Spectral Schmoozing on 𝛑 Day
Spectral Schmoozing on 𝛑 Day
The Pi Edition
Greetings Science Advocates and Supporters,
There’s so much going on it’s hard to decide where to start. Until recently a lot of people had no idea what, where, or why about Ukraine. Like many things, the more you learn the more you realize that you probably forgot important parts of the story. Many people would say that this didn’t start a few weeks ago but started in 2014. It’s hard to keep how the world works in perspective. Sadly we fail to understand how much different countries and cultures have contributed to our ways of life. With that in mind have you ever heard of these people? Mykola Amosov, Oleh Antonov, EnableTalk gloves, Élie Metchnikoff… I could go on with many more, thanks in part to Lubomyr Romankiw, my point is that every culture or group of people (of course there are exceptions!) has so much invested in being part of the global community we really need to welcome them.
We seem to be heading towards some sort of crossroads in history in another way as well. Science in the last 200 or so years has become increasingly more reliable when it comes to understanding how things work, or not, in all matters of human experience. One of the amazing things is how often we learn that something that we thought was simple and easily divided into just a few discrete categories isn’t. In politics in the US, one of the saddest things happening is how decisions about how to treat transgender kids are being decided by lawmakers. Gender is kind of like race, and they are both like light. Each covers a very wide spectrum and a large part of it you can’t see. We as a society are facing some difficult times learning that we don’t really know each other that well! We really need science but we also need empathy, understanding, and compassion. Here are few articles to ponder about politics and science… Pseudoscienceand COVID-19 — we’ve had enough already Study: to beat science denial, inoculate against misinformers' tricks Why Some Citizens Reject Science Why do people reject science? Here’s why …
This month, among other topics, is Women’s History Month. Similar to what I you just read, often we don’t know who came up with great ideas and we don’t recognize the challenges that have been overcome to develop them. So… of course I’m going to suggest some sources to add to your already well developed sense of curiosity! Female mathematicians, Forces of Nature, The Women Who Changed Science, 120 statues of Women in STEM
So what are you going to learn this week?
Monday is probably, or should be, going to involve some celebration of π Day! I hope that you know that the explOratorium has a place in history with 𝛑 Day. Next weekend is the 12th Annual Whalefest Monterey and probably a good way to try leaving town for a day now that covid appears to be becoming less of a threat. Celebrate Pi Day with NASA
I have been perusing a lot of stuff in the last couple of months. Here’s a few that I think are worth your attention…
Isaac Newton’s life was one long search for God
How to Spot Misinformation Online
Don't throw those masks away yet!
How NASA moved the $10 billion James Webb Telescope
An amazing find at the bottom of the world from 107 years ago!
Have a great time learning cool new things. But pay attention, the world needs you.
herb masters
”The worst disease afflicting humankind is hardening of the categories.”
Upcoming Events:
Click to see the next two weeks of events in your browser.
Monday, 03/14/2022
Pi (π) Day - 03/14/2022 11:00 AM
ExplOratorium San Francisco
Join the 35th annual celebration of our own homegrown holiday! March 14th (3/14) commemorates the irrational, transcendent, and never ending ratio that helps describe circles of all sizes. Watch math artist John Sims showcase his handmade Pi Quilt and perform spoken word poems and original music based on pi. Explore math inspired activities and presentations, then join our pi parade and eat a free piece of pie. Come for the STEAM and stay for the slice!
Pi Day festivities begin at 11:00 a.m. and go until 3:00 p.m.
Storytime Science: March Mathness With Vivian Altmann 11:00 a.m. Bechtel Gallery 3, Classroom 1606
Join us for a special math-inspired edition of Storytime Science! Enjoy a math-themed storybook read-aloud for children and their grown-ups. The Exploratorium's own Vivian Altmann will read The Cookie Fiasco by Dan Santat and Mo Willems. After the story, take math into the third dimension by crafting paper plate Bucky balls, greeting card boxes, and pinwheel shapes.
Pi (π) Day Celebration With John Sims Join for free online via Facebook or YouTube or at the Exploratorium 12:00 - 1:30 p.m. Bechtel Gallery 3, Phyllis C. Wattis Studio
No matter how you slice it, you don’t want to miss Pi (π) Day. Math artist John Sims will perform work from his music project 31415: The Pi Collection and showcase his Pi Quilt. Afterward, our expert educators share pi’s mathematical history and activities you can try at the museum and at home.
Pi Procession 1:59 p.m. Plaza
Grab your digit and get in line for the annual Pi Procession! A high-spirited crowd parades through the museum and circles the Pi Shrine 3.14 times, waving the digits of pi and singing a rousing chorus of “Happy Birthday” to Einstein. All participants will enjoy a free slice of pie following the parade.
Location, Recent History, and Natural History, are Key to Determining Impacts of 2021 Heatwave on Rocky Intertidal Communities - Livestream - 03/14/2022 12:00 PM
Sonoma State Biology Colloquium
Speakers: Melissa Miner, UC Santa Cruz
See link for Zoom information
Modeling the Circumgalactic Medium - 03/14/2022 12:10 PM
Campbell Hall, Rm 131 A Berkeley
Speaker: Yakov Faerman, University of Washington
Ultrafast Electron Dynamics in Polar Liquids and Crystals - Livestream - 03/14/2022 03:30 PM
SLAC Colloquium
Electron transfer and charge transport are most elementary processes in liquid and solid condensed matter. Both femtosecond spectroscopy and structure-resolving x-ray methods give insight in electron dynamics at atomic length and time scales. This talk focuses on many-body dynamics of free electrons in water and alcohols, and on soft-mode excitations in polar crystals.
