Hello again Science Fans!
Salut encore les amateurs de science ! (Canadian French)
Bonjour à nouveau, fans de science ! (France French)
Bonjou ankò Fanatik Syans! (Haitian Creole)
I guess we could be considered fans, amateurs, and/or fanatiks.
2025
Thanks to Phil Plait, The Bad Astronomer, 2025 is mathematically unusual.
2025 = 452
2025 = 92 x 52
2025 = 402 + 202 + 52
2025 = (1+2+3+4+5+6+7+8+9)2 [square of the sum of the first 9 integers]
2025 = 13 + 23 + 33 + 43 + 53 + 63 + 73 + 83 + 93 [sum of the first 9 integers cubed]
We’ve made it to 2025, but let us raise a glass of non-alcoholic beverage to honor those who are no longer here. ¿Non-alcoholic? The Surgeon General wants all of us to be aware of the dangers of alcohol consumption. One of every thousand deaths in the U.S. is attributable to alcohol-induced cancers and drunk-driving. When alcohol-induced health problems - like liver cirrhosis - are included, nearly 500 people die per day from alcohol-related causes.
I’ve been drinking non-alcoholic beers for many months. Quite a few breweries are competing in the zero alcohol market to make the best tasting beer. I plan to have a non-alcoholic beer tasting party -- double-blind of course. Also on my list: non-alcoholic wines.
Weirdness: Non-alcoholic beers cannot go through self-checkout lines in California as they are considered “alcoholic beverages.”
BIOLOGY
Microfossils of cyanobacteria dating back 1.75 billion years show clear signs of containing chloroplasts - the organelles that use sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide to create oxygen and glucose. Putatively, cyanobacteria were photosynthesizing far earlier since the Great Oxygenation Event dates to 2.4 billion years ago. But the very first chloroplasts were likely independent organisms before a cyanobacterium engulfed one and the two started a partnership dynasty that continues today. That process is known as endosymbiosis. Similarly, the ingestion of - and partnership with - mitochondria resulted in cells that did not need to consume others for energy, allowing the development of multicellular organisms. (That’s what we are: big multicellular organisms!)
A team of biologists recently succeeded in creating a symbiotic pair by injecting a bacterium, Mycetohabitans rhizoxinica, into a fungus, Rhizopus microsporus. The two organisms adjusted to each other and after several generations the fungus cannot reproduce without its bacterium tenant.
Some extremophile bacteria live in complete darkness and feed on minerals. ¿Could there be bacteria-like organisms living on Mars that evolved when the planet was more hospitable?
One of Earth’s most evolved mammals is the Southern Marsupial Mole (which is not a mole). Recent DNA analysis (of a long-dead museum specimen) indicates Its closest relatives are the bandicoots, and the two diverged about 60 million years ago. It is so highly adapted for living underground that it has no eyes and the male’s testes are internal - no scrotum scraping tunnel floors. (Ouch!)
RAFFLE
We are offering a Newton’s Cradle that’s about 17cm tall. Just send an email before noon Friday to david.almandsmith [at] gmail.com with your guess of an integer between 0 and 1,000. Last time, Vikram guessed closest to the randomly generated 983 to win a pair of science-themed socks.
CLIMATE
Radar and Lidar measurements from satellites reveal that Greenland has lost over 2,300 cubic kilometers of ice in the last 14 years. Watch a video representation of that melting in this article.
A Montana law made it illegal to consider climate impacts when reviewing new construction projects - like fossil-fueled power plants. A suit brought by youth repealed that law in a lower court. The fossil fuel industry appealed. The Montana Supreme Court just ruled in favor of the youth, Yay!
As was done in Washington D.C. and Denver, California recently began subsidizing the purchase of e-bikes. Subsidies are based on the type of e-bike and income of the applicant. The system maxed out almost immediately and is currently on hold.
