair Island Mon 1:00 (One of my favorite places to walk.)
-Exploring Quanta and Fields - Livestream Tue 3:00
-Birdy Hour: Ask the Ornithologist: An Interactive Q & A with a Bird Expert Thu 5:00
-After Dark: LASERs Thu 6:00 (It really seems like it should be Lasers After Dark!)
I’m a strong supporter of volunteering to help make things better. Here’s an article about how people help make a difference… How scientific breakthroughs and historical events have shaped the global fight against one of humanity’s oldest killers.
I love to see and here about crazy and fun ideas to communicate science. For instance this from the Illinois Park Employees Dressed Like Cicadas Act Out the Life Cycle of the 17-Year Cicada
I hope you enjoy The Science of (a well placed expletive)! You may notice a couple of references to CSICon ‘24, I hope to see some of you there!
It’s been one of those weeks and weekends! I hope that you have a great week celebrating all things science and the science of any and all things.
herb masters
“My mother made me a scientist without ever intending to. Every other Jewish mother in Brooklyn would ask her child after school, So? Did you learn anything today? But not my mother. Izzy, she would say, did you ask a good question today? That difference - asking good questions - made me become a scientist.” Isidor Isaac Rabi
As always, please share this with friends and others! Tell them to subscribe at the SciSchmooze home page!
Upcoming Events:
Click to see the next two weeks of events in your browser.
Monday, 05/13/2024
From real-world events to linguistic descriptions: Lessons from “variable behavior verbs” - 05/13/2024 12:30 PM
Margaret Jacks Hall (Bldg 460) Stanford
How are events that occur in the real world represented in language? How do we go from the chaotic, disorderly, “kaleidoscopic flux of impressions” that we observe in the world to a discrete representation - a particular verb, along with its arguments, arranged in an orderly syntactic structure? In this talk, I consider as a case study the linguistic puzzle of “variable behavior verbs” - a set of intransitive verbs that can appear in sentences with distinct syntactic structures, whose alternation between those structures depends on the meaning of their arguments and on the context in which they are used.
Speaker: Bonnie Krejci, Stanford University
See weblink for instructions to gain entry to the building.
NicaAgua: Climate science, participatory transdisciplinary approaches, and the development of a climate app - 05/13/2024 12:30 PM
Shriram Center Stanford
Throughout Central America, smallholder farmers build their livelihoods on rain-fed agriculture which is highly sensitive to seasonal variations in temperature and precipitation. Recent hydroclimatic shifts precipitated by global changes in this complex yet narrow climatic region are not well understood. This study examines how to best quantify and communicate these changes in light of sparse observations, constrained potential to assess the skill of global climate products, and a limited understanding of the complex conditions that determine which metrics are most relevant for stakeholders. Our work has approached these questions from multiple angles. We adapted prior definitions of the Central American Dry Corridor and newly delineated those regions for Central America and Mexico in order to focus on water-limited regions that are important for rain-fed agriculture and particularly vulnerable to further drying. A climate app ('NicaAgua') has been developed by our transdisciplinary team for local capacity building.
Speaker: Iris Stewart, Santa Clara University
Low Tide Walk at Bair Island - 05/13/2024 01:00 PM
Bair Island Wildlife Refuge & Trail Redwood City
Gather your ducklings or fly solo with us on an easy 0.8 mile walk along the marsh at Bair Island! This event is FREE!
Come enjoy a low tide walking tour around the charming marshlands of Bair Island. The low tide exposes the mysterious world of mudflats, creating the perfect habitat for bird viewing. While strolling along the trail, we will be conversing about the local wildlife, history of the area, and what you can do to contribute to the health of this important ecosystem. Bring your binoculars or borrow a pair of ours.
After the walk you will have the opportunity to create a card for the mother in your life.
This easy walk will be on a dirt path with no elevation gain. We will gather at the welcome table and walk to the observation deck, 0.4 miles away. The entrance to the trail and observation deck are accessible via ramps. Please bring a hat and reusable water bottle as there is no shade on Bair Island.
Please note that dogs are not allowed at Bair Island, and all minors must be accompanied by an adult for the entirety of the walk.