The electric dipole moment of water molecules gives rise to a strong local electric field in the liquid which fluctuates in a time range from tens of femtoseconds to several picoseconds. The fluctuating field induces spontaneous tunneling ionization of water molecules which can be made irreversible by imposing an external directed terahertz (THz) field on the liquid [1]. Time-resolved nonlinear THz spectroscopy [2] allows for mapping charge separation, transport, and localization of the released electron on a few-picosecond time scale. The highly polarizable localized electrons modify the THz dielectric function of water, a manifestation of a highly nonlinear response. The solvated electrons exhibit pronounced polaronic properties, due to many-body Coulomb interactions with a large number of solvent molecules [3].
Soft-mode excitations of polar and/or ionic crystals display a hybrid character with coupled nuclear and electronic motions. Femtosecond x-ray powder diffraction allows for following such correlated dynamics at the atomic level by providing momentary atom positions and charge density distributions [4]. In cubic boron nitride, transverse acoustic two-phonon excitations in the electronic ground state induce a step-like increase of diffracted x-ray intensity, opposite to a Debye-Waller behavior [5]. Transient charge density maps reveal distinctly different length scales of nuclear and electronic displacements and a spatial transfer of valence charge from the interstitial region onto boron and nitrogen atoms. Such findings will be discussed in comparison to other prototypical materials.
Speaker: Thomas Elsaesser, Max-Born-Institute
CITRIS People and Robots Seminar - Livestream - 03/14/2022 04:00 PM
CITRIS People and Robots
Speaker: Henny Admoni, UC Berkeley
See weblink for Zoom link
What Turns Galaxies Off? - Livestream - 03/14/2022 04:00 PM
What Physicists Do - Sonoma State University
Speaker: Sirio Belli, Harvard University
See weblink for Zoom link
UC Berkeley Physics Colloquia - Livestream - 03/14/2022 04:15 PM
UC Berkeley
Speaker: L. Mahadevan, Harvard University
See weblink for Zoom information
Folds, cuts and isometries: art and science - 03/14/2022 04:15 PM
Physics North Berkeley
For millennia, origami and kirigami artists have used folds and cuts to create beautiful shapes from a simple sheet of paper. I will describe our recent scientific attempts to catch up with these remarkably imaginative arts phrased as inverse problems in physical geometry that aim to control the shape and rigidity of a thin surface. Using discrete operations that vary the number, size, orientation and coordination of folds and cuts, I will show how to create piecewise isometric kirigami and origami tessellations and control their local and global morphology and mechanical response, mixing experimental, computational and theoretical approaches.
Speaker: L. Mahadevan, Harvard University
Tuesday, 03/15/2022
Weekday Morning Hike at Rancho Cañada del Oro - 03/15/2022 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.
Register at weblink
Empowering Organic Synthesis: From Unique Methods to Complex Natural Products - 03/15/2022 11:00 AM
Latimer Hall Berkeley
Our group is developing methods and strategies for the rapid and controlled formation of molecular complexity. Driven by identifying innovative disconnections using natural products, several case studies from our laboratory will be presented, ranging from aminoglycosides to terpenoids. For example, we will show how an enantioselective hydroamination of benzene enables the synthesis of ribostamycin. Moreover, we have been developing stereodivergent cycloisomerizations that can access all naturally occurring perhydrobenz[e]indenes, such as stelletin A. Finally, we will also present the application of an overlooked Ni-catalyzed annulation towards norcembranoids, as demonstrated with the synthesis of scabrolide A.
Speaker: David Sarlah, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Housing dynamics in the United States have historically been racialized through explicitly discriminatory laws like redlining, which created connections between neighborhood quality and racial composition. The perpetuation of racialized housing dynamics, like segregation and gentrification suggests that neighborhood race is still entwined with perceptions of neighborhood quality. This study investigates whether the connection between neighborhood race and perceived quality persists in present day rental advertisements. Using data from the online rental platform Craigslist spanning 16 U.S. metropolitan areas I apply computational text analysis and statistical methods to tease out racialized aspects of neighborhood descriptions appearing in rental advertisements. The results show that contemporary descriptions of neighborhoods online reflect the legacy of more traditional forms of neighborhood racialization. Advertisements tend to describe White neighborhoods more positively than other neighborhoods. For instance, majority Black tracts with a median household income of $150,000 are described about as favorably as majority White tracts with one sixth the median income. These findings have implications for understanding the perceptual nature of the reproduction of racialized housing dynamics.
Speaker: Ian Kennedy, University of Washington
Register at weblink to receive Zoom information
Two Talks: Popping the Science Bubble - Livestream - 03/15/2022 05:30 PM
Berkeley Public Library
Topics and speakers TBA
See weblink to register
Ice and Fire: Spring-fruiting Fungi in the Mountains - Livestream - 03/15/2022 07:00 PM
Mycological Society of San Francisco
Thea Chesney is a lifelong Sierra Nevada foothill resident and naturalist. She has had an interest in mushrooms (and plants, and the rest of the natural world) since early childhood, which gradually became an obsession.