California again. The California Energy Commission approved $1.4 billion for EV charging stations and hydrogen fueling stations. Badly needed. On a trip to SoCal in our EV, we had to wait over an hour in line to use one of only 5 charging stations within 60 kilometers. Starting in March, however, we will be able to use Tesla charging stations.
Half of Alaska’s 8 million Murres (Uria aalga, a seabird) died as a result of an ocean warming event. (I grew quite fond of these birds - which are also found locally - during my 7 years at International Bird Rescue.)
Dr. Katharine Hayhoe is my favorite warrior in the fight against climate change. Here is a recent newsletter of hers laying out the human cost of climate change and what we as individuals can do about it.
MY PICKS of the WEEK (Hint: save dates & times to your mobile phone)
Whales and California Marine Sanctuaries Wed 5:30 - 7pm, Santa Clara
Lone Survivors: Neanderthals, Denisovans, and Us Livestream Thurs 6:30pm
Santa Cruz Fungus Fair Fri 2 - 5pm, $
Foothills Family Nature Walk Sat 11am, Los Altos
MEDICINE / HEALTH
Here’s a surprise: Internet use coincides with mental health in 50+ year olds. But remember, correlation does not imply causation. (As i bounce around the World Wide Web, i consider that i may be a counterexample.)
People living in the United States are experiencing more years of ill-health than elsewhere, but they are living longer than before. The article distinguishes ‘lifespan’ from ‘healthspan’. Residents of England and Wales live 2.7 years longer than us on average due to heart disease, overdoses, firearm violence, and motor vehicle crashes - in that order.
If you are a middle-aged mouse, you should consider reducing your intake of isoleucine. You might healthily live a few months longer. ¿Is this related to a calorie-restricted diet for longevity? Dunno.
PALEONTOLOGY
The featured photo from Oxfordshire gives us some perspective as to the size of Cetiosaurus: 15 meters long from nose to tail tip; 3 meters tall at the hips; weighing up to 11 tonnes; and honking huge feet. Of the 200 dinosaur footprints found in this quarry, some belong to Megalosaurus, which tipped the scales at a mere 3 tonnes or so.
Across the Channel in France, a Titanosaur fossil was found by a man and his dog. Titanosaurs tipped the scales around 13 tonnes.
Uncover and identify a dinosaur fossil in a mere 7 steps!
SCIENCE-BASED SKEPTICISM
Four “Flat-Earthers” were treated to a trip to the Antarctic. Why? Because flat Earth ‘theories’ have difficulty accounting for 24-hours of daylight in the far south of the planet. They experienced around-the-clock daylight and responded variously. From ‘maybe i could be wrong’ to ‘a need to refine the flat earth construct’ to ‘makes no difference, the Earth is flat’. The article includes a 52-minute video.
Chatting with the Debunkbot was fun. I asserted that Lee Harvey Oswald was tasked with assassinating President Kennedy by representatives of the Cuban government. Debunkbot and i had a fascinating exchange. I recommend you present some conspiracy with Debunkbot and see where it takes you. Fun.
You could earn a Schrödinger’s diploma from Quantum University that will be in the dual state of being both real and not real. Ms. Jody Toor did exactly that. She is a current member of the Legislative Assembly for the British Columbia electoral district of Langley-Willowbrook in Canada.
FUN (?) NERDY VIDEOS
First “hand-held” calculator: $6,000 - Show & Tell - Joe Schwarcz - 2 mins
Biggest Physics News of 2024 - Sabine Hossenfelder - 8 mins
Searching for the Source of a Common “Fact” - Kurzgesagt - 10.5 mins
Rationality and the Political Divide - Veritaseum - Derek Muller - 12 mins
Gravitational Memory - SciShow - Niba Audrey Nirmal - 13 mins
Mystery of a 300-year-old Megaquake - PBS Terra - Joe Hanson - 13 mins
The Year in Computer Science - Quanta magazine - 11 Mins
Phase Transitions, Ising Model, Scale Invariance, Universality Classes - Up & Atom - Jade Tan-Holmes – 17 mins
¿What If The Universe DID NOT Start With The Big Bang? - PBS SpaceTime - Matt O’Dowd - 19 mins
JWST and Dark Matter Controversy - Dr. Becky - Becky Smethurst - 24 mins
Quantum Computing & Communications - The Future with Hannah Fry - 24 mins
Mercola: Know the Risks - McGill University - Jonathan Jarry - 55 mins
This week practice compassion where needed and empathy everywhere,
Dave Almandsmith
Bay Area Skeptics
"If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion."
