Greetings Science Fans,
There are so many cool things going on these days, it's hard to imagine. Yesterday I went to Magnifed at the explOratorium. (You may know that I have a soft spot for the explO and almost any institution that is engaging people is science and how we experience life, the universe, and everything.) I can't encourage you enough to go to these institutions when they are open and see how people can get so excited about learning something new, that may help them make better decisions about how they live their lives, and can enrich their lives by increasing understanding about everything. This is why skepticism is so important to embrace too. Understanding how to observe and think critically is more important now that we have information, half-truths, and out-right lies foisted upon us all the time. This weekend was microscopes! The Foldscope people were giving Foldscope 2.0 kits.
It's not new but still amazing that there are so many threats to the understanding, application, and practice of science happening so quickly. Consider these...
Politics v. science (pubmed 2022),
Scientists Must Rise in Defense of Democracy (SciAm 2020)
An assault on science anywhere is an assault on science everywhere,
Since January 2025 major changes to the federal government have disrupted research and research institutions around the world.
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As is the case every week there are an amazing number of presentations scheduled. For the next two weeks there are 118 opportunities! Here are a few that I think warrant your consideration…
Wonderfest - Ask a Science Envoy: Tiny Galaxies; Eye Movements - 04/15/2025 07:00 PM
How to Live with a Calculating Cat: The Feast of Kings - 04/17/2025 06:00 PM
Wonderfest: Gender Diversity in the Animal Kingdom - 04/17/2025 06:00 PM
KIPAC + Friends Community Day - 04/19/2025 01:00 PM
(Please note that many presentations are now live on-line so you can catch more than you ever could before!)
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Here are a few more interesting links I have come across and think you might enjoy too…
ALL OF PHYSICS explained in 14 Minutes
Jellyfish Go Through Their “Stack of Pancakes”
4 minerals shaping the world’s energy future
In War Against DEI in Science, Researchers See Collateral Damage
Antarctica- What scientists found under it startled them.
Scientists Stunned To Discover What's Hidden Under The Ice In Greenland
Tunguska Meteor Explosion in Siberia Was Really a UFO Crash
NASA's Mesmerizing View of Earth's Underwater Highways
The Turbo Encabulator's long, weird and very funny history
Have another adventurous week learning new and cool stuff!
herb masters
“Those who can make you believe absurdities, can make you commit atrocities.” Voltaire
A bit of a note is due here… There is so much info in some of the listings we are trying to make the list here more manageable, there’s over 100 in this edition!!! Bob, David, and I each have ideas about what it should look like. You may notice variations in how the Schmooze looks and reads. We like it that way. Sometimes we miss things and we apologize for those mistakes but not the various ways we make the SciSchmooze a personal expression. Also note that the SciSchmooze would not even exist if it wasn’t for Bob. BOB MANAGES EVERY CALENDAR LISTING! Everyone who uses the Schmooze or our website bayareascience.org are benefactors of Bob’s diligence.
Upcoming Events:
Click to see the next two weeks of events in your browser.
Monday, 04/14/2025
Restoration on the Kashia Coastline - RESCHEDULED - 04/14/2025 12:00 PM
Sonoma State University - Biology Colloquium Rohnert Park
Speaker: Daniel Swezey, Kashia Band of Pomo Indians of Stewarts Point Rancheria
Editor's Note: This event has been rescheduled for April 21, 2025
The Unusual Mating Behavior of Harbor Porpoises - 04/14/2025 12:00 PM
Sonoma State University - Biology Colloquium Rohnert Park
Speaker: Bill Keener, The Marine Mammal Center
Editor's Note: This event was originally scheduled for April 21, 2025.
Probing Young Planet Populations with 3D Self-Consnstent Disk Thermodynamics - 04/14/2025 12:10 PM
Campbell Hall, Rm 131 Berkeley
Protoplanetary disks are the birthplaces of planets. Over the past decade, there have been significant advancements in disk observations thanks to the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) and extreme adaptive optics (ExAOs).
Speaker: Shangjia Zhang, Columbia Uinversity
Learning Multiscale Subsurface Flow Physics for the Energy Transition - 04/14/2025 12:30 PM
Green Earth Sciences Building Stanford
Subsurface geological formations are critical to the energy transition, offering both carbon storage and the potential for terra-watt-scale energy storage.
Speaker: Gege Wen, Imperial College, London, UK
Innovations in speech in noise assessment: changing the paradigm of clinical practice - 04/14/2025 12:30 PM
Stanford Symbolic Systems Forum Stanford
Speaker: Matthew Fitzgerald, Stanford School of Medicine
Competitive Structural and Electronic States Under Pressure - 04/14/2025 02:30 PM
Birge Hall Berkeley
By tuning interatomic interactions, pressure drives materials toward structural and electronic instabilities - regimes where novel phases such as superconductivity, charge ordering, and magnetism can emerge, compete, or coexist.
