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WarpedUniverse

Warped Universe – Oct 30

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The warping of space becomes noticeable near small massive objects — black holes, in particular. Beyond “noticeable,” that curvature becomes beautiful when rendered with the skilled artist’s hand and described with the poetic physicist’s verse. Lia Halloran and Kip Thorne team up to describe an odyssey through black holes, wormholes, time travel, and gravitational waves. In fact, that is the subtitle of their soon-to-be-published book, The Warped Side of Our Universe. Kirkus Reviews calls the book “Beautiful art in the service of cutting-edge astrophysics.”

Award-winning artist Lia Halloran is Associate Professor and Chair of the Chapman University Art Department. Nobel Prize-winning physicist Kip Thorne is Emeritus Professor of Physics at Caltech. These two authors will be in conversation with the Commonwealth Club’s George Hammond.

 

WHAT: The Warped Side of Our Universe
WHO: Physicist Kip Thorne and artist Lia Halloran
WHERE: The Commonwealth Club, 110 The Embarcadero, San Francisco, CA 94105
WHEN: 2023-10-30 — 5:30pm, Monday, Oct 30 (1 hour)
HOW:

Visit the Commonwealth Club event webpage (link below) to purchase tickets for this in-person event. During the final steps of ticket acquisition, use code WonderfestPromo for a $10 discount.


TICKETS:
https://www.commonwealthclub.org/events/2023-10-30/kip-thorne-and-lia-halloran-exploring-warped-side-our-universe
CurvedSpaces

Curved Spaces – Oct 25

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The geometry of the ancient Greeks took place on an ideal, infinite, flat plane. In the millenia since then, mathematicians have opened our minds to the more general and flexible geometries of curved spaces — from the fabric that makes up our clothing, to the spacetime around a black hole. Now, we can develop an ‘insider’s view’ of such geometries. This newfound intuition has intriguing applications, including to recent images from the James Webb Space Telescope! Such understanding allows us to better appreciate Einstein’s greatest insight: that gravity is not a force, but rather a consequence of living in a curvy world.

Our speaker, Dr. Steve Trettel, is Assistant Professor of Mathematics at the University of San Francisco. He is a geometric topologist who loves computer graphics and a good bike ride.

PLEASE REGISTER BELOW

 


Dr. Steve Trettel

WHAT: Curved Spaces — Geometry from the Inside
WHO: Dr. Steve Trettel, Asst. Professor of Mathematics, University of San Francisco [https://stevejtrettel.site]
WHERE: Castro Valley Library, 3600 Norbridge Ave, Castro Valley, CA 94546
WHEN: 2023-10-25 — 7pm, Wednesday, Oct 25 (1.5 hour)
HOW:
Collaborators:
Castro Valley Education Foundation [https://www.cvef.org]
Castro Valley Science [https://cvscience.us]
PillsForAging

Pills For Aging – Oct 24

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How did society enable the distribution of drugs and supplements — principally in the form of pills — to billions of people? How, in particular, did “anti-aging treatments” come about? Can vitamins be efficacious against aging? Finally, what is the promise of recent supplements — developed based on our understanding of cellular biology — that influence aging in cells and model organisms, mainly mice?

Our speaker, Dr. Steve Cummings, is Professor Emeritus of Medicine, Epidemiology, and Biostatistics at UCSF. Dr. Cummings directs the San Francisco Coordinating Center, having designed and led many of the most important medical studies of human aging.

 


Dr. Steve Cummings

WHAT: Pills For Aging
WHO: Dr. Steve Cummings, Emeritus Professor of Medicine, Epidemiology, & Biostatistics, UCSF [https://sfcc.ucsf.edu/steven-r-cummings-md]
WHERE: HopMonk Tavern, 224 Vintage Way, Novato CA 94945 [https://www.hopmonk.com/novato]
WHEN: 2023-10-24 — 7pm, Tuesday, Oct 24 (1.5 hour)
HOW:

This event is FREE and unticketed ... and valuable. But what value does it have for YOU? Accordingly, please consider a donation to nonprofit Wonderfest via the Eventbrite window, below.


