Greetings fellow Science Fans! We trust you have had enough to eat this Thanksgiving weekend and are ready for some science! Well, we have that, and a little more for you.
Start with the nuts!
As I was growing up, one of the highlights of the holidays for me was eating roasted chestnuts. My father would talk about buying bags of them from street vendors in Vienna where he grew up, using them to keep his hands warm (in addition to eating them). I haven’t had them in quite a while, but this Thanksgiving I decided to buy a few and roast them.
Hardly anyone I know has tasted a chestnut. I’m hard pressed to describe the taste too, as it is unique; a little sweet, with a different texture than anything else I know of. They are easy to roast though. When buying them, give the nut a squeeze. If you feel any give in the shell, don’t buy that one as it is most likely moldy on the inside. Cut an “x” in the rounded part of the shell with a sharp knife and roast them for 45 min at 350 degrees. Failure to cut that x may result in explosions in your oven as the steam released during cooking has nowhere to go. You’ve been warned!
The American Chestnut was almost extinct, its demise caused by a fungus. Today, a cross between that American Chestnut and a Chinese Chestnut that is resistant to this fungus is poised to replenish what was once a common tree, especially in the Eastern US, providing it can get governmental approval.
By the way, the Ohio Buckeye tree, which is a type of chestnut, does not produce edible nuts. In fact, they are toxic.
I made some stuffing for Thanksgiving that had, among other things, pecans in it. I’m one of those people who have always been a bit fascinated with how things work, and I came across a video on YouTube on how pecans are harvested. If you’re like me, you’ll find this fascinating. Some of you who live locally may recognize that this same method of harvesting is used on almond and walnut trees here in Silicon Valley.
Medicine and Health
Researchers have completed a small trial using CRISPR gene-editing technology to treat several cancers in humans with success. We are truly living in an amazing technological age!
I’m sure you have heard or seen stories about the increase in influenza cases this year. After two years of mild flu seasons, this year is starting out like it is making up for lost time. Using mRNA technology, the same technology that brought us the Pfizer and Moderna SARS COVID-19 vaccines, we may be just a couple of years away from a universal flu vaccine that won’t have to be reformulated each year for the expected strains of the flu. Wouldn’t that be nice!
Space
There’s lots to talk about from outer space, including a visitor that was detected just hours before it entered Earth’s atmosphere last Saturday. This is only the 6th time an asteroid was spotted before it fell to earth.
This video shows the asteroid passing behind the iconic CN Tower in downtown Toronto just before it broke up and landed in Lake Ontario. Fragments may have hit land.
Another asteroid, one that has been “hiding” in the glare of the sun, has been discovered. This one is big, and a potential threat to Earth in the longer term.
The Aretmis 1 mission to the moon finally got airborne. On day six, the Orion capsule passed 81 miles from the Moon’s surface and snapped some pictures, which NASA released to the public. Our Moon is indeed a harsh place.
Meanwhile on Mars, flight #34 for the Ingenuity helicopter successfully tested some new software that corrected the assumption that the unit was flying over flat ground. Seems like something that should have been in the software from day one to me! The new software is more to test the function for future rovers than to correct Ingenuity, but it is significant nonetheless.
The Webb telescope continues to rack up impressive “firsts”, including a detailed analysis of the atmosphere of WASP-39b, a Saturn-sized planet roughly 700 light years away. This is the first time we’ve been able to analyze a distant planet’s atmosphere in this way.
How about a map of the observable Universe? Be prepared, for you will feel very small and insignificant if you view this map, which I highly recommend doing.
Climate and Ecology
Big Basin Redwoods State Park is the oldest state park in California. It suffered terrible damage during the August 2020 fires that swept through the South Bay hills on both sides. Listen to this podcast (or read the transcript) for a report on the effects of climate change on California, and specifically on this local treasure.
Ancient Egypt
Two hundred years ago this past September, Jean-Francois Champollion made a most significant breakthrough, decoding the so called Rosetta Stone, thereby unlocking the secrets of Egyptian hieroglyphics.
