2018 Archive

Earth, seventy percent covered by water, is home to a multitude of strange ocean creatures, and dominant among them are the fishes. There are giants that live for centuries and thumb-sized tiddlers that survive only weeks; they can be pancake-flat or inflatable balloons; they can shout with colors or hide in plain sight, cheat and dance, remember and say sorry; some rarely budge while others travel the globe restlessly. In discussion of her most-recent book, Eye of the Shoal, Dr. Helen Scales will provide A Fishwatcher's Guide to Life, the Oceans, and Everything.

When not writing (or underwater), marine biologist Helen Scales teaches marine conservation at Cambridge University.

Dr. Helen Scales

Earth, seventy percent covered by water, is home to a multitude of strange ocean creatures, and dominant among them are the fishes. There are giants that live for centuries and thumb-sized tiddlers that survive only weeks; they can be pancake-flat or inflatable balloons; they can shout with colors or hide in plain sight, cheat and dance, remember and say sorry; some rarely budge while others travel the globe restlessly. In discussion of her most-recent book, Eye of the Shoal, Dr. Helen Scales will provide A Fishwatcher's Guide to Life, the Oceans, and Everything.

When not writing (or underwater), marine biologist Helen Scales teaches marine conservation at Cambridge University. [Note: Dr. Scales will present similar undersea insights on June 25th at this Wonderfest event in Redwood City.]

Dr. Helen Scales

Through years of scientific and technological advance, we’ve learned that heredity is as complex as it is important. Consider the seemingly simple trait of height. We now know that at least 800 distinct genes influence height in humans. Further, collectively, those genes explain only about one-quarter of the heritability of height! The subtitle of science writer Carl Zimmer's new book is The Powers, Perversions, and Potential of Heredity. In this Wonderfest collaboration with the Commonwealth Club, Zimmer will exhibit the depth of his research and the clarity of his discourse. He will help us to understand how humans have become who we are.

Carl Zimmer's journalistic "beat" is the science of life. He has written 13 books (including two biology textbooks), numerous essays (for The New York Times, Discover, National Geographic, and more), and he is an adjunct professor in Yale University's Department of Molecular Biophysics & Biochemistry.

Carl Zimmer

We humans often do battle with creepy invaders of our living spaces. This lively talk will present the latest research on the biology, detection, and control of three particularly villainous house guests. You might be surprised to find which room in your home is their favorite target. We will have big (and little) fun, and there will be props a-plenty — some of them still crawlin' — to go around.

Our speaker, Dr. Vernard Lewis, is emeritus Cooperative Extension Specialist in UC Berkeley's Department of Environmental Sciences, Policy, and Management. He joined the Cal faculty in 1991, specializing in Urban Entomology, authoring or co-authoring more than 150 publications, and giving hundreds of lectures & presentations. Dr. Lewis was inducted into the Pest Control Hall of Fame in 2016.

Dr. Vernard Lewis

The Northern Lights (aurora) can appear as a deep red glow here in California. In Alaska, it more often appears as a bright green band, glowing across the night sky. Scientists are still researching why these dynamic lights look the way they do. Come learn more about the underlying reasons for auroras, their connection to the activity on the Sun, and how photographers are helping us better understand the different ways these lights manifest ... and delight.

Our speaker, physicist Laura Peticolas, is Scientist and Associate Director of Education & Outreach at Sonoma State University.

Dr. Laura Peticolas

Jane Goodall may be the world's foremost expert on our genetic and behavioral kin, the chimpanzees. She is certainly a brave and thoughtful steward of planet Earth. In the 2017 documentary Jane, we see the young, untrained researcher challenge scientific consensus on the road to revolutionizing people's understanding of the natural world.

Alongside the Cameo Cinema's screening of the highly acclaimed Jane (99% Fresh at RottenTomatoes), Wonderfest presents UC Davis anthropologist Kelly Harcourt on "Why Study Apes?" Dr. Harcourt studied mountain gorillas (with, among others, Dian Fossey) in central and east Africa. Since 1989, she and her husband have produced numerous scientific and popular publications, including their 2007 book, Gorilla Society.

Dr. Kelly Stewart Harcourt

Viruses are infectious agents that exist in the twilight zone between the living and the non-living. Despite their tiny genomes and diminutive nature, viruses hold the power of life and death. They also contain remarkable molecular tools, some of which researchers have learned to harness to understand and control the fundamental powers of biology. Stanford's Bob Siegel will shine light on the basic structure and function of viruses. He'll also explore those features that distinguish viruses from the living organisms they commandeer.

Dr. Robert Siegel, MD PhD, is Professor of Microbiology & Immunology at Stanford University. He has won nearly a dozen awards for excellence in teaching.

Dr. Robert Siegel

The first human mission to Mars will be the greatest adventure of the 21st-century. As with all expeditions, its success will depend on planning. The first steps are already under way: achieving longer spaceflight missions, planning for deep space journeys beyond the Moon, and exploring extreme terrestrial environments as Mars “analogs.”

Dr. Pascal Lee will discuss progress made around the world — from the Arctic to Antarctica, from basement labs to the International Space Station — to achieve the first human voyage to Mars. He will explore the what, why, how, when, and who of our first journey to the Red Planet.

Dr. Pascal Lee