Geek Out by taking the Mars Survival Challenge

Forget the challenging landscapes of the Arctic or Everest; if you want a true survival test, how about Mars? Our red neighbor has inspired thousands of intrepid explorers (and a number of awful movies) to formulate colonization plans. With a little help from Google Mars, you can choose plot near all the important landmarks: Valles Marineris, Olympus Mons, or even the famous northern polar ice caps.

Thanks to our friends at the Lawrence Hall of Science, you too can help the colonization effort. At their Geek Out event on 11/18, you’ll be able to design your own Mars Base. There will be experts on hand from the SETI Institute and NASA to provide some info on the Martian landscape and what it takes to survive there.

You’ll be able to videotape your landscape to share with the rest of the universe. Who knows, the first ever Martian colony could be named after you!

This is the 2^nd LHS Geek Out event, a new monthly science series for adults. The evening will be full of interactive science, music, and cocktails. There is also a free shuttle from the Downtown Berkeley BART to the museum. For a primer, check out this video from the 1^st Geek Out event.

LHS Geek Out: Mars Survival Challenge
When: Wednesday 11/18, 7-10 PM
Where: Lawrence Hall of Science, Berkeley
Cost: $10, $8 for members and UC Berkeley Students
Details: Come to Lawrence Hall of Science, grab a drink and a friend, and get ready for some downright nerdy fun. All events include full access to exhibits, a cash bar, hors d’oeuvres, and of course the best view in the East Bay. Program is for adults only.

The Exploratorium turns 40!

The Exploratorium opened quietly that fall, slowly changing the way science museums are organized and oriented to their audiences. It combined a living laboratory, art, and interaction under one roof; the result is a place where science is accessible and owned by all.

In celebration of this anniversary, the Exploratorium is hosting a number of events at the museum over this weekend. Plus they are throwing in quite a treat…admission is free all weekend (November 7-8). For a full list of activities and an exceptional history of the museum, check out the Exploratorium’s 40^th anniversary website.

Exploratorium After Dark: Electrifying Science with Dr. MegaVolt
When: Thursday 11/5, 6-10 PM
Cost: Free for members, $14 for non-members (Adults 21+ only)
Details: Blow your mind with the electrifying science of Tesla coils and Austin Richards, PhD—aka Dr. MegaVolt. This electrifying Exploratorium Science After Dark will feature Dr. MegaVolt jousting with 14-foot electrical arcs from his high voltage Tesla Coil.

Cutting Ice into One with a Motorcycle
When: Saturday 11/7
Cost: Free
Details: Imagine a big block of ice suspended from the ceiling of the Exploratorium. Now imagine a wire wrapped around the middle of that ice block from which is hung a motorcycle. Chill out with other skeptics and watch the motorcycle fall to the floor as the wire very slowly cuts through the ice, but bear witness—the ice block remains one whole piece!

Iron Science Teacher
When: Sunday 11/8, 2-3 PM
Cost: Free
Details: Cheer on the competitors in this zany science cook-off, where teachers compete before a live audience for the revered title, 'Iron Science Teacher.' In recognition of the Exploratorium’s 40th birthday, this special edition of our popular show features a secret ingredient closely related to birthdays!

Something Incredibly Wonderful Happens: Frank Oppenheimer and the World He Made Up – A Conversation with Author K.C. Cole
When: Sunday, 11/15 at 3 p.m
Cost: Free with admission to the museum
Details: Discover the never-before-told story of Frank Oppenheimer, physicist, educator, brother of J. Robert Oppenheimer, and founder of the Exploratorium. Believing that “without understanding, we’d all be sunk,” Frank Oppenheimer created the Exploratorium to be a museum of human awareness that combined art and science while encouraging play, experimentation, and a sense of joy and wonder.

The Bay Area Festival of Science

Every year, Wonderfest pairs researchers to answer provocative questions in the world of science. The point is to create an engaging dialogue between the scientists and the audience, empowering people to make up their own mind.

I’m always blown away by the scientific luminaries that take part in the dialogues. Just last year, there was a dialogue on our energy future featuring current Secretary of Energy (and Nobel Laureate) Steven Chu and co-lead author of the IPCC report on climate change Dan Kammen.

This year is no exception with an expanded line-up of exceptional dialogues:

Does Moore’s Law Apply to Energy Technology?
Does Media Violence Inspire Real Violence?
Is Evolution Still Darwinian?
Do Robots Make Better Astronauts?
Does Darwin Illuminate Emotion & Spirituality?
Can We Create Life?