JoyOfScience1

Joy of Science – Oct 16

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How do the methods of science enrich the world for us? The latest book by physicist Jim Al-Khalili, The Joy of Science, invites us to engage with the world as scientists do. It discusses the nature of truth and uncertainty, the role of doubt, the pros and cons of simplification, the value of guarding aginst bias, the importance of evidence-based thinking — all ideas that can empower us to think more objectively, see through the fog of our preexisting beliefs, and lead a more fulfilling life.

Dr. Jim Al-Khalili is Distinguished Professor of Theoretical Physics at the University of Surrey in England. Having written 14 popular books and having earned the Stephen Hawking Medal for Science Communication, he is also a university chair in the public engagement in science. Dr. Al-Khalili will discuss The Joy of Science with Kishore Hari, Science Correspondent at Tested.com.

 


Dr. Jim Al-Khalili

WHAT: The Joy of Science
WHO: Dr. Jim Al-Khalili, Professor of Theoretical Physics, University of Surrey, UK [https://jimal-khalili.com]
WHERE: ONLINE, with the Commonwealth Club
WHEN: 2023-10-16 — 5:30, Monday, Oct 16 (1 hour)
HOW:

Please register for this event with the Commonwealth Club via the "Tickets" link, below. Use discount code WonderfestPromo for $10 off, rendering that ticket completely FREE. Upon registration, you will receive an email containing a link to this live-stream event.


TICKETS:
https://www.commonwealthclub.org/events/2023-10-16/jim-al-khalili-joy-science
SearchForET

Search for ET – Oct 15

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Humans have sought “signs from above” for millennia. The scientific search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI) began circa 1960, and, today, grows ever deeper and more technologically diverse. The scope of modern research is breathtaking. Methods include targeted searches for electromagnetic (EM) signals near known Earth-like exoplanets, continuous EM scans over the entire sky (e.g., PANOSETI at the Bay Area’s Lick Observatory, pictured), the hunt for exotic forms of communication, and the careful search for ET artifacts on/near Earth.

Our speaker, Dan Werthimer, is Chief Scientist at the Berkeley SETI Research Center. He is also co-founder of SETI@Home, and principal investigator of CASPER, the Center for Astronomy Signal Processing and Electronics Research. Since 1979, Dan has helped to design and build numerous sensitive tools for the detection of ET. In 2019, Dan earned Wonderfest’s Carl Sagan Prize for Science Popularization. And, in 2021, he received the prestigious Frank Drake Award of the SETI Institute.

 


Dan Werthimer

WHAT: Innovation in the Search for ET
WHO: Dan Werthimer, Chief Technologist, Berkeley SETI Research Center [https://seti.berkeley.edu/people/Dan.html]
WHERE: Alameda Free Library, 1550 Oak Street, Alameda, CA 94501 [https://www.alamedafree.org/Home]
WHEN: 2023-10-15 — 2pm, Sunday, Oct 15 (1.5 hr)
HOW:

This free event is produced by Wonderfest and by the Alameda Free Library. In the Eventbrite space below, please consider a donation to help nonprofit Wonderfest in its mission of science outreach.


Poincaré

Poincaré Beauty – Sep 24

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At the turn of the new millennium, a renowned mathematics institute pledged $7 million for the solution of seven special math problems, $1 million each. Only one of these seven Millennium Prize Problems has been solved. That problem, originally posed over a century ago by Henri Poincaré, asked a deep question about the nature of 3-dimensional space. Its resolution opened our (mathematical) eyes to the beauty of 3-dimensional universes — filled with curved geometries, wormholes, and a whole lot of pretty math. This presentation, assuming only a high school math background, will explore the beauty of these spacey ideas in mathematical topology.

Our speaker, Dr. Steve Trettel, is Assistant Professor of Mathematics at the University of San Francisco. He is a geometric topologist who loves computer graphics and a good bike ride.

 


Dr. Steve Trettel

WHAT: Beauty of the Poincaré Conjecture
WHO: Dr. Steve Trettel, Asst. Professor of Mathematics, University of San Francisco [https://stevejtrettel.site]
WHERE: San Francisco Public Library (Latino/Hisp. Rooms), 100 Larkin Street, San Francisco [https://sfpl.org/locations/main-library]
WHEN: 2023-09-24 — 3pm, Sunday, Sep 24 (1.5 hour)
HOW:

This free event is produced by Wonderfest and by the SF Public Library. In the Eventbrite space below, please consider a donation to help nonprofit Wonderfest in its mission of science outreach.


