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This week in science: 12/15 - 12/21
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There's quite a bit to do this week for Bay Area science afficianados and/or their visiting relatives. The highlights this week include a lecture by Robert Gold on the Messenger mission to Mercury, Monday evening at the Jewish Community Center of San Francisco (co-sponsored by the California Academy of Sciences), and a discussion of California's 100 million-year-old endangered sea turtles, on Thursday evening at the Randall Museum. Other events include talks on how climate change will impact species in the Bay aea, the history of particle accelerators at Stanford, the origin of gemstones, and a seed exchange and bell-ringing event at the Exploratorium Sunday afternoon.
Don't forget that this Wednesday, Dec. 17th, is a Wachovia Wednesday at the California Academy of Sciences - admission is free to all!! Acquired recently by Wells Fargo, Wachovia is another kind of endangered species, severely impacted by the recent "financial cooling" - so take advantage of these monthly free days while you can - who knows how long they'll last?
Finally, Saturday, December 20th, is the Winter Solstice - the longest night of the year. From here on, the Sun marches steadily northward, crossing the equator March 20th - the Spring Equinox - and hitting the peak of its northward range June 20th, the Summer Solstice.
Headlines first, followed by the details....
Monday, December 15th, 7:30pm
The MESSENGER Mission to Mercury
Robert Gold, Applied Physics Laboratory, Johns Hopkins University
Jewish Community Center of San Francisco, 3200 California Street
In association with the California Academy of Sciences
Tuesday, December 16th, 6:00pm - 7:30pm
Climate Change and Bay Area WIldlife
San Francisco Public Library, Latino/Hispanic Room, 100 Larkin Street, San Francisco, CA
Event web-site
Tuesday, December 16th, 7:30 - 8:30 PM
Big Machines and Big Science: 80 Years of Accelerators at Stanford
Gregory Loew, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory
SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Panofsky Auditorium, Menlo Park (Directions)
Wednesday, December 17th, 9:30am to 5:00pm
Wachovia Free Wednesday at the Academy of Sciences
California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco
Thursday, December 18th, 7:00 p.m.
Gemstone Deposits of the United States
Pete Modreski, USGS Gemstone Specialist
USGS, Conference Room A, Bldg 3, Menlo Park, California (Directions)
(PDF Flyer for the talk)
Thursday, December 18th, 7:30 PM - 9:00 PM
California's 100-million year old Endangered Sea Turtles
Mike Milne, Sea Turtle Restoration Project
Scott Benson, Southwest Fisheries Science Center, NOAA
Randall Museum, 199 Museum Way, San Francisco
Sunday, December 21st, 3:00–5:00 p.m.
Solstice Seed Swap & Bell-Ringing
Exploratorium, McBean Theater and outside Main Entrance
Palace of Fine Arts, 3601 Lyon Street, San Francisco (Directions)
Details (text from source)
Monday, December 15th, 7:30pm
The MESSENGER Mission to Mercury
Robert Gold, Applied Physics Laboratory, Johns Hopkins University
Jewish Community Center of San Francisco, 3200 California Street (at Presidio Avenue)
In association with the California Academy of Sciences
The MESSENGER spacecraft is on its way to orbit Mercury, a planet of extremes. Mercury has the greatest temperature variation, the highest density, and the most Earth-like magnetosphere of any planet. Despite Mercury often being the closest planet to Earth, very little was known about it because it is very difficult to observe and study. It has taken 30 years to mount an orbital mission to this terrestrial planet. MESSENGER has already flown by the planet twice. It has revealed exciting new information about Mercury's structure and the geological processes that have shaped it. This lecture will cover the challenges of developing a spacecraft to deal with the extreme environment at Mercury and show some of the amazing scientific results from the MESSENGER flybys.
All programs begin at 7:30 pm in Kanbar Hall at the Jewish Community Center of San Francisco, 3200 California Street (at Presidio Avenue).
Tickets are $5 in advance by mail or at the door. Please e-mail any questions to deanseries@calacademy.org or call (415) 321-8000.
Tuesday, December 16th, 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm
Climate Change and Bay Area WIldlife
San Francisco Public Library, Latino/Hispanic Room, 100 Larkin Street, San Francisco, CA
Event web-site
A panel of scientific experts will discuss the threat of climate change to local imperiled wildlife in the San Francisco Bay Area. The discussion will include threats posed to marine & coastal wildlife, including mammals, fish, birds, etc.