14th Dalai Lama (1935 - ) Highest spiritual leader and head of Tibetan Buddhism
Upcoming Events:
Click to see the next two weeks of events in your browser.
Tuesday, 01/07/2025
From economic geology to ocean chemistry: the wide range of information that can be obtained from a humble pyrite grain - 01/07/2025 12:00 PM
Braun (Geology) Corner (Bldg 320), Rm 220 Stanford
From economic geology to ocean chemistry: the wide range of information that can be obtained from a humble pyrite grain
Pyrite incorporates a portion of several trace elements dissolved in the fluids from which it formed. Thus, trace element analysis of pyrite grains can give us information of these past fluids with applications as varied as understanding changes in ocean chemistry to identifying ore deposit type. We have analysed over 1400 pyrite grains from sedimentary rocks through geologic time using laser ablation ICPMS. Periods in geologic time when several trace elements are enriched in pyrite match with times where whole rock analyses of redox sensitive trace elements also show enrichments. This suggests that pyrite chemistry, like these traditional whole rock studies, can be used to understand changes in ocean chemistry and the atmosphere through Earth history. In this presentation we evaluate the efficacy of this by investigating nano-scale zoning of pyrite framboids from euxinically formed pyrite, the most likely pyrite to retain the trace element signature of the water column from which it formed.
Pyrite also incorporates trace elements from hydrothermal fluids. Because pyrite forms in many different deposits and those deposits have different fluid compositions pyrite chemistry should be a viable way to identify ore deposit type. This is important as near surface deposits are increasingly exploited and new, large deposits will be found at deeper and deeper depths. If pyrite can be utilized to identify ore deposit type it will allow for application of geological models early in an exploration program enhancing efficiency of the drilling. In this study we a Random Forest data learning algorithm to identify ore deposit signatures based on the trace element composition of the pyrite associated with them. We will also present a combination of LA-ICPMS, synchrotron XRF mapping and XANES analysis to identify redox fluctuations in the formation of a gold deposit.
Speaker: Daniel Gregory, University of Toronto
Attend in person or online (see weblink)
Wednesday, 01/08/2025
Pathways to a Decarbonized French Grid - 01/08/2025 04:30 PM
Stanford University Energy Seminar Stanford
RTE is the French Transmission System Operator, the biggest in Europe. RTE is exploring electrical pathways to carbon neutrality, fulfilling France and Europe's ambitious targets by 2050. In this desirable future, the electricity consumption will move from 25% to 60% of the France' final energy consumption, supplied by a mix of renewables and nuclear power plants to decarbonize industries, transport, housing. Xavier Piechaczyk will explain how the French power system has already begun to change, and what the keys to success are for the transformation ahead. He will provide highlights from comprehensive RTE studies such as "Energy pathways to 2050" and RTE's most recent Network Development Plan.
Speaker Xavier Piechaczyk, RTE
Attend in person or online (see weblink for connection information)
Marine mammal science and sanctuaries in California coastal waters - 01/08/2025 05:30 PM
UC Santa Cruz Silicon Valley Campus Santa Clara
Marine mammals are sentinels of changing oceans. Baleen whales, due to their massive size and energetic needs, can only thrive in regions where ocean conditions support exceptional productivity. The presence of these majestic creatures signals robust marine ecosystems, while their absence may warn of declining ocean health. California's coastal waters host a remarkable diversity of marine mammals and are part of one of the world's largest networks of National Marine Sanctuaries. However, these animals face numerous threats, including collisions with shipping traffic, entanglement in fishing gear, chronic stress from underwater noise, and contamination from pollutants originating on land.