Collaborators:
San Francisco Public Library
HealthyAging-wide+tall

Healthy Aging – Aug 29

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Modern insights into wise exercise, sleep, and diet are enhancing healthspan, the years of healthy life that one actually enjoys. This presentation focuses on human clinical data with actionable recommendations for lifestyle choices that can maximize the healthy years of life.

Our speaker, Dr. Greg Tranah, is Professor of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at UC San Francisco. He is also Director of Genetic Research at California Pacific Medical Center.

 


Dr. Greg Tranah, PhD

WHAT: The Science of Healthy Aging
WHO: Dr. Greg Tranah, PhD, Professor of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, UCSF [https://sfcc.ucsf.edu/gregory-j-tranah-phd]
WHERE: HopMonk Tavern, 224 Vintage Way, Novato CA 94945 [https://www.hopmonk.com/novato]
WHEN: 2023-08-29 — 7pm, Tuesday, August 29 (1.5 hr)
HOW:

Since Wonderfest is COVID-cautious, consider wearing a mask (provided upon request). The warm feeling of Wondernaut(!) camaraderie radiates through masks and across wide seat-spacing.

This event is FREE and unticketed ... and valuable. But what value does it have for YOU? Accordingly, please consider a donation to nonprofit Wonderfest via the Eventbrite window, below.


Creating&CoveringScience

Creating/Covering Science – Sep 5

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The married team of Katie Hafner and Robert Wachter understand both crucial sides of science: creativity and communication. Wonderfest joins the Commonwealth Club for a doubly-fascinating interview that explores the talents of both team members. Katie Hafner will discuss her groundbreaking books and her popular Lost Women of Science podcast; Dr. Robert Wachter will discuss his work in guiding the digital transformation of healthcare and in coping with the COVID crisis. [Note that this program takes place both in person and online; discounted tickets for either form of experience must be reserved via the Commonwealth Club website presented below.]

Journalist Katie Hafner is Host and Co-Executive Producer of Lost Women of Science, and author of Mother Daughter Me and The Boys. Physician Robert Wachter, Professor and Chair of Medicine at UC San Francisco, is author of Understanding Patient Safety and The Digital Doctor. They will be in conversation with the Commonwealth Club’s George Hammond.

 

WHAT: Creating and Covering Science
WHO: Katie Hafner, Journalist & Author / Robert Wachter, UCSF Chair of Medicine
WHERE: The Commonwealth Club, 110 The Embarcadero, SF, CA 94105 & ONLINE
WHEN: 2023-09-05 — 5pm PDT, Tuesday, Sep 5 (1 hour)
HOW:

Visit the Commonwealth Club event website (below) for info about the two types of tickets: in-person and online. During the final steps of ticket acquisition, use discount code WonderfestPromo for $10 off. (That price reduction renders the online ticket entirely FREE.)


TICKETS:
https://www.commonwealthclub.org/events/2023-09-05/robert-wachter-and-katie-hafner-creating-science-covering-science
Astrobiology2

Extraterrestrial Life – Sep 5

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An August-24th New York Times article about audacious astronomer Avi Loeb concludes with this: “Now, that being said, if [Dr. Loeb] finds something, it’s life-changing … It will change everything.” What was “being said” referred to professional academic complaints about Dr. Loeb’s alleged “transgressions against scientific norms and protocols.” However, no one disputes the excitement of Prof. Loeb’s investigations. Wonderfest joins the Commonwealth Club to present controversial Harvard astronomer Avi Loeb in conversation about ideas in his latest book, Interstellar: The Search for Extraterrestrial Life and Our Future in the Stars. That conversation will explore some vital — if highly speculative — long-term questions: How do we prepare for first contact with ET? And how can our species itself become interstellar?

Dr. Avi Loeb is Professor of Science and former chair of the Astronomy Department at Harvard University. During this online event, he will be in conversation with the Commonwealth Club’s George Hammond.

 


Dr. Avi Loeb

WHAT: Avi Loeb's Search for Extraterrestrial Life
WHO: Dr. Avi Loeb, Professor of Science, Harvard [https://astronomy.fas.harvard.edu/people/avi-loeb]
WHERE: ONLINE, with the Commonwealth Club
WHEN: 2023-09-05 — 3pm PDT, Tuesday, Sep 5 (1 hour)
HOW:

Please pre-register with the Commonwealth Club (via the URL below) to receive a link — via email — to this live-stream event. Use discount code WonderfestPromo for $10 off the ticket price, rendering that ticket completely FREE.


