Menu

2020 Archive

MarieCurie-2

Madame Curie – Dec 21-23

/ , , / , , , , , , , , , , , , /

"Nothing in life is to be feared; it is only to be understood." - M. Curie

Wonderfest is delighted to present Madame Curie, a new musical-theater tribute to Earth's most accomplished female scientist. As Maria Sklodowska was becoming Marie Curie, she emigrated 1000 miles from Poland to France, overcame xenophobia and sexism, and pioneered our understanding of radioactivity. In the process, she earned Nobel prizes (plural!) in physics and chemistry, and treated — directly and indirectly — over a million WWI soldiers with her mobile X-ray units.

"I have frequently been questioned, especially by women, regarding how I could reconcile family life with a scientific career. Well, it has not been easy." - M. Curie

Madame Curie brings to life the story and spirit of a revolutionary. It features a compelling narrative, beautiful music, and eleven experienced actors who sheltered in their respective homes during recording! Fully orchestrated in the Rodgers and Hammerstein tradition, Madame Curie will revive your love of science, and it will especially inspire young women to heed their call to the passionate exploration of Nature.

"All my life through, the new sights of Nature made me rejoice like a child." - M. Curie

WHAT: Madame Curie, the New Musical
WHERE: ONLINE: Wonderfest Science YouTube channel, URL below [https://youtu.be/6sRc-s9Fenc]
WHEN: 2020-12-21 — ONGOING thru Dec 23 (2 hr)
HOW:

Madame Curie's YouTube Premiere took place on the evening of December 21st. This musical experience will continue to be available at the Wonderfest Science YouTube channel through the morning of December 24th. Simply visit the webaddress above for an inspiring start to your next revolution of the Sun ... with a revolutionary!


Collaborators:
Music and Libretto by David Kurkowski [https://www.curiethemusical.com]
Produced by Cate Cammarata [https://createtheater.com]
COVID Perspectives

COVID Perspectives – Dec 9

/ , , / , , , , /

We are confronting a challenging Pandemic paradox. Just as vaccines have begun to show promise and new coordinated policies provide a sense of optimism, the virus onslaught rages uncontained producing a wave of death and disease exceeding anything we have seen. Stanford virus expert Dr. Bob Siegel will discuss humanity’s year-long struggle with COVID-19: where we are now, how we got here, and where we might be heading. He will discuss the unusual biology of SARS-CoV-2 and other coronaviruses, and he will identify some key unanswered questions. Dr. Siegel will also respond to audience queries pertaining to all things viral.

 

Robert Siegel, MD/PhD, is Professor of Microbiology & Immunology at Stanford University. Bob has won more than a dozen awards for his teaching at Stanford, and he has served as Wonderfest Advisor for nearly twenty years.


Dr. Robert Siegel

WHAT: COVID Perspectives — Historical, Personal, Biological, and Medical
WHO: Dr. Robert Siegel, Professor of Microbiology & Immunology, Stanford
WHERE: Online via Zoom [https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82615789734]
WHEN: 2020-12-09 — 8:00pm PST, Wed, Dec 9 (1 hr +)
HOW:

Before joining with the Zoom link above, please make a Wonderfest contribution — via the Eventbrite portal below — commensurate with the value this event has for you.


CulturalIntelligence1

Cultural Intelligence? – Dec 3

/ , , / , , , /

How can we explain humanity's extraordinary evolutionary success? In this talk, psychologist Jan Engelmann will explain and explore a series of experimental studies comparing humans to one of our closest living relatives, chimpanzees. He will argue and present evidence that — maybe surprisingly — humans are not individually but are collectively smarter than other animals. Counterintuitively, our cooperative nature also gives rise to novel and powerful forms of competition among individuals and whole groups. 

Jan Engelmann is Assistant Professor of Psychology at UC Berkeley. Dr. Engelmann earned his PhD at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, and has received numerous awards and grants for his research.


Dr. Jan Engelmann

WHAT: The Cultural Intelligence Hypothesis
WHO: Dr. Jan Engelmann, Assistant Professor of Psychology, UC Berkeley [https://socialorigins.berkeley.edu]
WHERE: Online via Zoom [https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83014652740]
WHEN: 2020-12-03 — 8:00pm PST, Thu, Dec 3 (1 hour)
HOW:

Please take part in this admission-free event via the Zoom link ("WHERE") above. And please consider contributing to Wonderfest, below, in accord with the value this experience has for you.