Speaker: Shanti Deemyad, University of Utah
XLZD and the Search for WIMP Dark Matter - 04/14/2025 03:30 PM
Stanford Linear Accelerator (SLAC) Colloquium Series Menlo Park
The nature of dark matter is one of the most profound unanswered questions in physics. One of the best motivated explanations is that it is composed of particles with mass and couplings tied to the electroweak scale of particle physics, as these are naturally produced as dark matter during thermal freeze out in the big bang.
Speakers: Dan Akerib and Tom Shutt, SLAC Attend in person or via Zoom
Eclipse Megamovie: From 2017 to 2024 - RESCHEDULED - 04/14/2025 04:00 PM
Sonoma State University - What Physicists Do Rohnert Park
Speaker: Laura Peticolas, Sonoma State University
This event has been rescheduled for April 7, 2025
ALIEN INVASION: Contributions of horizontal gene transfer to genetic, developmental and physiological novelty - 04/14/2025 04:00 PM
James H. Clark Center (Bldg 340) Stanford
Speaker: Cassandra Extavour, Harvard University
Clark Auditorium
Testing Gravity at ever shorter scale: a trip into exotic experimental physics - 04/14/2025 04:00 PM
Sonoma State University - What Physicists Do Rohnert Park
Since the times of Henry Cavendish and John Mitchell, the strength of gravity has been measured by comparing it to the reaction of a calibrated mechanical spring. While in the last 60 years planetary measurements (with natural and artificial bodies) have provided remarkable accuracy at large distances,…
Speaker: Giorgo Gratta, Stanford University This event was originally scheduled for April 21, 2025
DESI shakes up the dark Universe - 04/14/2025 04:15 PM
Physics North Berkeley
The Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) is building the largest 3D map of our universe to measure its expansion history over the past 11 billion years, and thereby, study the biggest mystery in cosmology: dark energy.
Speaker: Nathalie Palanque-Delabrouille, Lawrence Berkeley National Lab
Opportunities for Private-Public Sector Collaboration in Driving Investment in the Water Industry - 04/14/2025 04:30 PM
Stanford University Energy Seminar Stanford
The challenges of the water subsector and how the private and public sectors can collaborate to create a better future for all stakeholders
Speaker: Michael Albrecht, Ridgewood Infrastructure
Searching for Technological Life in the Universe - 04/14/2025 07:30 PM
California Academy of Sciences San Francisco
Are we alone? Or is there other life out there in the universe beyond Earth? If there is other life, is it complex life, capable of using language and creating technology like us?
Speaker: Sofia Sheikh, SETI Institute
Tuesday, 04/15/2025
April LASER Event - Livestream - 04/15/2025 12:00 PM
Leonardo Art Science Evening Rendezvous
Register at weblink to receive connection information
Speakers:
Michael Jewett(Stanford University) on "Revolutionizing Protein Manufacturing with Cell-Free Protein Synthesis" Patricia Blessing(Stanford/ Art History) on "Water in Islamic Architecture" Kat Mustatea(Media Artist) on "What does it mean to have a voice? Art in an increasingly algorithmic world" Will Tavlin(Author) on "Casual Viewing"
Dare Mighty Things Together: Exploring Space with NASA JPL - 04/15/2025 12:00 PM
Braun (Geology) Corner (Bldg 320), Rm 220 Stanford
Join Dr. Laurie Leshin, director of JPL, to hear about the latest missions and innovations that are helping us answer the most awe-inspiring questions about our solar system, the universe, and life as we know it.
Attend in person or online (see weblink)
Effective and Engaging Science Communication - Livestream - 04/15/2025 03:00 PM
Astronomical Society of the Pacific
In this 2 hour, interactive workshop participants will gain an understanding of basic techniques and considerations when engaging with public audiences. Engaging and interacting with public audiences in an informal learning setting such as a public outreach event is different from a formal classroom.
New Directions in Quantum Sensing with Solid- State Qubits - 04/15/2025 03:30 PM
Hewlett Teaching Center Stanford
The diamond nitrogen vacancy (NV) center spin qubit is a uniquely versatile quantum sensor that offers a path towards truly nanoscale magnetic imaging with high sensitivity over a wide range of temperatures and applications targets.
Speaker: Ania Bleszynski Jayich, UC Santa Barbara
Crystal Math: Rapid and accurate prediction of molecular crystal structures using topological and simple physical descriptors - 04/15/2025 04:00 PM
Latimer Hall Berkeley
The different solid structures or polymorphs of atomic and molecular crystals often possess different physical and chemical properties. Structural differences between organic molecular crystal polymorphs can affect, for example, bioavailability of active pharmaceutical formulations, the lethality of contact insecticides, and diffusive behavior in host-guest systems.
Speaker: Mark Tuckerman, New York University
Superintelligent Agents Pose Catastrophic Risks - Can Scientist AI Offer a Safer Path? - 04/15/2025 04:00 PM
Calvin Laboratory Berkeley
The leading AI companies are increasingly focused on building generalist AI agents - systems that can autonomously plan, act, and pursue goals across almost all tasks that humans can perform.