She holds a B.S. in forestry from UC Berkeley, with an emphasis in botany and natural sciences. During her time at Berkeley, she spent plenty of time working and hanging out in the Berkeley mycology labs.
She worked on a mushroom survey crew for the U.S. Forest Service around Mt. Shasta for several seasons, which allowed her to become intimately familiar with the fungal inhabitants and ecology of the area. Since then, she has continued with the Forest Service as a botanist for a long-term California-wide meadow monitoring project.
She teaches occasional workshops in mushroom and plant identification, both for work and independently. Her fieldwork and her own studies of plants and fungi are centered in the Sierra Nevada and other mountains of California, and she is currently working on a field guide to mushrooms of these understudied regions.
See weblink for Zoom information
Wednesday, 03/16/2022
Preparing Nature for a Changing Climate - Livestream - 03/16/2022 04:00 PM
Acterra
About the speaker: Caitrin Chappelle is an associate director of TNC’s California Water Program, leading the Healthy Rivers and Springs strategy. Prior to joining TNC, she managed research and operations at the Public Policy Institute Water Policy Center and conducted research on natural resource management and California water policy. She has coauthored work on the statewide drought, funding gaps in water management, and multiple ecosystem stressors in the Sacramento/San Joaquin Delta. Previously, she worked for the U.S. Geological Survey. She holds an MPP from the Goldman School of Public Policy at the University of California, Berkeley and a BS in ecology from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.
Register at weblink to receive connection information
This event was originally scheduled for March 30, 2022.
The Emissions that You Purchase: Reducing Your Carbon Footprint - 03/16/2022 07:00 PM
City of Sunnyvale
Interested in reducing your personal greenhouse gas emissions?
Join Chris Jones, Director of the CoolClimate Network at University of California- Berkeley, to understand how our everyday choices can create or reduce carbon emissions. Individuals, families, and workplaces can all influence climate change through the purchases we make. Dr. Jones will explain how to reduce emissions from consumption locally and globally.
Register at website
Travels into Astronomical History with the Antique Telescope Society - Livestream - 03/16/2022 07:00 PM
San Francisco Amateur Astronomers
Astronomy, more than most scientific disciplines, has progressed only as a result of advances in its instrumentation, particularly of the telescope and the analytical accessories that are used with it. Indeed, most of our deepest insights into the nature of the Universe would not have been possible without this remarkable device as most astronomical phenomena are actually not visible without the technological augmentation of our eyesight.
Since its accidental invention in 1608, the telescope has undergone many rounds of innovation leading to the often very large and sophisticated ground-based and, now, space-based precision instruments in use today. Its rapid development can be attributed to the fortuitous timing of its invention at the start of the Scientific Revolution in the 17th Century which carried it rapidly into the period of the Industrial Revolution starting in the 18th Century. The amazing ideas and precision tools produced by these two revolutions provided the means necessary for leapfrogging improvements to the effectiveness of telescopes.
With great good fortune, many of those making and modifying telescopes in the past have left behind an extensively well documented and well preserved record of their work in the form of very complete documentation and many extant instruments providing highly visible roadmaps of their innovations. The study of these artifacts accelerated with the publication by Louis Bell in 1922 of his book, The Telescope, and, most especially, by Henry C. King of The History of the Telescope in 1955.
Then, in 1992, a group of mostly amateur astronomers established The Antique Telescope Society whose mission is to promote the study of the development of the telescope and its accessory instruments. The group has a website where some of the research of its members is published and had published a scholarly journal where members published historical research papers. Its international membership hail mostly from the US but also come from Japan and Western Europe as well.
For me, perhaps the most appealing aspect of the ATS is that it is also a travel group which holds an annual meeting where we visit old observatories, hold a convention to share the results of our research, and examine historical optical instruments and locations. In this talk, I will show many examples of our amazing experiences.
Speaker: Ken Lum, SF Antique Telescope Society
See weblink to attend.
Nerd Nite SF #123: Fishing, Literary Culture, & Carnivores! - 03/16/2022 08:00 PM
Rickshaw Stop San Francisco
Unforgettable FishingCalling all fishing enthusiasts and non-fishing enthusiasts alike! Climb aboard and get your vitamin sea with Captain Virginia of Gatecrasher Fishing as she takes us on a journey through the Bay via her fishing adventures, especially those of promoting the conservation of white sturgeon (the Bay’s friendly neighborhood prehistoric fish) during the winter/brackish season. During the saltwater season, you can find her and her team fishing for King Salmon, Halibut, Rockfish and Ling Cod.
Virginia Salvador is a biologist, scientist, freelance writer, and co-captain of the Gatecrasher on the prestigious front row of Fisherman’s Wharf.
The Carnivores in Your Backyard and AbroadSeen a coyote roaming the streets of SF lately? Read all the Nextdoor posts about foxes in yards and parks? Then this is for you! Dr. Wilkinson will delve more into the area of human-wildlife conflict both in our backyard urban areas and abroad. She studies the movement ecology and human-wildlife risk of spotted hyenas in Kenya, and also the socioecological drivers of urban carnivore movement here at home. Come hear about her exciting field work, and the multi-disciplinary solutions informed by it to meet the needs of humans and their carnivore neighbors.