In this engaging Kraw Lecture, Professor Ari Friedlaender will share an innovative research program that uses cutting-edge technologies to study the challenges baleen whales face in California's marine sanctuaries. Learn how this research aims to better protect these sentinel animals and preserve the health of our oceans for future generations.
Register at weblink. Lecture begins at 6:00 pm.
Thursday, 01/09/2025
The importance of geophysics in understanding the dynamics of the terrestrial Arctic due to warmer climate - 01/09/2025 12:00 PM
Mitchell Earth Sciences Building (04-560) Stanford
The surface temperatures in Svalbard in the Norwegian Arctic have shown to dramatically increase along with global warming over the last few decades. The average temperature in Longyearbyen in Svalbard has increased by approximately 4 degrees Celsius since the opening of the University Studies at Svalbard about 30 years ago. Increased temperatures cause thawing of sediments, retreating glaciers and general destabilization of the ground. Heat flux into the frozen tundra causes frozen and stiff sediments to soften, which have significant effects on their elastic and seismic properties. Extensive thawing of the Cryosphere may cause severe emissions of climate gases.
Geophysical methods will be important for revealing such ongoing near-surface dynamic processes caused by a warmer climate. In this presentation I will show examples on the use of active and passive seismic methods, and assisted by GPR data, for studying such phenomena, and, furthermore, emphasize the generics of methods already established and used by the oil and gas industry.
Speaker: Tor Arne Johansen, University of Bergen, Norway
Attend in person or online
Room 350/372
What to Expect in 2025 in Space Science - Livestream - 01/09/2025 02:30 PM
SETI Institute
Happy New Year! 2024 brought us a lot of exciting space news, from a total solar eclipse to the launch of Europa Clipper and our celebration of 40 years as the SETI Institute. What does 2025 hold? Join hosts Beth Johnson and Franck Marchis for our first show of the year, taking a look at new ground and space telescopes, planned missions and milestones, as well as the various eclipses. Plus, Saturn's rings will be "disappearing"!
GE Vernova President Jessica Uhl - 01/09/2025 04:30 PM
ChEM-H/Neuroscience Building, Gunn Rotunda (E241) Stanford
GE Vernova was established in 2024 when General Electric spun off its energy businesses, including GE Power, GE Renewable Energy, and GE Digital.
Building on 130+ years of experience, GE Vernova is leading a new energy era - electrifying the world while working to decarbonize it. With a portfolio of 55,000 wind turbines and 7,000 gas turbines, GE Vernova generates about 25% of the world's electricity, driving the global energy transition forward.
Speaker: Jessica Uhl, GE Vernova
Register at weblink to attend in person or online
NightLife x Soulovely - 01/09/2025 06:00 PM
California Academy of Sciences San Francisco
Slide through for NightLife's first-ever musical artists-in-residence with Oakland's groundbreaking cultural affair Soulovely featuring Aima the Dreamer, Lady Ryan, Emancipation, and more.
Plus, you can:
Step inside the iconic Shake House and our four-story Osher Rainforest, where you can explore the Amazon's treetops surrounded by free-flying birds and butterflies.
Venture into our aquarium exhibit Venom to encounter live venomous animals and learn the power of venom to both harm and heal.
Visit the BigPicture exhibit in the Piazza to marvel at the most recent winners of the BigPicture Natural World Photography competition.
Bask in the glow of one of the largest living indoor coral reef displays in the world: our 212,000-gallon Philippine Coral Reef habitat.
Take in the interstellar views from the Living Roof, then grab a bite from the Academy Cafe and head to the West Garden to drink and dine under the stars.
Ages 21+
After Dark: Warm and Fuzzy - 01/09/2025 06:00 PM
ExplOratorium San Francisco
Enjoy a cozy night out at our galleries, where you'll find dazzling artworks, fun programs, and warm company.