Speaker: Yushua Bengio, Universite de Montreal Register at weblink
Wonderfest - Ask a Science Envoy: Tiny Galaxies; Eye Movements - 04/15/2025 07:00 PM
Hopmonk Tavern Novato
Wonderfest Science Envoys are early-career researchers with enhanced communication skills and aspirations. Following short talks on provocative modern science topics, these two Science Envoys will answer questions with insight and enthusiasm:
UC Berkeley neuroscientist Stephanie Reeves on The Horizontal Saccade Bias - Humans make eye movements to explore the visual environment.
Stanford astrophysicist Viraj Manwadkar on Tiny Galaxies and Big Cosmic Mysteries - The very smallest galaxies shed light on fundamental questions in physics and astronomy:
Exotic Mushroom Cultivation - 04/15/2025 07:30 PM
Mycological Society of San Francisco San Francisco
From mycelium to fruiting bodies Best practices of mushroom cultivation including strain selection and genetics, spawn, substrate, sterilization/pasteurization, environmental conditions, popular mushroom growing techniques
Speaker: Kyle Garrone, Far West Fungi Attend in person or online (see weblink)
Astronomy on Tap Tucson #106: Dead Planets around Dead Stars & Astronomy Trivia - Livestream - 04/15/2025 07:30 PM
Astronomy on Tap
Tucson’s local flavor of Astronomy on Tap, Space Drafts, is excited to present its 106th edition! This month, we’ll be joined by Dr. Laura Rogers from NSF NOIRLab, talking about dead planets around dead stars. And in place of a second talk this month, we will be having another iteration of Astronomy Trivia!
Click here to watch the stream.
Astronomy on Tap Santa Cruz: Searching for Runaway Supermassive Black Holes and What can DESI tell us about our Universe - 04/15/2025 07:30 PM
Abbott Square Market Santa Cruz
What Can the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument Tell Us About Our Universe?
Speaker: Anavi Uppal, UC Santa Cruz
Wednesday, 04/16/2025
South Korea’s Internet Infrastructure: Risks, Idiosyncrasies, and Opportunities - Livestream - 04/16/2025 12:00 PM
UC Berkeley Center for Long-Term Cybersecurity
Tensions between China, the United States, and their respective allies present challenges to East Asian countries, particularly in the cyber domain. One critical issue pertains to the risk to internet infrastructure, the backbone of global communication and commerce. The internet, though decentralized, relies on several key control points that could be targeted during conflicts.
Register at weblink to attend.
Whole Earth Seminar - 04/16/2025 12:00 PM
Earth and Marine Sciences Building Santa Cruz
Speaker: Monica Arienzo, Desert Research Institute / University of Nevada Reno
The Impact of AI on Writing: What We Stand to Gain - and Lose - in Communication - 04/16/2025 12:00 PM
Gates Computer Science Building Stanford
In 2021, the novelist and journalist Vauhini Vara asked a predecessor of ChatGPT to write about her sister’s death, resulting in an essay that was both more moving and more disturbing than she could have imagined. It quickly went viral.
Speaker: Vauhini Vara Attend in person or online (See weblink)
Genes on the move: Measuring the rate and evolutionary impact of horizontal gene transfer in simple bacterial communities - 04/16/2025 12:10 PM
Morgan Hall Berkeley
The passage of genes from parents to offspring is a fundamental rule of heredity. However, bacteria violate this rule of strict vertical inheritance by shuttling DNA between unrelated cells through horizontal gene transfer (HGT).
Speaker: Ben Kerr, University of Washington
Addressing climate change and spatial structure in temperate nearshore ecosystems - 04/16/2025 03:30 PM
Estuary & Ocean Science Center Tiburon
Nearshore marine ecosystems are among the most productive ecosystems on the planet, host diverse assemblages of ecologically, economically, and culturally important species, and also lie on the front lines of climate change. Yet like many ecosystems, classic models of organismal and ecological dynamics have often underpredicted effects of harvest and climate on both ecosystems and people.
Speaker: Dan Okamoto, UC Berkeley Attend in person or click here to watch on Zoom
Energy and Resources Group Colloquium - 04/16/2025 04:00 PM
Giannini Hall Berkeley
Despite the increasing availability of climate data, there is a significant gap between the production of scientific information and its practical use within planning and decision-making. Over the past two decades, climate services - decision-support processes and tools - have been developed at this interface to transform climate data into usable information.
Speaker: Nancy Freitas, UC Berkeley
Spotlight on Human and Planetary Health - 04/16/2025 04:00 PM
Shriram Center Stanford
Climate change is already impacting our everyday lives. Record-breaking temperatures, intense wildfires, more frequent coastal flooding, prolonged droughts, and damaging storms are just some of the growing risks we face. Addressing these challenges requires new research, urgent action, and policy change that can withstand the growing impacts on human and planetary health.
