Memory; Supernovae – May 9
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:
• Stanford neuroscientist Douglas Steven Miller on Why Can’t I Remember? — Memory is a fundamental component of life. However, memory within and across individuals can vary. By studying attention, we can illuminate key components of these differences and perhaps strengthen our memory.
• UC Berkeley astrophysicist Sergiy Vasylyev on Cosmic Fireworks — Some stars go out with a bang: a cataclysmic explosion known as a supernova. Supernovae allow us to study the composition and dynamics of the Universe. Astronomers are able to use certain properties of light and atoms to peer inside the extreme environments of these cosmic fireworks from the safety of planet Earth.
This event is free. But what value do these science insights have FOR YOU? Accordingly, please use the space below to contribute to nonprofit Wonderfest, and help to promote the scientific outlook broadly — as through our outstanding Science Envoy Program.
Robot Learning; Toad Navigation – Apr 27
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 computer scientist Dr. Ellen Novoseller on Machine Learning in Robots — How do robots use machine learning algorithms to behave properly in uncertain surroundings? Two examples highlight the issue: a household robot that learns to manipulate everyday objects, and a personalized robotic exoskeleton that helps mobility-impaired people to walk.
• Stanford organismal biologist Daniel Shaykevich on Toads in Space: Studying Navigation in Amphibians — While we know quite a bit about how mammals use their brains to understand their spatial surroundings, we know much less about how frogs and salamanders do it. What is going on inside the amphibian brain during navigation? And why would this be interesting to humans?
Bay Area Science Festival [https://www.bayareasciencefestival.org]
This event is free. But what value do these science insights have FOR YOU? Accordingly, please use the space below to contribute to nonprofit Wonderfest, and help to promote the scientific outlook broadly — as through our outstanding Science Envoy Program.
Starship Reality-check – Apr 25
The stars beckon. But humans evolved on Earth, not to hurtle through space. For long-duration travel — interplanetary and, even, interstellar — what spacecraft accomodations are necessary? Is on-board human hibernation an option? Might we overcome the problems of space radiation and prolonged weightlessness? Finally, scientists may argue that the ideal craft for fast human interstellar travel is the constantly-accelerating “1-g starship,” but what do engineers say?
Our two speakers are Dr. Pascal Lee, Planetary Scientist at the SETI Institute and the Mars Institute, and Tucker Hiatt, Director of Wonderfest. This Wonderfest event is part of The Bay Area Science Festival.
Dr. Pascal Lee
The Bay Area Science Festival [https://www.bayareasciencefestival.org]
This unticketed, admission-free, Wonderfest event will be COVID-free, as well. Please be vaccinated, and please wear a mask (except when dining/drinking). The warm feeling of Wondernaut(!) camaraderie radiates through masks and across wide seat-spacing. Please join us! And kindly consider donating to nonprofit Wonderfest in the Eventbrite space, below. (Ignore any mention of "tickets" or "sales".)
Animal Behavior; Machine Learning – Apr 11
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 zoologist Erin Person on What’s the Point? Animal Behavior and the Value of Niche Science — We share our planet with many strange and wonderful animals. As David Attenborough has taught us, their ways of life can be fascinating. But beyond satisfying our curiosity, studying animals can teach us about evolution, ecosystems, and even ourselves.
• Stanford statistician Ben Seiler on Understanding Machine Learning — Computers automate important decisions across our society. Unfortunately, we cannot always understand how and why complex algorithms and statistical models are making these decisions! How can we make such machine learning more transparent and interpretable?
This event is free. But what value do these science insights have FOR YOU? Accordingly, please use the space below to contribute to nonprofit Wonderfest, and help to promote the scientific outlook broadly — as through our outstanding Science Envoy Program.
Plant Immunity; Exoplanets – Mar 30
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 plant biologist Chandler Sutherland on It’s Not Easy Staying Green: Understanding Plant Immune Systems — Every day, plants resist an onslaught of viruses, bacteria, fungi, and herbivores. However, plants can’t make antibodies or move immune cells around with a circulatory system, as we can. Understanding plant immune systems teaches us about how human immunity evolved, and is helping us learn how to protect our agricultural crops against disease.
