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FusionEnergy

Fusion Energy – Aug 12

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Fusion research aims to bring sun-like energy production safely to Earth. Recent advances have been momentous, including scientific breakthroughs at Lawrence Livermore Lab’s National Ignition Facility, where Earth’s most energetic lasers drive hydrogen atoms to fuse in a controlled thermonuclear reaction. What challenges remain as we work to put the world’s first fusion power plant on the grid?

Our Wonderfest speaker is Ellie Tubman, Assistant Professor of Nuclear Engineering at UC Berkeley. Dr. Tubman was Research Associate at the UK’s Imperial College, London.


Dr. Ellie Tubman

WHAT: The Future of Fusion Energy on Tap
WHO: Dr. Ellie Tubman, Asst. Professor of Nuclear Engineering
WHERE: HopMonk Tavern, 224 Vintage Way, Novato CA 94945 [https://www.hopmonk.com/novato]
WHEN: Tuesday, August 12, 2005 — 7pm (1.5 hr)
HOW: This event is free and unticketed ... and valuable. But what value does it have FOR YOU (and, indirectly, for society)? Accordingly, please use the DONATE button (below) to support Wonderfest in its nonprofit mission to share the scientific outlook.
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QuantumGravity1

Quantum Gravity – July 29

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By allowing space and time to bend, Einstein’s theory of gravity, General Relativity, explains how apples fall, how planets move, how the universe expands, and how black holes form. Quantum Mechanics, on the other hand, describes subatomic physics — in a very different language that seems incompatible with General Relativity. Yet, unlike any other classical theory in physics, General Relativity “knows” about Quantum Mechanics. Einstein’s theory allows us to compute how many quantum states a black hole has, and how much quantum information fits in the universe. Somewhat like an oracle, it has revealed to us profound properties of quantum theory that have since been rigorously proven. Amazingly, gravity encodes quantum information using sophisticated tools that are central to emerging quantum technologies.

Our Wonderfest speaker is Raphael Bousso, Professor of Physics at UC Berkeley. Dr. Bousso leads the Bousso Group at the Berkeley Center for Theoretical Physics.


Dr. Raphael Bousso

WHAT: Gravity as a Quantum Computer
WHO: Dr. Raphael Bousso, Professor of Physics, UC Berkeley [https://lightsheet.berkeley.edu]
WHERE: HopMonk Tavern, 224 Vintage Way, Novato CA 94945 [https://www.hopmonk.com/novato]
WHEN: Tuesday, July 29, 2025 — 7pm (1.5 hr)
HOW: This event is free and unticketed ... and valuable. But what value does it have FOR YOU (and, indirectly, for society)? Accordingly, please use the DONATE button (below) to support Wonderfest in its nonprofit mission to share the scientific outlook.
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EvolutionOnTrial

Evolution on Trial – July 8

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2025 marks the 100th anniversary of the “Trial of the Century”: Tennessee vs. John T. Scopes, the first major legal assault against the teaching of evolution in America. Mostly because of the fictional movie Inherit the Wind, the Scopes “monkey trial” is wrongly perceived as a victory for evolution over the forces of obscurantism. The full story is much more complex and interesting, involving science, religion, law, education, politics, celebrities, modern communications, and the politicization of science.

Our Wonderfest speaker is physical anthropologist Dr. Eugenie Scott, author of Evolution vs. Creationism: An Introduction, and former director of the National Center for Science Education. Genie is the recipient of numerous awards from both scientists and educators, including the National Academy of Sciences Public Welfare Medal.