Dr. Christine Wilkinson is an ecologist and post-doc at UC Berkeley.
Outwrite: The Speeches that Shaped LGBT Literary CultureJoin curator and culture critic Elena Gross as she shares her work on editing Outwrite, a collection of speeches from the Outwrite conference. This annual meeting, held throughout the 90s, played a pivotal role in shaping LGBTQ literary culture in the United States and its emerging canon. She’ll take us behind the scenes of her work in the literary archives and describe how producing the book has inspired a connection to the past as a means of constructing or creating new futures, while also fostering the responsibility of survivors to tell the stories and carry on the legacies of those who did not.
Elena Gross is the Director of Exhibitions and Curatorial Affairs at the Museum of the African Diaspora, and an independent writer and culture critic.
Thursday, 03/17/2022
Walk on the Cowell-Purisima Trail - 03/17/2022 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!
The walk is moderate at about 3 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
Science at Cal - The science of Meat and Dairy Alternatives - Livestream - 03/17/2022 12:00 PM
Science @ Cal
At this month’s Midday Science Cafe, we’ll learn about two new meat alternatives made from foods we already know and love: seaweed and mushrooms! First course: seaweed. Dr. Amanda Stiles from Berkeley Lab is researching ways to extract the protein from seaweeds and incorporate it into delicious new foods. The highly-digestible, amino-acid rich protein concentrate UMARO Foods has developed enhances the color, texture, and flavor of plant-based foods. Second course: filamentous fungi! These organisms include mushrooms, which have formed part of the human diet for thousands of years. UC Berkeley’s Dr. Vayu Maini Rekdal, scientist and chef, will talk about his work between laboratories and Michelin-star restaurants studying and engineering these fungi for sustainably produced foods. Both scientists are working toward the common goal of solving sustainability issues and producing a new generation of meat alternatives. Let’s eat!
See weblink to register
Internet of Things: Sources of Security Issues and Possible Solutions - Livestream - 03/17/2022 04:00 PM
Sonoma State Engineering Colloquium
The Internet is used daily for many online services: to communicate, find information, do transactions, and be entertained; and this is possible independent of location due to its openness and distributed nature. But this very openness has posed vulnerabilities, allowing attacks such as ID theft, denial of service, industrial espionage, and extortion.
The Internet of Things (IoT) anticipates connecting billions of objects to the Internet in the next few years, thus potentially creating additional challenging security and privacy issues.
The objective of this talk is to describe some current trends affecting Internet security, and point out the sources of security problems, as well as provide an overview of IoT and its related security issues. Typical IoT applications will be presented with focus on autonomous vehicles. Also, some potential solutions, safeguards, and defenses will be offered.
Speaker: Manu Malek, Elsevier's International Journal of Computers and Electrical Engineering
See weblink for Zoom information
Enhancing Human Cognition - Livestream - 03/17/2022 05:00 PM
Cafe Scientifique Silicon Valley
Computers and smartphones are generally considered to be tools that enhance productivity. But while they have put the world’s knowledge at our fingertips, people need additional skills in order to be successful and realize their goals. This talk will explore how future personal digital devices may help us with issues such as attention, motivation, behavior change, memory, creativity, communication, and emotional regulation. Dr. Maes will present her research on wearable and immersive systems that in minimally disruptive ways can help people strengthen or complement some of these “soft skills.”
Speaker: Pattie Maes, MIT
Register at weblink for connection information
NightLife: Of Land and Sea - 03/17/2022 06:00 PM
California Academy of Sciences San Francisco
California is home to a wide range of ecosystems, each with their own unique array of flora and fauna. The richness of California’s biodiversity can be found in all corners of our state, from the snow-capped peaks of the Sierra Nevada to the underwater kelp forests of the Pacific, and the dynamic tide pools where land meets sea. Explore how our community finds inspiration in the nature that surrounds us, and celebrate the intersection of culture and the environment in the Golden State.
While surfing might be seen as an exclusive sport dominated by white, male surfers,Brown Girl Surf(BGS) is here to change that narrative. Working to build a more diverse and inclusive surfing community, Brown Girl Surf is both increasing access to surfing and amplifying the voices of surfers of color, all while taking care of the Earth. Hear from a panel of incredible BGS community members, moderated by BGS volunteer and Academy’s own Olivia VanDamme. Then check out BGS Program Specialist Marlim Reynosa as she performs a traditional Afro-Caribbean dance to the rhythms of palo and salve music - a nod to her Dominican roots and culture. Whether it’s living in a fire-prone area or having to shelter in place from heavy, toxic smoke, everyone in California feels the effects of annual wildfires. While wildfire resilience feels like an uphill battle, Assistant Professor of Anthropology, Geography & Environmental Studies Tony Marks-Block explains that we can find solutions in the longstanding cultural burning practices of indigenous communities. Join Tony in a discussion about the history of cultural burns in California, and uncover how these indigenous solutions can bolster native wildlife and ecosystems. Unlocked Art Lab’s Tiffany Bozic is back for a “quintessential California” watercolor workshop that focuses on native plants and animals. Tiffany will lead us through the fundamentals of drawing using the Academy’s collections as inspiration, while Curator of Ornithology and Mammalogy Jack Dumbacher reveals some of the intriguing stories behind these unique specimens.