Register at weblink
Update on SLAC’s Science & Technology Strategy - 05/13/2024 03:30 PM
Stanford Linear Accelerator (SLAC) Colloquium Series Menlo Park
In this talk we will present an update on the Lab’s science and technology strategy, which has been under development for the past few months. This strategy was recently presented to SLAC’s Board of Oversight Science & Technology Committee and will form the basis for the upcoming Annual Lab Plan as well as the Lab Agenda. In addition to describing the strategic framework, the talk will include an initial perspective on next steps and implementation. The goal of the presentation is to initiate a broader discussion of the strategy and to seek staff engagement in next steps.
Speaker: John Sarrao, SLAC Director
Attend in person or online
Dynamics and Repeatability of Evolution in a Long-Term Experiment with Bacteria - 05/13/2024 04:00 PM
James H. Clark Center (Bldg 340) Stanford
Richard Lenski is a University Distinguished Professor at Michigan State University, where he studies the genetic and ecological basis of evolutionary change. In particular, Dr. Lenski performs experiments to analyze the process of evolution in action. In an experiment started in 1988, he and his team have maintained and studied 12 populations of E. coli for 75,000 generations to gain insights into the dynamics and repeatability of evolution. Samples are periodically stored in freezers and later revived, allowing cells from different generations to be directly compared - in essence, time travel.
The Move To Zero - How To Get To True Carbon Neutrality - 05/13/2024 04:30 PM
Stanford University Energy Seminar Stanford
Today, climate change is a well-known, and reasonably understood, problem with mitigation efforts and technologies (carbon sequestration, electric mobility, renewables, policy updates, and others) starting to gel together at a system level. However, at the end-use demand end, less progress has been made, and as wealth and populations rise, and health-socio-economic indicators improve, consumption, and end emissions per capita, are also increasing, somewhat or entirely negating the progress made on decarbonizing society. This is paradoxical, and at a higher-level of systems thinking, poses a strong threat. In this world-energy-outlook talk, we re-familiarize ourselves with the core problem, how we got here, what are current approaches to tackle our energy and climate crisis, and how all of us can play a central part in reducing (often) unnecessary consumption of goods and services. To truly achieve a declivity in carbon and green house gas concentrations in our atmosphere, we must address both ends of the equation - how energy’s produced and sourced (supply), and how and why is energy used (demand). The latter part, starts with you.
Speaker: Satyan Chandra, Tesla
This event was originally scheduled for April 22, 2024.
Unraveling the Mysteries of Black Holes and Neutron Stars - 05/13/2024 07:30 PM
California Academy of Sciences San Francisco
The most powerful cosmic engines in our universe are fueled by compact objects such as black holes and neutron stars. These cosmic engines consume large amounts of material and expel matter in the form of jets travelling at near the speed of light. Recent groundbreaking discoveries of gravitational waves from systems harboring compact objects and the direct imaging of the black hole shadows with the Event Horizon Telescope, represent major steps forward in our understanding of such systems. However, there exists a huge population of compact objects in our own galaxy which provides much more ideal laboratories, offering a real-time view of the behavior of these compact objects and their dynamic environments. In this talk, Dr. Tetarenko will discuss new experiments leveraging the capabilities of today's state-of-the-art telescopes to observe repetitive, (somewhat) predictable, energetic surges of radiation that allow us to track the path of material from inflow to outflow in these galactic systems.
Speaker: Alexandra Tetaranko, University of Lethbridge, Alberta, CA
Tuesday, 05/14/2024
Exploring Quanta and Fields - Livestream - 05/14/2024 03:00 PM
Commonwealth Club
Arguably, quantum field theory (QFT) presents humanity's deepest insights into the rules of reality, i.e., into the laws of existence. QFT allows us to describe - with remarkable accuracy - the particles and forces that animate the cosmos, including the stuff of mind and body. Note that calling QFT a theory pays the highest scientific compliment: QFT has vast scope, and QFT is supported by an extraordinary amount of evidence.
Wonderfest and the Commonwealth Club present physicist Sean Carroll to discuss key ideas in his latest book, The Biggest Ideas In the Universe: Quanta and Fields. As in his first Biggest Ideas book (Space, Time, and Motion), Dr. Carroll goes beyond analogies to show how physicists really think about nature's underlying principles.
