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.
Rewilding; Mutualism – Apr 14
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 environmental scientist Luísa Genes on “Rewilding Tropical Forests” — Tropical forests are suffering from deforestation, hunting, and a series of other threats that lead to the vanishing of animal populations. To reverse these threats, not only must we conserve remaining protected areas, but also restore plants and animal communities in degraded forests. What is rewilding, and can it really restore tropical forests?
• UC Berkeley plant biologist Lorenzo Washington on “Barriers Between Friends” — Appreciating boundaries is an important part of all relationships. Understanding the mutually beneficial relationships at the boundaries between plants and microbes has increasing importance in agriculture. An investigation into the plant cell wall illuminates how plants make microbial friends — and may help fight famine.
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.
CRISPR Crops – June 22
Gene editing is revolutionizing agriculture by changing how we design, produce, and consume food. But how is this technology being used, and what does this mean for farmers, consumers, and society at large? We'll take a holistic journey through the history of plant breeding to understand how this cutting-edge technology — and CRISPR gene editing, in particular — is being used to meet the needs of a growing human population and a warming world.
Our speaker, Evan Groover, is a PhD candidate and researcher in UC Berkeley's Department of Plant & Microbial Biology. He is also a Wonderfest Science Envoy. Evan will answer qustions during the video premiere via the YouTube "chat" bar AND, afterward, via live Zoom seminar.
Evan Groover
8:00pm — Click this YouTube video "Premiere" link: <https://youtu.be/KKFoHXedP4g>.
8:45pm — Click this Zoom meeting link: <https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84112518506>.
Bees (Apr.6), a New Venue, & Our Science Heritage (Apr.15)
Dear Wonderfest friend,
Bees are amazing critters. They build ideal hexagonal honeycombs; they communicate through dance; and they solve the “traveling salesman” math problem while pollinating $20 billion worth of US crops each year. On Monday, April 6, at 7 PM, Wonderfest and Ask a Scientist present Noah Wilson-Rich, PhD — author, beekeeper, and Chief Scientist at The Best Bees Company — on Our Future with Bees.
Please join Dr. Wilson-Rich at a brand new Wonderfest venue: PianoFight. This new club is located in San Francisco at 144 Taylor Street. We and the bees will occupy PianoFight’s main dining/performance area where “classic California Americana and a twist on nostalgic concessions” will be served along with beer, wine, and vintage cocktails. This event is FREE, but please register here. Also, arrive early to enjoy the food & drink AND to make sure that you get a seat!
Nine days later, on Wednesday, April 15, Wonderfest and Ask a Scientist will take a deep look at our ancient scientific heritage when we present The Sciences in Ancient Greece and Rome: How Far Did They Get? at Oakland’s Chabot Space and Science Center. Our dynamic speaker, Dr. Richard Carrier, will reveal just how much the Greeks and Romans achieved — and how close they got to their own scientific revolution. Please purchase tickets directly from Chabot.
Wondrous regards,
Tucker Hiatt
Our Future with Bees
Bees are amazing critters. They build ideal hexagonal honeycombs; they communicate through dance; and they solve the “traveling salesman” math problem while pollinating $20 billion worth of US crops each year. The world’s bees can improve economic and ecological sustainability, too, if only we let them. We know the vital importance of bees, yet we also know that they are dying off. What does the future human condition look like in a world that incorporates bees into our architecture, healthcare, and everyday lives? Join Noah Wilson-Rich for a dynamic discussion about bees and how they fit into our future.
Noah Wilson-Rich, PhD, is a behavioral ecologist and beekeeper. He is the author of The Bee: A Natural History (Princeton University Press, 2014) and founder of The Best Bees Company.
- WHAT: Our Future with Bees
- WHO: Dr. Noah Wilson-Rich, behavioral ecologist, The Best Bees Company
- WHEN:7pm, Monday, April 6, 2015
- WHERE: PianoFight, 144 Taylor Street, San Francisco (close to BART Civic Center)<http://tinyurl.com/ol8qntj>
- ADMISSION: FREE admission. Please register, below.
- WHY: Because we’re curious creatures.
Image Credit: inhibitat.com Snohetta Vulkan Beehive
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