After Dark: Wondrous Fungus - 03/17/2022 06:00 PM
ExplOratorium San Francisco
The fascinating qualities of fungi are manifold and sometimes mind-blowing. Tonight at After Dark, discover some fun facts about the beautiful, diverse, and curious fungus kingdom, including mushrooms, yeasts, and molds. Get up-close views of majestic microscopic fungi, see the surprising ways fungi can be used as art materials, and learn about some of the most exceptional types of fungi - as well as mycorrhiza, the symbiotic relationship between fungi and plants.
Networks of Influence: Fungi Networks and Ecological Systems With Julieta Alvarez Manjarrez 7:30 p.m. Fisher Bay Observatory Gallery 6
The fungal kingdom is fascinating; in their search for food and nutrients, fungi eat and decompose most of the organic matter on our planet. They can also share these nutrients with friends, like plants, building complex networks below ground, which can have surprising and essential effects. Join Julieta Alvarez Manjarrez as she shares insights from her research on fungi within tropical ecosystems - and learn how fungal networks are affected by hurricanes.
Julieta Alvarez Majarrez is a Mexican mycologist with experience working in tropical ecosystems. She is currently a postdoctoral Fellow at Stanford’s Peay Lab, where she is working on the relationship between plant secondary metabolism and fungal communities in Amazonia.
DNA Deep Dive: Mushroom DNA Barcoding With Alan Rockefeller 8:30 p.m. Fisher Bay Observatory Gallery 6
Get this: according to their DNA, mushrooms are more closely related to humans than to other plants. Join Alan Rockefeller for an overview of the process of mushroom DNA barcoding, including how to accurately sequence the DNA of various species and how to analyze the sequencing. And don’t miss Rockefeller’s stories of the most memorable things he’s uncovered about mushrooms through their DNA.
Alan Rockefeller is a photographer, computer hacker, biohacker, and mushroom identification specialist who currently lives in Oakland, California. In 2001 he began his studies in the field of mycology, beginning with the collection of fungi in California. Each year since 2007 he has traveled to Mexico to collect mushrooms. Based on phylogenetic and microscopic analysis, he has identified several species not previously described in scientific literature.
Fungus Among Us With Simon Meyer 6:30, 7:30, 8:30 p.m. Moore Gallery 4, Explainer Station
Immerse yourself in a sensory exploration of our planet’s most versatile decomposers - join the Explainers as they dive into the weird, delicious, and suspicious world of fungi. Come marvel at the role fungi play in the balance of life and death.
Mushrooms of the Redwood Coast With Christian Schwarz 6:30 - 9:30 p.m. Moore Moore Gallery 4
See a plethora of recently collected fungi specimens - and learn about some of the magnificent traits each species boasts from Christian Schwarz, co-author of Mushrooms of the Redwood Coast.
Christian Schwarz is a naturalist interested in the diversity of living organisms in general, but the seemingly endless forms (whether grotesque, bizarre, or sublime) of fungi in particular stoke his curiosity. He spends most of his time teaching about natural history, collecting and photographing mushrooms, assembling an exhaustive mycoflora for Santa Cruz County, and exploring wilderness around the world.
Home-Grown Mushrooms With Far West Fungi 6:30 - 9:30 p.m. Moore Gallery 4
Ever thought about growing your own mushrooms? Check in with the team from Far West Fungi to learn about the sustainable practice of mushroom farming from home. As long-time purveyors of mushroom-growing kits, Far West Fungi will answer your questions about how to grow mushrooms and share why home-grown mushrooms are an essential practice for sustainable cuisine.
Founded and operated by the Garrone family, Far West Fungi is passionate about edible fungi. For more than 35 years they’ve been dedicated to the growing, distribution, and marketing of organic specialty mushrooms.
Mushroom Dyes With Mayumi Fujio 6:30 - 9:30 p.m. Moore Gallery 4
Mushroom dyeing is relatively new in natural dyeing history. Join Mayumi Fujio to learn and see how mushrooms can be used to have a beautiful and transformative effect on yarn, and maybe try your hand at the process. And see some of the works Mayumi has created using mushroom dyes.
Mayumi Fujio is a fiber artist working with natural dye, mushroom dye and botanical prints on different media. She harvests materials sustainably around San Francisco and the Bay Area.
The Art of Mushroom and Myxomycete Photography With Alison Pollack 6:30 - 9:30 p.m. Moore Gallery 4
Get a close-up look at the intimate, intricate photographs of macro photographer Alison Pollack, who specializes in photographing Myxomycetes and tiny mushrooms barely visible to the naked eye. Searching out her subjects by crawling on the forest floor, magnifying glass in hand, she uses advanced photography techniques to show the incredible detail of these tiny organisms, most only a few millimeters tall. Her goal is to reveal these miniature beauties of the forest in a format that is as much art as science.