• Stanford astrophysicist Alex Madurowicz on Imaging Extrasolar Planets — Technical advancements in the next decade will enable telescopic observation of smaller and fainter worlds that orbit other stars, including Earth-like planets. Going further, bold concepts for the next century completely reimagine the concept of a telescope — allowing resolution of details like continents, forests, and even extraterrestrial cities.
This event is free. But what value do these science insights have FOR YOU? Accordingly, please use the space below to contribute to nonprofit Wonderfest, and help to promote the scientific outlook broadly — as through our outstanding Science Envoy Program.
Science of Happiness – Mar 28
What does it mean to be happy, and what can one do to be happier? Scientific research is yielding a heartwarming picture: Happiness is linked to feelings and behaviors that are prosocial — that contribute to a greater good. Happy people routinely report having strong, supportive social connections; they find common humanity with others, and assume trust and good intent. Despite popular assumptions about competitiveness, self-reliance, and self-interest, evidence indicates that dedicated psychological systems (for nurturance, affiliation, and shared joy) incline humans toward cooperation and generosity. Increasing happiness, it seems, hinges largely on prioritizing interpersonal belonging and genuine kindness — both towards ourselves and other people.
Our speaker, Dr. Emiliana Simon-Thomas, is Science Director at UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center. She is a leading expert on the neuroscience and psychology of prosocial skills that boslter human happiness.
Dr. Emiliana Simon-Thomas
This unticketed, admission-free, Wonderfest event will be COVID-free, as well, because we ask that attendees be masked (except when dining/drinking) and vaccinated. The warm feeling of Wondernaut(!) camaraderie radiates through masks and across wide seat-spacing. Please join us! And please consider donating to nonprofit Wonderfest in the Eventbrite space, below. (Ignore any mention of "tickets.")
CODA + Audiology – Mar 22
Wonderfest joins St. Helena’s Cameo Cinema to present Q&A with Dr. Melanie Gilbert immediately following a special screening of 2021’s CODA (95% “Fresh” at Rotten Tomatoes). Peter Travers of ABC News calls CODA (children of deaf adults) “an emotional powerhouse … one of the year’s best.” This Science on Screen event promises to be a lively journey deep into sound and silence — exploring the adaptive power of the brain and the impact technological advances can have on individuals with hearing loss.
Our guest speaker, Dr. Melanie Gilbert, is cochlear implant research audiologist in the Music and Sound Perception Lab at UC San Francisco.
Dr. Melanie Gilbert
Map: [https://goo.gl/maps/hhbaEDVoAGVXxVEZA]
Purchase tickets for this full Science On Screen event at the Cameo Cinema ticket website specified below.
Uniqueness; Metamorphosis – Mar 17
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 psychologist Antonia Langenhoff on What Childhood Teaches Us About Human Uniqueness — Why are humans the only species that flies into space and invents vaccines? Social cooperation is the key. Insights from Developmental Science show us how humanity’s unique cooperative skills emerge, surprisingly, in very young children.
• Stanford marine biologist Paul Bump on Underwater Metamorphosis, a Larva’s Tale — Creatures from across the animal kingdom, from butterflies to frogs to worms, undergo metamorphosis. A humble marine worm is challenging our understanding of metamorphosis, and of how all adult animals develop.
This event is free. But what value do these science insights have FOR YOU? Accordingly, please use the space below to contribute to nonprofit Wonderfest, and help to promote the scientific outlook broadly — as through our outstanding Science Envoy Program.
Complex Adaptive Systems – Mar 10
The human immune system is complex — so complex and dynamic that it can actually adapt to a changing environment; i.e., it can evolve. Accordingly, we call the immune system a complex adaptive system. Within biology, species are complex adaptive systems whose environmental fitness tends to improve over time; species evolve. Sometimes, a species population divides, and each part evolves in isolation. Genetic mismatches may then arise that make hybrid creatures sterile and prevent re-mixing of the two populations. Similar processes operate in other complex adaptive systems, where isolation leads to crucial mismatches — in biological systems (such as the immune system and the brain) and in cultural systems (such as language and technology). Understanding cultural mismatches, in particular, may have large-scale consequences: informing humanity’s attempt to mitigate xenophobia.
