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Abrams+Johnson

Black Holes & Kelp Forests – Feb 25

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

• UC Berkeley astrophysicist Natasha Abrams on Black Holes: Discovering the Invisible — Black holes are among the most extreme objects in the universe. They push the boundaries of our knowledge, holding many unsolved mysteries. This talk will explore black holes from “small” to enormous, including how to detect these invisible marvels. In the process, we will probe the very frontiers of astrophysics.

• Stanford marine biologist Will Johnson on The Structure of Kelp Forests — Kelp forests constitute one of the most diverse ecosystems on Earth, and they’re hidden right beneath the waves of our coastline. To research how these ecosystems function, we need to study what lives there. Come learn how scientific diving and modern genetics are helping us unravel the complex structure of kelp forests.

This interactive science presentation, free and unticketed, is produced by Wonderfest in partnership with Marin Science Seminar.

 

WHAT: Ask a Science Envoy: Black Holes & Kelp Forests
WHO: Natasha Abrams (UC Berkeley) & Will Johnson (Stanford), Wonderfest Science Envoys
WHERE: HopMonk Tavern, 224 Vintage Way, Novato CA 94945 [https://www.hopmonk.com/novato]
WHEN: Tuesday, Feb 25, 2025 — 7pm (1.5 hr)
HOW: What value does this free science experience have for you and, indirectly, for society? Accordingly, please donate to nonprofit Wonderfest via the Eventbrite box, below.
Collaborators:
Marin Science Seminar [https://marinscienceseminar.com]

SleepEmotions

Sleep-Deprived Emotions – Jan 28

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Insufficient sleep dramatically changes how we feel and think, about ourselves and about others. Even a single night of sleep loss elevates levels of anxiety, depression, and asocial behavior in healthy adults. If sleep loss is chronic, this association can develop into a clinical mental disorder. Since 40% of adults in the US suffer from chronic insufficient sleep, researchers need — and are finding — a better understanding of the interaction between sleep and socio-emotional well-being.

Our speaker is sleep expert Eti Ben-Simon, PhD, Research Scientist at The Center for Human Sleep Science, UC Berkeley.


Dr. Eti Ben-Simon

WHAT: The Emotional Brain in a Sleepless World
WHO: Dr. Eti Ben-Simon, Research Scientist, UC Berkeley [https://www.sleepingeti.com]
WHERE: HopMonk Tavern, 224 Vintage Way, Novato CA 94945 [https://www.hopmonk.com/novato]
WHEN: Tuesday, January 28, 2025 — 7:00 PM (1.5 hr)
HOW: This event is free and unticketed ... and valuable. But what value does it have for YOU? Accordingly, please use the space below to support Wonderfest in its nonprofit mission to share the scientific outlook.
StrongAging

Strong Aging – Jan 25

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What can we do, today, to improve muscle strength and, accordingly, to increase healthy longevity, i.e., healthspan? It starts by understanding the science of strength and of muscle function, and then appreciating how muscle changes with aging. Ultimately, we find that healthspan increases with simple and effective evidence-based strategies for improving muscle health and function.

Our speaker, Dr. Greg Tranah, PhD, is Professor of Epidemiology & Biostatistics at UC San Francisco. He is also Senior Scientist at California Pacific Medical Center Research Institute.


Dr. Greg Tranah

WHAT: The Science of Healthy Muscle, Strength, and Aging
WHO: Dr. Greg Tranah, Professor of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, UCSF [https://sfcc.ucsf.edu/gregory-j-tranah-phd]
WHERE: Berkeley Public Library, West Branch, 1125 University Avenue, Berkeley CA 94720
WHEN: Saturday, January 25 — 4pm (1.5 hour)
HOW: This event is free and unticketed ... and valuable. But what value does it have for YOU? Accordingly, please use the space below to support Wonderfest in its nonprofit mission to share the scientific outlook.
Collaborators:
Berkeley Public Library [www.berkeleypubliclibrary.org]
Life'sInformation

Life’s Information – Jan 14

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All known lifeforms rely on the same molecular mechanism to translate information carried by DNA and RNA into proteins. This translation is accomplished by an incredibly complex system involving many dozens of very large and precisely interacting molecules. All viruses, bacteria, plants, and animals ultimately inherited this common molecular machinery from our Last Universal Common Ancestor (LUCA). But all of this — and much more — had to evolve prior to LUCA. Without this translation machinery, the “genetic code” isn’t information about anything! So, origins-of-life theories can’t just assume that DNA and RNA intrinsically have information. Even the most widely accepted “RNA-World” origin-of-life theory begs the question: What is the origin of life’s information?

Our speaker, Dr. Terrence Deacon, is Professor Emeritus of Anthropology at UC Berkeley. He is the author of two particularly influential books: The Symbolic Species: The Co-evolution of Language and the Brain and Incomplete Nature: How Mind Emerged from Matter.


Dr. Terrence Deacon

WHAT: Life's Information: Evolution Before LUCA
WHO: Dr. Terrence Deacon, Professor Emeritus of Anthropology, UC Berkeley [https://vcresearch.berkeley.edu/faculty/terrence-deacon]
WHERE: HopMonk Tavern's "Session Room", 224 Vintage Way, Novato CA 94945 [https://www.hopmonk.com/novato]
WHEN: Tuesday, January 14, 2025 — 7:00pm (1.5 hour)
HOW: This event is free and unticketed ... and valuable. But what value does it have for YOU? Accordingly, please use the space below to support Wonderfest in its nonprofit mission to share the scientific outlook.