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Sarina&Kevin

Earthquakes; Gene Engineering – Apr 5

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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:

• UC Berkeley seismologist Sarina Patel on Earthquake Science Using Crowdsourced Data from Smartphones — MyShake is a free citizen-science smartphone app which has been downloaded globally 2.5 million times. MyShake delivers earthquake early warnings(!) to users in California, Oregon, and Washington. It also uses the vibration sensor built into all smartphones to record earthquake motion for scientific analysis. How can the gadget in your pocket contribute to earthquake early warning, shake-hazard mapping, and structural-health monitoring?

• Stanford biophysicist Kevin Aris on Genetic Engineering Refined with Single-Molecule Microscopes — CRISPR enzymes allow precise genetic engineering, cleaving DNA molecules to improve the health and function of organisms. However, naturally compact and twisted pieces of DNA, under stress due to mechanical deformation, are tough to cut precisely. Single-molecule microscopy helps us design novel CRISPR enzymes that become highly-accurate molecular scissors — new tools for beneficial gene modification.

WHAT: Ask a Science Envoy: Earthquake Warning & Genetic Engineering
WHO: Sarina Patel & Kevin Aris, Wonderfest Science Envoys
WHERE: ONLINE, via Zoom [https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85271153224]
WHEN: 2023-04-05 — 8pm, Wed, April 5 (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]

AaSE-Maria+Tyler

Biodiversity; Cosmic Maps – Mar 27

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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 paleobiologist Dr. Maria Viteri on Exhuming the Dead to Save the Living —  Earth is experiencing a crisis in biodiversity. Surprisingly, the fossil record offers key insights for understanding this crisis, and one scientist's lifelong fascination with dinosaurs — leading to a career in conservation biology — is helping to combat the biodiversity challenge of the present ... and of the future.

• UC Berkeley astrophysicist Tyler Cox on Creating the Largest-Ever Maps of the Universe — New datasets from the James Webb Space Telescope have begun to reveal some of the oldest known galaxies in the universe. But what lies beyond these extremely remote objects, and what more can we learn by going deeper? Next-generation experiments are working to map the most distant regions of the universe to help explain the origins of the first galaxies.
WHAT: Ask a Science Envoy: Biodiversity & Cosmic Maps
WHO: Maria Viteri & Tyler Cox, Wonderfest Science Envoys
WHERE: ONLINE, Via Zoom [https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89140744922]
WHEN: 2023-03-27 — 8pm, Monday, March 27 (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]

SpiderLove&DarkMatter

Spider Love; Dark Matter – Mar 15

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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:

• UC Berkeley arachnologist Trinity Walls on Creepy or Captivating: A Spider Scientist's Perspective — How have recent discoveries about spiders changed beliefs that have been passed down for generations? Can we see that the study of spiders is beneficial to society? One person's life-long journey — from curious child to rigorous researcher — reveals spider science to be an avenue of creative self-expression that offers rich insights into nature.

• Stanford physicist Jyotirmai "Joe" Singh on Exploring the Dark Side of the Universe — Deeply mysterious dark matter constitutes a staggering 85% of the material universe. What is the evidence for dark matter's ubiquitous existence, yet why has it been so difficult to detect in the laboratory? Cutting-edge theories and experiments within modern physics do give us hope that we can understand dark matter, unlocking key mysteries of the cosmos.
WHAT: Ask a Science Envoy: Spider Love & Dark Matter
WHO: Trinity Walls & Joe Singh, Wonderfest Science Envoys
WHERE: ONLINE, via Zoom [https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88237930780]
WHEN: 2023-03-15 — 8pm, Wed, March 15 (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]

Astrobiology2

Astrobiology, online – June 27

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Image by Jenny Mottar

The age of astrobiology has begun. We have a whole solar system — and a galaxy of star-warmed worlds beyond — to explore for life. How do we look for life here and way out there? How will we know it when we find it? Our exploration begins at Earth. We must apply what we are learning about our own amazing home planet to our search for life beyond.

Our Speaker, Dr. Penny Boston, was Director of NASA's Astrobiology Institute at Ames Research Center. Access her presentation at the Mt Tam Astronomy YouTube channel, linked below. Dr. Boston will answer questions during the video premiere AND, afterward, via Google "Meet."


Dr. Penelope Boston

WHAT: Astrobiology Under Our Feet and Out to the Stars
WHO: Dr. Penelope Boston, Former Director, NASA Astrobiology Institute
WHERE: Mt Tam Astronomy YouTube Channel [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCccr2q6IgFSOglvh66VFSLw]
WHEN: 2020-06-27 — 7:30pm, Sat, June 27 (1 hour)
HOW:

This Wonderfest + Mt Tam Astronomy presentation will take place ONLINE as a YouTube video "Premiere" with LIVE Q&A.