Ages 18+
Lone Survivors: Neanderthals, Denisovans, and Us - Livestream - 01/09/2025 06:30 PM
Bay Area Skeptics
In the past decade, new studies of ancient DNA from fossils have shown that, until as recently as 40,000 years ago, our ancestors shared the planet with two close relatives, the Neanderthals and a mysterious group called the Denisovans. Both of those groups became extinct, but traces of their DNA remain in the genomes of modern humans. Meanwhile, researchers are discovering diverse types of human ancestors who were living at the same time in the same fossil sites millions of years ago, suggesting that we were never alone - that there were always other types of hominins alive in Africa and elsewhere on the planet until recently. Join us for a discussion with Ann Gibbons about new research that has changed perceptions of the Neanderthals, shed new light on the mysterious Denisovans, and our place in the human family tree.
Speaker: Ann Gibbons, Science Magazine
Fungi Fundamentals Part II: Top 10 Mushrooms of the Bay Area - Livestream - 01/09/2025 07:00 PM
Penninsula Open Space Trust
Get ready to level up your fungi knowledge with expert Christian Schwarz, co-author of Mushrooms of the Redwood Coast, back for a fungi-tastic evening! Last year's Fungi Fundamentals event was so popular that we couldn't cap it there. Christian returns to share his expertise and passion for Bay Area mushrooms in a brand-new session that'll take you deeper into the fungi kingdom. If you missed part 1 (held January 11, 2024), which focused on the science of mushrooms, we will send you a recording to catch up when you register for part II.
This live, interactive event will cover everything you need to know about the Bay Area's top mushrooms, from critical ID tips and look-alikes to flavor profiles and cooking ideas that will elevate your culinary game.
Here's what this event has in spore for you:
Interactive quiz to test your mushroom knowledge
Live Q&A with Christian Schwarz, where you can ask your burning questions and get expert insights!
Topics we'll cover for each mushroom species:
Key identification features and close imposters to keep you from falling for fungal fakes.
Habitat and seasonality to know when and where to find these woodland wonders.
Flavor profile and brief cooking tips for adding umami to your meals.
Whether you're an experienced forager or just mushroom-curious, this event is bound to be fungi-lightful. Don't miss the chance to learn from one of the Bay Area's top experts.
Register at weblink
Migratory Shore Bird Project: Connecting Communities of the Americas through Research for Conservation - 01/09/2025 07:00 PM
Marin Audubon Society
Shorebirds are some of the most migratory species on the planet. However, their populations in the Western Hemisphere have been declining over the past 40 years. To better understand what is driving changes in shorebird populations and to turn data into knowledge and then conservation action, in 2011 Point Blue and partners launched a coordinated research, monitoring and conservation network for shorebirds in the Pacific Americas Flyway. The Migratory Shorebird Project is now a network of over 50 partners in 13 countries from Canada to Chile working together to study shorebirds and shorebird habitats and to implement conservation actions at scales that are relevant for these long-distance travelers.
Speaker: Matt Reiter, Point Blue Conservation Science
Register at weblink to attend
Friday, 01/10/2025
51st Santa Cruz Fungus Fair 2025 - 01/10/2025 02:00 PM
London Nelson Community Center Santa Cruz
See Saturday listing below for details. Note that daily times and costs are different
Saturday, 01/11/2025
51st Santa Cruz Fungus Fair 2025 - 01/11/2025 09:00 AM
London Nelson Community Center Santa Cruz
Come to Santa Cruz and explore the fascinating world of Fungi. Learn interesting and fun facts about the hundreds of beautiful and fascinating species of mushrooms found in the Santa Cruz and Monterey Bay Area. Fungi will be beautifully displayed in a re-created woodland habitat. This unique Santa Cruz tradition features three days of fantastic fun, informative speakers and demonstrations, with fungal activities for the whole family.
This three day event features hundreds of species of local fungi presented in a unique fashion, and draws thousands of visitors each year. The Fair showcases speakers, a special Kids' Room, and a taxonomy panel for identification of fungi you find. Many books and mushroom-related items are available for sale, as are wild mushroom delicacies.