Speaker: Solomon Hsiang, Stanford University
Human-Centered AI for Computational Experiences At the Intersections of AI, Games, and Human-Computer Interaction - 04/16/2025 05:30 PM
UC Santa Cruz Silicon Valley Campus Santa Clara
Interactive 3D environments, social simulations, and digital games now serve vital functions across entertainment, health, education, training, and global challenges like climate change. In this talk, Professor Magy Seif El-Nasr, Department Chair of Computational Media, will present several serious games developed in her lab as case studies
Register at weblink to attend in person or online.
Psyche: Exploration of a Metal World - Livestream - 04/16/2025 06:00 PM
Night Sky Network
In January 2017 NASA selected Arizona State University to lead the next of its small, Discovery-class robotic planetary missions, named Psyche. Named after its intended destination, Main Belt asteroid (16) Psyche is the largest M-class (metallic) asteroid in the Solar System.
Speaker: David Williams, Arizona State University Click here to watch the lecture
The Pleiades Experience: Cross-cultural Connections in Polynesia, Mesoamerica, and the Andes - 04/16/2025 07:00 PM
San Francisco Amateur Astronomers San Francisco
The Sun, Moon, planets, and stars have accompanied sky watchers over millennia. The Pleiades star cluster, observable from every continent except Antarctica, is tied to Indigenous worldviews, astronomy, calendaring, traditional weaving, weather prediction, and agriculture. For the original peoples of Polynesia, Mesoamerica, and the Andes, the Pleiades cluster continues to be a source of knowledge, both culturally and scientifically.
Speaker: Isabel Hawkins, Exploratorium This tak was originally scheduled for February 19, 2025.
Making News with Data - 04/16/2025 07:00 PM
Computer History Museum Mountain View
How is technology reshaping the future of journalism? Save the date for an engaging conversation exploring how the news industry has adapted to past technological shifts - and how it’s evolving today.
Birding and Protecting the California Delta - Livestream - 04/16/2025 07:00 PM
Santa Clara Valley Bird Alliance
The Delta is a fascinating example of the challenges of conflicting interests in California open spaces, with shareholders competing for water, land, and funding in an area where agriculture, conservation, water rights, and shipping are all concerns.
Speaker: Aaron Haiman, California Wildlife Conservation Board
Register at weblink to receive conference information
Thursday, 04/17/2025
Lunch Break Science - Livestream - 04/17/2025 11:00 AM
The Leakey Foundation
Lunch Break Science is a dynamic live web series featuring fascinating short talks, engaging interviews, and lively Q&A with Leakey Foundation scientists. Each episode digs deeper into the latest human origins discoveries, with topics like Neanderthals, chimpanzee behavior, and more!
See weblink to join
Citizen Science in Astronomy Part 6 - Livestream - 04/17/2025 11:00 AM
SETI Institute
Join Dr. Franck Marchis, Chief Science Officer and co-founder at Unistellar and director of Citizen Science at SETI Institute, and Dr. Lauren Sgro, Outreach Manager at the SETI Institute, for a conversation on citizen science with the Unistellar network in partnership with the SETI Institute.
WATCH ON FACEBOOK!WATCH ON YOUTUBE!
UC Berkeley Integrative Biology Lecture - 04/17/2025 12:30 PM
Valley Life Sciences Building Berkeley
Julius Thomas Hansen Lecture
Speaker: Willow Coyote-Maestas, UC San Francisco
Integrating Evolutionary Patterns, Ecological Processes and Community Science to Understand Marine Biodiversity on a Changing Planet - 04/17/2025 03:30 PM
Mulford Hall Berkeley
Speaker: Jessica Glass, UC Berkeley
Attend in person or watch on Zoom (see weblink)
Connected Sculptures: Building Internet-Enabled Free-Form Circuits - 04/17/2025 04:00 PM
Sonoma State Dept. of Engineering Science Rohnert Park
The intersection of art and electronics has given rise to a fascinating realm of free-form circuit sculptures - functional circuits that double as works of art. In this talk, Mohit Bhoite will delve into the creative and technical aspects of building free-form circuits that not only look beautiful but also connect to the internet.
Speaker: Mohit Bhoite, Particle
Attend in person or click here to watch online.
Money, Lies, and God: Inside the Movement to Destroy American Democracy - Livestream - 04/17/2025 04:00 PM
Skeptical Inquirer
Why have so many Americans turned against democracy? Our current political moment has been shaped by the growth of an authoritarian coalition that includes conspiracy-mongers, extremist churches, and reactionaries driven to tear it all down.
Register at weblink to receive connection information
Greening Factory Farms vs. Agroecology - 04/17/2025 05:00 PM
David Brower Center Berkeley
Join us for a first-of-its-kind discussion on industrial agriculture, its impacts and the future of an agroecological food and farm system that will bring together experts from opposite ends of the spectrum.
RSVP at weblink to attend.
The Majestic Gas Giant: Uncovering Jupiter’s Secrets - Livestream - 04/17/2025 05:00 PM
UC Berkeley
Three scientists will discuss what their research has revealed about our solar system’s largest planet - from the fluid dynamics of the Great Red Spot to the mysterious magnetic tornadoes at its poles.