Tinkering School Mars Mission Q&A 6:30 - 9:30 p.m. Bechtel Gallery 3
Tinkering School (TS), a San Francisco - based educational program dedicated to youth-centered making and tinkering, created Tinkering School Mars Mission as an Earth-bound program that maintains the accuracy and challenges of real Mars rover operations. Inspired by (but not associated with) NASA’s Mars missions, the TS team, composed of young people ages 14-20, collaborated to build an educational hands-on experience operating rovers in a simulated Martian lava tube. Join members of the team to learn more about their mission and prototypes and to test drive the newest generation of their rovers.
Connecting Ecotourism and Conservation - Livestream - 03/17/2022 07:00 PM
Golden Gate Audubon Society
Conservation of the world’s bird and wildlife diversity has become a topic of enormous importance in the 21st century. Ecotourism is among the many approaches for channeling resources into conservation efforts. Some of the benefits of ecotourism are direct, local, and based on economics. Others are more indirect and cultural. This presentation will explore some ways that we can help protect the natural world by experiencing it through travel.
Speaker: Ivan Phillipsen, Wild Latitudes
See weblink for Zoom information
The Plants and Animals of Bay Area Oak Woodlands - Livestream - 03/17/2022 07:00 PM
Peninsula Open Space Trust
From tarantulas, moths, and rattlesnakes to ground squirrels, coyotes, and hawks, oak woodlands are positively humming with life! Join Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST) as we dive into the rich ecology of our local oak woodlands with Kate Marianchild, author of the widely popular book Secrets of the Oak Woodlands: Plants and Animals among California’s Oaks.
Combining science with wonder and personal experience, Kate will explain the unique and extraordinary importance of oaks themselves, and will lead us in an intimate journey through the diverse array of native plants and animals that make their homes in the oak-covered hills and plains of the Bay Area.
NightSchool: Underwater Forests - Livestream - 03/17/2022 07:00 PM
California Academy of Sciences
Learn about efforts to give California's iconic kelp forests a fighting chance against warming waters & more. More details coming soon!
Wonderfest Science Envoys are early-career researchers with special communication skills and aspirations. Following short talks on provocative modern science topics, these two Science Envoys will answer questions with insight and enthusiasm:
What Childhood Teaches Us About Human Uniqueness - Why are humans the only species that flies into space and invents vaccines? Social cooperation is the key. Insights from Developmental Science show us how humanity’s unique cooperative skills emerge, surprisingly, in very young children. Speaker: Antonia Langenhoff, UC BerkeleyUnderwater Metamorphosis, a Larva's Tale - Creatures from across the animal kingdom, from butterflies to frogs to worms, undergo metamorphosis. A humble marine worm is challenging our understanding of metamorphosis, and of how all adult animals develop. Speaker: Paul Bump, Stanford University
See weblink for Zoom information
Friday, 03/18/2022
Data & Life in the Metaverse - 03/18/2022 12:30 PM
Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive Berkeley
The unknown potentials of the metaverse are both exciting and terrifying. Technologists and the media have been exploring the implications of a potential shift to user-centered 3D experiences, which could eclipse our familiar two-dimensional ways of interfacing with our screens. Here, urgent questions emerge about who owns the data of our virtual bodies, our movements and online traces, and our virtual “homes.” At the same time, new modes of expression through online characters, animations, digital art, simulations, and machine learning promise to reveal new modes of cultural production and ways of living together. The program will include a panel presentation followed by a variety of breakout sessions to discuss specific aspects of media production, critical analysis and data stewardship
See event link for Keynote Panel members and breakout session topics.
Note that the breakout sessions take place at a different UC Berkeley location.
Polymerizations in Pickering Emulsions as a Route to Hybrid Materials - 03/18/2022 02:00 PM
LeConte Hall, Rm 4 Berkeley
Pickering emulsions, or those stabilized by solid particles, provide a distinct template for the production of composite structures which combine the properties of the particles, the droplets, and any additional components such as polymer. This presentation will cover the use of Pickering emulsions stabilized by 2D particles (i.e., nanosheets) to prepare capsules with core of ionic liquid or phase change material. Here, modified graphene oxide nanosheets are used to stabilize non-aqueous emulsions and polymer deposition or interfacial polymerization is used to give the capsules integrity. The presentation will also address the use of transition metal carbides and nitrides, an emerging class of solution processable 2D materials termed MXenes, as Pickering surfactants and the production of monolithic structures by tailored polymerization strategies. Application of these hybrids in gas sequestration, thermal energy storage, and electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding will be highlighted.
Speaker: Emily Pentzer, Texas A&M
Artificial Gamer: Film Screening and Panel on the Battle of AI vs. Humans in Esports - 03/18/2022 07:00 PM
Computer History Museum Mountain View
A passionate team of Silicon Valley engineers at OpenAI is in a race to develop an artificial intelligence bot capable of defeating the world champions of one of the most lucrative esports - Dota 2. And they’ve got one year to do it.
The outcome could alter the way we think about the frontiers of machine learning and of humanity’s relationship to AI.
For more than 80 years humans and machines have competed in chess, Go, poker, Jeopardy! The latest battlefields are hugely popular multiplayer online games - like Dota 2 - that are worldwide sensations.
Can OpenAI win the race? Join us for an in-person screening of Artificial Gamer, a documentary about OpenAI’s efforts to build the most powerful esports bot.