Dr. Eugenie Scott

WHAT: The "Trial of the Century": Scopes at 100
WHO: Dr. Eugenie Scott, Former Director, National Center for Science Education [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eugenie_Scott]
WHERE: HopMonk Tavern, 224 Vintage Way, Novato CA 94945 [https://www.hopmonk.com/novato]
WHEN: Tuesday, July 8, 2025 — 7pm (1.5 hr)
HOW: This event is free and unticketed ... and valuable. But what value does it have FOR YOU (and, indirectly, for society)? Accordingly, please use the DONATE button (below) to support Wonderfest in its nonprofit mission to share the scientific outlook.
Donate
ScienceOfLove

Science of Love – June 24

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Love may not “make the world go ’round,” but it surely makes the ride more joyous. The outward displays of love are familiar and simple: a reassuring touch, a passionate kiss, a bedtime story told to a drowsy child. But what is going on inside the brains of people in a loving relationship? Surprisingly, neuroscience can now inform us about the bonds of affection, and how, over each lifetime, love acts to sustain our body and even prolong our life.

Wonderfest’s speaker is psychologist Thomas B. Lewis, M.D., Adjunct Professor at the University of San Francisco and Asst. Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at UCSF. Dr. Lewis is co-author of A General Theory of Love.


Dr. Thomas B. Lewis

WHAT: Heartstrings and Brainwaves: Decoding the Science of Love
WHO: Dr. Thomas B. Lewis, Adjunct Professor, University of San Francisco [https://thomaslewis.com]
WHERE: HopMonk Tavern, 224 Vintage Way, Novato CA 94945 [https://www.hopmonk.com/novato]
WHEN: Tuesday, June 24, 2025 — 7pm (1.5 hr)
HOW: This event is free and unticketed ... and valuable. But what value does it have FOR YOU (and, indirectly, for society)? Accordingly, please use the DONATE button (below) to support Wonderfest in its nonprofit mission to share the scientific outlook.
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FlamingoPhysics

Natural Physics – June 10

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Basic physics shapes the natural world. Through evolution, creatures have figured out how to use the laws of physics to make biology flourish. Flamingos generate water vortices to trap food. Various birds and fish use vortex shedding and fluid turbulence to control movement. For small animals, electrostatic forces and/or capillary forces can reign over gravity to affect the critters’ very survival. Nature is a beautiful dance of biology and physics.

Our speaker is biophysicist Victor M. Ortega Jiménez, Assistant Professor in the Integrative Biology Department at UC Berkeley. Dr. Ortega-Jiménez directs Cal’s Ornithopterus laboratory in organismal dynamics.


Dr. Victor M. Ortega Jiménez

WHAT: Flamingo Vortex Traps: How Physics Redefines Nature
WHO: Dr. Victor M. Ortega Jiménez, Assistant Professor, UC Berkeley [https://ornithopterus.com]
WHERE: HopMonk Tavern, 224 Vintage Way, Novato CA 94945 [https://www.hopmonk.com/novato]
WHEN: Tuesday, June 10, 2025 — 7:00pm (1.5 hour)
HOW: This event is free and unticketed ... and valuable. But what value does it have FOR YOU (and, indirectly, for society)? Accordingly, please use the DONATE button (below) to support Wonderfest in its nonprofit mission to share the scientific outlook.
Donate
Marcou+Moses

Smartphone Seismology & Histamine Neurology – May 27

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

• UC Berkeley seismologist Savvas Marcou on Smartphones Map Ground Shaking in Our Neighborhoods — California is earthquake country. Everyone would love to know how much shaking the next temblor will deliver to their neighborhood. Fortunately, the humble smartphone, available in everyone’s pockets, can record and map ground shaking patterns in unprecedented resolution, and may transform how we think about the next big earthquake.

• Stanford neuroscientist Ashley Moses on Rethinking Histamine: From Molecule to Motivation — Though primarily known for its role in allergies, histamine influences cognition, mood, and sleep, as well. In fact, this understudied molecule is indispensable for brain health. By studying histamine’s role in motivated behaviors, we can uncover groundbreaking insights into neurological problems like depression, Parkinson’s Disease, and stress disorders.