Our speaker, Dr. David Queller, is Professor of Biology at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri. His research explores the evolution of cooperation both experimentally (among microbes) and theoretically (using population genetics and game theory).
Dr. David C. Queller
Please support Wonderfest's nonprofit mission to "enlarge the concept of scientific community" by contributing in the Eventbrite space, below.
Sea Life Q&A – Mar 3
Marine scientist Dr. Stephen Palumbi answers our questions about whales (and other marine life) in this online encore presentation of Wonderfest’s in-person February-6th event in St. Helena. With an easy-to-procure library card number, begin by watching 2021’s The Loneliest Whale. [It’s streaming via the FREE Kanopy service, associated with many public libraries.] The Loneliest Whale (88% “Fresh” at Rotten Tomatoes) is a cinematic quest to find “the 52-hertz whale,” apparently condemned to a life of solitude by the unique frequency of its call to other whales. Time magazine’s Sephanie Zacharek says that “this lonely seafaring fellow … has become a metaphor for our need to connect and communicate with others.” In contrast, Professor Palumbi has a wondefully rich life in science communication — with his students at Stanford and with the public in general. Even if you can’t watch The Loneliest Whale beforehand, join Wonderfest to explore the marine world via Zoom with Prof. Palumbi.
Dr. Stephen Palumbi is Professor of Marine Biology at Stanford University. He does research at Hopkins Marine Station, and he is Senior Fellow at Woods Institute for the Environment. Steve is the author of 2014’s The Extreme Life of the Sea with his son, Anthony Palumbi.
Dr. Stephen Palumbi
Watch The Loneliest Whale at home via the FREE Kanopy video streaming service, then use the "WHERE" link (above) to access Wonderfest's LIVE Zoom Q&A with Dr. Palumbi.
Animal Behavior – Feb 28
Many of us are captivated by the behavior of wild animals: a pride of lions fighting off a clan of hyenas, a honeybee dancing to communicate the location of food, the crazy acrobatic courtship displays of male lance-tailed manakins. What is it like to be a biologist who studies the behavior of such creatures? What are the implications for the study of human behavior? Using examples drawn from her work with rodents known as tuco-tucos, tojos, and tokoros (pictured above), Dr. Eileen Lacey will describe the types of questions, concerns, and sometimes astounding solutions that field biologists employ in their quest to understand why animals do what they do.
Dr. Eileen Lacey is Professor and Co-Chair in the Department of Integrative Biology at UC Berkeley. She also leads the Vertebrate Social Behavior and Population Biology Laboratory at Cal’s Museum of Vertebrate Zoology.
Dr. Eileen A. Lacey
This admission-free Wonderfest event will be COVID-free, as well, because we ask that attendees be masked (except when dining) and vaccinated. The warm feeling of Wondernaut camaraderie radiates through masks and across social distance; please join us!
Evidence of ET? – Feb 22
In 2017, astronomers detected an elongated object swinging past Earth on its way out of the solar system. The size, shape, and motion of Oumuamua (roughly “scout” in Hawaiian) suggested to a few scientists that an interstellar spaceship had paid a visit. Perhaps the most outspoken of these scientists is Harvard astronomer Dr. Avi Loeb. Of Professor Loeb’s new book, Extraterrestrial: The First Sign of Intelligent Life Beyond Earth, Caltech physicist Sean Carroll says, “Avi Loeb’s sumptuously written book will provoke you to think about the possibility of intelligent life elsewhere in the universe in new and stimulating ways.” Via this live online interview with Prof. Loeb, Wonderfest joins the Commonwealth Club in facilitating the stimulation!
Dr. Abraham (Avi) Loeb is Professor of Science and Chair of the Astronomy Department at Harvard University. He is the author of four books and over 700 scientific papers. Dr. Loeb is also director of the Institute for Theory and Computation at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics.
