Wednesday, June 11th, 2008
Topic: Birds, Bees, and Boids
Everyone's seen birds flying, ants foraging, bees working, and fish swimming — all with the apparent purpose and coordination of a single conscious organism. But with no leader, no centralized management, how does each individual participant know what to do and where to go? The collective behavior of such animals — each oblivious to the master plan, but contributing to the group's goals and success — is what's known as swarm intelligence. Researchers have found that such self-organizing systems function through constant interactions between individuals, each of which is following simple rules. In 1986, computer graphics researcher Craig Reynolds created a steering program called boids, in which life-like graphical objects follow three basic rules of motion. The result looks awfully familiar. He is now a leader in the field of computer animated crowd simulation, doing research on visual effects for films and video games. Tonight Craig will talk with us about his work and how it relates to biology, society, business, robots, and more!
Speaker: Craig Reynolds; Senior Researcher at Sony Computer Entertainment US R&D
Location: Axis Cafe, 1201 8th Street (btw. 16th & Irwin) San Francisco

Tuesday, May 6th, 2008
Topic: Individual Differences in Perception
It's probably occurred to you that the way you perceive the physical world might not necessarily be the way other people perceive it — that what you see, hear, feel, taste and smell may be experienced differently by someone else. But what does science have to say about the matter? Research on the subject of individual differences in perception bears some interesting observations. For example, gender plays a role in the performance of visual tasks involving spatial discrimination and color, sensitivity to sounds and odor, and responsiveness to pain. Personal experience contributes as well — wine connoisseurs, musicians, and video gamers develop, respectively, heightened ability in detecting odors, sounds, and visual targets. And of course genetic quirks (like color-blindness, synesthesia, or supertasting abilities) also shape each person's unique experience of the material world. Come learn more about this fascinating and most fundamental of topics, and participate in a casual on-site research study!
Speaker: Ariella Popple; Vision Scientist, UC Berkeley
Location: Axis Cafe, 1201 8th Street (btw. 16th & Irwin) San Francisco

Tuesday, April 1st, 2008
Topic: Tornado Research in the Field
"Tornadoes are without question the ultimate manifestation of extreme weather. No other meteorological event is as violent or awe inspiring." (Chris Burt, Extreme Weather) You better believe it! While even a humble F0 or F1 on the Fujita Scale (like the one that visited South San Francisco in 2005) can damage property and push cars off the road, a monster F5 tornado can rip a house right off its foundation and obliterate it. These treacherous giants can reach a mile or more in width and can charge across the landscape at over 70mph. And while the sustained rate of hurricane winds has never exceeded 200mph (in recorded history), the winds of the most intense tornadoes can exceed a mind-boggling 300mph. Why and how do these atmospheric powerhouses form? What is it about the unique topography of North America that makes the U.S. home to more tornadoes than any other country? And most important, why would anyone want to get anywhere near one? One way to find out: let's ask John Monteverdi, meteorologist and storm chaser.
Speaker: John Monteverdi, Professor of Meteorology at San Francisco State University
Location: Axis Cafe, 1201 8th Street (btw. 16th & Irwin) San Francisco

Monday, March 17th, 2008
Topic: The Science of Baseball
With baseball season just around the corner, whose mind doesn't naturally turn to dreamy springtime thoughts of green grass, peanuts, science, and math? Come hear what our panel of experts has to say about the science of America's favorite pastime. Why is a curveball curved? What makes the sweet spot so sweet? Why do outfielders instinctively run in an arc instead of a straight line? Statistically speaking, are record-breaking players just really lucky? And why have some physicists stated that, at least on paper, hitting a home run is impossible? Come learn the answers to these questions and whatever else you've been wondering about the science and math of baseball. Tonight's event is presented in collaboration with KQED's QUEST Science and Environment Series and Exploratorium. We'll start off the evening by watching QUEST's "Physics of Baseball" video.
Speakers: Linda Shore, Exploratorium Physicist and Director of Exploratorium's Teacher Institute. David Barker, Exploratorium's senior graphic designer and resident baseball fanatic. Mathematician and NPR's "Math Guy," Keith Devlin of Stanford University.
Location: Axis Cafe, 1201 8th Street (btw. 16th & Irwin) San Francisco