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

WHAT: Ask a Science Envoy: Smartphone Seismology & Histamine Neurology
WHO: Savvas Marcou (UC Berkeley) & Ashley Moses (Stanford), Wonderfest Science Envoys
WHERE: HopMonk Tavern, 224 Vintage Way, Novato CA 94945 [https://www.hopmonk.com/novato]
WHEN: Tuesday, May 27, 2025 — 7pm (1.5 hr)
COLLABORATORS:
Marin Science Seminar [https://marinscienceseminar.com]
HOW: This event is free and unticketed ... and valuable. But what value does it have FOR YOU (and, indirectly, for society)? Accordingly, please use the DONATE button (below) to support Wonderfest in its nonprofit mission to share the scientific outlook.
Donate

Meister+Rojas

AI Memorization; Frog Secrets – May 13

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

• Stanford computer scientist Nicole Meister on Has ChatGPT Memorized the Internet? — Large Language Models (LLMs), such as ChatGPT, have recently gained widespread popularity. Trained on vast amounts of internet data, these AI models raise important questions about the nature of their responses: are they truly synthesized or simply memorized? Researchers can statistically evaluate this claim to reveal test set contamination in LLMs.

• Stanford biologist Jenni Serrano Rojas on Unraveling Frogs’ Secrets for Conservation — Biotelemetry tools are revolutionizing our study of animals, from the largest to the tiniest species. They reveal hidden animal interactions, critical living spaces, and essential resources. In poison frogs, in particular, biotelemetry affords insights that inform conservation strategies and help the species to respond to global change.

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

WHAT: Ask a Science Envoy: AI Memorization; Frog Secrets
WHO: Nicole Meister (Stanford) & Jenni Serrano Rojas (Stanford), Wonderfest Science Envoys
WHERE: HopMonk Tavern, 224 Vintage Way, Novato CA 94945 [https://www.hopmonk.com/novato]
WHEN: Tuesday, May 13, 2025 — 7pm (1.5 hr)
COLLABORATORS:
Marin Science Seminar [https://marinscienceseminar.com]
HOW: This event is free and unticketed ... and valuable. But what value does it have FOR YOU (and, indirectly, for society)? Accordingly, please use the DONATE button (below) to support Wonderfest in its nonprofit mission to share the scientific outlook.
Donate

Consciousness & Physics – May ??

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When philosopher Thomas Nagel asked, “What is it like to be a bat?”, he was not asking about what it’s like for a human to be a bat — not the experience of, say, Batman. Nagel was vivifying the so-called “hard problem of consciousness”: What is it like for a bat to be a bat? More broadly, what is the nature of a bat’s — or of any — subjective experience? How does brain activity (from a third-person objective point of view) become a first-person feeling (from a subjective point of view)? Perhaps the “relativity” principles of Galileo and Einstein can help us understand this seemingly profound distinction between the first-person point of view (my experience) and the third-person point of view (another’s brain activity) as recognized by neuroscience.

Our speaker, physicist Nir Lahav, is a postdoctoral researcher in the Consciousness and Cognition Lab at Cambridge University. Dr. Lahav has developed what he and philosopher Zachariah Neemeh call A Relativistic Theory of Consciousness.


Dr. Nir Lahav

WHAT: Consciousness and Physics
WHO: Dr. Nir Lahav, Postdoctoral Researcher, Cambridge University [https://www.lahavnir.com]
WHERE: TBD
WHEN: TBD TBD (1.5 hr)
HOW: This event is free and unticketed ... and valuable. But what value does it have FOR YOU (and, indirectly, for society)? Accordingly, please use the DONATE button (below) to support Wonderfest in its nonprofit mission to share the scientific outlook.
Donate
Brethauer+Williams

Kilonova Metals & Cat Ecology – Apr 29

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

• UC Berkeley astrophysicist Daniel Brethauer on Astronomically Rocking Out to Heavy Metals — The gold in jewelry, the uranium in a nuclear power plant, the caesium in atomic clocks: what do these all have in common? It turns out they were likely forged in the fires of a cosmic explosion known as a kilonova. These extremely energetic events reveal the origins of the periodic table’s heaviest elements.