Time
Who would think that keeping track of time would be so difficult! Due to variations in the Earth’s rotation, scientists and standards keepers have introduced various adjustments over the years to keep our calendar and timekeeping in synch with the actual rotation of the planet, and our orbit around the sun. Leap years are the most common adjustments, but they aren’t 100% in line with the actual. Leap seconds are about to become a thing of the past. While we take time for granted, the standardization process behind time is more complicated than you might think.
If you’ve gotten this far, I thank you. I’m going to tell a more personal human interest story now, one that has nothing to do with science, but everything to do with humanity. Skip to the event list if you so desire.
I’ve had somewhat of a fascination with trains since I was a child. I spent a summer with my grandmother and aunt in upstate New York when I was seven. My grandmother lived in a small town that had a railroad junction between the New York Central and Rutland railroads, with small freight yards for each allowing for interchange of cars. During that summer, I got cab rides in the NYC switch engine, cementing my interest in all things rail-related, an interest that remains active today.
Last Sunday, the New York Times magazine cover story was about the Ukrainian Railway, its disorganized history, and how it has become a lifeline as Ukraine resists the Russian invasion. Faithful readers will know that I have a close friend who lives in Ukraine with her almost 3 year old daughter, and I’ve reported here on their status before. I’m happy to report that they are now safe in Germany, although having issues getting registered there. As I read this article, I could not help but imagine her story as it might fit with the stories in the article, and the tenuous nature of our existence. While she escaped by bus, the individuals profiled in this article are just a few of millions of stories from this tortured country. The employees of this railroad are heroes, dedicated to helping their fellow Ukrainians get to safety, as well as supplying food, medicine, and other goods for those staying behind.
I was deeply moved by this article. If you read or listen to it, take note of the author’s own connection to the railroad through her grandmother. Similarly, my father traveled from his home in Vienna to Finland during World War 2, crossing the border to safety on the last train before the Nazi’s closed that border. An hours delay here or there, and I might not be here!
So for that, and for my friend’s safety, I’m thankful. All of us at the SciSchmooze are thankful to the roughly 6,200 of you who receive our missive each week. We believe science education is a good thing and are happy you do also.
Have a great week in Science!
Bob
Upcoming Events:
Click to see the next two weeks of events in your browser.
Monday, 11/28/2022
Insects of the Night - Livestream - 11/28/2022 12:00 PM
Sonoma State Biology Colloquium
Speaker: Kevin Munroe, The Nature Conservancy
Click here to register and receive connection information.
ManyBabies: A global consortium working on large-scale replications and best practices in developmental science - 11/28/2022 12:30 PM
Margaret Jacks Hall (Bldg 460) Stanford
Infant research faces all the same issues that negatively affect replicability and reproducibility in psychology at large. In addition, it deals with a vulnerable population that is challenging to recruit and not terribly compliant once in the lab. These factors potentially increase noise and pose challenges for obtaining adequate sample sizes. ManyBabies (
https://manybabies.github.io
), a network of over 500 researchers across 46 countries on 6 continents, attempts to address these challenges while investigating fundamental questions in early cognitive development. ManyBabies a) Conducts conceptual replications of key findings, b) Uses consensus-based approaches to design studies that robustly test theories, c) works to improve the diversity of researchers, research questions, and participants, and d) promotes transparent research practices such as pre-registration and sharing of stimuli, data, and code. I will give an overview of our mission, organizing principles, and completed and ongoing projects.
Speaker: Heidi Baumgartner, Stanford University
Room 126
UC Berkeley Condensed Matter Physics Seminar - 11/28/2022 02:30 PM
Physics North Berkeley
Speaker: Shahal Ilani
See weblink for Zoom information.
Clock for quantum and fundamental physics - 11/28/2022 04:15 PM
Physics North Berkeley
Precise control of quantum states of matter and innovative laser technology are revolutionizing the performance of atomic clocks and metrology, providing opportunities to observe emerging phenomena and explore fundamental physics. Recent advances include measurement of the gravitation time dilation over sub-millimeter distances and incorporating spin entanglement in clock operations.