Collaborators:
The Commonwealth Club
TICKETS:
https://www.commonwealthclub.org/events/2023-09-05/avi-loebs-search-extraterrestrial-life
TwoEclipses

Two Solar Eclipses – Aug 28

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Two eclipses of the sun are coming to North America during the academic year ahead: an annular (“ring of fire”) eclipse on October 14, 2023, and a total eclipse on April 8, 2024. Observers in two narrow paths will have the full eclipse experience each time. Everyone else (an estimated 500 million people, including all of us in the Bay Area) will see a nice partial eclipse, where the moon covers a good portion of the sun.

Astronomer extraordinaire Andrew Fraknoi will describe how eclipses come to be (and why they are total only on Earth), what scientists learn during eclipses, exactly when and where the eclipses of October and April will be best visible, and how to observe the eclipses safely.

 


Andrew Fraknoi

WHAT: Two Solar Eclipses
WHO: Andrew Fraknoi, Chair Emeritus, Foothill College Astronomy Department [https://www.fraknoi.com]
WHERE: Commonwealth Club of California, 110 The Embarcadero, SF, CA 94105 & ONLINE
WHEN: 2023-07-28 — 5:30 PT, Monday, Aug 28 (1 hour)
HOW:

Visit the Commonwealth Club event website (below) for info about the two types of tickets: in-person and online. During the final steps of ticket acquisition, use discount code WonderfestPromo for $10 off. (That price reduction renders the online ticket entirely FREE.) In-person attendees will receive a free pair of safe-viewing glasses for the partial eclipse phases.


TICKETS:
https://www.commonwealthclub.org/events/2023-08-28/andrew-fraknoi-two-eclipses-sun
AI-Risk

How To Make A.I. Safe – Aug 1

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Artificial intelligence is advancing rapidly, demonstrating success in multiple areas in recent years. But by their very nature, AI problems don’t have definitive correct solutions. Programs can give wrong answers, be unfairly biased against some groups, and can be hard to understand. Dr. Peter Norvig literally wrote the book on artificial intelligence. In this informal presentation, Dr. Norvig will discuss the promise and peril of AI, welcoming attendee input.

Dr. Peter Norvig is Director of Research at Google, and he is a Fellow at Stanford’s Human-Centered AI Institute. Peter is co-author (with Stuart Russell) of Artificial Intelligence: A Modern Approach, the leading textbook in the field, and he is a member of the Wonderfest Advisory Board.

 


Dr. Peter Norvig

WHAT: How To Make A.I. Safe
WHO: Dr. Peter Norvig, Director of Research, Google [https://norvig.com]
WHERE: HopMonk Tavern, 224 Vintage Way, Novato CA 94945 [https://www.hopmonk.com/novato]
WHEN: 2023-08-01 — 7pm, Tuesday, Aug 1 (1.5 hour)
HOW:

Since Wonderfest is COVID-cautious, consider wearing a mask (provided upon request). The warm feeling of Wondernaut(!) camaraderie radiates through masks and across wide seat-spacing.

This event is FREE and unticketed ... and valuable. But what value does it have for YOU? Accordingly, please consider a donation to nonprofit Wonderfest via the Eventbrite window, below.


PandemicsUpdate

Pandemic(s) Update – July 25

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The SARS-CoV-2 virus has killed 7 million people. (16% of those deaths were in the US, yet we have only 4% of global population!) Last century, the influenza virus killed more than 20 million. Humankind may face famine, war, and disease for centuries to come, but we are learning to lessen the death toll. Dr. Robert Siegel, infectious disease expert at Stanford, will discuss the progress that we’ve made — and must extend — against COVID and other, future, scourges. Welcoming attendee questions, he will address our growing understanding of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and its affects on the human mind and body.

Dr. Robert Siegel is Professor of Microbiology & Immunology at Stanford University, and he is a member of the Wonderfest Advisory Board. Dr. Siegel has won numerous awards for his teaching at Stanford, and has given hundreds of public service interviews on radio and TV.