Friday, March 14th, 2008
Ask a Scientist's PI DAY Puzzle Party
Trying to decide how you're going to celebrate Pi Day (3.14) this year? Avoid the congested airports and typical math holiday madness, and join us instead for Ask a Scientist's Pi Day Puzzle Party — a boisterous math and logic puzzle competition, hosted by the inimitable Wes Carroll. You can compete solo or on a team of up to 6 people. No calculators necessary. Please bring your own pencils and scratch paper. Weather permitting, the back garden and front sidewalk tables will be available for overflow attendance — so bring a jacket too. The winning team receives a round of drinks and everlasting admiration!
Puzzle Master: Wes Carroll; Do The Math Private Tutoring Services
Location: The Bazaar Cafe, 5927 California St. (21st Ave) San Francisco
READ THE PUZZLES AND SOLUTIONS

Tuesday, February 26th, 2008
Topic: The 2000-Year-Old Computer (and Other Achievements of Ancient Science)
We learn in school that the science of our ancestors included such endearing bunk as flat planets, geocentric solar systems, and the balancing of the body's four humors. (Even the pre-internet decades of my youth now seem to me like a dark, distant era of ignorance that I can't believe we all survived.) Did our ancient predecessors get anything right? Of course they did. Tonight, science historian Richard Carrier will discuss the nature and limitations of ancient science. While crucial contributions have come from many different cultures throughout history, Richard will talk about a handful of Graeco-Roman scientific and technological advances that might surprise you. Here's a teaser: we'll learn about the Antikythera mechanism, the oldest known computer — discovered in a 2000-year-old shipwreck near Crete. Cool.
Speaker: Richard Carrier; Science Historian and Philosopher, Columbia University.
Location: Axis Cafe, 1201 8th Street (btw. 16th & Irwin) San Francisco

Tuesday, February 5th, 2008
SPECIAL EVENT: Phat Tuesday Physics Circus!
Come join ringmaster Zeke Kossover and his crew of sensational sideshow scientists as they (and YOU) perform dazzling demonstrations that illustrate physical principles! Watch, and listen, as sound shatters a wine glass! Ride a hovercraft! Turn on an electric pickle! Try to look at invisible glass! Witness the stopping of time! (Ok, not time exactly, but the hands of a watch.) Zeke and his crew will astound, amaze and explain, every step of the way. Can you think of a more appropriate way to celebrate Mardi Gras, than sledgehammering a bed of nails into the chest of a physics teacher from New Orleans? I sure can't!
Ringmaster: Zeke Kossover, physics teacher at Jewish Community High School of the Bay.
The crew: Tucker Hiatt, physics teacher at The Branson School and director of Wonderfest; Leif Steinhour, Constructor, One Off Shoppe.
Location: Axis Cafe, 1201 8th Street (btw. 16th & Irwin) San Francisco

Wednesday, January 16th, 2008
Topic: Where Did Language Come From?
Of all the features often proposed for distinguishing humans from the other animals — bipedalism, tool making — it's language that seems to be the most compelling difference between us and them. Even with the disputed definitions of what exactly makes communication among members of a species a "language," there is clearly something unique about the robust, versatile, complex and innovative way we humans transmit ideas and information to one another. The question that neurologist and anthropologist Terry Deacon attempts to answer is one every child has wondered: why can't animals talk? Deacon's research investigates the differences between the brain anatomy and chemistry of humans and that of the other primates, how those differences evolved, and what it all may tell us about the origins of our uniquely human cognitive and language abilities.
Speaker: Terrence Deacon; Professor of Biological Anthropology and Linguistics, UC Berkeley. Author of The Symbolic Species: The Co-Evolution of Language and the Brain.
Location: Axis Cafe, 1201 8th Street (btw. 16th & Irwin) San Francisco
LISTEN TO THIS TALK: Part 1/6 Part 2/6 Part 3/6 Part 4/6 Part 5/6 Part 6/6

Wednesday, December 12th, 2007
Topic: The Dark Side of the Universe
A scientific revolution in our understanding of the universe is under way. In the last decade or so, cosmology has become an experimental science that has led to two mysterious observations: about a quarter of the universe is "dark matter," which gravitationally attracts but is otherwise invisible, and about two-thirds is "dark energy," which causes space itself to expand at an ever-increasing rate. That means only a small fraction of the energy in the universe is due to matter that we understand! Pretty spooky. In tonight's presentation, Stanford physics professor Patricia Burchat will guide us in exploring the evidence for dark matter and dark energy, and the experiments being developed to investigate their fundamental nature.
Speaker: Patricia Burchat; Professor of Physics, Stanford
Location: Axis Cafe, 1201 8th Street (btw. 16th & Irwin) San Francisco