• UC Berkeley ecologist Tyus Williams on Unraveling the Ecology of Domestic Cats — What if one of our greatest companions is potentially one of our greatest threats? When free to roam, domestic cats can severely disrupt wildlife communities. However, understanding cats’ behavior and how they’re influenced by their surroundings can allow us to develop better conservation strategies.

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

 

WHAT: Ask a Science Envoy: Kilonova Metals & Cat Ecology
WHO: Daniel Brethauer (UC Berkeley) & Tyus Williams (UC Berkeley), Wonderfest Science Envoys
WHERE: HopMonk Tavern, 224 Vintage Way, Novato CA 94945 [https://www.hopmonk.com/novato]
WHEN: Tuesday, April 29 — 7pm (1.5 hr)
COLLABORATORS:
Marin Science Seminar [https://marinscienceseminar.com]
HOW: This event is free and unticketed ... and valuable. But what value does it have FOR YOU (and, indirectly, for society)? Accordingly, please use the DONATE button (below) to support Wonderfest in its nonprofit mission to share the scientific outlook.
Donate

ScienceReporting

Science Reporting – Apr 29

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Radio and TV journalist Ira Flatow produced his first science stories back in 1970 during the inaugural Earth Day. Since then, he has worked for Emmy Award-winning science programs and covered science for a number of high-profile news organizations, and has hosted the popular public radio program “Science Friday” for more than three decades. In his career, Flatow has interviewed countless scientists, journalists and other experts about the most exciting developments in science. Now the Commonwealth Club (with Wonderfest!) welcomes Ira in conversation with local journalists to speak about the role of science writing in the current cultural climate.

Ira’s interviewers: Annalee Newitz, science journalist and co-host of the Hugo Award-winning podcast “Our Opinions are Correct” |  Ezra David Romero, climate and water reporter for KQED news | Naveena Sadasivam, fossil fuel and climate change writer at Grist independent media organization.

Two types of tickets are available: in-person and online-only. Pre-register with the Commonwealth Club via the “Tickets” link, below. Use promo code WONDERNAUTS for a $10 ticket discount.


Ira Flatow

WHAT: Science Friday and the Future of Science Reporting
WHO: Ira Flatow, Radio/TV journalist and Science Friday host
WHERE: The Commonwealth Club, Taube Auditorium, 110 The Embarcadero, San Francisco CA 94105
WHEN: Tuesday, April 29, — 6:00 PM (1 hour)
COLLABORATORS:
Commonwealth Club World Affairs of California [https://www.commonwealthclub.org]
HOW: Get tickets by clicking the "Tickets" box, below. During purchase from the Commonwealth Club, use promo code WONDERNAUTS to secure a discount of $10.00 for either type of ticket, in-person or online.
Tickets
AnimalGenderDiversity

Animal Gender Diversity – Apr 17

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The words sex and gender challenge us, even scientifically. Sex commonly refers to a creature’s physical and biological characteristics. Gender refers to behavior and self-presentation within a social group. Since nature is replete with social groups, we can take rich delight in trying to understand gender diversity among animals. This is a key topic in the new book by Dr. Nathan Lents: The Sexual Evolution: How 500 Million Years of Sex, Gender, and Mating Shape Modern Relationships. Wonderfest joins the San Francisco Public Library to explore gender diversity in the animal kingdom.

Our speaker is Dr. Nathan Lents, Professor of Biology and Director of the Cell and Molecular Biology program at John Jay College, part of the City University of New York (CUNY). This event is co-presented by Wonderfest and the San Francisco Public Library.