 


Dr. Robert Siegel

WHAT: Pandemic(s) Update
WHO: Dr. Robert Siegel, Professor of Microbiology & Immunology, Stanford [https://profiles.stanford.edu/robert-siegel]
WHERE: HopMonk Tavern, 224 Vintage Way, Novato, CA 94945 [https://www.hopmonk.com/novato]
WHEN: 2023-07-25 — 7pm, Tuesday, July 25 (1.5 hr)
HOW:

This event is FREE and unticketed ... and valuable. But what value does it have for YOU? Accordingly, please consider a donation to nonprofit Wonderfest via the Eventbrite window, below.


Astrobiology

Astrobiology Memoir – July 24

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How far off are the “goldilocks” worlds? These are the planets, orbiting other stars, that have just the right environmental traits to make life possible — not too hot, not too cold, etc. Will we be able to detect the chemical signals of alien life from so far away? In her new book, Life on Other Planets: A Memoir of Finding My Place in the Universe, Dr. Aomawa Shields discusses these questions alongside the personal challenges she’s encountered on the path to success in the thrilling field of astrobiology. Dr. Shields is in conversation with author and journalist Julia Flynn, and in touch with the online audience via the chat bar.

Dr. Aomawa Shields is Associate Professor of Physics & Astronomy at UC Irvine. She is also founding director of Rising Stargirls, dedicated to encouraging girls to explore the universe using theater, writing, and visual art.

 


Dr. Aomawa Shields

WHAT: Astrobiology, a Memoir
WHO: Dr. Aomawa Shields, Associate Professor of Physics & Astronomy, UC Irvine [https://www.faculty.uci.edu/profile/?facultyId=6345]
WHERE: ONLINE, with the Commonwealth Club
WHEN: 2023-07-24 — 3pm PDT, Mon, July 24 (1 hour)
HOW:

Please pre-register with the Commonwealth Club (via the URL below) to receive a link — via email — to this live-stream event. Use discount code WonderfestPromo for $10 off the ticket price, rendering that ticket completely FREE.


Collaborators:
The Commonwealth Club
TICKETS:
https://www.commonwealthclub.org/events/2023-07-24/aomawa-shields-life-other-planets
3AgesOfWater3

3 Ages of Water – June 27

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As the “universal solvent,” water supports interesting chemistry, geology, and, of course, biology. If there is an elixir of life, it is water. In The Three Ages of Water, Dr. Peter Gleick describes the long, fraught history — and future — of humanity’s relationship with this precious resource. Water has shaped civilizations and empires, and it has underpinned centuries of technological advance: from agriculture and public health, to our search for life on other worlds. But is our current relationship with water all wet? Drawing from the lessons of the past, Dr. Gleick charts a visionary path toward a sustainable future for water and for the planet.

Dr. Peter Gleick is a hydrologist and climatologist who co-founded Oakland’s nonprofit Pacific Institute. He is a member of the National Academy of Sciences, a MacArthur Fellow, and winner of Wonderfest’s Carl Sagan Prize for Science Popularization. Dr. Gleick will principally be discussing ideas in his new book, The Three Ages of Water: Prehistoric Past, Imperiled Present, and a Hope for the Future.

 


Dr. Peter Gleick

WHAT: The Three Ages of Water
WHO: Dr. Peter Gleick, Co-Founder & Senior Fellow, Pacific Institute [https://www.gleick.com]
WHERE: BookShop West Portal, 80 West Portal Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94127 [https://www.bookshopwestportal.com]
WHEN: 2023-06-27 — 7pm, Tuesday, June 27 (1.5 hour)
HOW:

This free event is co-presented by San Francisco's BookShop West Portal and by Wonderfest. To purchase Dr. Gleick's book, please visit BookShop West Portal. To support public science outreach, please donate modestly (or immodestly!) to Wonderfest via the Eventbrite form below.


AstroForEarth

Astronomy for Earth – June 20

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The past few decades of astronomical discovery have been breathtaking: thirty years of awe-inspiring images from two Space Telescopes (Hubble & Webb), thousands of planets found circling nearby stars, mind-bending and spacetime-bending gravity waves and, quite recently, a stunning image of the black hole at the center of the Milky Way. What is the value of all of these discoveries? Can learning about our place in the Universe inspire us, as Carl Sagan put it, to preserve and cherish the Pale Blue Dot?