AloneInMilkyWay

N~1: Alone in the Milky Way – Oct 24

/ , , / , , , , , , , /

The Drake Equation famously “quantifies our ignorance" regarding the number, N, of technological civilizations in our galaxy. Even though planets are plentiful, and even though life may be a natural — even common — product of cosmic chemistry, we may truly be the only galactic civilization capable of interstellar communication. I.e., perhaps N~1.

Our speaker, Pascal Lee, is a planetary scientist at the SETI Institute, and co-founder of the Mars Institute. During the video premiere of "N~1: Alone in the Milky Way," Dr. Lee will answer questions in the YouTube "chat" bar. Live Q&A will continue, immediately afterward, via Google "Meet."


Dr. Pascal Lee

WHAT: N~1: Alone in the Milky Way
WHO: Dr. Pascal Lee, Planetary Scientist, SETI Institute [http://www.pascallee.net]
WHERE: ONLINE, at the Mt Tam Astronomy YouTube channel [https://www.youtube.com/mttamastronomy]
WHEN: 2020-10-24 — 7:30pm PDT, Sat, Oct 24 (1.5 hr)
HOW:

This event is co-produced by Wonderfest and the Mount Tamalpais Astronomy Program. Visit the Mt Tam Astronomy YouTube channel ("WHERE" link, above) to set a reminder for the YouTube Premiere on Saturday, October 24th. One week thereafter, the video can be viewed at the Wonderfest Science YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/wonderfestscience.

BTW, if you benefit from science events like this, please donate accordingly — via the inaptly-named "Tickets" box below — to help nonprofit Wonderfest share the scientific outlook.


ShareTheNightSky

Share the Night Sky – Oct 22

/ , , / , , , , , , , , , /

Join San Francisco's "Urban Astronomer" Paul Salazar and KPOO's DJ Marilynn for a VIRTUAL guided tour of the glorious night sky.

Just find a dark, unobstructed view of the sky, and tune into KPOO-FM (89.5 MHz) or visit <https://kpoo.com/stream> with a smart phone. Then, look upward and let SF's Urban Astronomer guide you toward the setting Moon, Jupiter, and Saturn in the west, and then toward Mars, the Pleiades star cluster, and the Andromeda Galaxy in the east. (Folks stuck indoors or under clouds can participate "virtually" via a free astronomy app such as SkyView Lite.) Stargazing households congregating in backyards and socially-distanced strangers on sidewalks will feel united by the grandeur — and the wonder — of the night sky.


SF Urban Astronomer Paul Salazar w/ DJ Marilynn

WHAT: Share the Night Sky
WHO: SF Urban Astronomer Paul Salazar w/ DJ Marilynn [http://urbanastronomer.blogspot.com]
WHERE: KPOO-FM (89.5 MHz) [https://kpoo.com/stream]
WHEN: 2020-10-22 — 8pm PDT, Thu, Oct 22 (1 hr)
HOW:

From a dark location with a clear view of the sky, use a radio or Internet-ready phone to tune into the KPOO-FM broadcast (89.5 MHz) or live-stream (https://kpoo.com/stream).

This event is part of the Bay Area Science Festival. Big thanks to Andy Fraknoi, former Chair of the Foothill College Astronomy Department (and 1st recipient of Wonderfest's Sagan Prize!), for inspiration.


Collaborators:
Night Sky Network, administered by the Astronomical Society of the Pacific [https://nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov]
Mt Tam Astronomy Program [http://www.mttamastronomy.org]
San Francisco Amateur Astronomers [https://www.sfaa-astronomy.org]
VLA&MilkyWay

Seeking Alien Civilizations – Oct 17

/ , , / , , , , , , /

A search is underway to find intelligent life in the universe. Can SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) researchers detect radio, infrared, or optical signals from other civilizations? Current and future SETI projects, including the new $100-million Breakthrough Prize Foundation "Listen" project, may provide an answer.

UC Berkeley astronomer Dan Werthimer, Chief Scientist at Berkeley SETI Research Center, will describe the rationale for past and future searches, and will show how new technologies are revolutionizing SETI. Dan is the 2019 recipient of Wonderfest's Carl Sagan Prize for Science Popularization.