Public health protection has moved this presentation from its originally-planned Mount Tamalpais venue to the Mt.Tam Astronomy YouTube channel. Please "tune in" at the originally-planned event start-time (7:30pm, Saturday, June 27) at the following website: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCccr2q6IgFSOglvh66VFSLw  Thereafter, the video will also be available at the Wonderfest Science YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-755eqlqZRcflOQTL-jOZg

This online event is jointly presented by the Friends of Mt. Tam, the San Francisco Amateur Astronomers, and Wonderfest.


Gattaca

Special screening of GATTACA, with gene/law expert Hank Greely, Sept 30

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 Gattaca

Perhaps “Biology is not destiny.” But our genetic code is at least writing on the wall! 1997’s GATTACA is a sci-fi thriller that explores what happens when society can control that writing — when eugenics and genetic discrimination are the norm. Is this our future? Expert commentary and audience Q&A will be provided by Prof. Hank Greely, Director of the Center for Law and the Biosciences at Stanford University. Dr. Greely is both Professor of Law and Professor of Genetics, and he directs Stanford’s Program in Neuroscience and Society.

  • WHAT:  Special screening of GATTACA, with Ethan Hawke and Uma Thurman
  • WHO: Expert commentary by Hank Greely, Professor of Genetics and of Law, Stanford
  • WHEN:  7:00 PM, Wednesday, Sept 30, 2015
  • WHERE:  Balboa Theater, 3630 Balboa Street, San Francisco
  • TICKETS: <http://www.cinemasf.com/balboa/buy-tickets/>. Presented by Wonderfest and SF in SF.
  • WHY:  Because we’re curious creatures.
Wonderfest works every day to promote the scientific outlook. For as little as $1/month, why not become a Wonderfest Patron? As the Medici family were patrons of popular art in old Italy, you can become a patron of popular science and rationality in the modern Bay Area. (And you’ll get that tax-deduction that the Medici never did!) Please become a regular supporter of Wonderfest, and help enlarge the concept of scientific community.

If you shop at Amazon.com, why not shop at AmazonSmile? It doesn’t cost you a dime extra, selection and prices are the same, and a small percent supports Wonderfest and science! 
http://amazon.wonderfest.org.

Watch more videos: http://videos.wonderfest.org

Join us on:
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http://twitter.com/wonderfest

Physiology of Awe

The Physiology of Awe, July 28

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Physiology of Awe

In the past five years, science has made great strides in better understanding the emotion of awe. UC Berkeley psychologist Craig L. Anderson will help us understand state-of-the-art findings about how awe promotes curiosity and pro-sociality, including the physiological processes that support these behaviors. We will explore important implications that awe research has for well-being interventions, the health of military veterans, and making outdoors programs more accessible.

  • WHAT:  The Physiology of Awe
  • WHO:  Craig L. Anderson, Psychology Department, UC Berkeley
  • WHEN:  7:00 PM, Tuesday, July 28, 2015
  • WHERE:  Innovation Hangar, Palace of Fine Arts Exhibition Hall, 3601 Lyon Street, San Francisco. Enter iHangar through the big green door opposite the huge Palace of Fine Arts dome.
  • HOW:  Please register below. Food and drink will be available at Daredevil Cafe within iHangar.
  • WHY:  Because we’re curious creatures.

Wonderfest works every day to promote the scientific outlook. For as little as $1/month, why not become a Wonderfest Patron? As the Medici family were patrons of popular art in old Italy, you can become a patron of popular science and rationality in the modern Bay Area. (And you’ll get that tax-deduction that the Medici never did!) Please become a regular supporter of Wonderfest, and help enlarge the concept of scientific community.

If you shop at Amazon.com, why not shop at AmazonSmile? It doesn’t cost you a dime extra, selection and prices are the same, and a small percent supports Wonderfest and science!  http://amazon.wonderfest.org.

Watch more videos: http://videos.wonderfest.org

Join us on:
http://facebook.com/wonderfest
http://twitter.com/wonderfest

Incomplete Nature Lecture with Terrence Deacon

Incomplete Nature: Consciousness, and Purpose?

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Prof. Deacon's presentation will focus on the central idea of his new book, "Incomplete Nature," namely that key elements of consciousness (values, feelings, meanings, etc.) emerge from specific CONSTRAINTS on the physical processes of a nervous system. "Incomplete Nature" is the inaugural selection of the brand new Wonderfest Book Club. As physicists work toward completing a theory of the universe and biologists unravel the molecular complexity of life, a glaring incompleteness in this scientific vision becomes apparent. The "Theory of Everything" that appears to be emerging includes everything but us: the feelings, meanings, consciousness, and purposes that make us (and many of our animal cousins) what we are. These most immediate and incontrovertible phenomena are left unexplained by the natural sciences because they lack the physical properties—such as mass, momentum, charge, and location—that are assumed to be necessary for something to have physical consequences in the world. This is an unacceptable omission. We need a "theory of everything" that does not leave it absurd that we exist.

WHAT: Incomplete Nature: How Mind Emerged From Matter
WHO: Terrence Deacon, Professor of Anthropology at UC Berkeley
WHEN: 2012-04-18