Speaker: Sean Carroll, John Hopkins University
Use code WONDERFESTPROMO during registration for free admission
Life and death by hydrothermal system: phosphate on ocean moons and ignimbrite remobilization at Mt. Pinatubo - 05/14/2024 03:30 PM
Earth and Marine Sciences Building Santa Cruz
Speaker: Noah Randolph-Flagg
Cosmology from the First Year DESI BAO Measurements - 05/14/2024 03:30 PM
Hewlett Teaching Center Stanford
Over a five-year period, the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) will spectroscopically classify nearly 40 million galaxies and quasars over 1/3 of the sky and to redshifts z < 3.5. The DESI collaboration recently completed the measurement of the baryon acoustic oscillation (BAO) feature in seven distinct redshift intervals using data from the first year of observation. In this talk, I will present those BAO measurements and their implications for our understanding of the cosmological model. In particular, I will discuss the constraints on the Hubble Constant, dark energy equation of state, curvature, and summed mass of the three neutrino mass eigenstates. In doing so, I will discuss the new and future DESI measurements with respect to the hints of tension that have been reported in the Hubble Constant and with LCDM in general.
Speaker: Kyle Dawson, Stanford University
The Next Frontier is Your Mind: Neurotechnologies, Human Rights, and the Battle for Your Brain - 05/14/2024 04:30 PM
Stanford University Law School Stanford
Emerging technologies are evolving at an astonishing pace. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the field of neurotechnology, which refers to devices capable of recording, interpreting, or altering brain activity. Neurotechnology has long been used in scientific settings, pioneering both brain research and medical breakthroughs; in recent years, neurotechnology has allowed patients with paralysis to regain the ability to communicate, and helped blind people reclaim partial vision. Recently, neurotechnology has expanded beyond medical settings into the consumer world, with a host of products entering the market that allow consumers and companies to access intimate brain data. Among others, these products include brain training kits, sleep aids, devices that track levels of focus, and toy helicopters that consumers fly using concentration. This brings great promise of innovation and development, but also pressing concerns, particularly given privacy risks, rapid advances in the capacity to decode brain scans using generative AI, and the possibility of mental interference.
Speaker: Jared Genser, Perseus Strategies
As humans have evolved over the last 300 thousand years, we have shared the planet with many living things, interacting with and affecting one another in many ways. Join us as three biologists discuss the intricacies of our species’ co-evolution with other beings.
Panel: Elena Zavala, Miller Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Molecular & Cell Biology, UC Berkeley Benjamin Blackman, Associate Professor of Plant & Microbial Biology, UC Berkeley Britt Koskella, Associate Professor of Integrative Biology, UC Berkeley Priya Moorjani, Assistant Professor of Genetics, Genomics, Evolution, and Development, UC Berkeley
Register at weblink to receive connection information
Wednesday, 05/15/2024
Changing Coastlines: From Ecology to Physiology - Livestream - 05/15/2024 03:00 PM
Bodega Marine Laboratory
Speaker: Racine Rangel, UC Santa Cruz
Register at weblink to receive connection information
The restoration of California's imperiled vegetated marine ecosystems - Livestream - 05/15/2024 03:40 PM
Estuary and Ocean Science Center
Over the last few decades widespread documentation of the decline of coastal ecosystems has been increasing, leaving scientists and managers scrambling to find solutions. California’s marine ecosystems, such as kelp forests, seagrass beds, and salt marshes are not an exception; and there is a need to further our scientific understanding of the ecological processes leading to the protection and restoration of these critical habitats. In this talk, I will give an overview of some of the restoration research we have done at Sonoma State and with our colleagues across California. I will talk about the stressors leading to coastal ecosystem collapse, and some of the innovative strategies that have been developed to protect and restore imperiled ecosystems, and what the future holds for some of our iconic marine ecosystems.
Speaker: Brent Hughes, Associate Professor, Sonoma State University
See weblink for Zoom information
This case study underscores the critical need to address embodied emissions within the automotive sector, a major component of the industry's overall carbon footprint, particularly during the transition to electric vehicles (EVs). Regrettably, embodied emissions have historically received inadequate attention and have been shrouded in obscurity. This case study on Pirelli exemplifies the drawbacks of the SBTi framework. The introduction of the Emission Liability Management (ELM) approach signals an evolutionary paradigm shift.
Speaker: Xingjian Zhang, Apex.AI
Register at weblink
Silicon Valley Dejargonizers, a toastmasters club meeting - Livestream - 05/15/2024 06:00 PM
Silicon Valley Dejargonizers
How would you explain wifi to kids? How would you explain a large language model to a non-technical person?How would you explain the journey of an online payment?Would you like to get the skills to explain such complex topics in simple terms?At Silicon Valley Dejargonizers, a toastmasters club at District 101, we practice the skills to simplify complexity, one word at a time, through stories, analogies and examples.Join us at our regular online meeting. We have demo speeches that exemplify the purpose.Contents of last weeks meeting, May 8:Demo speeches on simplifying complex topics by svdtm team.