Dr. Nathan Lents

WHAT: Gender Diversity in the Animal Kingdom
WHO: Dr. Nathan Lents, Professor of Biology, John Jay College (CUNY)
WHERE: SF Public Library, Main Branch, Latino/Hispanic Rm, 100 Larkin Street, San Francisco CA 94102 [https://sfpl.org]
WHEN: Thursday, April 17, 2025 — 6pm (1 hour)
COLLABORATORS:
San Francisco Public Library [https://sfpl.org/events/2025/04/17/presentation-exploring-gender-diversity-animal-kingdom]
HOW: This event is free and unticketed ... and valuable. But what value does it have FOR YOU (and, indirectly, for society)? Accordingly, please use the DONATE button (below) to support Wonderfest in its nonprofit mission to share the scientific outlook.
Donate
Reeves+Manwadkar

Eye Movements & Tiny Galaxies – Apr 15

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

• UC Berkeley neuroscientist Stephanie Reeves on The Horizontal Saccade Bias — Humans make eye movements to explore the visual environment. One type of involuntary eye movement, termed a saccade, occurs 2-3 times per second and is one of the fastest movements that the human body can make. New research challenges previous assumptions about how and why saccades arise.

• Stanford astrophysicist Viraj Manwadkar on Tiny Galaxies and Big Cosmic Mysteries — The very smallest galaxies shed light on fundamental questions in physics and astronomy: They play an intriguing role in the formation of cosmic ecosystems, and they even inform our attempt to understand dark matter, the utterly mysterious stuff that constitutes 80% of the material universe.

 

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

 

WHAT: Ask a Science Envoy: Eye Movements & Tiny Galaxies
WHO: Stephanie Reeves (UC Berkeley) & Viraj Manwadkar (Stanford), Wonderfest Science Envoys
WHERE: HopMonk Tavern, 224 Vintage Way, Novato CA 94945 [https://www.hopmonk.com/novato]
WHEN: Tuesday, April 15 — 7pm (1.5 hr)
COLLABORATORS:
Marin Science Seminar [https://marinscienceseminar.com]
HOW: This event is free and unticketed ... and valuable. But what value does it have FOR YOU (and, indirectly, for society)? Accordingly, please use the DONATE button (below) to support Wonderfest in its nonprofit mission to share the scientific outlook.
Donate

Stronger

Muscle & Strength – Apr 2

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Muscle plays a central role in life and health. At this Commonwealth Club event, Michael Joseph Gross, author of the new book Stronger: The Untold Story of Muscle in Our Lives, shares his call for each of us to recognize muscle as “the vital, inextricable, and effective partner of the soul.” Learn how Gross looks at strength, weight training, and fitness — about how all of us, from elite powerlifters to people who have never played sports at all, can learn to lift weights in ways that yield an important prize: the ability to act upon the world in the ways that we wish.

Author Michael Joseph Gross will speak with podcaster Guy Raz, creator of “How I Built This.” Two types of tickets are available: in-person and online-only. Pre-register with the Commonwealth Club via the “Tickets” link, below. Use promo code WONDERNAUTS for a $7 ticket discount.


Michael Joseph Gross

WHAT: Muscle & Strength
WHO: Michael Joseph Gross, Author & Journalist [https://www.michaeljosephgross.com]
WHERE: Commonwealth Club, Taube Auditorium, 110 The Embarcadero, San Francisco CA 94105
WHEN: Wednesday, April 2, 6:00 PM
COLLABORATORS:
Commonwealth Club World Affairs of California [https://www.commonwealthclub.org]
HOW: Get tickets by clicking the "Tickets" box, below. During purchase from the Commonwealth Club, use promo code WONDERNAUTS to secure a discount of $7.00 for either type of ticket, in-person or online.
Tickets
OtherHumans

Other Humans – Apr 1

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We are members of the genus Homo, distinguished from other primates as bipedal great apes. So far, we have found fossil evidence for several other members of our genus, i.e., several other humans. How does a fossil gain entry into this exclusive club? How many members are there? What do we currently know about these possible relatives — and why aren’t they alive, today, walking upright among us?

Our speaker is biological anthropologist Julie Hui, Adjunct Professor at the College of Marin. Julie was — and is — a Wonderfest Science Envoy who takes science outreach seriously.