What to expect:
Dota 2 is a multilayered experience involving bluffing, coordinated five-player strategy, and epic psych-outs - a level of gaming considered too sophisticated for the traditional reach of computers. Watch developers push the boundaries of machine learning, extracting and repurposing algorithmic learning to take advantage of processing power that can cram 180 years’ worth of Dota play into a single day. View unfettered access to the team’s breakthroughs and stumbles.
Panel discussion and Q&A
Following the screening, we’ll host a panel discussion and Q&A featuring Open AI team’s David Farhi and Susan Zhang led by journalist and the film’s executive producer Jenny 8 Lee.
Tuning into Dark Matter with the ADMX Experiment - Livestream - 03/18/2022 07:30 PM
Tri-Valley Stargazers
The nature of dark matter is one of the great mysteries of modern physics and could be sourced from new particles beyond the standard model. The Axion, a particle postulated to solve other mysteries in nuclear physics, is one especially well-motivated candidate. These particles, which act more like radio waves, are extraordinarily challenging to detect. The Axion Dark Matter Experiment (ADMX), based at the University of Washington in Seattle, is the flagship search for axion dark matter in the US. ADMX uses a large microwave cavity immersed in a strong static magnetic field to resonantly convert dark matter axions to detectable photons. Recently ADMX has completed several world leading searches with unprecedented sensitivity using superconducting quantum amplifiers. In this talk I will describe the history of axion dark matter searches, describe the recent ADMX results and near-term search prospects and give a survey of the R&D efforts currently underway to explore the entire axion dark matter mass window.
Speaker: Gianpaolo Carosi, Lawrence Livermore National Labs
See weblink for access instructions
Saturday, 03/19/2022
#NoToPlastic Community Clean-Ups - 03/19/2022 09:45 AM
Oakland Zoo Oakland
Be part of the solution! Join other wildlife enthusiasts to help our local wildlife by cleaning up important habitats in Oakland.
Meet at the Lower Entrance to Oakland Zoo (in front of the Zimmer Auditorium) at 9:45am; shuttle departs at 10:00am sharp for cleanup site.
Location of cleanup will be a different urban watershed habitat in Oakland.
Participants will return to Oakland Zoo between 12:30pm and 1:00pm.
We will provide gloves and safety equipment. Bring a water bottle, snack, and sunscreen. Dress in comfortable layers.
Tri-Valley Innovation Fair - 03/19/2022 10:00 AM
Alameda County Fairgrounds Pleasanton
The Tri-valley Innovation Fair connects everyone to the excitement of science, engineering, and technology. Over 50 exhibitors will showcase the region’s rich and diverse accomplishments, and learning opportunities. Meet the people who make innovation happen in local companies, schools, and community organizations. Interactive and hands-on activities will be featured indoors and outside. Special performances are also scheduled throughout the day. Activities span a range of topics, including rockets, robots, agriculture, weather, chemistry, health, biotech, art, astronomy, insects, music, animals, and more!
Everyone is welcome! You are invited to be inspired as you explore the innovations that help us thrive in today’s world. Activities are geared for children ages 5 and up, teens, and adults. There will be something for everyone. Spanish speaking volunteers will be present to answer questions.
Register by March 1 and receive a free parking pass.
Family Nature Walks - Baylands Nature Preserve - 03/19/2022 10:00 AM
Environmental Volunteers EcoCenter Palo Alto
Environmental Volunteers’ Family Nature Walks program is designed to help students and their families get to know our local open space areas. Small family groups will be guided by a knowledgeable environmental educator during an exploration of a local open space. These small groups will be introduced to fun nature-based activities, and a chance to learn more about the plants and animals all around us. Join us for some fun, outdoor learning!
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.
Register at weblink
Investigating Space: Stellar Scientists - 03/19/2022 11:00 AM
Chabot Space and Science Center Oakland
Scientific Adventures for Girls is teaming up with Chabot Space & Science Center for an out-of-this-world day that brings together hands-on activities and interactive conversations to highlight female scientists and experiences. Engage with big questions in science while meeting women in space exploration, building rockets, dreaming up planets and more!
12th Annual Whalefest Monterey - 03/19/2022 11:00 AM
Fisherman's Wharf Monterey
Monterey Bay: Whale Watching Capital of the World
The 12th Annual Whalefest Monterey on Saturday and Sunday, March 19 and 20, 2022.
This "edutaining" family friendly event will be held at and around Old Fisherman’s Wharf and the Custom House Plaza -Monterey State Historic Park. It includes fun activities for all ages, musicians, boat displays and dozens of fascinating marine-related interactive exhibits by numerous local organizations.
Whalefest Monterey benefits many local and national marine organizations that educate, inspire, and empower the public to protect the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary (MBNMS). Of special note is that in 2022, NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries will be celebrating its 50th anniversary of ocean protection and the 30th anniversary of the local Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary.
The event will also feature a 2-day Symposium with world-renowned marine experts and historians at Heritage Harbor adjacent to the Recreation Trail and just steps away from the Wharf. The Symposium is held at an indoor venue generously made available by the Monterey Bay Aquarium. It will follow their COVID protocol which requires proof of vaccination or negative test within 24 hours to enter as well as wearing masks, subject to change. For current information, see website.