Speaker: Jun Ye, University of Colorado, Boulder
Commissioner Darcie Houck, California Public Utilities Commission- Livestream - 11/28/2022 04:30 PM
Stanford Energy Seminar
Commissioner Darcie L. Houck was appointed to the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) by Governor Gavin Newsom on Feb. 9, 2021. She formerly served as Chief Counsel for the California Energy Commission since 2019.
Commissioner Houck was an Administrative Law Judge at the CPUC from 2016 to 2019, a Partner at Fredericks Peebles & Morgan from 2005 to 2016, and Staff Counsel and Policy Advisor at the California Energy Commission from 2000 to 2005.
Commissioner Houck has expertise in matters concerning environmental equity, nuclear energy regulation, and safety policy. She has an extensive background representing Native American tribes throughout the country on matters involving energy, natural resources, land claims, and water rights, among others.
Commissioner Houck is a member of the California Indian Law Association, California Lawyers Association, Schwartz-Levi Inn of Court, Women Lead and the Association of Women in Water, Energy, and Environment. She earned a law degree from the University of California, where she also earned a Master of Science in community development.
Tuesday, 11/29/2022
Sleep and circadian misalignment during spaceflight - Livestream - 11/29/2022 12:00 PM
Stanford University
Speaker: Erid Flynn-Evans, NASA Ames Research Center Fatigue Countermeasures Laboratory
New insights into the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation instabilities during the last glacial cycle - 11/29/2022 03:30 PM
Earth and Marine Sciences Building Santa Cruz
Speaker: Yuxin Zhou, UC Santa Barbara
Cosmic Explorer - a next-gen gravitational-wave observatory - 11/29/2022 03:30 PM
Hewlett Teaching Center Stanford
With almost 100 gravitational-wave sources detected to-date, and the first-generation facilities now over 20-years old, there is growing momentum towards the next-generation of gravitational-wave observatories. Projects are underway in Europe, Australia, Japan, India and the US to bring new ground-based observatories online. These audio-band observatories will be complemented by a wide range of efforts targeting other gravitational-wave frequency-bands. In this talk, I will focus on the US effort to build a next-generation observatory, known as Cosmic Explorer.
Speakers: Matthew Evans, Massachusets Institute of Technology
Wonderfest: The Mathematics of Language - 11/29/2022 07:00 PM
Hopmonk Tavern Novato
If your native language (Irish, Igbo, Ilocano, . . .) is threatened by competition from another language (likely English!), and if preserving that language is important, what options do you have? Which approach to language preservation is most likely to be effective? Or... How much time do you have before the language is effectively dead? Surprisingly, tools from mathematical ecology, physics, and other seemingly remote fields have been adapted to answer questions about the evolution, competition, and even origin of human languages.
Speaker: Ben Ford, Sonoma State University
This event was originally scheduled on September 27, 2022.
Wednesday, 11/30/2022
The Science of Communicating Climate Change - Livestream - 11/30/2022 10:00 AM
Marine Mammal Center
As important as knowing the climate science, social science provides evidence-based practices that allow us to communicate climate science more effectively. In this session, you will be introduced to the work of the National Network for Ocean and Climate Change Interpretation (NNOCCI), a collective of over 500 climate communicators. Learn how specific values and metaphors make your audience more receptive to climate change messaging and join a community of communicators changing the national discourse to be more positive, civic-minded, and solutions-focused.
Register at weblink
Chromatin Club Bay Area - In Person Symposium - 11/30/2022 11:00 AM
Genentech Hall San Francisco
The Chromatin Club Bay Area was founded to foster a scientific community between Stanford, Berkeley, UC San Francisco, UC Santa Cruz, UC Davis, UC Merced and others. We organize monthly online seminars during which three scientists from our institutions present their work, and semi-annual in person meetings each quarter to facilitate networking between researchers.
The scientific focus of the Chromatin Club Bay Area is broad and aims at bridging basic and translational epigenetic research.