Dan Werthimer

WHAT: Are We Alone? — Seeking Alien Civilizations
WHO: Dan Werthimer, Chief Scientist, Berkeley SETI Research Center
WHERE: ONLINE, Zoom [https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83436294025]
WHEN: 2020-10-17 — 4pm PDT, Sat, Oct 17 (1.5 hrs)
HOW:

This Zoom online gathering will begin with collective viewing of the new Wonderfest video entitled "Are We Alone? — Seeking Alien Civilizations" by Dan Werthimer. Then, Dan will answer juicy extraterrestrial questions posed by the Zoom audience.

This online event is produced in collaboration with the Alameda Free Library, Castro Valley Educational Foundation, and Castro Valley Science. Please consider contributing to Wonderfest's science outreach efforts via the inaptly named "Tickets" box, below.


CriticalThinking

Critical Thinking – Sep 29

/ , , / , , , , , , /

"The trouble with the world is that the stupid are cocksure, and the intelligent are full of doubt." So said philosopher, mathematician, and Nobel laureate (in literature!) Bertrand Russell. Indeed, overconfidence leads us to delude ourselves with wishful thinking, take too many risks, and waste time on doomed ventures. Under-confidence dissuades us from taking risks and pursuing ventures that can enrich life in so many ways. Psychological evidence and insight help us to thread the needle between foolhardy overconfidence and stultifying under-confidence.

Wonderfest joins the Commonwealth Club in presenting UC Berkeley's Donald Moore, Mitchell Chair in Leadership at the Haas School of Business, in conversation with Patrick O'Reilly, Chair of the Commonwealth Club's Psychology Forum. Dr. Moore's latest book is Perfectly Confident: How to Calibrate Your Decisions Wisely.


Dr. Donald Moore

WHAT: Critical Thinking and the Psychology of Confidence
WHO: Dr. Donald Moore, Mitchell Chair in Leadership, Haas School of Business, UCB
WHERE: ONLINE, Register to receive live-stream event link: [https://www.commonwealthclub.org/events/2020-09-29/critical-thinking-and-psychology-confidence]
WHEN: 2020-09-29 — 6pm PDT, Tue, Sep 29 (1 hr)
HOW:

Register for this FREE online event via the Commonwealth Club weblink, above. Registration ends one hour before event begins.

Please consider supporting Wonderfest's science outreach work via the inaptly name "Tickets" box, below.


WhatIsAI?-3

What is AI? – Sep 3

/ , / , , , , , /

The artificial intelligence (AI) that we've seen in fiction bears little resemblance to the AI we have in the real world. Stanford PhD researcher Andrey Kurenkov will analyze the real-world meaning of AI, describe what researchers in AI actually do, and explore how impressive — or not — recent AI achievements really are.

Andrey Kurenkov does research at Stanford's Vision and Learning Lab. He produces the weekly Skynet Today newsletter ("Putting AI News in Perspective"), and he is a Wonderfest Science Envoy. Andrey will answer questions during the video premiere via the YouTube "chat" bar, and afterward, via live Zoom session.


Andrey Kurenkov

WHAT: What Is "Artificial Intelligence"?
WHO: Andrey Kurenkov, AI Researcher, Vision & Learning Lab, Stanford [https://www.andreykurenkov.com]
WHERE: YouTube Video Premiere, then, Live Zoom Q&A [https://youtu.be/h5vpSfB5l3o]
Map: [https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89677333093]
WHEN: 2020-09-03 — 8pm, Thu, August 27 (1.5 hr)
HOW:

First, at 8:00pm, watch the YouTube video Premiere of "What is AI?" as Andrey Kurenkov answers questions via the YouTube chat bar: https://youtu.be/h5vpSfB5l3o

Then, immediately after the video, log in to a LIVE Zoom Q&A session with Andrey: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89677333093

Please consider helping Wonderfest to produce events like this — sharing the clear-eyed optimism of science with the Bay Area ... and the world — via the inaptly named "Tickets" block, below.


GalacticWeather

Galactic Weather – Aug 22

/ , , / , , , , , , /

Just as Earth has an atmosphere, and stars (like the Sun) have coronas, galaxies are embedded in invisible halos of atomic gases. As galaxies evolve, these gaseous halos exhibit many interesting phenomena similar to rains and droughts on Earth. What do these enormous galactic climate systems look like, how are they studied, and how do they behave?