GPT:Tokens, Embeddings and moreSelf Introducing scientifically (Icebreaker)
Supermassive Black Holes: Monsters Lurking in the Hearts of Galaxies - 05/15/2024 07:00 PM
Hewlett Teaching Center Stanford
Black holes are some of the most exotic and extreme objects in the Universe. Though they may sound like the stuff of science fiction, they are real and much more common than you may think; every galaxy has one lurking at its center! In this talk, we will explore exactly what a supermassive black hole is and how we can find them. I will share how the latest data from an array of telescopes across the Earth and in space are revealing what is happening to material in its final moments before it plunges through the event horizon.
Speaker: Dan Wilkins, Kavli Institute, Stanford University
Register at weblink to attend in person or online
Thursday, 05/16/2024
Coastal Walk at Cowell-Purisima Trail - 05/16/2024 10:00 AM
Cowell Purisima Coastal Trailhead Half Moon Bay
Join Peninsula Open Space Trust for a beautiful walk along the Cowell-Purisima trail that POST helped create by protecting adjacent farmland. While it may be foggy, we hope to catch gorgeous views of the ocean, nearby farmland, and glimpses of harbor seals, pelicans, hawks, rabbits, and whales during the winter season.
You will be guided by POST ambassadors who will share details about POST’s work with farmers on the coast, and to create recreational opportunities along one of the most scenic stretches of our state’s coastline!
This walk is moderate at about 4.5 miles round trip with about 400 feet of gradual elevation gain. It is mostly flat throughout, however, it is quite a long walk.
Register at weblink
The Christian Nationalist Threat to American Democracy - Livestream - 05/16/2024 04:00 PM
Skeptical Inquirer
Christian nationalism is more than faith combined with patriotism. It’s a movement designed to impose one vision of Christianity on all others - a religious mission of conquest and domination. As the 2024 elections approach, the dangers of this movement are becoming more apparent.
While it’s long been a presence in American culture, the past decade has seen an acceleration of White Christian nationalist rhetoric and tactics. It is now an openly authoritarian movement whose leaders long for a post-constitutional America and a non-democratic form of governance. Dr. Onishi will explain the historical contours of White Christian nationalism - and the threat it poses to American democracy.
This live Zoom event is free but advance registration at weblink is required
Speaker: Bradley Onishi, University of San Francisco
Birdy Hour: Ask the Ornithologist: An Interactive Q & A with a Bird Expert - Livestream - 05/16/2024 05:00 PM
San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory
Dr. Sahas Barve is an ornithologist who will answer your burning questions about birds in this "ask-me-anything" format! Please send in your question when you register and we will pool the questions ahead of time to decide which ones were asked by most of the participants so Sahas can prioritize when answering. No answer is too basic or complicated, perfect for all birding levels.
Speaker: Sahas Barve, Archbold Biological Station, Venus, Florida
Women Energy Associates: Climate Adocacy in Action - 05/16/2024 05:00 PM
National Resources Defense Council San Francisco San Francisco
Climate action advocates world-wide have been instrumental in spurring organizations and institutions to adopt climate and sustainability goals. How have these goals translated into action? How can advocates and implementers support one another as we move forward with urgency to address climate and equity challenges.
Join WEA for a conversation with three very active and accomplished women climate advocates to discuss the future of advocacy efforts.
Speakers: Alejandra Mejia-Cunningham, Natural Resources Defence Council; Melinda Lopez, Ortiz Group
NightLife x Carnaval SF - 05/16/2024 06:00 PM
California Academy of Sciences San Francisco
Carnaval SF is taking over NightLife! Join our colorful celebration of music, dance, and artistry from Latin American, Caribbean, and Afrodiasporic cultures. Experience the joy of Carnaval throughout the museum with live dance performances, a pop-up mercado (marketplace), and more!
See weblink for events and schedules
After Dark: LASERs - 05/16/2024 06:00 PM
ExplOratorium San Francisco
Come celebrate the amazing technology that is LASERs at the Exploratorium! May 16 is the International Day of Light, a holiday that commemorates the first time a LASER was successfully fired in 1960. Visit us this Thursday night to play with LASER demonstrations, learn about refraction through different materials, and watch restored footage from the original Laserium.