Julie Hui

WHAT: Other Humans
WHO: Julie Hui, Professor at College of Marin and Wonderfest Science Envoy
WHERE: HopMonk Tavern, 224 Vintage Way, Novato CA 94945 [https://www.hopmonk.com/novato]
WHEN: Tuesday, April 1 — 7:00 PM (1.5 hr)
HOW: This event is free and unticketed ... and valuable. But what value does it have FOR YOU (and, indirectly, for society)? Accordingly, please use the DONATE button (below) to support Wonderfest in its nonprofit mission to share the scientific outlook.
Donate
WonderOfMushrooms

Wonder of Mushrooms – Mar 30

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Over 20,000(!) species of mushroom-forming fungi support the health and diversity of multiple ecosystems. Technically, what are mushrooms? How do they live, and what are some of the myriad ways they disperse, reproduce, and (even) communicate? Perhaps most important, how can we use mushrooms to help feed humanity and heal the biosphere?

Our speaker is Dr. Dennis Desjardin, Professor Emeritus of Biology at San Francisco State University, and Director Emeritus of SFSU’s Thiers Herbarium. As the author of California Mushrooms and Chief Mycologist for Sempera Organics, Inc., Dr. Desjardin is known as the “Mushroom Guru of the West Coast.” This event is co-presented by Wonderfest and the San Francisco Public Library.


Dr. Dennis Desjardin

WHAT: The Wonder of Mushrooms
WHO: Dr. Dennis Desjardin, Professor Emeritus of Biology, San Francisco State University [https://faculty.sfsu.edu/~ded/]
WHERE: SF Public Library, Main branch, Latino/Hispanic Rm, 100 Larkin Street, San Francisco, CA 94102 [https://sfpl.org]
WHEN: — Sunday, March 30, 3pm (1.5 hr)
COLLABORATORS:
San Francisco Public Library [https://sfpl.org/events/2025/03/30/presentation-wonder-mushrooms]
HOW: This event is free and unticketed ... and valuable. But what value does it have FOR YOU (and, indirectly, for society)? Accordingly, please use the DONATE button (below) to support Wonderfest in its nonprofit mission to share the scientific outlook.
Donate
ThinkingGame+Norvig

The Thinking Game – Mar 23

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2024’s The Thinking Game takes us on a journey into DeepMind, one of Earth’s leading AI labs, as it strives to unravel the mysteries of artificial general intelligence (AGI). Inside DeepMind’s London headquarters, Nobel laureate Demis Hassabis and his team are pursuing the creation of AI that matches or surpasses human abilities on a wide range of tasks. Filmed over five years, the documentary puts viewers in the room for the pivotal moments of this quest, including the groundbreaking achievement of AlphaFold, a program that solved a 50-year grand challenge in biology. Immediately after The Thinking Game‘s screening, expert Peter Norvig will answer our AI questions.

Dr. Peter Norvig is a Fellow at Stanford’s Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence. He is Director of Research at Google, and he co-authored the most popular AI textbook, Artificial Intelligence: A Modern Approach, used in more than 1,500 universities in 135 countries.


Dr. Peter Norvig

WHAT: The Thinking Game
WHO: Dr. Peter Norvig, Director of Research, Google [https://www.norvig.com]
WHERE: Cameo Cinema, 1340 Main Street, St. Helena, CA 94574
WHEN: Sunday, March 23 1:00 PM (2 hr)
COLLABORATORS:
Cameo Cinema [https://www.cameocinema.com]
Tickets
Mualim+Soria

Anthropocene Alarm; Partisan Contagion – Mar 18

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

• UC Berkeley biologist Kristy Mualim on Genetic Biodiversity Loss in the Anthropocene — In the Anthropocene, the age of planet-wide human impact, activities like habitat destruction, pollution, and resource overuse cause rapid loss of genetic diversity. This loss makes it harder for plants and animals to adapt to changes in the environment, putting entire species at risk of extinction. Protecting genetic diversity is crucial for keeping ecosystems healthy, and for ensuring the survival of life on Earth.