Did you know that without fungus, we'd have no bread, cheese, beer, or wine? Or that anti-cholesterol medicine was developed from mushrooms? Come to the Santa Cruz Fungus Fair to learn all there is to know about the fascinating world of mushrooms.
This unique Santa Cruz tradition features fantastic fungus fun for the whole family. Bring the kids and stroll through a re-created woodland forest displaying hundreds of wild mushrooms; the Fungus Fair also features a special room full of hands-on activities for the kids, including fungus exploration tables, clay mushroom building, face painting, and more!
We are encouraging everyone to buy a "timed entry" ticket to reduce crowding at the doors and inside the event. You should try to show up during your chosen time window to avoid delays getting in, but once you enter and get your hand stamp you are welcome to stay as long as you wish for the rest of the day.
See weblink for schedule of speakers
The Physics Show - Three Performances - 01/11/2025 10:00 AM
Foothill College Los Altos Hills
The Physics Show is a fun science show for kids and their families. This year we will have two weekends of shows in September and two weekends of shows in January.
Tickets go on sale the first week of December, pending completion of construction at the venue.
Performances at 10:00, 1:00, and 3:30 each day.
Venue: Smithwick Theater
The Natural History of Yerba Buena Island - 01/11/2025 10:30 AM
Treasure Island Museum San Francisco
This program will focus on the restoration of the island's native plants.
Speakers will be Peter Brastow, who works with the Treasure Island Development Authority (TIDA) to implement the island's habitat management plan; Will Benge, Senior Associate at CMG Landscape Architecture, who is designing and creating restored and new landscapes on both islands; and Peter Summerville, Administrative Analyst with TIDA.
Foothills Family Nature Walk - 01/11/2025 11:00 AM
Foothills Nature Preserve Los Altos
Environmental Volunteers' Family Nature Walks program is designed to help community members get to know our local open space areas. Small 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. Meet at the Boronda Lake Dock.
Families/groups are welcome to sign up for as many as they like. The nature walks are intended for all ages 6 and up, but children must be accompanied by an adult.
Saturday Cinema: The Art + Science of Luminous Films - 01/11/2025 01:00 PM
ExplOratorium San Francisco
Celebrate the Exploratorium's winter exhibition Glow with a program of radiant animation and short documentaries, both meditative and kinetic.
TV Light by Bob Kaputof (2 min.)
Magnetic Movie by Semiconductor (2007, 5 min.)
Nature by Numbers by Cristobal Villa (2010, 4 min.)
Daybreak Express by D.A. Pennebaker (1953, 5 min.)Â
Rainbow Dance by Len Lye (1938, 3 min.)
Let Your Light Shine by Jodie Mack (2013, 3 min.)
Screenings at 1:00 and 3:00 PM.
Weekend Workshop: Adapted for Survival - 01/11/2025 01:00 PM
CuriOdyssey San Mateo
Discover the amazing world of animal adaptations and learn how different creatures survive in the wild by meeting live animals, examining biofacts, and playing fun games. Through these engaging activities, you'll explore the unique traits and behaviors that help animals find food, protect themselves, and thrive in their habitats.
Ages 5 to 10 years old
City Public Star Party - 01/11/2025 06:00 PM
City Star Parties - Tunnel Tops Park San Francisco
Come join the San Francisco Amateur Astronomers for free public stargazing of the Moon, planets, globular clusters and more!
The event will take place in Tunnel Tops National Park, parking is located adjacent to Picnic Place (210 Lincoln Blvd for GPS) with the telescopes setup in the East Meadow.
Dress warmly as conditions can be windy or cold in the Presidio. Rain, heavy fog or overcast skies cancel the event. Check the SFAA website for a cancellation notice before leaving for the star party.
Aurora - One of Nature's Amazing Light Shows - 01/11/2025 07:30 PM
East Bay Astronomical Society Oakland
Last year, California was treated to four - rare for California - auroral displays. Some of them were strong enough to be seen in the greater Bay Area. What causes them? How did they get this far south? Can you see the aurora with the naked eye? Where do the colors come from?