Ages 18 +
2024 Drake Awards - 05/16/2024 06:00 PM
Computer History Museum Mountain View
We’re excited to celebrate all things SETI and astrobiology! The SETI Institute’s annual event has a new venue (the Computer History Museum) and a new format (a seated dinner)!
Join us as we honor groundbreaking achievements in the search for life beyond Earth.
Three awards will be presented - Carl Sagan Center Director's Award, SETI Forward Award for undergrads, and most importantly - the 2024 Drake Award. Reserve your seat today, and share your evening with prominent scientists, leaders in space sciences, and SETI Institute fans and supporters like you!
Award recipients include Dr. Andrew Siemion (Drake Award), Dr. Franck Marchis (Carl Sagan Center Director's Award), Dana Yaptangco and Róza Okón (SETI Forward).
Attend in person or online
Astronomy on Tap Santa Cruz: Thriving in Space: Biology and Human Health - 05/16/2024 06:30 PM
Humble Sea Brewing Co Santa Cruz
Human spaceflight missions promise a new chapter towards long-term Moon habitation and Mars transit & surface missions.Come learn about ongoing fundamental biological research, space hazards to humans (& our ecosystems), and global collaborations in space biomedical sciences. We will present on the benefits to life and biomedicine on Earth, and the NASA Open Science Data Repository which strives to make spaceflight life science data maximally accessible and reusable.
We will also present research projects, primarily linked to innovative work at NASA Ames Research Center. These endeavors are pushing the boundaries of space biosciences by leveraging artificial intelligence and in-situ analytics to enable precision health for astronauts of longer and further space missions.
Speakers: J asaletto and R. Scott, NASA Ames
NOVA Secrets in your Data - 05/16/2024 07:00 PM
Computer History Museum Mountain View
Whether you’re on social media or surfing the web, you’re probably sharing more personal data than you realize. That can pose a risk to your privacy - even your safety. At the same time, big datasets could lead to huge advances in fields like medicine. In NOVA's Secrets in Your Data, host Alok Patel explores these issues on a quest to understand what happens to all the data we’re shedding and explores the latest efforts to maximize benefits - without compromising personal privacy.
Join the Computer History Museum for a screening of selected clips from Secrets in Your Data paired with a panel discussion featuring experts from the film.
NOVA's Secrets in Your Data premieres Wednesday May 15 at 9/8c on PBS. Check local listings for details. It will also be available for streaming online and via the PBS video app.
Healthy Air, Healthy Home - 05/16/2024 07:00 PM
Pedro Point Firehouse Pacifica
Learn from a doctor about air quality and how it impacts health, especially in kids & seniors.
• Enjoy a live demo of cooking on a powerful induction stove & enjoy a tasty dessert!
• Discover practical solutions for improving air quality in your home & neighborhood such as using air purifiers and replacing polluting gas appliances & vehicles with clean electric ones.
• Learn how to access generous grants and/or interest-free loans from PCE, TECH Clean CA , the IRA & other sources that make this suprisingly affordable, regardless of your income.
Whether you’ve already begun electrifying your home & ride or are just starting to explore the world of electrification, this event is perfect for anyone looking to improve their family’s health, save money & live more sustainably! Don’t miss this opportunity to breathe easier & live better!
Friday, 05/17/2024
Morning Hike at Rancho Cañada del Oro - 05/17/2024 09:30 AM
Rancho Cañada 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.
Sign up at weblink
Sleep, wake, torpor and other states: from regulation to function - 05/17/2024 12:00 PM
ChEM-H/Neuroscience Building, James Lin and Nisa Leung Seminar Room (E153) Stanford
Speaker: Vladyslav Vyazovskiy, University of Oxford
Attend in person, or click here to attend online.
Serpent Lights in the Night: Mars' Enigmatic Aurora - 05/17/2024 12:00 PM
Earth and Marine Sciences Building Santa Cruz
Speaker: Rob Lillis, UC Santa Cruz
The PARC Forum IEEE Milestone Celebration - 05/17/2024 03:00 PM
SRI PARC Campus Palo Alto
SRI is proud to host our next PARC Forum IEEE Milestone celebration to celebrate the creation of three world-changing technologies: the Alto personal computer, Ethernet, and the Laser Printer invented and developed at PARC.