This in-person event will take place at the UC San Francisco, Mission Bay Campus in the Genentech Hall Atrium. Multiple presentations will be featured, as well as a poster and networking sessions. Lunch and refreshments will be provided.
Invited Speakers:
King Hung - Chang Lab, Stanford University: Oncogenes Outside ChromosomesOsman Sharifi - LaSalle Lab, UC Davis: Longitudinal Cortical snRNA-Seq Reveals Sexually Dimorphic Cellular Trajectories of Disease Progression in a Mouse Model of Rett SyndromeMohammad Qasim - Hernday Lab, UC Merced: TBAEliana Bondra - Rine Lab, UC Berkeley: TBAUpasna Sharma - Assistant Professor, UC Santa Cruz: TBA
Attendance is free of charge, but registration is required.
Making a head: how regulatory conservation underlies body plan disparity in deuterostomes - 11/30/2022 12:00 PM
James H. Clark Center (Bldg 340) Stanford
Professor Christopher Lowe trained as a biologist in the UK at Sussex University. He moved to The USA for graduate training with Greg Wray at SUNY Stonybrook in the Department of Ecology and Evolution, where he worked on the evolution of body plans and the origin of echinoderms. Following his PhD. he worked as a Miller Fellow at UC Berkeley working on the origin of chordates focusing on the evolution of the vertebrate central nervous system, first in Mike Levine's lab, then with John Gerhart and Marc Kirschner from Harvard. His first academic position was as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Organismal Biology and Anatomy at the University of Chicago in 2005. He moved to Stanford in 2010 and his lab is based at Hopkins Marine Station in Monterey.
His main research interests involve how major groups of animals evolved and is interested in adapting emerging techniques in biotechnology to apply to new species. His appointment at Hopkins Marine Station gives him access to the incredible biodiversity of the marine environment in Monterey Bay.
Room: Auditorium
Editor's Note: This event was originally scheduled for November 14.
Response of the Delta and Estuary to a major change in wastewater nutrient loading - Livestream - 11/30/2022 03:30 PM
Estuary & Ocean Science Center
Speaker: Brian Bergamaschi, US Geological Survey
Register at weblink to receive Zoom information
This event was originally scheduled for April 20, 2022
The James Webb Space Telescope: Our Giant Eye on the Invisible Sky - 11/30/2022 05:30 PM
Commonwealth Club San Francisco
The early images from the James Webb Space Telescope have been applauded by scientists, the media, and the public. But there is far more to our expectations from this remarkable space instrument than just pretty pictures. In this introductory talk, astronomer and educator Andrew Fraknoi explains what makes the Webb a truly pioneering instrument, what the early images actually show, and what scientists expect the telescope to accomplish in years to come. In the process, he discusses how the Webb observes an "invisible universe" of infrared rays, and what astronomers are hoping to learn from it about "cosmic evolution" -- the birth and death of stars, planets, and galaxies. No background in science is required to understand this program.
Speaker: Andrew Fraknoi teaches astronomy and physics at the Fromm Institute at the University of San Francisco and the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at SF State University. He is the lead author of the most frequently used introductory astronomy textbook in the country, Astronomy, published online by the nonprofit OpenStax project; Gerald Harris, Commonwealth Club, Moderator
Attend in person or online.
Use discount code Wonderfest2022 for a $10 discount
Hardcore Natural History: Nature's Extreme Events! - 11/30/2022 06:00 PM
Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History Pacific Grove
Join us for a panel discussion on the science behind nature's most extreme moments. Climate change, tectonic movement, weather events and more will be discussed. Be sure to come with lots of questions and enjoy a spread of small bites and drinks beforehand.