This event is part of a traveling exhibit entitled Irreplaceable Wildlife in a Warming World, currently showing in the Wallace Stegner Environmental Center on the 5th Floor of the SF Public Library. See online photos from the exhibit here
Tuesday, December 16th, 7:30 - 8:30 PM
Big Machines and Big Science: 80 Years of Accelerators at Stanford
Gregory Loew, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory
SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Panofsky Auditorium, Menlo Park (Directions)
Eighty years ago, William W. Hansen joined the Stanford Physics Department as a student and soon after started on a journey to build the first linear electron accelerator at the university. His success spawned the construction of a 1 Billion volt machine on campus which in turn led to the proposal to build the three-kilometer long electron accelerator at SLAC. Since 1966, this accelerator, its added storage rings and detectors have produced an incredible series of discoveries, resulted in four Nobel prizes, and opened the road to new projects currently underway, one of them in outer space, the other one an X-ray laser.
In this Public Lecture, Gregory Loew, who has been at SLAC for five decades, will guide you through SLAC's origins, highlight its scientific achievements, and give you a glimpse of its future.
The SLAC Public Lecture Series is normally scheduled for the last Tuesday of every other month beginning at 7:30 pm in the Panofsky Auditorium.
Wednesday, December 17th, 9:30am to 5:00pm
Wachovia Wednesday at the Academy of Sciences
California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco
The Academy is free to the public on the third Wednesday of each month. This program is sponsored by Wachovia. Please note, there may be high demand and early arrival is recommended.
Thursday, December 18th, 7:00 p.m.
Gemstone Deposits of the United States
Pete Modreski, USGS Gemstone Specialist
USGS, Conference Room A, Bldg 3, Menlo Park, California (Directions)
(PDF Flyer for the talk)
Gemstones found in the United States include sapphire, opal, tourmaline, aquamarine, turquoise, amethyst, peridot, and many others. More than a half-dozen states are known for their gemstones, including unusual and exotic varieties such as red beryl, benitoite, and sunstone. The gem material produced in the U.S. having the greatest overall value does NOT come from rocks - what is this valuable commodity? In how many states have diamonds have been found; which states have produced diamonds commercially?
Thursday, December 18th, 7:30 PM - 9:00 PM
California's 100-million year old Endangered Sea Turtles
Mike Milne, Leatherback Campaigner, Sea Turtle Restoration Project &
Scott Benson, Leatherback Scientist, Southwest Fisheries Science Center, NOAA
Randall Museum, 199 Museum Way, San Francisco
Registration Required!!! register here
Pacific Leatherback sea turtles have survived in our oceans for millions of years, but in the last 25 years their population has decreased by ~ 90%. Can the Pacific leatherback population survive and eventually recover? Mike Milne will discuss the threats facing this critically endangered sea turtle and talk about how we can help save this 100-mmilion year old species. Marine Turtle researcher Scott Benson will discuss the past, present, and future of leatherback turtle research in the Pacific, sharing his stories from the forefront of ecology.
The event is part of the 2008-2009 Public Lecture series: Human Impacts on Ocean Health and is hosted by the Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary.
BONUS: Rare video of turtles feeding on jellyfish off the California coast as seen from “turtle-cams.”
Only Pre-registered guests will be seated. Fill out the form to ensure your space.
Sunday, December 21st, 3:00–5:00 p.m.
Solstice Seed Swap & Bell-Ringing
Exploratorium, McBean Theater and outside Main Entrance
Palace of Fine Arts, 3601 Lyon Street, San Francisco (Directions)
Celebrate the winter solstice with an old-time seed swap! For this festive exchange, artists Bill Basquin, Johunna Grayson, and Greta Snider serve up a 3D slide show, some seed swap history, and light refreshments.
You’re also invited to join artist Brenda Hutchinson in a sunset bell-ringing. Since December 31, 2007, she has greeted every sunrise and sunset with the sound of bells. To learn more about her year-long project, go to http://dailybell2008.blogspot.com.
Slide Show begins at 3:30 p.m.
Bell-ringing begins at sunset
If you bring seeds and rooted cuttings to share, please label them with the following information:
- Where the seeds were collected (neighborhood, county, etc.)
- Year collected
- Common or Latin name of plant
- Flower color, if plant is grown for blooms
- If you don't have any to swap, don’t worry; we’ll have some seeds to give away.
Have an event you want listed here? Send email to science.examiner@gmail.com