Dr. Avi Loeb
The Commonwealth Club [https://www.commonwealthclub.org/events/2022-02-22/avi-loeb-intelligent-life-beyond-earth]
Use discount code Wonderfest22 to purchase FREE tickets via the Commonwealth Club website presented in the "Where" field (above) and in the "Collaborator" field (below).
The Edge of Reality – Feb 16
Modern physics provides a stunning view of the universe on scales both vast and miniscule, and, of course, on the scale of our everyday lives. In his new book, This Way to the Universe: A Theoretical Physicist’s Journey to the Edge of Reality, Dr. Michael Dine describes humanity’s — and his own — attempts to face profound mysteries like Dark Matter, Dark Energy, and (even) why the universe consists of something rather than nothing! Prof. Dine describes the danger of falling in love with math as he shows how our arcane-but-essential approaches to understanding the stuff of reality — like String Theory — may be experimentally testable.
Dr. Michael Dine is Distinguished Professor of Physics at the Santa Cruz Institute for Particle Physics, UC Santa Cruz. During this Commonwealth Club interview, audience Q&A will take place in the virtual chat bar.
Dr. Michael Dine
The Commonwealth Club [https://www.commonwealthclub.org/events/2022-02-16/michael-dine-way-universe]
Use discount code Wonderfest22 to purchase FREE tickets via the Commonwealth Club website presented in the "Where" field (above) and in the "Collaborator" field (below).
Secret Life of Whales – Feb 6
Wonderfest joins St. Helena’s Cameo Cinema to present a special screening of 2021’s The Loneliest Whale documentary followed by Q&A with Stanford marine scientist Dr. Stephen Palumbi. The Loneliest Whale (88% “Fresh” at Rotten Tomatoes) is a cinematic quest to find “the 52-hertz whale,” apparently condemned to a life of solitude by the unique frequency of its call to other whales. Time magazine’s Stephanie Zacharek says that “this lonely seafaring fellow … has become a metaphor for our own need to connect and communicate with others.” In contrast, Professor Palumbi has had a wonderfully rich life in science communication — with his students at Stanford and with the public in general. His post-screening presentation (with audience Q&A) will shine light on the “secret life of whales,” in general.
Dr. Stephen Palumbi is Professor of Marine Sciences at Stanford University. He does research at Hopkins Marine Station, and he is Senior Fellow at the Woods Institute for the Environment. Steve is the author of 2014’s The Extreme Life of the Sea with his son, Anthony Palumbi.
Dr. Stephen Palumbi
Purchase tickets ($10) for this special Science on Screen event via the "Tickets" link, below. The Cameo Cinema observes the CinemaSafe protocols of the National Association of Theater Owners. The well-ventilated and high-ceilinged theater is santized between shows, and all staff wear N95 masks. Any patron without a mask will be provided with one.
Climate & Social Justice – Jan 19
Climate change and social justice are two intersecting crises that will define the coming decades on Earth. According to Prof. Dan Kammen, addressing both challenges together makes each campaign more effective, both for meeting and setting new domestic climate and social justice targets, and as part of a coherent pro-justice, pro-poor, pro-job, and pro-climate export policy. This online event will begin with a live ~ 30-minute presentation by Prof. Kammen. Then Dan will answer audience questions about his presentation and about climate and social justice, in general.
Dr. Daniel Kammen is Professor of Energy and founding director of the Renewable & Appropriate Energy Laboratory (RAEL) at UC Berkeley. He has recently returned from the UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow (COP26) where he served as USAID’s Senior Advisor for Energy, Climate, and Innovation.
Dr. Dan Kammen
Castro Valley Science [http://cvscience.us]
Alameda Free Library [https://www.alamedafree.org/Home]
Registration is capped at 115 Eventbrite registrants. However, Wonderfest's Zoom license accommodates only 100 online connections. In the unlikely event that ALL registrants try to participate, then 15 will be disappointed. Note that donating to Wonderfest does not guarantee participation. Upon request, the donation of any non-participant will be immediately refunded.