Sunday, December 9th , 2007
Ask a Scientist's Holiday Puzzle Party
Family dinners are a treasured tradition, and non-denominational mid-winter office functions totally rock, but let's face facts: most holiday parties lack math problems. Not so at Ask a Scientist! Kick off the season of celebration with merriment AND math at our Holiday Puzzle Party — a rollicking math and logic puzzle competition, hosted by teaser-of-brains Wes Carroll. You can compete solo or on a team of up to 6 people. No calculators necessary. Bring your own pencils and scratch paper. Weather permitting, the back garden will be open for overflow attendance — so bring a jacket too. The winning team will receive a round of drinks!
Puzzle Master: Wes Carroll; Do The Math Private Tutoring Services
Location: The Bazaar Cafe, 5927 California St. (21st Ave) San Francisco

Wednesday, November 14th, 2007
Topic: Synesthesia
How does violin music smell? What color is Thursday? To most people these questions might seem completely nonsensical, but to people with synesthesia they sound perfectly reasonable. (I've known for as long as I can remember that Thursday is a fuzzy, light olive green. Isn't it?) Synesthesia is a perceptual condition in which there is an involuntary blending of one or more of the senses. The most common form is chromagraphemia, the associating of colors with numbers and letters — but the sense-mingling can get a lot weirder. A synesthete might see moving blobs of color when tasting foods, or taste specific flavors upon hearing certain words. Some savants with computer-like math skills describe their ability in terms of being able to see the shapes and colors of the numbers they're calculating! Once dismissed as a product of an overly active imagination, drug use or even just craziness, synesthesia is finally being recognized as having a biological basis. UC Berkeley's Lynn Robertson will tell us about the current research on this intriguing condition.
Speaker: Lynn Robertson; Professor of Psychology & Senior Research Scientist, UC Berkeley
Location: Axis Cafe, 1201 8th Street (btw. 16th & Irwin) San Francisco

Wednesday, October 3rd, 2007
Topic: The Science of Big Waves
If you're anything like me, you've watched all the big wave surfing movies just to see the waves. Maybe you've even been down to Mavericks in Half Moon Bay to watch intrepid athletes from around the world ride what many consider to be the most dangerous waves on Earth. If so, you've probably found yourself wondering: just what is it about this legendary surfing spot that makes mountains of water the size of office buildings rise out of the sea? Physical oceanographer Toby Garfield will talk with us about the geography, atmospheric conditions, and basic laws of physics that conspire to create monster waves so big they register on the UC Berkeley seismograph when they crash! Tonight's event is presented in collaboration with KQED's QUEST program — a new weekly multimedia series about Bay Area science and environmental issues. Special guest attendee: Grant Washburn, big wave surfer and filmmaker!
Speaker: Toby Garfield; Professor of Geosciences, San Francisco State University, and Director of the Romberg Tiburon Center for Environmental Studies.
Location: Axis Cafe, 1201 8th Street (btw. 16th & Irwin) San Francisco. Click here for map and directions.

Wednesday, September 5th, 2007
Topic: Exoplanet Update
The last time Chris McCarthy spoke at Ask a Scientist, back in July 2005, I wrote: "In 1995 astronomers detected the first known planet outside of our own solar system — a gas giant (like Jupiter) orbiting a star called 51 Pegasi. Since then, about 150 extrasolar planets have been found around distant stars." Now, two years later, the story is begging for an update. The recent announcement of the discovery of 28 more planets outside of our solar system has brought the total number of known exoplanets to 236! Of particular interest is Gliese 581c, the smallest exoplanet discovered to date. Estimated to be only five times more massive than Earth, Gliese 581c orbits within its dim sun's habitable zone, the region around a star within which a planet's temperature can sustain liquid water on its surface. While we don't yet know if there is water, let alone life, on Gliese 581c, its discovery is a milestone that has astronomers very excited. BONUS: Weather permitting, we'll do a little telescope-assisted skygazing afterwards with Kenneth Frank from the SFAA, the SFSA, and Scope City.
Speaker: Chris McCarthy; Assistant Adjunct Professor, San Francisco State University
Location: Axis Cafe, 1201 8th Street (btw. 16th & Irwin) San Francisco. Click here for map and directions.