Our speaker, Dr. Yong Zheng, earned her astronomy PhD at Columbia University, and is now a Miller posdoctoral scholar in the UC Berkeley Astronomy Department. During the video Premiere of "Galactic Weather," Dr. Zheng will answer questions in the YouTube "chat" bar. Live Q&A will continue, immediately afterward, via Google "Meet."


Dr. Yong Zheng

WHAT: Galactic Weather
WHO: Dr. Yong Zheng, Miller Postdoctoral Scholar, Astronomy Department, UC Berkeley
WHERE: ONLINE, at the Mt Tam Astronomy YouTube channel [https://www.youtube.com/mttamastronomy]
WHEN: 2020-08-22 — 7:30pm, Sat, August 22 (1.5 hr)
HOW:

This event is co-produced by Wonderfest and the Mount Tamalpais Astronomy Program. In mid-August, when the "Galactic Weather" video is formally posted, visit the Mt Tam Astronomy YouTube channel ("WHERE" link, above) to set a reminder for the actual Premiere on Saturday, August 22nd. Thereafter, the video can be viewed at the Wonderfest Science YouTube channel: <https://www.youtube.com/wonderfestscience>.

BTW, if you benefit from science events like this, please donate accordingly — via the inaptly-named "Tickets" box below — to help nonprofit Wonderfest share the scientific outlook.


VeryFirstStars

The Very First Stars – July 25

/ , , / , , , , , /

The Big Bang Theory, describing the origin of our universe, is very well established today. We have ample evidence that the universe originated from a hot "singularity," then expanded and cooled over time. Nevertheless, there is still a missing piece of the cosmic puzzle: How did the first stars form?! This presentation will explore the observational challenges we face in answering such a fundamental question.

Our speaker, Deepthi Gorthi, is a 5th-year doctoral researcher in the UC Berkeley Astronomy Department. She is also a Wonderfest Science Envoy. During the video Premiere of "The Very First Stars," Deepthi will answer questions in the YouTube "chat" bar. Live Q&A will continue, immediately afterward, via Google "Meet."


Deepthi Gorthi

WHAT: The Very First Stars
WHO: Deepthi Gorthi, Astronomy Department, UC Berkeley
WHERE: ONLINE, at the Mt Tam Astronomy YouTube channel [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCccr2q6IgFSOglvh66VFSLw]
WHEN: 2020-07-25 — 7:30pm, Sat, July 25 (1.5 hr)
HOW:

This event is co-produced by Wonderfest and the Mount Tamalpais Astronomy Program. In mid-July, when the "First Stars" video Premiere event is formally posted, visit the Mt Tam Astronomy YouTube channel ("WHERE" link, above) to set a reminder for the actual Premiere on Saturday, July 25th. Thereafter, the video can be viewed at the Wonderfest Science YouTube channel: <https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCccr2q6IgFSOglvh66VFSLw>.

BTW, what value will this admission-free event have FOR YOU? Please donate accordingly — via the inaptly-named "Tickets" box below — to help nonprofit Wonderfest share the scientific outlook.


Astrobiology2

Astrobiology, online – June 27

/ , / , , , , , , , , , , , , /

Image by Jenny Mottar

The age of astrobiology has begun. We have a whole solar system — and a galaxy of star-warmed worlds beyond — to explore for life. How do we look for life here and way out there? How will we know it when we find it? Our exploration begins at Earth. We must apply what we are learning about our own amazing home planet to our search for life beyond.

Our Speaker, Dr. Penny Boston, was Director of NASA's Astrobiology Institute at Ames Research Center. Access her presentation at the Mt Tam Astronomy YouTube channel, linked below. Dr. Boston will answer questions during the video premiere AND, afterward, via Google "Meet."


Dr. Penelope Boston

WHAT: Astrobiology Under Our Feet and Out to the Stars
WHO: Dr. Penelope Boston, Former Director, NASA Astrobiology Institute
WHERE: Mt Tam Astronomy YouTube Channel [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCccr2q6IgFSOglvh66VFSLw]
WHEN: 2020-06-27 — 7:30pm, Sat, June 27 (1 hour)
HOW:

This Wonderfest + Mt Tam Astronomy presentation will take place ONLINE as a YouTube video "Premiere" with LIVE Q&A.