Dialogues not your thing? This year brings the debut of the Amateur Science Forum, (exhibitions of local citizen science programs), the Bay Area Science Expo (shop for science inspired books, crafts, and music), and my personal favorite: the Mind Duel. The Mind Duel is a science quiz competition between a local high champion and a panel of local science professors. A Nobel Laureate humbled by a local high student…it’s possible and likely at Wonderfest.

Wonderfest 2009

When: Saturday 11/7 1-10 PM, Sunday 11/8 10 AM -5 PM
Where: Saturday – Hewlett Teaching Center, Stanford University
Sunday – Stanley Hall, UC Berkeley
Cost: FREE
Details: Through public discourse about provocative scientific questions, Wonderfest aspires to stimulate curiosity, promote careful reasoning, challenge unexamined beliefs, and encourage life-long learning. Wonderfest achieves these ends by presenting series of scientific events to the general public. At most of these events, pairs of articulate and accomplished researchers discuss and debate compelling questions at the edge of scientific understanding.

The Sloan Telescope used to conduct BOSS

One of those is BOSS, the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey, is a new project to create a 3-D map of over 2 million galaxies and quasars representing the best data ever obtained on the large-scale structure of the universe. Baryon oscillations began as pressure waves through the hot plasma of the early universe. Those waves left an imprint on the matter that makes up the universe, including the dark matter. The survey will essentially act as a ruler, in order to measure how the universe has been expanding.

Next Monday, you’ll be able to meet David Schlegel, the principal investigator of BOSS. He’ll be part of a panel of Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory scientists discussing their search for dark energy. As a primer, check out QUEST’s story on Dark Energy from last year. The piece features astrophysicist Saul Perlmutter, who will also be speaking at the event.

See QUEST's Video on Dark Energy below:

QUEST on KQED Public Media.


Dark Secrets: What Science Tells Us About the Hidden Universe

Where: Berkeley Repertory Theater, 2025 Addison Street, Berkeley

When: Monday, October 26th 7-830 PM

Cost: FREE

Details: No mystery is bigger than dark energy — the elusive force that makes up three-quarters of the Universe and is causing it to expand at an accelerating rate. KTVU Channel 2 health and science editor John Fowler will moderate a panel of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory scientists who use phenomena such as exploding stars and gravitational lenses to explore the dark cosmos.

David experimenting with EEG

David takes “guinea pig” journalism to super size me heights. He was tested by numerous genetic sequencing companies, had dozens of brain scans, gave gallons of blood for toxicity tests, even had a virtual colonoscopy to understand what “personalized” medicine means for him. His experimentation was divided into 4 categories: genetics, environment, brain, and body.

My favorite experiment was a memory test in which David and I both participated. The study was on how normal aging changes the neural mechanisms of memory and attention; a study run by Dr. Adam Gazzaley of UCSF. His lab uses a combination of techniques including fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging -measures blood flow using a big magnet), EEG (electroencephalography – measures electrical signals in the brain), and TMS (transcranial magnetic stimulation – using a magnet to “scramble” regions of the brain).

In this experiment, I was getting an EEG, designed to measure electrical signals of the brain, in this case studying regions controlling memory and attention. I was fitted with a stylish red cap, my head was covered with a conductive gel, and I was seated a few feet from a computer screen. After some careful measurements of my head, I was ready to go.

I was shown either a face or nature scene for a split second, then the screen went blank, then I was shown another face or nature scene. My task was to decide whether the two pictures were the same. Sounds exceedingly simple, but it was far from it. I left absolutely exhausted after just a few hours!

However, my results were excellent. I averaged about 95% correct over 3 hours. According to the researchers, that’s slightly better than the average 18-35 year old. David’s results were about the same, but he is more enthusiastic considering he’s closer to 50. Take a simpler version of a brain age test online.

The Experimental Man with David Ewing Duncan

Where: Atlas Cafe, 3049 20th St @ Alabama St.

When: Monday, October 19th 7-9 PM

Cost: FREE

Details: David Ewing Duncan discusses his new book “The Experimental Man”, his book exploring what cutting-edge technologies in personalized medicine can tell us about individual health and life — past, present and future: genes, environment, brain and body.

As the impact grows closer, NASA is making an effort to talk about the locally driven mission. Many of the upcoming talks are suitable for any audience, from kids to adults.