Monday, August 20th, 2007
Ask a Scientist's ANNIVERSARY TRIVIA CONTEST!
Can you believe it? Ask a Scientist is celebrating its Linen Anniversary! That's right, it was four years ago that we held our very first event — a lively and illuminating talk about the search for extraterrestrial life, held at San Francisco's beloved Bazaar Cafe. Four years and four dozen topics later, Ask a Scientist is still going strong. Come help us celebrate this perfect-squarish milestone the best way we know how — with a boisterous science trivia contest hosted by science writer Robin Marks. (It's just like a pub trivia night, but without all those other boring categories!) You can bring your own team of ringers with you, assemble a team with others on the spot, compete solo, or just come to cheer, hang out, and learn stuff. The winning team will receive a round of drinks and a really cool feeling of superiority that should last at least several days.
Trivia Mistress: Robin Marks; Science Writer and Multimedia Projects Developer, Exploratorium
Location: The Bazaar Cafe, 5927 California St. (21st Ave) San Francisco

Tuesday, August 7th, 2007
Topic: The Reality of Age Research
Understanding and dealing with disease associated with aging is arguably the greatest challenge for biomedicine in the 21st Century. In fact growing old is the single largest risk factor for human disease in developed countries. Unfortunately, we don't know much about the biological basis of aging — but a series of remarkable discoveries in simple animal models indicates that our understanding of the subject is beginning to change. For example, it is now commonplace to extend the lifespan of lab worms and flies by genetic or chemical interventions. (Do some of you remember Cynthia Kenyon's talk way back in August 2003?) These discoveries have far-reaching implications for how we think about human disease and may serve as the basis for the development of therapeutic interventions. Come learn about the latest in the new field of geroscience and talk about opportunities for living better, more productive lives.
Speaker: Gordon Lithgow; Associate Professor, The Buck Institute
Location: Axis Cafe, 1201 8th Street (btw. 16th & Irwin) San Francisco. Click here for map and directions.

Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Topic: Sea Urchins
The sea urchin, a spiny little marine critter that looks far more like a plant than a person, has been a jackpot of biomedical insights for over 100 years. In the late 19th century, sea urchins provided researchers with their first glimpse of the fusion of sperm and egg nuclei. Their embryos, which develop rapidly and are easy to observe and manipulate, are providing today's biologists with insights into genetic diseases, cancers, and stem cells. Adding to its value as an interesting research subject, the sea urchin has a surprisingly advanced immune system totally unlike anything seen before. And certain species can live more than 200 years without showing much wear from aging. But biomedical researchers are not the only scientists interested in the sea urchin — its recently sequenced genome yields some tantalizing clues to the mysteries of evolution as well. What is a creature that has no eyes, nose, or centralized brain for dealing with visual or olfactory signals doing with almost 1000 genes for proteins designed to sense light and odors? Darn good question. Let's ask Fred Wilt.
Speaker: Fred Wilt; Professor of Molecular and Cell Biology, UC Berkeley
Location: Axis Cafe, 1201 8th Street (btw. 16th & Irwin) San Francisco. Click here for map and directions.

Tuesday, June 12th, 2007
Topic: Terra Incognita
Antarctica, our planet's southernmost continent, is no longer terra incognita ("unknown territory") as far as explorers and cartographers are concerned, but what do the rest of us really know about this mysterious land of extremes? Evidence suggests that the White Continent was once part of a much larger land mass, with a temperate climate, before it began drifting down to its current position back in the Triassic period. Nowadays, 98% of its surface is covered with an ice sheet averaging about 1 mile in thickness, and containing 70% of all the world's fresh water. Antarctica is the coldest, windiest, and driest of the continents — in fact it gets so little precipitation that its interior, despite all the frozen water underfoot, is technically the world's largest desert. If you've never given much thought to this bizarre, distant land — or if you think about it all the time, like I do — this is your chance to learn more. Glaciologist Kurt Cuffey will tell us what his Antarctic research suggests about the continent's icy mantle, and also about the rest of the planet.
Speaker: Kurt Cuffey; Professor of Geography, UC Berkeley
Location: Axis Cafe, 1201 8th Street (btw. 16th & Irwin) San Francisco. Click here for map and directions.

Tuesday, May 8th, 2007
Topic: Amnesia
Amnesia, a condition in which memory is disturbed, is no doubt a familiar concept to anyone who's seen a Hollywood movie, a sitcom, or a soap opera. In real life, maybe you've heard the occasional news report about a missing person found wandering around in a fugue state — confused, far from home, with no idea who he is. Or more commonly, of a victim of head injury who retains no memory of the moments, or days, or even years, leading up to the trauma. Horrifying at a most elemental level, the idea of amnesia fills us with angst...and questions. Why is it that some victims forget the past but are able to form new memories, while for others it's exactly the opposite? Is it really possible to repress years of constant childhood trauma and then recall it suddenly, decades later? How can someone be at a total loss for personal and emotional memories, but still be able to read, write, and do math? Come learn how the study of amnesia has provided researchers with important insights into how the normally functioning brain forms memories.
Speaker: Art Shimamura; Professor of Psychology, UC Berkeley
Location: Axis Cafe, 1201 8th Street (btw. 16th & Irwin) San Francisco. Click here for map and directions.