Public health protection has moved this presentation from its originally-planned Mount Tamalpais venue to the Mt.Tam Astronomy YouTube channel. Please "tune in" at the originally-planned event start-time (7:30pm, Saturday, June 27) at the following website: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCccr2q6IgFSOglvh66VFSLw  Thereafter, the video will also be available at the Wonderfest Science YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-755eqlqZRcflOQTL-jOZg

This online event is jointly presented by the Friends of Mt. Tam, the San Francisco Amateur Astronomers, and Wonderfest.


Ear of rice which grew

CRISPR Crops – June 22

/ , / , , , , , , , , , , /

Gene editing is revolutionizing agriculture by changing how we design, produce, and consume food. But how is this technology being used, and what does this mean for farmers, consumers, and society at large? We'll take a holistic journey through the history of plant breeding to understand how this cutting-edge technology — and CRISPR gene editing, in particular — is being used to meet the needs of a growing human population and a warming world.

Our speaker, Evan Groover, is a PhD candidate and researcher in UC Berkeley's Department of Plant & Microbial Biology. He is also a Wonderfest Science Envoy. Evan will answer qustions during the video premiere via the YouTube "chat" bar AND, afterward, via live Zoom seminar.


Evan Groover

WHAT: CRISPR Crops: Food, Farms, and the Shape of Plants to Come
WHO: Evan Groover, Department of Plant & Microbial Biology, UC Berkeley
WHERE: Wonderfest Science YouTube Channel [http://youtube.com/wonderfestscience]
WHEN: 2020-06-22 — 8pm, Mon, June 22 (1 hour)
HOW:

8:00pm — Click this YouTube video "Premiere" link: <https://youtu.be/KKFoHXedP4g>.
8:45pm — Click this Zoom meeting link: <https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84112518506>.


NearEarthAsteroids

Near-Earth Asteroids, online – May16

/ , /

Near-Earth asteroids (NEAs) are small solar system bodies in orbits that come near — or cross — the orbit of Earth. This illustrated online presentation will explore NEAs as unique physical worlds, as impact hazards to Earth, and as accessible destinations for spacecraft. Access the presentation at the Mt Tam Astronomy YouTube channel, linked below.

Our speaker, Dr. Michael Busch, is Research Scientist at the SETI Institute in Mountain View. He will answer questions during the video premiere via the YouTube "chat" bar.


Dr. Michael Busch

WHAT: Near-Earth Asteroids: Impact Hazards and Space Missions
WHO: Dr. Michael Busch, Research Scientist, SETI Institute
WHERE: Mt Tam Astronomy YouTube Channel [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCccr2q6IgFSOglvh66VFSLw]
WHEN: 2020-05-16 — 7:30, Saturday, May 16 (1 hour)
HOW:

This Wonderfest + Mt Tam Astronomy presentation will take place ONLINE as a YouTube video "Premiere" with LIVE chat Q&A.

Public health protection has moved this presentation from its originally-planned Mount Tamalpais venue to the Mt.Tam Astronomy YouTube channel. Please "tune in" at the originally-planned event start-time (7:30pm, Saturday, May 16) at the following website: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCccr2q6IgFSOglvh66VFSLw  Thereafter, the video will also be available at the Wonderfest Science YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-755eqlqZRcflOQTL-jOZg

This online event is jointly presented by the Friends of Mt. Tam, the San Francisco Amateur Astronomers, and Wonderfest.


Cosmos&Human

Illuminating Dark Matter, online – Apr18

/ , /

Dark matter is the cosmic parent of all vast structures in the night sky, including our own Milky Way galaxy. Yet we know so very little about this mysterious stuff that constitutes 85%(!) of the material universe. This online presentation will illuminate our universe’s elusive dark matter, highlighting the ingenious methods that scientists are using to find out what dark matter really is.

Our speaker, physicist Robert McGehee, is a doctoral researcher at the University of California, Berkeley. He is also a Wonderfest Science Envoy. Robert will answer questions during the video premiere via the YouTube "chat" bar.


Robert McGehee

WHAT: Illuminating Dark Matter — Online Video Premiere
WHO: Robert McGehee, UC Berkeley Physics Department
WHERE: Mt Tam Astronomy YouTube Channel [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCccr2q6IgFSOglvh66VFSLw]
WHEN: 2020-04-18 — 7:30pm, Sat, April 18 (1 hr)
HOW:

This Wonderfest + Mount Tam Astronomy presentation will take place ONLINE as a YouTube video "Premiere" with LIVE chat Q&A.