Big Data to Find Treatments for Long COVID - 11/30/2022 07:30 PM
Marin Science Seminar San Rafael
Speaker: Art Wallace, VA Medical Center, San Francisco and UC San Francisco
Thursday, 12/01/2022
Our Lonely Sun: How Multiple Star Systems Form (or don't) - 12/01/2022 11:00 AM
Kavli Institute Astrophysics Colloquium Stanford
Most stars are born with one or more stellar companions. Observational advances over the last decade have enabled high-resolution, interferometric studies of forming multiple systems and statistical surveys of multiplicity in star-forming regions. These have yielded new insights into how such systems form and how multiplicity affects disk evolution and planetary architectures. In this talk, I will review recent observational discoveries of the youngest multiple systems. I will present the results of star cluster simulations modeling the formation and evolution of multiple systems, and I will discuss the role of dynamics and environment in setting stellar multiplicity. Finally, I will highlight remaining numerical and observational challenges.
Speaker: Stella Offner, University of Texas, Austin
Ecological and Evolutionary Responses of Phytoplankton to Global Change and Their Potential for Climate Change Mitigation - 12/01/2022 12:00 PM
Polya Hall Stanford
Phytoplankton are key primary producers performing half of Earth's carbon fixation, forming the base of aquatic food webs, and driving major biogeochemical cycles. The global analysis of phytoplankton thermal traits shows that warming may change phytoplankton biodiversity, with tropical regions being especially vulnerable, and that the interactions of temperature with nutrient limitation may exacerbate the negative effects of rising temperatures. I will also show that, although phytoplankton can evolve greater tolerance of high temperatures, widespread nutrient limitation in the ocean may diminish phytoplankton adaptive capacity. I will conclude my talk by discussing the potential of phytoplankton for climate mitigation, focusing on ocean fertilization for CO2 removal.
Speaker: Elena Litchman, Carnegie Institution
NightLife: Holiday Bazaar - 12/01/2022 06:00 PM
California Academy of Sciences San Francisco
Whether you've been naughty or nice this year, everyone's invited to shop the halls at our annual eclectic holiday market curated by SF Bazaar. Looking for original artwork? We got you. Handmade jewelry or gourmet chocolate? Yep, got that too. With nearly 40 local makers and merchants in attendance, there's a little something for everyone at this fan favorite holiday NightLife. Plus, our friends at San Franpsycho will be in the building live screen-printing an exclusive NightLife x Holiday Bazaar design, available for purchase for those who want a one-of-a-kind souvenir commemorating this festive night.
See weblink for list of participating vendors
After Dark: Light Science - 12/01/2022 06:00 PM
ExplOratorium San Francisco
Light is all around us, bringing energy and color to our world in a whole spectrum of ways. Tonight, learn about the science of what makes things glow, and experience demos from artists and makers who harness light to transformative effect. Wander our galleries and discover a collection of luminous sculptures that invite you to connect and get inspired.
NightSchool: World's Most Endangered - Livestream - 12/01/2022 07:00 PM
California Academy of Sciences
Cycads are older than dinosaurs and more endangered than any other group of organisms on Earth, but for something with those impressive superlatives, their plight is woefully obscure. If you've ever looked at dinosaur art, you know what cycads look like: They're the flora in the background, palm-like but with stout trunks and large cones. Learn all about this fascinating group of plants, their intriguing reproductive cycle, and the cutting-edge DNA techniques researchers are using to help save them, all in this special NightSchool episode in honor of Dr. Nathalie Nagalingum, the Academy's McAllister Chair and Associate Curator of Botany.
Speakers: Maia Jones, Jian Liu, and Manuel Lujan
Friday, 12/02/2022
Coastal Walk at Cowell-Purisima Trail - 12/02/2022 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 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
Ganymede's internal structure with Bayesian inference using Juno and Galileo data - 12/02/2022 12:00 PM
Earth and Marine Sciences Building Santa Cruz
Speaker: Anton Ermakov, UC Berkeley
Autonomous Big Data Collection and Analysis in Electron Microscopy - 12/02/2022 02:00 PM
Tan Hall Berkeley
The promise of incorporating "big data" into the advancement of science is that it will accelerate our ability to discover new materials and phenomena; however, significant hurdles to this exciting future still exist. Electron microscopy (EM) is known for its ability to study materials at the sub-nanometer scale down to the single atom level. Recent advances in detectors and lens optics also greatly improved the capability to measure multiple signals (real-space, reciprocal-space, and spectroscopy) simultaneously. Its capabilities for high resolution limit single EM experiments to measuring relatively small amounts of material making it difficult to link results with other ensemble measurements. This talk will discuss work on implementing automated experimental data acquisition and high performance computing into EM workflows. Automation enables the ability to measure materials properties from thousands of individual particles or grains spread over large fields of view with nearly identical microscope parameters and without human intervention. This can generate large data sets requiring sophisticated data analysis pipelines to provide statistically relevant results. We have found that the greatest improvements in productivity are gained when rapid feedback is provided during or immediately after an experiment. As such, this talk will also discuss large scale data analysis techniques based on traditional statistical methods and machine learning.