Marsha Kirschbaum, an avid astro-landscape and deep-scape photographer, will talk about some of the science of auroras and her experiences photographing the Aurora in Alaska and California. She will talk about the equipment she used; camera settings, and how to prepare for and protect your camera and body in the cold should one head north for an Aurora experience.
Attend in person or online (see weblink)
Unravelling the mysteries of globular clusters, dwarf galaxies, and dark matter - 01/11/2025 07:30 PM
San Jose Astronomical Association San Jose
Speaker: Aaron Romanowsky, San Jose State University
Sunday, 01/12/2025
51st Santa Cruz Fungus Fair 2025 - 01/12/2025 09:00 AM
London Nelson Community Center Santa Cruz
See Saturday listing for details
The 18th Annual BAMS / Point Reyes National Seashore Fungus Fair - 01/12/2025 10:00 AM
Bear Valley Visitor Center Point Reyes Station
During the 18th Annual Fungus Fair, wild mushrooms collected in the park will be on display on the south porch of the Bear Valley Visitor Center with several mushroom-related exhibits inside the visitor center. We will also have presentations in the auditorium throughout the day. Roving Mushroom Ambassadors will be available to answer your questions, both indoors and out. Bring mushrooms you've found and are curious about.
Speakers:
11:00 AM: Try it and See: The Story Behind the Discovery of Mushroom Dyes
This beautiful film showcases the early work of two well known Mendocino mycologists, the pioneering mushroom dyer Mirium Rice, and her watercolor artist partner, Dorothy Beebee, as they explore, document, illustrate and publish groundbreaking information on using mushrooms for dying wool and silk. Produced by Dorothy's children Myra and Martin BeeBee. Premiered at the 2024 Mendocino Mushroom Festival.
12:30 PM: Zen and the Art of Mushroom Hunting
A lighthearted look at the beauty and wonder of the fungi that surrounds us, illustrated with spectacular photos and peppered with first hand stories. Expect to be amazed and amused!
Speaker: Debbie Viess
2:00 PM: Fungi through Time
Cat will present tantalizing vignettes about the role of fungi in historically important moments. Was Roman Emperor Claudius really taken down by a death cap mushroom? How did 17th century people first start growing button mushrooms in the catacombs under Paris? Was a fungal contaminant really to blame for the Salem Witch Trials? Find out all this and more in this fun, photo-filled lecture
Speaker: Cat Adams
The Physics Show - Three Performances - 01/12/2025 10:00 AM
Foothill College Los Altos Hills
The Physics Show is a fun science show for kids and their families. This year we will have two weekends of shows in September and two weekends of shows in January.
Performances at 10:00, 1:00, and 3:30 each day.
Venue: Smithwick Theater
Monday, 01/13/2025
Automated Decision Making for Safety Critical Applications - 01/13/2025 03:00 PM
TBA
Building robust decision making systems for autonomous systems is challenging. Decisions must be made based on imperfect information about the environment and with uncertainty about how the environment will evolve. In addition, these systems must carefully balance safety with other considerations, such as operational efficiency. Typically, the space of edge cases is vast, placing a large burden on human designers to anticipate problem scenarios and develop ways to resolve them. This talk discusses major challenges associated with ensuring computational tractability and establishing trust that our systems will behave correctly when deployed in the real world. We will outline some methodologies for addressing these challenges and point to some research applications that can serve as inspiration for building safer systems.
Speaker: Mykel Hochenderfer, Stanford University
Life and the Meaning of Death - 01/13/2025 06:00 PM
Science Buzz Cafe Sebastapol
An Inuit tale describes that when an elder can no longer contribute to the village they voluntarily venture out "onto the ice" so the polar bears will eat them, in turn the young villagers hunt the bear to provide continuing nourishment to their village - completing the circle of life. In our modern world 50% of medical costs are incurred in the last few years of life. Those of us who hang onto life at all costs, no matter the quality of life lived, could be considered as "eating the bear".