Monday, April 16th, 2007
Topic: The Mind-Body Connection
With billions of nerve cells and trillions of connections between them, the human brain is considered the most complex structure in the known universe. But thinking, feeling, and behaving are so fundamental to our existence that healthy individuals rarely stop to ponder the marvelous motherboard behind this effortless functioning. To UC Berkeley professor David Presti, the question of how chemical processes in the brain are related to manifestations of behavior remains one of the most fascinating and challenging issues in neuroscience. How does meditation affect brain chemistry? Why do placebos (sometimes) work? Can our minds influence our health? What do fancy new imaging technologies reveal about the connection between activity in the brain and our thoughts and feelings? Come find out what the current research tells us about these questions and more.
Speaker: David Presti; Professor of Neurobiology, UC Berkeley
Location: The Canvas Gallery, 1200 9th Ave (@ Lincoln) San Francisco

Monday, March 26th, 2007
Topic: The World's Most Fascinating Numbers
Come meet the superstar celebrities of the number world! From zero to infinity (and not restricted to the range between the two), mathematics is teeming with a riveting cast of characters rich in history, intrigue, eloquence, and profound significance. There's pi, the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter, whose mysterious identity was known (close enough) to ancient mathematicians. There's the Fibonnaci sequence and its close friend phi, a.k.a. the golden mean, a tantalizingly lovely ratio pondered by biologists, artists, architects, historians, and even mystics. You'll meet the irrational (e), the imaginary (i), and even the familiar (1). Keith Devlin — math professor, prolific author, NPR's "Math Guy," and advisor to the hit TV show NUMB3RS — will take us on a tour of his favorite values. A selection of Keith's books will be available for sale at the event.
Speaker: Keith Devlin; Executive Director of Stanford's Center for the Study of Language and Information
Location: The Canvas Gallery, 1200 9th Ave (@ Lincoln) San Francisco

Wednesday, March 14th, 2007
Ask a Scientist's PI DAY Puzzle Contest
Still trying to decide how you're going to celebrate Pi Day (3.14) this year? Avoid the congested airports and typical math holiday madness, and join us for Ask a Scientist's Pi Day Puzzle Party instead. Puzzle Master Wes Carroll hosts this friendly competition of math and logic brain twisters that will make you shout both "Arghh!" and "A-Ha!" Competitors can go it alone or form teams to solve problems, win prizes, drink beer, and eat hot dogs. Bring your own pencils and scratch paper. No calculators necessary.
Puzzle Master: Wes Carroll; Do The Math Private Tutoring Services
Location: The Bazaar Cafe, 5927 California St. (21st Ave) San Francisco
DOWNLOAD THE PUZZLES AT DTMATH.COM

Sunday, February 18th, 2007
Topic: String Theory Demystified
Modern physics has reduced the complexity of the world to two grand theories: (1) general relativity, the theory of gravity, and (2) quantum mechanics, the theory of the very small. Each theory agrees with experiment beautifully, but only in its own realm. Where the two realms overlap — inside black holes, say, and deep inside the atomic nucleus — these two mighty theories contradict each other. Most physicists agree that string theory offers our best hope of reconciliation. It is a candidate "theory of everything" that shows promise in explaining the "standard model" of all ordinary matter. But can string theory go further? Can it make predictions that are testable? Can it be mathematically elegant? Theorists like Shamit Kachru are working to find out.
Speaker: Shamit Kachru; Physics Professor, Stanford
Location: The Canvas Gallery, 1200 9th Ave (@ Lincoln) San Francisco

Sunday, January 21st, 2007
Topic: Gene Regulation and You
Before the human genome project was completed, the best estimates were that humans had at least 100,000 genes. But after the genome was sequenced, that number fell to about 30,000. That doesn't exactly sound like enough to account for all of the different cells and proteins that make up our bodies. Furthermore, if humans and chimpanzees share a nearly identical genome, as we've all heard, how is it that we're such different creatures? The answer lies partly in gene regulation — the "switching on and off" of an organism's genes in early development and throughout its life. So it turns out that the source of the differences between us and chimps (and flies and mice and worms et al.) lies not only in the differences between our genomes, but in how our genes are used. Some pretty fascinating stuff has come out of the research on this subject. Mike Eisen will tell us more.
Speaker: Michael Eisen; Scientist, Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, and Adjunct Asst. Professor of Molecular and Cellular Biology, UC Berkeley.
Location: The Canvas Gallery, 1200 9th Ave (@ Lincoln) San Francisco