Speaker Dr. Peter Ericius, Lawrence Berkeley National Lab
First Friday - Moving to Mars - 12/02/2022 06:00 PM
Chabot Space and Science Center Oakland
This year, in early December, it will be the best time to view Mars and it is a great time to look forward to NASA's Mission to Mars. Join NASA and SETI scientist Pascal Lee as they explore the beauty of the Martian landscape and discuss how art has influenced modern spacecraft and rocketry. The event will showcase a 1/4 functional scale model of the Curiosity Mars rover along with fun hands-on activities that will spark your imagination. Delve into some space art making for the whole family and learn things behave differently in the vacuum of space than they do under the influence of a Martian atmosphere. Come experiment with how different materials behave in a real vacuum chamber to understand why atmospheric pressure is so important! Music, beer, wine and food available
Forget the holiday gingerbread house this season. Stop by our Studio 1 to make an edible Mars rover.
Planetarium Shows MAGICAL, MYTHICAL, MUDDY, MARS! (35 min) We're going to Mars - and you can come with us! Are you ready for the adventure of a lifetime? Mars has sparked the human imagination for millennia, conjuring visions of supernatural deities, extraterrestrial civilizations, and otherworldly landscapes. And now, the detection of water has reenergized our imagination, focusing our attention on the planet next door to Earth in hope of finding unearthly life on the Red Planet. Come and join the greatest exploration in history, to Mars!
Introduction to Astrophotography - 12/02/2022 08:00 PM
College of San Mateo Bldg 36 San Mateo
Have you ever wondered how astronomers take a picture of another galaxy or celestial object? In this presentation, you will hear how amateur astronomers produce these images. This includes the required equipment, what an imaging session looks like, and finally, an overview of processing data into a final image. Whether you are a casual observer or just getting started, this presentation will provide you insight into astrophotography. Former SMCAS president, Frank Seminaro, will give this presentation and also display some recent SMCAS member images. The presentation will be followed by a Q&A session with experienced SMCAS astrophotographers.
Speaker: Frank Seminaro, San Mateo County Astronomical Society
Presentation in Planetarium
Quantum Paradigm for Machine Learning - Livestream - 12/02/2022 08:30 PM
IEEE Computer Society of Silicon Valley
The area of quantum machine learning (QML) is a young one and is expanding quickly. QML builds artificial intelligence that utilises quantum technology to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of learning algorithms. In order to overcome the difficulties of merging quantum computation and machine learning and to advance our understanding in this field, strong interdisciplinary cooperation are required. The lecture's objectives are to introduce QML to the audience and to examine the field's scope as well as its technical difficulties.
Speaker: Amlan Chakrabarti, Universityof Calcutta, India
Register at weblink to receive connection information
Saturday, 12/03/2022
North Coyote Valley December BioBlitz - 12/03/2022 09:00 AM
North Coyote Valley Conservation Area San Jose
Explore the North Coyote Valley Conservation Area with SCVAS! Join us for a BioBlitz to explore the plants and animals that call this part of the Coyote Valley home! Gates will be open to the public from 9AM to 12PM.
We will be using iNaturalist to catalog organisms big and small and creating a publicly accessible project to document our findings. Naturalists will be on hand to help the public explore their surroundings and to direct discoveries.