Public health protection has moved this presentation from its originally-planned Mount Tamalpais venue to the Mt.Tam Astronomy YouTube channel. Please "tune in" at the originally-planned event start-time (7:30pm, Saturday, April 18) at the following website: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCccr2q6IgFSOglvh66VFSLw  Thereafter, the video will also be available at the Wonderfest Science YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-755eqlqZRcflOQTL-jOZg

This online event is jointly presented by the Friends of Mt. Tam, the San Francisco Amateur Astronomers, and Wonderfest.


DataScience

Data Science – Mar 8

/ , , /

We are truly in the era of Big Data. Over the last decade, the field of Data Science has become indispensable for any organization that wants to discover the patterns, trends, and associations within the quantitative information it gathers. Jeffrey Silverman, data scientist and astrophysicist(!), will discuss how one new data analysis company uses Big TV Data, Data Science, and external datasets (such as the US Census) to measure viewership numbers and the effectiveness of advertising.

Dr. Jeffrey Silverman is Director of Data Science & Analytics at Samba TV. Also, as a former research astrophysicist, Jeff has given many public presentations on astronomy. 


Dr. Jeffrey Silverman

WHAT: Data Science: TV-Viewing Analytics and the US Census
WHO: Dr. Jeffrey Silverman, Director of Data Science & Analytics, Samba TV
WHERE: Alameda Free Library, 1550 Oak Street, Alameda, CA 94501
WHEN: 2020-03-08 — 2pm, Sunday, March 8 (1.5 hrs)
HOW:

What value does this admission-free event hold for you? Accordingly, please consider contributing to Wonderfest's science outreach efforts via the inaptly named "Tickets" link, below.


KosoyMendozaThompson

Kids/AI, Parasites, Dark Matter – Mar 2

/ , , /

Wonderfest Science Envoys are early-career researchers with special communication skills and aspirations. Following short talks on provocative modern science topics, these three Science Envoys will answer questions with insight and enthusiasm:

  • UC Berkeley psychologist Eliza Kosoy on "How Children Are Smarter Than AI"
  • Stanford microbiologist Alma Mendoza on "The Most Successful Parasite"
  • Stanford astrophysicist Jed Thompson on "What We Know (and some of what we don't) About Dark Matter."
WHAT: Ask a Science Envoy: Kids & AI, Parasites, Dark Matter
WHO: Eliza Kosoy, Alma Mendoza, Jed Thompson, Wonderfest Science Envoys [https://wonderfest.org/science-envoy/]
WHERE: Verdi Club Lounge, 2424 Mariposa Street, San Francisco, CA 94110 [https://www.verdiclub.net]
WHEN: 2020-03-02 — 8pm, Monday, March 2 (1.5 hrs)
HOW:

This event is FREE. Still, what value do these insights have FOR YOU? Please contribute to Wonderfest accordingly, and help to promote the scientific outlook broadly — as through this outstanding Science Envoy Program — via the "Tickets" box, below.


BrianGreene-1024x577

Mind, Matter, Meaning – Feb 26

/ , , /

"There is a beautiful continuity between the physical universe 'out there' and the subjective universe of common experience. Understanding that continuity and grasping how life and consciousness fit on the cosmic timeline gives us an uncanny perspective. It is a perspective that allows us to feel a deep unity with a much larger, much older, and much grander reality."

These words from physicist Brian Greene summarize a key point in his latest book, Until the End of Time. Dr. Greene will discuss his book and answer questions for one hour at this collaboration between Wonderfest and the Commonwealth Club Silicon Valley.

Dr. Brian Greene is Professor of Physics and Director of the Center for Theoretical Physics at Columbia University. He is also the authour of four popular books and co-founder of the World Science Festival.


Brian Greene

WHAT: Mind, Matter, & Meaning
WHO: Brian Greene, Director, Center for Theoretical Physics, Columbia University
WHERE: Villa Ragusa, 35 S. 2nd Street, Campbell, CA 95008
WHEN: 2020-02-26 — 7pm, Wednesday, Feb 26 (1 hour)
HOW:

Use promo code WONDERFEST to purchase discount tickets at the Commonwealth Club website (blue link, below). Note that "check-in" begins at 6:15pm for the 7pm program. Book signing will follow at 8pm.