The Metta Sutta, one of the core texts of Mahayana Buddhism, states that "One who has achieved the Way is free from the duality of birth and death." This is not to imply immortality, but rather to understand impermanence as the fundamental nature of reality and to see birth and death as a continuum in the unending unfolding of life.
This philosophical presentation will focus on western & Buddhist cultural beliefs, practices, & attitudes toward death and dying. It does not advocate or recommend any action. It only invites participants to think and reflect.
Speakers: Larry Robinson, retired psychotherapist; Ofer Zur, Psychologist
Tuesday, 01/14/2025
Why the Central Andes are Larger than the Himalaya - 01/14/2025 12:00 PM
Braun (Geology) Corner (Bldg 320), Rm 220 Stanford
Future Energy Ventures - 01/14/2025 01:30 PM
Environment and Energy Building (Y2E2) Stanford
Superconductors, Old and New - Rescheduled - 01/14/2025 03:30 PM
Hewlett Teaching Center Stanford
Recapitulating early human development - 01/14/2025 03:30 PM
Hewlett Teaching Center Stanford
The State of Fire: Why California Burns - 01/14/2025 05:30 PM
Commonwealth Club San Francisco
Unlocking Nature's Secrets: The Art and Science of Wildlife Tracking for Conservation and Adventure! - 01/14/2025 07:30 PM
Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History Pacific Grove
Wonderfest: Life's Information: Evolution before LUCA - 01/14/2025 10:00 PM
Hopmonk Tavern Novato
Wednesday, 01/15/2025
Examining Southern Ocean natural iron fertilization through a bio-optical lens - Livestream - 01/15/2025 11:00 AM
Monterey Bay Research Institute
Building a democratic and just global energy transition - 01/15/2025 04:30 PM
Shriram Center Stanford
Why Silicon Valley Bank Crashed -What You Need to Know - 01/15/2025 07:00 PM
Valley Research Park Mountain View
Thursday, 01/16/2025
AI Healthcare Conference at Stanford University - 01/16/2025 07:00 AM
Stanford Faculty Club Stanford
SETI Live: Automated Discovery of Anomalous Features - Livestream - 01/16/2025 09:00 AM
SETI Institute
Lunch Break Science - Livestream - 01/16/2025 11:00 AM
The Leakey Foundation
Rising to the Challenge: A Flood-Resilient San Francisco - Livestream - 01/16/2025 12:00 PM
SF Planning + Urban Research Assoc (SPUR)
ChatGPT and Beyond: Insights, Applications, and Q&A - 01/16/2025 05:30 PM
Vantage Realty San Francisco
NightLife x Soulovely - 01/16/2025 06:00 PM
California Academy of Sciences San Francisco
After Dark: Buzz - 01/16/2025 06:00 PM
City Star Parties - Exploratorium San Francisco
The most overlooked birds in North America: Females - Livestream - 01/16/2025 07:00 PM
Golden Gate Bird Alliance
Friday, 01/17/2025
AI Healthcare Conference at Stanford University - 01/17/2025 07:00 AM
Stanford Faculty Club Stanford
Sleep regulation and function during development: insights from flies - 01/17/2025 12:00 PM
ChEM-H/Neuroscience Building, James Lin and Nisa Leung Seminar Room (E153) Stanford
Saturday, 01/18/2025
Saturday Cinema: The Art + Science of Luminous Films - 01/18/2025 01:00 PM
ExplOratorium San Francisco
Starry Nights Star Party - 01/18/2025 06:30 PM
Rancho Canada Del Oro Open Space Preserve Morgan hill
The Science of Time Travel - 01/18/2025 07:00 PM
Chabot Space and Science Center Oakland
Sunday, 01/19/2025
Investigating Plant Terpenoid Metabolism and Bioproduct Applications - 01/19/2025 01:00 PM
North Berkeley Senior Center Berkeley