You can learn more about BioBlitzes and the work of the BioBlitz Club here.
Register at weblink
Glow Fest - 12/03/2022 11:00 AM
ExplOratorium San Francisco
Watch science come to light at Glow Fest! Dig into the art and science of light at this all-ages celebration. Enjoy hands-on activities that illuminate the how of light. Catch a glimpse of bioluminescent creatures and learn why they glow. Experience demos from artists and makers who harness light to transformative effect. Wander our galleries and discover a collection of luminous sculptures that invite you to connect and get inspired.
Fort Point Candlelight Tour - 12/03/2022 06:30 PM
Fort Point San Francisco
The Candlelight Tour of Fort Point is a popular guided program that allows visitors to experience the fort in a new light. This evening tour will maze through the shadows of the historic structure by candlelight and visitors will see the glimmering lights of the Golden Gate Bridge towering up above them. Upon arrival, a park ranger will check-in guests and provide visitors with a lantern. A ranger will lead this 90-minute excursion and interpret the history and the life that once existed within the old brick walls of Fort Point.
The Candlelight Tour explores all four level of the fort including the roof (approximately 76 steps). Visitors will be invited to engage in dialogue as they learn about the fascinating and sometimes complex history of the fort, its role in San Francisco history, and its cultural relevance today. Recommended age for this tour is 12 years and up.
Visitors with reservations will begin their tour when the fort is otherwise inaccessible to the public.
Sunday, 12/04/2022
Straw Rocket Workshop - 12/04/2022 11:00 AM
Hiller Aviation Museum San Carlos
Each Air Rocket Blastoff features an introduction to rocketry and Newton's Third Law of Motion, including an exploration of a real JPL rocket on display at the Hiller Aviation Museum. Following a demonstration, participants construct a high-performance straw rocket, then launch it across the museum with a calibrated burst of air.
Wonderfest: Good Night Oppy + James Webb Space Telescope - 12/04/2022 01:00 PM
Cameo Cinema St. Helena
Wonderfest joins St. Helena's Cameo Cinema to present a heavenly double feature: first, the remarkable true story of NASA's Opportunity rover (which ventured to Mars for a 90-day mission, but survived - and explored - for 15 years!), followed by Q&A with legendary astrophysicist Dr. Alex Filippenko (discussing both the exploration of Mars AND the promise of NASA's new James Webb Space Telescope, JWST). This special two-for-one event is a national Science On Screen presentation.
Speaker: Dr. Alex Filippenko is the Richard & Rhoda Goldman Distinguished Professor in the Physicsal Sciences and Professor of Astronomy at UC Berkeley. Alex has earned Wonderfest's Carl Sagan Prize for Science Popularization, and he is an esteemed member of Wonderfest's Board of Directors.
Afternoon Hike at Mindego Hill - 12/04/2022 02:00 PM
Skyline Ridge Open Space Preserve Los Altos
Join Peninsula Open Space Trust for a beautiful 5-mile hike from the Russian Ridge Open Space Preserve to the top of the POST-protected Mindego Hill. You will be guided by POST ambassadors who will share details about how we protected this beautiful property featuring panoramic views of redwood ridges and undulating hillsides.
The hike is strenuous at about 5 miles round trip with about 1,000 feet of elevation gain, so be prepared for a workout! Athletic wear and sturdy shoes are recommended! If you'd like to bring your own hiking poles, you're more than welcome.
Protected by POST and recently opened to the public by the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District, Mindego Hill is an excellent example of how POST works with various partners to protect some of the most threatened lands in our area.
Monday, 12/05/2022
Snake Fungal Disease: Distribution and Monitoring Techniques - 12/05/2022 12:00 PM
Sonoma State University - Biology Colloquium Rohnert Park
Speaker: Raquel Elander, California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Symbolic Systems Forum - Livestream - 12/05/2022 12:30 PM
Stanford University
Speaker: Anne Charity Hudley
Marine Mammal Monday: Seal and Sea Lion Superstars of 2022 - Livestream - 12/05/2022 04:00 PM
Marine Mammal Center
This month we reminisce about our patient superstars! Dozens of marine mammals, ranging from California Sea Lions to endangered Hawaiian Monk Seals, were rescued in 2022. Learn about how our team of dedicated volunteers and veterinarians are able to heal these sick, injured and orphaned patients so that they can be released to their ocean home for the holidays!