Register at weblink
Reclaiming Our Focus: Mushroom and Lichen Dyeing as an Antidote to Distraction - 04/17/2025 06:00 PM
Sebastopol Grange Sebastopol
Join us with Mayumi Fujio for a presentation about the fiber arts, natural plant and mushroom pigments, and a technique called “botanical printing” which uses real leaves to transfer colors and shapes from plants onto natural fibers (silk, wool, etc.) Mayumi will cover some of the natural pigment mushrooms of the Bay Area and how to extract their colors. She will also include some UV-fluorescent colors from mushrooms and how they are used in her work.
Attend in person or watch the lecture here. Lecture starts around 6:30 pm.
After Dark: Resilience - 04/17/2025 06:00 PM
ExplOratorium San Francisco
How can we cope with uncertainty? Play games, of course! Join us this Thursday to have fun, collaborate, and figure out how to work through life’s ups and downs together. Find inspiration through performances and games that shed light on collective risk management tools, and learn how we can all take better care of each other.
Ages 18+
Fungus Among Us NightLife - 04/17/2025 06:00 PM
California Academy of Sciences San Francisco
Our annual fungus-filled extravaganza is back. Explore the world of mycology during this un-fungi-table night!
Ages 21+
How to Live with a Calculating Cat: The Feast of Kings - 04/17/2025 06:00 PM
Coastal Biology Bldg Santa Cruz
Since the earliest days of humans walking the earth there has been an uneasy relationship between us and cats. The hunting prowess of 1 kg house cats makes them excellent partners in the removal of unwanted vermin. However, when that same hunting instinct is packaged in a 250 kg African lion, the situation can become dangerous for anything that moves across the "King of the Jungle's" territory.
Speaker: Terrie Williams, UC Santa Cruz Register at weblink to attend in person or virtually
Wonderfest: Gender Diversity in the Animal Kingdom - 04/17/2025 06:00 PM
San Francisco Public Library San Francisco
The words sex and gender challenge us, even scientifically. Sex commonly refers to a creature’s physical and biological characteristics. Gender refers to behavior and self-presentation within a social group. Since nature is replete with social groups, we can take rich delight in trying to understand gender diversity among animals.
Our speaker is Dr. Nathan Lents, Professor of Biology and Director of the Cell and Molecular Biology program at John Jay College, part of the City University of New York (CUNY).
Restoring the San Francisco Bay Estuary: Wetlands, Birds and More! - Livestream - 04/17/2025 07:00 PM
Golden Gate Bird Alliance
The San Francisco Bay is the largest estuary on the west coast of the United States, and is home to a wide range of birds, from rails to shorebirds, waders, and ducks. Over 90% of the tidal wetlands around the estuary have been lost, but there is now large-scale local support for protecting and restoring the estuary.
Speaker: John Callaway, University of San Francisco, retired
Nerd Nite SF#150: Beginnings, Banalities (of Evil), and Pelvic Perceptions - 04/17/2025 07:00 PM
Rickshaw Stop San Francisco
It’s the Nerd Nite SF Sesquicentennial and we’re ready to celebrate! This month we commemorate one-hundred and fifty (150!) boozy, nerdy shows at our beloved venue, in our beloved city of San Francisco. Since we’re in a reflective mood, we’re excited to share a talk about the origins of the universe (Just how big was this “big bang”, anyway?), the banality of evil (How do “evil empires” start?), and vital truths about pelvic health! (What even is a “kegel” and how do you exercise one?)
All About the Rings of Saturn - 04/17/2025 07:00 PM
Los Altos Public Library Los Altos
Dr. Jeffrey Cuzzi will describe the highlights of the Cassini mission, emphasizing the rings of Saturn, which are increasingly believed to be much younger than the planet itself ??" maybe dating only to the age of fish on Earth (100-200Myr ago).
Attend in person or click here to watch online
Friday, 04/18/2025
Climate Action Youth Summit 2025 - 04/18/2025 10:00 AM
Yerba Buena Gardens San Francisco
Celebrate youth-led climate action in San Francisco in honor of Earth Month! Join the San Francisco Environment (SFE) Department for a dynamic Youth Summit ahead of Climate Week. See how young leaders are tackling climate change, driving real solutions, and making a difference in our city. This year’s theme, Climate Action Across Careers, empowers youth to explore their passions - art, fashion, technology, and more - through an environmental lens.
This is a public event open to all youth, educators, and community members interested in climate action and sustainability.