Tuesday, December 19th, 2006
Ask a Scientist's HOLIDAY TRIVIA PARTY!
Come celebrate the wintery holidays with a rollicking night of science trivia, hosted by the Exploratorium's Robin Marks. Last July's Anniversary Trivia Contest was a blast. Will our triumphant trio prevail again? Will the high schoolers do a little more homework and pull into first place? Or maybe it will be YOU who puts them all to shame. Even if you don't know your cortex from a coprolite, come enjoy a night of fascinating science trivia and holiday festivity. You can bring your own team of ringers with you, assemble a team with others on the spot, or just come to cheer, hang out, and learn stuff. The winning team will receive drinks, prizes, and everlasting glory.
Trivia Mistress: Robin Marks; Science Writer and Multimedia Projects Developer, Exploratorium
Location: The Bazaar Cafe, 5927 California St. (21st Ave) San Francisco

Monday, December 4th , 2006
Topic: E=mc2
This legendary equation, part of the theory of relativity set forth by Einstein in April 1905, changed our understanding of nature at the most fundamental level. "c" is the speed of light. It is the ultimate speed in the universe; nothing can go faster. "m" stands for mass. For centuries after Newton it was believed that mass is absolute. But Einstein's equation revealed that mass is yet another form of energy, "E", that can change to other forms — kinetic, gravitational, chemical, thermal, nuclear — and back again to mass. Come learn the meaning of the world's most famous equation, as we explore energy, mass, matter, antimatter, and those pesky missing pieces of the universe: dark matter and dark energy.
Speaker: Hitoshi Murayama; Professor of Physics at UC Berkeley, and Senior Scientist at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Location: The Canvas Gallery, 1200 9th Ave (@ Lincoln) San Francisco

Sunday, November 12th , 2006
Topic: Why We Study Monkeys
Just like humans, the furrier primates exhibit an extraordinarily diverse array of behaviors and social systems, allowing them to exploit a wide range of habitats. By studying monkeys we gain insight into the physiological and behavioral evolution of our own lineage. In other words, when we study them, we're essentially studying ourselves. Anthropologist Alexander Harcourt has been has been travelling the world conducting fieldwork on primate behavior studies since the early 1970’s. He'll tell us how research in the field and laboratory can elucidate the cognitive and behavioral capabilities of monkeys, providing  a window into the evolution of intelligence, and a deeper insight into the biological and behavioral processes that drive our own behavior and thought processes. Tonight's event is presented in partnership with The Leakey Foundation.
Speaker: Alexander Harcourt; Professor of Anthropology, UC Davis
Location: The Canvas Gallery, 1200 9th Ave (@ Lincoln) San Francisco

Monday, October 30th, 2006
Topic: Attention and Memory in the Aging Brain
Normal aging is characterized by deficits that cross multiple cognitive domains, including attention, working memory and episodic memory. UCSF neuroscientist Adam Gazzaley studies the common neural mechanisms whose impairments underlie a broad range of age-related cognitive deficits. Have you ever caught a glimpse of someone and had a flash of recognition, only to find out after further inspection that he or she had some similar features, like clothing or hairstyle, but was otherwise just a random person? Our brains make assumptions to sort through the deluge of sensory information they're constantly receiving. Scientists call this top-down modulation, and its role in the study of the aging brain is one focus of Dr. Gazzaley's research.
Speaker: Adam Gazzaley; Neuroscientist, UCSF
Location: The Bazaar Cafe, 5927 California St. (21st Ave) San Francisco

Monday, September 11th, 2006
Topic: A Cleaner Future for Cars
Our beloved internal combustion engine has gotten us into a whole lot of trouble — namely, pollution, price, and politics. Is there really an efficient, affordable, clean, safe alternative on the horizon? You've probably heard a lot of talk about hydrogen fuel cells — a source of electricity that could power cars whose exhaust would be clean enough to drink (water!). But this technology presents its own challenges, like the amount of energy it takes to isolate pure hydrogen, and the potential to create pollutants in the process. Presented in conjunction with the American Chemical Society, tonight's talk will focus on this and other alternative energy technologies, and will feature selected clips from Nova's fun and friendly new ScienceNOW programming. (Follow the link and watch a few episodes online!)
Speaker: Nancy Garland; Technology Development Manager, U.S. Department of Energy
Location: The Canvas Gallery, 1200 9th Ave (@ Lincoln) San Francisco