Marine Mammal Monday presentations will be broadcast live on The Marine Mammal Center's YouTube channel. You do not need an account to watch the live broadcast. Just visit the Center's YouTube page at 4pm PT on the day of the event.
Asteroid Mining: Stepping Stones to Solar System Exploration - 12/05/2022 07:30 PM
California Academy of Sciences San Francisco
Since its inception, NASA has promoted a vision of space exploration that involves missions and outposts within the inner solar system with supplies delivered from Earth's surface, the Moon, or Mars. Recent research suggests an additional scenario in which humans live in space supported by resources extracted from asteroids, beginning with the most accessible Near Earth Objects (NEOs). NEOs are a cost-effective approach because they contain available, exploitable extraterrestrial resources that are delivered to the inner solar system by gravitational perturbations from the planets, they have been naturally preprocessed into objects the ideal size for industrial operations, and they contain critical materials for cost-effective self-sustaining activities in space.
Speaker: Robert Jedicke, University of Hawaii Institute for Astronomy
Tuesday, 12/06/2022
Learning-Augmented Algorithms for Safety-Critical Systems - 12/06/2022 04:00 PM
Calvin Laboratory Berkeley
Hot and cold hummingbirds: The ecology, physiology, and genes of cold endotherms - 12/06/2022 04:00 PM
James H. Clark Center (Bldg 340) Stanford
Myths and Facts of Healthy Aging - 12/06/2022 05:30 PM
Commonwealth Club San Francisco
The James Webb Space Telescope: Shedding light on Dark Matter and Dark Energy - 12/06/2022 07:00 PM
Lathrop Library Stanford
Wednesday, 12/07/2022
Building Organizational Engagement and Advocacy - Livestream - 12/07/2022 04:00 PM
Acterra
New Variant Discovery in the Era of Complete Genomes - 12/07/2022 05:45 PM
UC Santa Cruz Silicon Valley Campus Santa Clara
The Sun is Not Always Happy: Space Weather and the Question of Human Survivability - Livestream - 12/07/2022 07:00 PM
Silicon Valley Astronomy Series
Thursday, 12/08/2022
Dr. Mary Bowerman Science & Research Colloquium - 12/08/2022 09:00 AM
David Brower Center Berkeley
Coastal Walk at Cowell-Purisima Trail - 12/08/2022 10:00 AM
Cowell Purisima Coastal Trailhead Half Moon Bay
Looking Ahead Together: Cyversity and CLTC End-of-Year Reception - 12/08/2022 05:00 PM
David Brower Center Berkeley
NightLife - 12/08/2022 06:00 PM
California Academy of Sciences San Francisco
The Seaside Heermann's Gulls - Livestream - 12/08/2022 06:00 PM
San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory
How to Modulate your Microbiome with Food to Improve Health and Treat Disease - Livestream - 12/08/2022 06:00 PM
San Mateo Public Library
Gods and Robots: Imagining Artificial Life in Antiquity - Livestream - 12/08/2022 07:30 PM
Bay Area Skeptics
Wonderfest: Understanding Human Populations - Livestream - 12/08/2022 08:00 PM
Wonderfest
Saturday, 12/10/2022
Science of Light - 12/10/2022 12:00 PM
California Nursery Historical Park Fremont
Fort Point Candlelight Tour - 12/10/2022 06:30 PM
Fort Point San Francisco
Sunday, 12/11/2022
Solar Observing - 12/11/2022 01:30 PM
San Jose Astronomical Association San Jose
Monday, 12/12/2022
Democratizing NLP: considerations from resources to algorithms - Livestream - 12/12/2022 06:30 PM
IEEE Computer Society of Silicon Valley