Sleep Disturbances & Chronic Pain: The role of sex and inflammatory resolution physiology - 04/18/2025 12:00 PM
ChEM-H/Neuroscience Building, James Lin and Nisa Leung Seminar Room (E153) Stanford
Speaker: Monika Haack, Harvard University Medical School
Attend in person or click here for Zoom
Geophysical and Planetary Physics Lecture - 04/18/2025 12:00 PM
Earth and Marine Sciences Building Santa Cruz
Speaker: TBA
Mechanisms of Gene Silencing in Development and Disease - 04/18/2025 03:00 PM
Genetics and Plant Biology Building Berkeley
Speaker: Peter Lewis, University of Wisconsin - Madison
Discovering New Ways to Make and Modify Quantum Dots: Pushing the Frontiers of Precision Structure and Function - 04/18/2025 04:00 PM
Latimer Hall Berkeley
We are interested in developing colloidal nanocrystals for applications in classical and quantum light technologies. Our approach leverages the extraordinary properties of nanoscale systems and applies foundational design principles from molecular inorganic chemistry.Speaker: Brandi Cossairt, University of Washington
Tiny Titans, Winged Wonders - 04/18/2025 06:30 PM
Canyon Middle School Castro Valley
Journey into the world of insects!
Join us for a thrilling science talk where we'll explore fascinating six legged creatures, featuring specimens from the North American Princeton Field Guide. Science Olympiad students will benefit as we learn about insects’ unique features, life cycles, and the incredible roles they play in our ecosystem. This event is perfect for young students with curious minds and a love of nature. Don't miss out on this adventure into the mesmerizing world of the tiny creatures that share our planet!
Speaker: Dr. Vernard Lewis is emeritus Cooperative Extension Specialist in UC Berkeley's Department of Environmental Sciences, Policy, and Management, specializing in Urban Entomology.
REGISTER at the weblink.
In Town Star Party - 04/18/2025 09:00 PM
San Jose Astronomical Association San Jose
Come join San Jose Astronomical Association (SJAA) for an evening of stargazing.
Events are held at the parking lot of our headquarters, Houge Park San Jose.
Saturday, 04/19/2025
Walk for Nature - 04/19/2025 09:00 AM
Environmental Volunteers EcoCenter Palo Alto
Families, friends and community members are invited to join the Environmental Volunteers for our first annual “Walk for Nature” event.
Highlights of the event include: Guided nature walks for all ages, led by our friendly and knowledgeable docents Self-guided scavenger hunts and other nature-based activities to enjoy at your own pace Fun hands-on activities in our Eco Center Youth group-sponsored activities Participants are welcome to stay for as much or as little as wanted. Space is limited for certain activities, so advance tickets are requested; you’ll be able to select your activity upon registration.
Morning Hike at Skyline Ridge Open Space Preserve - 04/19/2025 09:00 AM
Skyline Ridge Open Space Preserve Los Altos
Join POST for this guided hike at Skyline Ridge Open Space Preserve! A POST Representative will share a few words about POST’s decades of conservation success before hiking groups leave to explore a moderate to strenuous 4.5 mile hike with 800 feet of elevation gain.
Register at weblink
Spring Flowers at Bouverie Preserve - 04/19/2025 10:00 AM
Bouverie Preserve Glen Ellen
Don’t miss out on this opportunity to connect with the outdoors and witness the beauty of spring flowers in full bloom at Bouverie Preserve! Join us for a 3-hour docent-led nature walk at the 535-acre Bouverie Preserve in Glen Ellen. You will be in small groups while strolling through and appreciating the unique beauty of our oak and riparian woodland habitats.
Register at weblink
Birding at Alum Rock - 04/19/2025 10:30 AM
Alum Rock Park San Jose
Join YSI as we walk around Alum Rock Park and teach you about our feathered friends! Learn how to identify birds by their key characteristics, how to use binoculars, and then make a craft that will help you attract birds into your backyard!
Register at weblink Ages 7 - 12
Earth Day Stroll - Bernal Heights - 04/19/2025 11:00 AM
Events on the Hill San Francisco
Join your neighbors for a day of environmental celebration, education, and action throughout the Bernal Heights neighborhood. The Earth Day Stroll features numerous activities and attractions spread along Cortland Avenue and the paths of Bernal Hill.
WHAT TO EXPECT: see weblink Click the link for a map with featured locations
Beginner Birding - 04/19/2025 11:00 AM
Marin Headlands Rodeo Beach Mill Valley
Come join a Ranger Guided Hike and Birding Program with a Marin Headlands Interpretation Ranger! Learn all about the many different types of birds that call the Marin Headlands home while hiking along the scenic Rodeo Lagoon Loop Trail beginning at Rodeo Beach.
Registration required, limited to 20 people per session
KIPAC + Friends Community Day - 04/19/2025 01:00 PM
Stanford University Stanford
Join us for a fun-filled day of science! This event will take the form of a science festival, featuring numerous stations with live demonstrations, experiments, and hands-on activities. A series of mini science lectures will also run in parallel, introducing the latest discoveries in astronomy and other closely related STEM fields. This event is free, open to all, and especially kids- and family-friendly!