Luna Philosophie: Hitch-hiking to the Moon

Where: Scribd, 539 Bryant St. (2nd Floor), San Francisco

When: Wednesday, 9/23 6-8 PM

Cost: Free, RSVP to Delia.L.Santiago@nasa.gov

Details: Dr. Kim Ennico, LCROSS Payload Scientist and the LCROSS Payload Integration & Test Manager, will provide an overview of the NASA LCROSS mission and discuss how NASA has been expanding the concept of “participatory exploration” with LCROSS as an example. This will be a lively discussion.

Andrew Chaikin on LCROSS

Where: Chabot Space & Science Center

When: Saturday, 9/26 3-430 PM

Cost: Free with Museum Admission

Details: Author, speaker, and space journalist Andrew Chaikin joins Chabot visitors for a night of moon conversation and exploration. Using the detailed program Google Moon, which he helped to develop, Chaikin takes the visitor on a guided tour of the moon’s surface. Chaikin will also discuss the recent LCROSS mission and his extensive knowledge of the Apollo missions.

To the Moon: A Look at NASA’s Upcoming Lunar Impact Mission and the History of Moon Exploration

Where: Exploratorium

When: Sunday, 9/27 2-4 PM

Cost: Free with Museum Admission

Details: Take a trip to our nearest neighbor in space with renowned science journalist and space historian Andrew Chaikin. Relive the achievements of Apollo lunar astronauts and learn about the ambitious LCROSS mission, which will send a rocket crashing into the moon’s permanently shadowed regions to kick up huge plumes of debris in the hopes of uncovering deposits of ice. In addition, Exploratorium educators will give an entertaining and interactive overview of moon science.

QUEST on KQED Public Media.

Every fall, 30,000 raptors and hawks migrate across the Bay Area in a fantastic display.

In celebration of the 25^th anniversary, there are a number of interactive events and talks scheduled over the next month.

Hawk Talk and Banding Demo

Where: Hawk Hill

When: Sat 9/12, Sun 9/13, Sat 9/19, Sun 9/20, Sat 9/26 12 Noon – 2 PM

Cost: Free

Details: At these Hawk Talks, a GGRO volunteer gives an hour-long talk about hawk monitoring, migration, and identification using photos and other props. Then at 1 PM a newly banded wild hawk is shown to the crowd, a volunteer talks about GGRO's banding program, and the hawk is released.

GGRO Open House and Raptor Fest!

Where: Ft Cronkhite at Rodeo Beach

When: October 24^th and 25^th, 10 AM-4 PM

Cost: Free

Details: Scientific Displays, Radiotelemetry Demonstrations, Live Non-releasable Raptors, Kid Crafts, GGRO 25th Anniversary Product Sales, Visits to Hawk Hill, Banding Demonstrations, and Raptor Art. On Sunday only – Speakers from UC Davis, SF State University, UC Berkeley presenting results of their research with GGRO.

Celebrate Raptors—A Series of Raptor Biology Talks

Satellite-Tracking Peregrines throughout the Americas

Where: San Francisco Zoo

When: Thursday, September 10^th 7-9 PM

Cost: $3-$5 suggested donation

Falconiformes Discovery: Field, Lab, and Conservation

Where: California Academy of Science’s Nightlife

When: Thursday, October 15^th 7-9 PM

Cost: $12

Eagle Quest:  To See All the World’s Eagles

Where: Mission Blue Chapel, Cavallo Point

When: Wednesday, November 18^h 7-9 PM

Cost: $3-$5 suggested donation

Cal Academy and The 11th Hour Project are bringing some excellent speakers to town.

Maybe this is a reflection on my choice in friends, but the above quote is a common comment about the Academy's wildly successful adults only Nightlife program (just check Yelp). Yet if you go a touch deeper than the rockin' DJ, numerous bars, and diverse exhibits, there is a wealth of interactive programs to exercise your brain. This month may bring the most celebrated speakers yet, all thanks to the folks at the 11^th Hour Project, a non-profit dedicated to creating a sustainable world.

Opening the month are Dan Kammen & Sally Benson discussing the emerging green energy economy, focusing on the novel technological solutions to the global energy issues. In case you were worried about their credentials, Dan is the lead author for the UN IPCC panel (they netted a Nobel Prize in 2007) and Sally is one of the pre-eminent U.S. experts on carbon sequestration.

On 9/10, Annie Leonard takes the stage to discuss her popular polemic, The Story of Stuff. Annie's tale is 20 minute tale of our unsustainable production and consumption pattern. The viral video is now well past 7 million views, all from a filmmaker who was curious what happens to all our "stuff".