• UC Berkeley demographer Chris Soria on Partisan Differences in the Spread of Disease — Political partisanship significantly influences how different groups respond to public health guidance, affecting their adherence to protective measures against infectious diseases. Understanding partisan-based disparities in acceptance of scientific evidence helps us to predict the population-wide spread of diseases, and to improve public health outcomes.

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

 

WHAT: Ask a Science Envoy: Anthropocene Alarm; Partisan Contagion
WHO: Kristy Mualim (UC Berkeley) & Chris Soria (UC Berkeley), Wonderfest Science Envoys
WHERE: HopMonk Tavern, 224 Vintage Way, Novato CA 94945 [https://www.hopmonk.com/novato]
WHEN: Tuesday, Mar 18, 2025 — 7pm (1.5 hr)
COLLABORATORS:
Marin Science Seminar [https://marinscienceseminar.com]
HOW: This event is free and unticketed ... and valuable. But what value does it have FOR YOU (and, indirectly, for society)? Accordingly, please use the DONATE button (below) to support Wonderfest in its nonprofit mission to share the scientific outlook.
Donate

StandUpForScience

Stand Up for Science – Mar 7

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Science is for everyone, and benefits everyone. But American science is in deep trouble. In a podcast entitled Cuts to Science Funding and Why They Matter, physicist and author Sean Carroll thunders that recent presidential executive orders constitute “an absolutely devastating blow to the way science gets done in the United States.” On Friday afternoon, March 7th, Wonderfest joins thousands of the thoughtful to Stand Up for Science at San Francisco’s Civic Center Plaza. Please join us!

Stand Up for Science is a grassroots organization led by five early-career scientists — along with many volunteers (like us) — who work to protect the American science enterprise.

 


Stand Up for Science

WHAT: Stand Up for Science - 2025
WHO: Stand Up for Science [https://standupforscience2025.org/about/]
WHERE: Civic Center Plaza, 335 McAllister Street, San Francisco, CA 94102
Map: [https://maps.app.goo.gl/LzyxmyVHZXSe9Zem6]
WHEN: Friday, March 7th, 1:00 PM (2 hours)
COLLABORATORS:
Stand Up for Science [https://standupforscience2025.org]
HOW: Please register via the Eventbrite link, below. Then, to join your fellow Wondernauts on March 7th, look for a big hand-held sign bearing Wonderfest's blue-and-black eyeball logo.
Register
Air-Borne

Life in a Breath – Mar 3

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Earth’s air teems with invisible life. Each of us inhales roughly 100 gallons of air per hour, and the possible peril is, alas, anything but palpable: from gaseous pollutants to weaponized pathogens. The study of life in the atmosphere, aerobiology, is a particularly challenging subject. For example, scientists needed two years to finally agree that the Covid pandemic was caused by an airborne virus. Wonderfest joins the Commonwealth Club online to present science writer Carl Zimmer in discussion of his latest book, Air-Borne: The Hidden History of the Life We Breathe. The conversation will likely be breathtaking.

Carl Zimmer is the author of fifteen books about science, and his “Origins” column (on life’s diversity) appears regularly in the New York Times. Of Zimmer’s preceding book, Life’s Edge (2021), Nobel Laureate Jennifer Doudna wrote, “Carl Zimmer shows what a great suspense novel science can be. … Prepare to be enthralled.”

 

WHAT: Air-Borne with Carl Zimmer
WHO: Carl Zimmer, Science Writer [https://carlzimmer.com]
WHERE: ONLINE
WHEN: Monday, March 3, 2025 — 3pm PT (1 hour)
COLLABORATORS:
The Commonwealth Club of California
HOW:

Use the "Tickets" link (below) to access the Commonwealth Club's event webpage. During online ticket purchase, use discount code WonderfestPromo for a ticket price reduction of $10, making this entire Carl Zimmer online experience FREE.

Tickets
Abrams+Johnson

Black Holes; Kelp Forests – Feb 24

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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: Monday, Feb 24, 2025 — 7pm (1.5 hr)
COLLABORATORS:
Marin Science Seminar [https://marinscienceseminar.com]
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.

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