Native Star Stories Night @ Lick Observatory - 04/19/2025 05:00 PM
Lick Observatory Mt. Hamilton
The 3rd annual Native Star Stories Night (registration link below) will be hosted from 5-9:30 pm at Lick Observatory. Hosted in conjunction with UCO/Lick Observatory, the American Indian Resource Center (AIRC), and the Osterbrock Leadership Program, the Native Star Stories Night is a free immersive cultural-astronomy night curated for indigenous* high school & college students and families at Lick Observatory that includes a private tour, free food, sunset ceremony, telescope observing, and sharing of traditional star stories.
Register at https://bit.ly/native-star-stories-2025.
Wild and Scenic Film Festival 2025 - 04/19/2025 07:00 PM
David Brower Center Berkeley
The 2025 Wild and Scenic Film Festival combines stellar filmmaking, beautiful cinematography, and first-rate storytelling. These films explore nature, community activism, adventure, conservation, water, energy and climate change, wildlife, environmental justice, agriculture and more.
Check out the great program line-up.
Starry Nights Star Party - 04/19/2025 09:00 PM
Rancho Canada Del Oro Open Space Preserve Morgan hill
Join the San Jose Astronomical Association (SJAA) and Santa Clara County Open Space Authority (OSA) for an unforgettable night of exploring the night sky. Our knowledgeable docents, members of SJAA, will be your guides to providing valuable insights into the wonders of our universe.
Registration required (at weblink). See weblink for additional information.
Monday, 04/21/2025
The Unusual Mating Behavior of Harbor Porpoises - RESCHEDULED - 04/21/2025 12:00 PM
Sonoma State University - Biology Colloquium Rohnert Park
Speaker: Bill Keener, The Marine Mammal Center
Editor's Note: This event is now scheduled for April 14, 2025.
Restoration on the Kashia Coastline - 04/21/2025 12:00 PM
Sonoma State University - Biology Colloquium Rohnert Park
Speaker: Daniel Swezey, Kashia Band of Pomo Indians of Stewarts Point Rancheria
Editor's Note: This event was originally scheduled for April 14, 2025
The Role of Radiating Flows in Giant Planet Accretion - 04/21/2025 12:10 PM
Campbell Hall, Rm 131 Berkeley
Having detected accretion signatures of forming planets in the PDS 70 system and with several other candidates identified, we are entering an era of new avenues to constrain our theories of gas giant formation.
Speaker: Avery Baily, University of Arizona
UC Berkeley Condensed Matter Seminar - 04/21/2025 02:30 PM
Birge Hall Berkeley
Speaker: Wilson Ho
Testing Gravity at ever shorter scale: a trip into exotic experimental physics - RESCHEDULED - 04/21/2025 04:00 PM
Sonoma State University - What Physicists Do Rohnert Park
Speaker: Giorgo Gratta, Stanford University
This event has been rescheduled for April 14, 2025.
Breaking free of Lotka and Volterra - 04/21/2025 04:00 PM
James H. Clark Center (Bldg 340) Stanford
Room: Auditorium
Two Eyes are Better than One: JWST and ALMA Look at Star Formation - 04/21/2025 04:00 PM
Sonoma State University - What Physicists Do Rohnert Park
Speaker: Mary Barsony, SETI Institute
This event was originally scheduled for April 7, 2025.
Exploring the Roles of Nuclear Spins, Quantum Coherence, and Entanglement in Ultracold Chemistry - 04/21/2025 04:15 PM
Physics North Berkeley
Coherence and entanglement are key features of quantum mechanics, although they are susceptible to environmental perturbations. A conventional strategy to entangle qubits with high fidelity is to leverage precisely controlled interactions while keeping qubits from decohering. By leveraging electric dipolar interactions.
Speaker: Kang-Kuen Ni, Harvard University
Carbon Capture and Storage in the Global Climate Scene - 04/21/2025 04:30 PM
Stanford University Energy Seminar Stanford
CCS is a much needed CO2 mitigation technology and it also has an interesting history in global climate and environmental policy and law.