Maya Lin, the Chinese-American artist who designed the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, unveils her new sculpture titled "What is Missing?" in the East Garden on 9/17. She'll discuss the new piece, which is dedicated to raising awareness of biodiversity and habitat loss, as well as her artistic process.

Finally, 9/24 is the night for the disappearing glaciers. Orvile Schell, the director of the Center on US-China Relations, has been documenting the decline through photography. Beyond his stunning photos, Orville will discuss his work to create a cooperative strategy between the US and China (the top 2 greenhouse gas emitters) to reduce their carbon emissions. Filmmaker and mountaineer David Breashears will also discuss the glacier disappearance through his 1^st hand accounts of traveling to receding sites on the highest peaks of the world. He knows a thing or two about high peaks; David was the first American to summit Mt. Everest twice.

California Academy of Science's Nightlife

Where: California Academy of Sciences

When: Every Thursday in September, 6-10 PM

Cost: Tickets are $12 ($10 for Academy members).  Many of the programs below require passes. Please check the Nightlife page for more information.

Thursday, September 3^rd 2009

Professors Dan Kammen, coordinating lead author for the IPCC, and Sally Benson, Director of the Global Climate and Energy Project, debate the Green Energy Economy.

Thursday, September 10^th, 2009

Author & Filmmaker Annie Leonard recounts a Story of Stuff.

Thursday, September 17^th, 2009

Celebrated artist Maya Lin (she designed the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in D.C.) unveils her new sculpture in the East Garden. In addition, Chef Laura Stec & Climatologist Eugene Cordero cook up a low carbon diet.

Thursday, September 24^th, 2009

Orville Schell, current Director of the Center on US-China Relations, unveils his photographs of retreating glaciers as we chart a path to the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen. In addition, American Mountaineer David Breashears, director of the IMAX film Everest, shares his adventures on the edge of the disappearing glaciers.

Professor Gordon Frankie of UC Berkeley was an early adopter of urban beekeeping.

Professor Gordon Frankie of UC Berkeley was an early adopter of urban beekeeping. In the late 1990s, he started the Urban Bee Project, an experimental project to document bee populations in the Bay Area. Gordon used this data to plant a bee garden right in downtown Berkeley (how he managed to get approval of that is mystery to me). The project has catalogued over 80 species of native bees, a number expected to grow well over 100. Gordon has even used the research to create a bee-friendly garden builder.

Gordon will discuss the Urban Bee Project at the next East Bay Science Café. In addition, there are a whole host of local beekeeping organizations that offer educational events.

Native Bees: A rich natural resource in urban California gardens

When: Wednesday, September 2^nd 2009

Where: East Bay Science Café, La Pena Cultural Center, 3105 Shattuck Avenue, Berkeley

Cost: FREE

Local Beekeeping Organizations

• Alameda County Beekeepers Association
• Santa Clara Valley Beekeepers Guild
• Santa Cruz Guild for Beekeepers
• Mount Diablo Beekeepers Association
• Sonoma County Beekeepers
• San Francisco Beekeepers Association
• San Mateo Bee Guild
• Marin County Beekeepers

Also, you can watch QUEST's TV story "Better Bees: Super Bee and Wild Bee" below:

QUEST on KQED Public Media.

This week's local science event pick focuses on health care reform.

The idea for Kaiser was developed by Dr. Sidney Garfield way back in 1933. He established a prepayment health plan for 5000 workers building the Los Angeles Aqueduct in the Mojave Desert. Workers paid about a nickel a day to receive full medical care from Dr. Garfield. He emphasized prevention and early treatment to prevent more serious problems later.

Fast forward to today, the same issues of prevention to keep down costs are still being discussed today. Certainly, HMOs are not without criticism, but it is certainly a compelling story to trace the development of the modern system from a place of preventative care. Plus, it will be a relief to have a healthcare discussion without all the yelling.

Tom Debley is the author of The Story of Dr. Sidney R. Garfield: The Visionary Who Turned Sick Care into Health Care, the theme of his talk will be "The Long Quest for Health Care Reform: A Bay Area Doctor's Belief in Health Care as a Right." He will trace the story of Dr. Garfield's life because so much less is known about him than his co-founder, Henry J. Kaiser.

The Long Quest for Health Care Reform: A Bay Area Doctor's Belief in Health Care as a Right

When: Tuesday, August 25^th 2009

Where: Commonwealth Club, 595 Market Street 2nd Floor

Cost: $8 members, $15 non-members, Tickets