The Forum, to be hosted by SRI’s Chief Executive Officer David Parekh, will include conversations with Vint Cerf and Bob Metcalfe - two people whose contributions have fundamentally shaped modern networking and computing. We will be joined by Tom Coughlin, IEEE President, and Brian Berg, IEEE History Committee Vice Chair. Guests are invited to witness the unveiling of the IEEE Milestone plaques and join us for a celebratory reception.
Register at weblink to attend in person, or online
Saturday, 05/18/2024
EV Ride and Drive - 05/18/2024 11:00 AM
Baylands Park Sunnyvale
Curious about Electric Vehicles (EVs)?
Experience electric vehicles and take one for a test drive or ride. At this event, you’ll have the opportunity to sit in, ride, or drive electric vehicles to experience the joy of switching to electric firsthand. Have all your questions answered about the vehicles, charging, and the financial incentives available.
Reserve a time slot for YOUR test drive or ride!
Check out the latest battery electric and plug-in hybrid models. Take a FREE test drive or ride. Learn about charging, incentives and more! Take e-bikes for a spin.Note: Drivers must be 21 years or older. Otherwise, you can be a rider. Walk-ins are welcome.
Teaching Astronomy in Italy and the Lessons I Learned - 05/18/2024 07:30 PM
San Jose Astronomical Association San Jose
Andy Kreyche fell in love with the night sky when first saw stars in the deep, dark desert skies of Southern Arizona after moving there at the age of 7. He has been involved with informal astronomy education since the 1990's, after which he started a career working in planetariums. He likes integrating hands-on learning with the planetarium experience to foster a deeper connection with audiences and better understanding of key concepts. Andy is an inaugural board member of the Live Interactive Planetarium Symposium (LIPS), is Vice President of the Santa Cruz Chapter of DarkSky International, and works as a presenter at the Jean and E. Floyd Kvamme Planetarium at West Valley College in Saratoga.
City Public Star Party - 05/18/2024 08:00 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.
SFAA members with telescopes are encouraged to attend and share their views of the stars with the general public.
Sunday, 05/19/2024
Hike at Windy Hill - 05/19/2024 09:00 AM
Windy Hill Open Space Preserve Portola Valley
Join POST on a guided hike on one of the first open spaces we protected as an organization! A POST Representative will share a few words about POST’s decades of conservation success before hiking groups leave to explore a strenuous but rewarding 7 mile hike with 1,500 feet of elevation gain.
Windy Hill was the first land protection project POST ever completed. Today, it’s an ideal spot for flying kites, walking dogs, mountain biking and horseback riding. The grassy ridge top of this popular 1,312-acre open space preserve is clearly visible from many spots along the Peninsula and is an ideal property to highlight POST’s work to expand the extensive recreational trail networks in our region.
Register at weblink. Meeting point will be sent to registrants.
InsectPalooza - 05/19/2024 12:00 PM
Minnesota Street Project San Francisco
Join us for this free family-friendly event to get up close and hands-on with live animals from SaveNature.Org’s Insect Discovery Lab! Meet a variety of arthropods from around the world, like the Australian Walking Stick, the Giant African Millipede, and many more!
In addition, local guest artists Zoe Farmer, Lauren Hartman, and Jennifer Zee will guide you in making insect-inspired art! Open to all ages with materials provided.
Try mealworm chocolate chip cookies too!
Register at weblink
Wonderfest: 'Deep Rising' - 05/19/2024 01:00 PM
Cameo Cinema St. Helena
The ocean floor of our "water planet" is vast - rich in biodiversity and dense in mineral wealth. A single organization, the International Seabed Authority, governs roughly half of this undersea territory, and that governance is scientifically and economically challenging, to say the least. Wonderfest joins Cameo Cinema for a special Science on Screen presentation of the documentary Deep Rising (71% FRESH at Rotten Tomatoes), narrated and co-produced by Jason Momoa. Post-screening Q&A with Stanford marine scientist Dr. Steve Palumbi will highlight the vital need for wise use - and protection - of the seabed as the common heritage of humankind.
Dr. Stephen Palumbi is Professor of Marine Sciences at Stanford University. Steve is also a Senior Fellow at Stanford's Woods Institute for the Environment.
