Menu

atoms

ModernAlchemy

Modern Alchemy – July 21

/ , , / , , , , , , /

Like thoroughly scientific alchemists, nuclear chemists work to create elements that don’t exist naturally on Earth. These new super-heavy atoms could be long-lived, residing on proton-packed islands of stability off the far end of the periodic table. What new elements have most recently been added to the periodic table? How do scientists construct these fundamental novelties? How do investigators deduce the physical and chemical properties of the new elements from just a few ephemeral atoms?
 
Our Wonderfest speaker is Dr. Jacklyn Gates, leader of the Heavy Element Group in the Nuclear Science Division at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

Dr. Jacklyn Gates

WHAT: Modern Alchemy: Building New Elements
WHO: Dr. Jacklyn Gates, Lawrence Berkeley National Lab [https://heavyelementgroup.lbl.gov/home]
WHERE: HopMonk Tavern, 224 Vintage Way, Novato CA 94945 [https://www.hopmonk.com/novato]
WHEN: Tuesday, July 21, 2026 — 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.
Help share the scientific outlook - donate!
CambrianExplosion

Cambrian Explosion – Jun 23

/ , , / , , , , , , /

Charles Darwin was deeply troubled by the sudden appearance of complex animal life during the Cambrian Explosion about half a billion years ago, animal evolution’s Big Bang. He felt the sudden appearance of such diverse animal body-plans was inexplicable, fearing that it was the Achilles heel of his theory. What do we now know of this spectacular event? Drawing on the fossil record, ecology, developmental biology, genetics, and computer simulation, can we understand how and why the Cambrian Explosion occurred?
 
Our Wonderfest speaker, Dr. Charles Marshall, is Distinguished Professor of Integrative Biology at UC Berkeley. He is also Director of the University of California Museum of Paleontology.

Dr. Charles Marshall

WHAT: Animal Evolution's Big Bang: The Cambrian Explosion
WHO: Dr. Charles Marshall, Distinguished Professor of Integrative Biology, UC Berkeley [https://ucmp.berkeley.edu/people/charles-marshall/]
WHERE: HopMonk Tavern, 224 Vintage Way, Novato CA 94945 [https://www.hopmonk.com/novato]
WHEN: Tuesday, June 23, 2026 — 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.
Help share the scientific outlook - donate!
Teddi&Matt

Verifying AI; Ultracold Atoms – Apr 16

/ , , / , , , , , , , , /

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 computer scientist Teddi Worledge on Verifying AI with Attributed Sources — So-called large language models (LLMs) provide information and make judgments nearly everywhere — from online search engines to classrooms and medical clinics. But LLMs do make errors. Language model systems that attribute their sources can address this accuracy problem, as long as the attributions theselves are reliable!

• UC Berkeley physicist Matt Tao on What Ultracold Atoms Reveal — Atoms cooled to billionths of a degree can teach us much about the world. The wave nature of ultracold atoms allows interference experiments (interferometry) with astounding precision. Such tabletop interferometers even allow the study of gravity, nature’s weakest — but most pervasive — force, at minute scales. 

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

 

WHAT: Ask a Science Envoy: Verifying AI; Ultracold Atoms
WHO: Teddi Worledge (Stanford) & Matt Tao (UC Berkeley), Wonderfest Science Envoys
WHERE: HopMonk Tavern, 224 Vintage Way, Novato, CA 94945 [https://www.hopmonk.com/novato]
WHEN: 2024-04-16 — 7pm, Tuesday, April 16 (1 hour)
COLLABORATORS:
Marin Science Seminar [https://marinscienceseminar.com]
HOW:

What value does this free science experience have for you and, indirectly, for society? Accordingly, please consider making a donation to nonprofit Wonderfest via the Eventbrite box, below.