Our speaker, Dr. Adrienne Cool, is Professor of Physics & Astronomy at San Francisco State University. She is also co-founder of Astronomers for Planet Earth, an international organization working to address climate change from a cosmic perspective.

 


Dr. Adrienne Cool

WHAT: Astronomy for Planet Earth
WHO: Dr. Adrienne Cool, Professor of Physics & Astronomy [https://astronomersforplanet.earth]
WHERE: HopMonk Tavern, 224 Vintage Way, Novato CA 94945 [https://www.hopmonk.com/novato]
WHEN: 2023-06-20 — 7pm, Tuesday, June 20 (1.5 hour)
HOW:

Since Wonderfest is COVID-cautious, consider wearing a mask; the warm feeling of Wondernaut(!) camaraderie radiates through masks and across wide seat-spacing.

This event is FREE and unticketed ... and valuable. But what value does it have for you? Accordingly please consider a donation to nonprofit Wonderfest via the Eventbrite window, below.


Starstruck

Starstruck – June 8

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Egyptian-American Sarafina El-Badry Nance is a PhD candidate in Astrophysics at UC Berkeley. She has just published her first book, Starstruck: A Memoir of Astrophysics and Finding Light in the Dark, the principal subject of this presentation. The book intertwines two content strands: each chapter begins with an intriguing science lesson, and concludes with an account of personal and social obstacles overcome, including racism, sexism, anxiety, self-doubt, and even cancer. This event happens both in-person and online, simultaneously. Sarafina will join the Commonwealth Club’s Gerald Harris in conversation, and audience questions are encouraged.

Sarafina El-Badry Nance, also going by Starafina, is an astrophysicist and “Analog Astronaut.” Gerald Harris is President of Quantum Planning Group, and Chair of the Commonwealth Club’s Technology & Society Member-led Forum.

 


Sarafina El-Badry Nance

WHAT: Starstruck: Finding Light in the Dark
WHO: Sarafina El-Badry Nance, Astrophysicist and Science Communicator [https://starafina.com]
WHERE: Commonwealth Club, 110 The Embarcadero, San Francisco, AND online
WHEN: 2023-06-08 — 5:30pm PDT, Thu, June 8 (1 hour)
HOW:

Purchase tickets for either the in-person OR online event via the Commonwealth Club "Tickets" link, below. Near the bottom of the ticketing "Checkout" webpage, use discount code WonderfestPromo for $10 off in-person and virtual tickets. This discount will bring the virtual ticket price to a nicely round figure of ZERO dollars.


Collaborators:
Commonwealth Club of California
TICKETS:
https://www.commonwealthclub.org/events/2023-06-08/sarafina-el-badry-nance-discovering-cosmos
32-Sounds

32 SOUNDS – June 4

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Wonderfest joins St. Helena’s Cameo Cinema to present a Science on Screen special: 32 SOUNDS, from documentary filmmaker Sam Green, is “a meditation on the power of sound to bend time, cross borders, and profoundly shape our percetion of the world around us.” Rolling Stone’s David Fear calls 32 SOUNDS “the greatest documentary you’ve ever heard.” Immediately following the screening, musician Jack Conte and otolaryngologist Dr. Lois Montague will offer additonal insights and answer questions regarding our sonic realm.

Jack Conte is a musician and a Wonderfest Science Ambassador. His creations currently enhance the work of musical groups Pomplamoose, Scary Pockets, and Magaziine. Dr. G. Lois Montague is a head and neck surgeon practicing in Napa since 2017. Her medical training includes residency at the University of Chicago and fellowship training in pediatric otolaryngology at UC San Francisco.

 


Jack Conte & Dr. Lois Montague

WHAT: 32 SOUNDS - Exploring Our Sonic Realm
WHO: Jack Conte & Dr. Lois Montague
WHERE: Cameo Cinema, 1340 Main Street, St. Helena, CA 94574 [https://www.cameocinema.com]
WHEN: 2023-06-04 — 2pm, Sunday, June 4th (2.5 hr)
HOW:

Please purchase tickets via the Cameo Cinema link, below.


TICKETS:
https://ticketing.uswest.veezi.com/purchase/3553?siteToken=ngdcybs2pe7aqsn3zewdgzctjm
WorldInSand

World in a Sandgrain – May 30

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Might modern geology offer insight into the poetry of William Blake?