Whalefest Monterey will feature many educational and engaging displays from local, regional and national non-profits. Live and on-line.
Whale watchers come from around the world to view hundreds of whales, orcas, dolphins and pelicans who come to feast on a “krill and anchovy buffet” in the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Throughout the year, this Whale Watching Capital of the World offers sightings of 15 species of whales, 10 species of dolphins, 2 species of porpoise, 6 species of pinnipeds and 1 species of Fissiped (sea otter).
VIPER - A Next Great Leap in Mapping Water on the Moon - Livestream - 03/19/2022 07:00 PM
East Bay Astronomical Society
NASA is sending a mobile robot to the surface of the South Pole of the Moon to get a close-up view of the location and concentration of ice and other resources. The Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover, or VIPER, is the first resource-mapping mission on another celestial body. VIPER will give us surface-level detail of where the water is and how much is available for us to use to support future human space exploration. Scientifically, ground-truthing the water presence (or non-presence) at rover/human scales can tackle open questions on the origin of the water, hydroxyl, and other volatiles, how much is there today, how did it get there, and equally important, why is it still there? This talk summarizes the motivations for, the design of, the challenges at lunar poles, and the significance of this mission.
Speaker: Kimberly Ennico-Smith, NASA Ames
Sunday, 03/20/2022
12th Annual Whalefest Monterey - 03/20/2022 11:00 AM
Fisherman's Wharf Monterey
Monterey Bay: Whale Watching Capital of the World
The 12th Annual Whalefest Monterey on Saturday and Sunday, March 19 and 20, 2022.
This "edutaining" family friendly event will be held at and around Old Fisherman’s Wharf and the Custom House Plaza -Monterey State Historic Park. It includes fun activities for all ages, musicians, boat displays and dozens of fascinating marine-related interactive exhibits by numerous local organizations.
Whalefest Monterey benefits many local and national marine organizations that educate, inspire, and empower the public to protect the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary (MBNMS). Of special note is that in 2022, NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries will be celebrating its 50th anniversary of ocean protection and the 30th anniversary of the local Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary.
The event will also feature a 2-day Symposium with world-renowned marine experts and historians at Heritage Harbor adjacent to the Recreation Trail and just steps away from the Wharf. The Symposium is held at an indoor venue generously made available by the Monterey Bay Aquarium. It will follow their COVID protocol which requires proof of vaccination or negative test within 24 hours to enter as well as wearing masks, subject to change. For current information, see website.
Whalefest Monterey will feature many educational and engaging displays from local, regional and national non-profits. Live and on-line.
Whale watchers come from around the world to view hundreds of whales, orcas, dolphins and pelicans who come to feast on a “krill and anchovy buffet” in the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Throughout the year, this Whale Watching Capital of the World offers sightings of 15 species of whales, 10 species of dolphins, 2 species of porpoise, 6 species of pinnipeds and 1 species of Fissiped (sea otter).
Tuesday, 03/22/2022
Ask Me Anything (AMA): A session with Bjoern Schuller - Livestream - 03/22/2022 12:00 PM
SF Bay Association of Computing Machinery
Beneath the Surface: The Impact of Captivity on Cetaceans - Livestream - 03/22/2022 07:00 PM
American Cetacean Society
Floating Upstream: The Many Lives of Stewart Brand - 03/22/2022 07:00 PM
Long Now Foundation San Francisco
Wednesday, 03/23/2022
Teach & Learn in “The Great Tech Story” - Livestream - 03/23/2022 04:00 PM
Computer History Museum
Petrified Wood - Livestream - 03/23/2022 07:00 PM
Peninsula Gem & Geology Society
SETI Talks: Mysterious Radio Signals in the Milky Way - Livestream - 03/23/2022 07:00 PM
SETI Institute
Thursday, 03/24/2022
The Origins and Early Evolution of Leaves - Livestream - 03/24/2022 01:00 PM
UC Botanical Garden
Nightlife - 03/24/2022 06:00 PM
California Academy of Sciences San Francisco
Hoofing it in the West: Conservation Challenges and Solutions for Migratory Game - Livestream - 03/24/2022 06:00 PM
US Geological Survey Public Lecture Series
Friday, 03/25/2022
Leveraging Science Driven Research with Entrepreneurial Vim - Key Gaps & Essential Toolkit - Livestream - 03/25/2022 12:00 PM
California Section American Chemical Society
Saturday, 03/26/2022
Science Saturdays - Endangered Monterey - 03/26/2022 10:00 AM
Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History
Urban Hikes: Fort Funston to Stern Grove - 03/26/2022 12:00 PM
Shaping San Francisco
Monday, 03/28/2022
Captive Rearing of an Endangered Seastar: Fortuitous Findings and Future Prospects - Livestream - 03/28/2022 12:00 PM
Sonoma State Biology Colloquium
Spectroscopic evidence for unconventional superconductivity in magic-angle twisted bilayer graphene - 03/28/2022 02:30 PM
Physics North Berkeley
What Physicists Do - Livestream - 03/28/2022 04:00 PM
What Physicists Do - Sonoma State University
Wonderfest: The Science of Happiness - 03/28/2022 07:00 PM
Hopmonk Tavern Novato