Sunday, August 20th, 2006
Topic: Vision and Misperception
As we go through our daily lives, most of us rarely give a thought to the miraculously complex operations that allow us to understand and negotiate all the stuff we see. The field of vision research has advanced by leaps and bounds in the past two decades, with the advent of functional magnetic resonance imaging. But what do those pretty pictures of highlights on the brain really tell us about how we see? Ariella Popple, a vision scientist from UC Berkeley, will demonstrate the limits of our perception and understanding with stunning visual illusions and entertaining audience participation experiments, to show that sometimes even neuroscientists don't know what they're talking about.
Speaker: Ariella Popple; Vision Scientist, UC Berkeley
Location: The Canvas Gallery, 1200 9th Ave (@ Lincoln) San Francisco

Tuesday, July 25th, 2006
Ask a Scientist's ANNIVERSARY TRIVIA PARTY!
Believe it or not, it's been three years since Ask a Scientist's very first event. During those years we've chatted with dozens of local scientists — from paleontologists to parasitologists — who have generously shared their knowledge and enthusiasm with us. Let's hope you've been paying attention because tonight we're turning the tables and asking YOU the questions. Come celebrate Ask a Scientist's third anniversary with a rollicking night of science trivia, hosted by the Exploratorium's Robin Marks. You can bring your own team of ringers with you, assemble a team with others on the spot, or just come to cheer, hang out, and learn stuff. The winning team will receive beer, prizes, and lifelong gloating rights!
Trivia Mistress: Robin Marks; Science Writer and Multimedia Projects Developer, Exploratorium
Location: The Bazaar Cafe, 5927 California St. (21st Ave) San Francisco

Monday, July 10th, 2006
Ask a Scientist and KQED present: Gray Whale Mystery
Once hunted to the brink of extinction, the gray whale has made an amazing comeback in the last 80 years. But in 1999 and 2000, these unique creatures suddenly began to disappear by the thousands — losing an entire one-third of their population. In the Gray Whale Obstacle Course episode of KQED's Jean-Michel Cousteau Ocean Adventures (airing July 19th), Cousteau and his team look for answers as they travel the friendly giants' long migration route through polluted waters fraught with hungry killer whales and dangerous military sonar, all the way to their diminishing Arctic feeding grounds. Come get a sneak preview of this thought-provoking episode and learn more about these fascinating animals at tonight's talk, co-presented with KQED.
Speaker: Shari Bookstaff; Professor of Biology at Skyline College and President of the American Cetacean Society
Location: The Canvas Gallery, 1200 9th Ave (@ Lincoln) San Francisco

Tuesday, June 13th, 2006
Topic: From Galileo to Einstein—Classical Physics 101
Classical physics tells us many things that are both little-known and fascinating, and has implications that are both profound and controversial. Tucker Hiatt, everyone's favorite physics teacher (even if you don't know it yet), will show us how every step we take moves the entire Earth; how Galileo's insights into relativity led smoothly to Einstein's; and how while Newtonian mechanics is deterministic and quantum mechanics is random, neither quite leaves room for free will. Whether you last picked up a physics book decades or days ago, don't miss this chance to brush up on space, matter, energy, entropy, heat, electricity, magnetism, light, radioactivity, and even a little chaos.
Speaker: Tucker Hiatt; Physics Teacher and Director of Wonderfest
Location: The Bazaar Cafe, 5927 California St. (21st Ave) San Francisco
TRANSCRIPT AVAILABLE (PDF)

Sunday, May 21st, 2006
Topic: Forensic Science—the Science of the Sleuth
Forensic science has come a long way since fingerprint comparison, "dust" analysis, and toxicology were first introduced at the beginning of the last century. The methods used by these disciplines have since been modernized, and scientists have expanded their mystery-solving toolkit to include such powerful techniques as forensic DNA typing, bloodstain pattern interpretation, and trace evidence analysis. What can DNA analysis of the grime under the fingernails of a corpse tell us? What mysteries can be revealed by an examination of the pattern of blood drops on a wall? Do fingerprints really provide an absolute identification? Come find out!
Speakers: Norah Rudin of Forensic DNA Consulting and Keith Inman of Forensic Analytical Specialties
Location: The Canvas Gallery, 1200 9th Ave (@ Lincoln) San Francisco

Tuesday, April 25th, 2006
SPECIAL EVENT: Springtime Puzzle Party!
Has your brain been hibernating for the winter? Well, wake it up and stretch it out at the Ask a Scientist Springtime Puzzle Party—a friendly competition of math and logic puzzles, hosted by Puzzle Master Phil Farmer. (Last December's first ever Holiday Puzzle Party was so much fun we decided to do it again!) Compete solo or join a team of up to four people to solve problems, win prizes, drink wine, and eat panini. Even if you're puzzle-shy, you can still come to observe, cheer, and support your favorite team. Bring your own pencils and scratch paper. No calculators necessary.
Puzzle Master: Philip Farmer; Math Instructor, Diablo Valley College
Location: The Bazaar Cafe, 5927 California St. (21st Ave) San Francisco
DOWNLOAD THE ASK A SCIENTIST PUZZLES (PDF)