TICKETS:
https://www.commonwealthclub.org/events/2020-02-26/brian-greene-mind-matter-and-search-meaning
BlackHolePortrait

Black Hole Portrait – Feb 24

/ , , /

Black holes are among the most remarkable predictions of Einstein's theory of gravity. So much material is compressed into such a small volume that nothing, not even light, can escape. In Spring 2019, the multinational Event Horizon Telescope released the first real picture of gas around a massive black hole and the “shadow” cast as that gas swirls in. UC Berkeley astrophysicist Eliot Quataert will describes how this — and other — pioneering observations were made and what they have taught us about black holes.

Dr. Eliot Quataert is Professor and Chair of the Astronomy Department at UC Berkeley. He also directs Cal's Theoretical Astrophysics Center.


Dr. Eliot Quataert

WHAT: Black Hole Portrait: How We Got Our First Picture
WHO: Dr. Eliot Quataert, Professor of Astronomy, UC Berkeley
WHERE: HopMonk Tavern's Session Room, 224 Vintage Way, Novato, CA 94945 [https://www.hopmonk.com/novato/]
WHEN: 2020-02-24 — 6pm, Monday, Feb 24 (1.5 hr)
HOW:

What is this admission-free experience worth to you? Please donate to Wonderfest, accordingly, and help share the clear-eyed optimism of science with the Bay Area ... and beyond. The inaptly-named "Tickets" box, below, will make this easy.


RacingExtinction

Racing Extinction – Feb 4

/ , , /

Racing Extinction is a compelling documentary about the (pending) legacy of Earth's Anthropocene epoch: a species mass extinction caused, world-wide, by human activity. The Emmy-nominated film is 81% "Fresh" at Rotten Tomatoes, and it won the Cinema for Peace International Green Film Award. This special screening of Racing Extinction will be followed by expert commentary and Q&A with conservationist and tropical ecologist Dr. Rodolfo Dirzo.

Dr. Rodolfo Dirzo is Professor of Environmental Science at Stanford University. He is also Senior Fellow at Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment.


Dr. Rodolfo Dirzo

WHAT: Racing Extinction, w/ Expert Commentary
WHO: Dr. Rodolfo Dirzo, Professor of Environmental Science, Stanford
WHERE: Castro Valley Library, 3600 Norbridge Avenue, Castro Valley, CA 94546
Map: [https://goo.gl/maps/SKk7QYRTj5DfMEyQA]
WHEN: 2020-02-04 — 6:30pm, Tuesday, Feb 4 (2.25 hr)
HOW:

This FREE presentation is co-produced by Wonderfest, the Castro Valley Education Foundation, and Castro Valley Science. All donations — via the inaptly named "Tickets" box, below — will be shared among these three inspiring (and inspired) organizations. THANK YOU for helping!


CalebSamiAbigail

Optimization, Ramps, Supernovae – Feb 3

/ , , /

Wonderfest Science Envoys are early-career researchers with special communication skills and aspirations. Following short talks on provocative modern science topics, these three Science Envoys will answer questions with insight and enthusiasm:

  • UC Berkeley industrial engineer and operations researcher Caleb Bugg on "Engineering in an Apocalyptic World"
  • Stanford Earth systems scientist Sami Li Chen on "Rapunzel, Rapunzel, Give Me Some Ramps"
  • UC Berkeley astrophysicist Abigail Polin on "Things that Go Boom in the Night: A Story of Type Ia Supernovae."
WHAT: Ask a Science Envoy: Optimization, Ramps, & Supernovae
WHO: Caleb Bugg, Sami Chen, Abigail Polin, Wonderfest Science Envoys
WHERE: Verdi Club Lounge, 2424 Mariposa Street, San Francisco, CA 94110 [https://www.verdiclub.net]
WHEN: 2020-02-03 — 8pm, Monday, Feb 3 (1.5 hrs)
HOW:

This event is FREE. Still, what value does this knowledge have FOR YOU? Please contribute to Wonderfest accordingly, and help to promote the scientific outlook broadly — as through this outstanding Science Envoy Program — via the "Tickets" box, below.


Load More