Monday, 05/20/2024
Plant adventures in photosynthesis - 05/20/2024 04:00 PM
James H. Clark Center (Bldg 340) Stanford
Erika Edwards is a Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at Yale University, and currently also serves as Curator of Botany and Paleobotany in the Peabody Museum of Natural History, and as Director of Marsh Botanical Garden. Edwards earned her undergraduate degree from Stanford University (1998) and her Ph.D. from Yale University (2005). She spent two years as a post-doctoral research associate at University of California, Santa Barbara, and joined the faculty at Brown University in 2007. She remained at Brown for ten years (2007-2017) where she also served as Director of the Brown University Herbarium (2008-2017), before joining the faculty at Yale. Edwards has served as Advisory Council Chair for the Botanical Society of America (2016-2019) and President of the Society of Systematic Biologists (2019-2021). In 2016 Edwards received the Presidential Award for Early Career Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) from President Obama. Her research focuses on various problems in plant evolution, and integrates across many types of biological data, from molecules to global climate, to build a complete picture of how and why plants have evolved such a diverse array of forms.
Simulating Global Climate, Energy, and Land Futures - 05/20/2024 04:30 PM
Stanford University Energy Seminar Stanford
How can we address climate change and boost equity? In this highly interactive session, we’ll use the En-ROADS global climate simulator, built by Climate Interactive and MIT, to test a wide range of climate solutions, from clean energy to nature-based solutions, electrification, and carbon removal. Andrew Jones and his team at CI and MIT Sloan engaged 128 Members of US Congress with the simulator before passage of the IRA bill.
Speaker: Andrew Jones, Climate Interactive
Attend in person or online (see weblink)
Tuesday, 05/21/2024
Whole Earth Seminar - 05/21/2024 03:30 PM
Earth and Marine Sciences Building Santa Cruz
Delving into the Unknown: The Higgs Boson at Future Colliders - 05/21/2024 03:30 PM
Hewlett Teaching Center Stanford
Pay-for Forays - 05/21/2024 07:30 PM
Mycological Society of San Francisco San Francisco
Wednesday, 05/22/2024
Marine Heatwaves and Ecosystems in Alaska: Understanding Mechanisms of Change - Livestream - 05/22/2024 11:00 AM
Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute
Bodega Marine Lab Seminar Series - Livestream - 05/22/2024 03:00 PM
Bodega Marine Laboratory
Nerd Nite #142: Time, Tentacles, and Most Delicious Poison - 05/22/2024 07:00 PM
Rickshaw Stop San Francisco
Feather Trails - A Journey of Discovery Among Endangered Birds - Livestream - 05/22/2024 07:00 PM
Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society
Europa Clipper: Exploring Jupiter’s Ocean World - Livestream - 05/22/2024 07:00 PM
Silicon Valley Astronomy Lecture Series
Science on Tap: From Healthy Whales to Healthy Oceans - 05/22/2024 07:00 PM
Museum of Art and History Santa Cruz
Thursday, 05/23/2024
Finding the Wild in a Tame World - 05/23/2024 06:00 PM
Commonwealth Club San Francisco
After Dark: Hatch - 05/23/2024 06:00 PM
ExplOratorium San Francisco
NightLive: California Native - 05/23/2024 06:00 PM
California Academy of Sciences San Francisco
An Evening with the Stars 2024: Exploring the Fourth Dimension: Time - 05/23/2024 06:00 PM
Campbell Hall, Rm 131 A Berkeley
Tech Talk: Psyche - 05/23/2024 06:30 PM
Hacker Dojo Mountain View
Bering Sea Saga - A Tale of Two Birders - Livestream - 05/23/2024 07:00 PM
Golden Gate Bird Alliance
Mercury Rising: The Toxicology of a Global Pollutant - 05/23/2024 07:00 PM
Stanford Linear Accelerator (SLAC) Public Lecture Series Menlo Park
Friday, 05/24/2024
View from the Rocks: The Rheology and Petrology of Slow Slip - 05/24/2024 12:00 PM
Earth and Marine Sciences Building Santa Cruz
Saturday, 05/25/2024
Stewardship Saturday: Watching for Whales - 05/25/2024 11:45 AM
Fisherman's Wharf Waterfront Lot (WF#1) Monterey
3D Theater Opening Day: Wings Over Water - 05/25/2024 12:00 PM
Lawrence Hall of Science Berkeley
Postcards from the Moon - 05/25/2024 07:30 PM
East Bay Astronomical Society Oakland