Speaker: Tim Dixon, IEAGHG
Tuesday, 04/22/2025
UC Berkeley Organic Chemistry Seminar - 04/22/2025 11:00 AM
Latimer Hall Berkeley
Climate One x SF Climate Week - 04/22/2025 11:00 AM
Commonwealth Club San Francisco
Mapping and Mending Dexterous Movement Control with Neurotechnology - Livestream - 04/22/2025 12:00 PM
Berkeley Sensor & Actuator Center
Catalyzing Regeneration to Combat Climate Change and Biodiversity Loss - 04/22/2025 03:00 PM
California Academy of Sciences San Francisco
UC Berkeley AI Policy Research Symposium 2025 - 04/22/2025 03:30 PM
Sutardja Dai Hall Berkeley
Quantum Simulators: a Pointilist Perspective on Many-body Physics - 04/22/2025 03:30 PM
Hewlett Teaching Center Stanford
MASTERING ION TRANSPORT IN LIQUIDS, SOLIDS AND INTERFACES FOR BATTERIES BEYOND LI-ION - 04/22/2025 04:00 PM
Latimer Hall Berkeley
Planning for a Just Transition led by Fossil Fuel Workers and Communities - 04/22/2025 04:00 PM
UC Berkeley Labor Center Berkeley
Feathers, Flocks, and Fire - Recent Science from Coyote Creek Field Station - Livestream - 04/22/2025 05:30 PM
San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory
Inspired by Intelligence: Purpose and Creativity in the AI Era - 04/22/2025 07:00 PM
The Interval at Long Now San Francisco
Wednesday, 04/23/2025
Diverse Voices in Fisheries Seminar - 04/23/2025 11:00 AM
Ocean Health Building Santa Cruz
Geomorphic expression and obfuscation of tectonic processes - 04/23/2025 12:00 PM
Earth and Marine Sciences Building Santa Cruz
Have your fish and eat it too: Protecting Marine Organisms, Ecosystems, and Fisheries in a Changing Climate - Livestream - 04/23/2025 03:00 PM
Bodega Marine Laboratory
Open ocean ecology shapes life history evolution in long-lived mammals - 04/23/2025 03:30 PM
Estuary & Ocean Science Center Tiburon
Unlocking the Secrets of Human Longevity: Exploring the Role and Function of Longevity Genes - 04/23/2025 04:00 PM
Morgan Hall Berkeley
Energy and Resources Group Colloquium - 04/23/2025 04:00 PM
Giannini Hall Berkeley
Climate Conversations: Rising Seas, Resilient Communities - 04/23/2025 06:00 PM
Manny's San Francisco
Thursday, 04/24/2025
Coastal Walk at Pillar Point Bluff - 04/24/2025 10:00 AM
Pillar Point Bluff Parking Lot Moss Beach
Climate One x SFCW: Alexis Madrigal, Margaret Gordon and Abby Reyes - 04/24/2025 11:00 AM
Commonwealth Club San Francisco
Acterra Teacher Training Workshop - Livestream - 04/24/2025 06:00 PM
Acterra
After Dark: Climate Futures - 04/24/2025 06:00 PM
ExplOratorium San Francisco
Friday, 04/25/2025
Geophysical and Planetary Physics Lecture - 04/25/2025 12:00 PM
Earth and Marine Sciences Building Santa Cruz
The Influence of Power and Authority on Indigenous Management in the Northwest Forest Plan - 04/25/2025 03:30 PM
Mulford Hall Berkeley
Saturday, 04/26/2025
Hike at Windy Hill - 04/26/2025 09:00 AM
Windy Hill Open Space Preserve Portola Valley
Science Saturday: Earth and Sustainability - 04/26/2025 10:00 AM
Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History Pacific Grove
From Oakland to the Stars: A weekend celebration of our new exhibit, Universe Unveiled - 04/26/2025 10:00 AM
Chabot Space and Science Center Oakland
PelicanFest: Earth Day Celebration in Pacifica - 04/26/2025 10:30 AM
Linda Mar State Beach North Lot Pacifica
Love our Earth Festival - 04/26/2025 11:00 AM
Belle Haven Community Campus Menlo Park
Beginner Birding - 04/26/2025 11:00 AM
Marin Headlands Rodeo Beach Mill Valley
CuriOdyssey Weekend Workshop: Water Wonders - 04/26/2025 01:00 PM
CuriOdyssey San Mateo
ART 101: Rotoscoping Animation - 04/26/2025 01:00 PM
San José Museum of Art San Jose
Sunday, 04/27/2025
From Oakland to the Stars: A weekend celebration of our new exhibit, Universe Unveiled - 04/27/2025 10:00 AM
Chabot Space and Science Center Oakland
Earth Day Celebration - 04/27/2025 11:00 AM
Lawrence Hall of Science Berkeley
Monday, 04/28/2025
Asynchronous Oscillation of the Ca2+-Dependent MLCK-Actomyosin System Defines the Flat Apical Geometry of a Steady State Epithelium - 04/28/2025 12:00 PM
Sonoma State University - Biology Colloquium Rohnert Park
Constraining low-frequency gravitational-wave source populations with cosmological simulations - 04/28/2025 12:10 PM
Campbell Hall, Rm 131 Berkeley
Vaccination and its Historical Discontents - Livestream - 04/28/2025 02:00 PM
UC Berkeley
Status of Circular Electron Positron Collider in China - 04/28/2025 03:30 PM
Stanford Linear Accelerator (SLAC) Colloquium Series Menlo Park
Reflections on nearly 40 years of SSU Physics & Astronomy - RESCHEDULED - 04/28/2025 04:00 PM
Sonoma State University - What Physicists Do Rohnert Park
New Frontiers of Ultraviolet Photodissociation Mass Spectrometry for Biological Molecules - 04/28/2025 04:00 PM
James H. Clark Center (Bldg 340) Stanford
Waves of Topological Origin in the Fluid Earth System and Beyond - 04/28/2025 04:15 PM
Physics North Berkeley
What should I do with my life (in sustainability)? - 04/28/2025 04:30 PM
Stanford University Energy Seminar Stanford