To see a world in a grain of sand

And a heaven in a wild flower,

Hold infinity in the palm of your hand

And eternity in an hour.

By some measures, modern geology has pushed our knowledge of Earth’s birthdate backward in time by a factor of a million: from 4,000 BCE to 4,000,000,000 BCE! Detrital zircon geochronology is a geological dating technique that affords insights into the structure and origin of planet Earth’s diverse components. Even locally, including on Mount Tamalpais, the rocks are speaking to us. Can we really see a world in a grain of sand?

Our speaker, Dr. Owen Anfinson, is Associate Professor of Geology at the Sonoma County campus of California State University.

 


Dr. Owen Anfinson

WHAT: To See a World in a Grain of Sand
WHO: Dr. Owen Anfinson, Associate Professor of Geology, Sonoma State University
WHERE: HopMonk Tavern, 224 Vintage Way, Novato, CA 94945 [https://www.hopmonk.com/novato]
WHEN: 2023-05-30 — 7pm, Tuesday, May 30th (1.5 hour)
HOW:

Since this event is COVID-cautious, consider wearing a mask. The warm feeling of Wondernaut(!) camaraderie radiates through masks and across wide seat-spacing. Also, please consider donating to nonprofit Wonderfest in the Eventbrite space, below. (This event is free and unticketed; ignore any mention of "sales" or "tickets.")


AaSE-Billie+Ashwin

Poison Frogs; Quantum Chem – May 11

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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:

• Stanford biologist Billie Goolsby on Family Feud: Familial Decision-Making in Poison Frogs — Cooperation between parents tends to ensure family success, especially among poison frogs. Through direct observation, sound recordings, and hormone analysis, researchers test how coordination of parenting happens in nature — and how it predicts offspring survival.

• UC Berkeley physicist Ashwin Singh on Exploring Quantum Chemistry with Earth’s Strongest Laser — Quantum mechanics helps describe cold chemical reactions, like those that occur in outer space. By building the world’s strongest laser to hold molecules in place, we can watch quantum chemistry happen in real time.

 

WHAT: Ask a Science Envoy: Poison Frogs & Quantum Chemistry
WHO: Billie Goolsby & Ashwin Singh, Wonderfest Science Envoys
WHERE: ONLINE, via Zoom [https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83937461686]
WHEN: 2023-05-11 — 8pm PDT, Thu, May 11th (1 hour)
HOW:

This free, online, science presentation is produced by Wonderfest in partnership with the Berkeley Public Library.

What value do these science insights have for you? Accordingly, please consider making a donation to nonprofit Wonderfest via the Eventbrite box, below. (Note: No "sales" or "tickets" are involved; it's just a thoughtful contribution to help Wonderfest promote science understanding and the scientific outlook.)


Collaborators:
Berkeley Public Library [https://www.berkeleypubliclibrary.org]

ExperienceMachine

Experience Machine – May 6

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My previous encounters with reality contribute to my internal mental predictions about the world that, in turn, help to shape my actual future experiences. So, seeing the “real world” (or hearing sounds, or feeling pain, or …) involves a personal, ideosyncratic filter/kaleidoscope. This prediction-based theory of mind is quite hopeful. More than a facile version of “positive thinking,” it suggests a realistic optimism where well-tuned expectations can actively help to bring about desired states and experiences.

Our speaker, Dr. Andy Clark, is Professor of Cognitive Philosophy at England’s University of Sussex. He will present ideas from — and answer questions about — his new book, The Experience Machine: How Our Minds Predict and Shape Reality.

 


Dr. Andy Clark

WHAT: The Experience Machine: Mental Prediction & Perceived Reality
WHO: Dr. Andy Clark, Professor of Cognitive Philosophy, University of Sussex [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andy_Clark]
WHERE: ONLINE, via Zoom [https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83352160955]
WHEN: 2023-05-06 — 1pm PDT, Sat, May 6th (1 hour)
HOW:

This free, unticketed event is a joint production of Wonderfest and San Francisco's BookShop West Portal. In the space below, please support Wonderfest's nonprofit work in science outreach. (NOTE: Despite the Eventbrite wording, your thoughtful donation is not a "sale.")


Collaborators:
BookShop West Portal [https://www.bookshopwestportal.com]

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