Monday, April 17th, 2006
Topic: Celebrating Our Faults: 1906-2006
One century ago, our beautiful city experienced a monumental shakedown—one that still looms in the psyches of San Franciscans whose grandparents weren't even born yet at the time. Come celebrate the centennial anniversary of the infamous 1906 earthquake, Ask a Scientist style, with David Schwartz of the USGS. A pioneer in the newly developing fields of earthquake geology and paleoseismology (the study of prehistorical seismic events), he'll tell us everything we ever wanted to know about our terra not-so-firma. Plus: Temblor Trivia to test your seismic smarts! Win incredibly cool prizes, courtesy of David Burkhart (author of Earthquake Days) and The Bay Nature Institute!
Speaker: David Schwartz, Geologist/Paleoseismologist, USGS
Location: The Canvas Gallery, 1200 9th Ave (@ Lincoln) San Francisco

Wednesday, March 15th, 2006
Topic: The Secret Life of Ants
For such a tiny creature, the ant has always played a big role in human allegory; its physical strength, complex cooperative behaviors, and endless busy-ness have long fascinated us. Stanford's Deborah Gordon, author of Ants at Work: How an Insect Society is Organized, researches the harvester ant, investigating the coordinated behavior of its colonies, the evolution of its unusual 3-sex system, genes linked to foraging behaviors, and much more. Come learn to appreciate ants as more than just pantry invaders and picnic ruiners!
Speaker: Deborah Gordon; Professor of Biology, Stanford University
Location: The Bazaar Cafe, 5927 California St. (21st Ave) San Francisco

Wednesday, February 15th, 2006
Topic: Synthetic Sight
Last year Dirk Trauner and colleagues at Berkeley did something really interesting: they reengineered a non-photosensitive nerve cell so that it could be turned on or off in response to light. Come find out how they did it and how their technique could eventually become the basis of a gene therapy for certain kinds of blindness. Says Trauner: "We're taking a basic building block of life and souping it up to do something it did not evolve to do. This is true synthetic biology."
Speaker: Dirk Trauner; Assistant Professor of Chemistry, UC Berkeley
Location: The Bazaar Cafe, 5927 California St. (21st Ave) San Francisco

Wednesday, January 11th, 2006
Topic: Black Holes, Space Warps, Time Machines: Einstein's Universe in Everyday Language
Welcome to the bizarre and wonderful world of black holes—collapsed stars where gravity has overwhelmed every other force in the universe. In the neighborhood of these stellar corpses, strange things happen to space, time, and the unwary visitor. Learn why falling into a black hole is definitely a once-in-a-lifetime experience, how black holes make a serious kind of time machine possible, and how new instruments have allowed astronomers to detect the presence of these elusive dark objects in our galaxy and beyond.
Speaker: Andrew Fraknoi; Chair, Astronomy Program, Foothill College
Location: The Bazaar Cafe, 5927 California St. (21st Ave) San Francisco

Tuesday, December 20th, 2005
SPECIAL EVENT: Holiday Puzzle Party!
Math Month continues with a friendly competition of math and logic puzzles, hosted by Puzzle Master Steven Bodovitz. Competitors can go it alone or join a team of up to four people to solve problems, win prizes, drink beer, and eat chicken curry over rice. If you're not puzzle-prone, just come along to cheer on your favorite mastermind in his/her efforts! Bring your own pencils and scratch paper.
Puzzle Master: Steven Bodovitz; Principal, BioPerspectives
Location: The Bazaar Cafe, 5927 California St. (22nd Ave) San Francisco
DOWNLOAD THE ASK A SCIENTIST PUZZLES (PDF)

Wednesday, December 7th, 2005
Topic: The Math Instinct
Whether you love math or hate it, you're a natural mathematician. In fact, our innate math instinct is so hardwired that even newborn infants can detect errors in simple calculations of addition and subtraction. Keith Devlin, NPR's "Math Guy" and author of The Math Instinct, will talk with us about the natural number sense that allows dogs to catch frisbees, bees to build honeycombs, birds to migrate, ants to navigate, and much more. Books will be available for sale at the event.
Speaker: Keith Devlin; Executive Director of Stanford's Center for the Study of Language and Information
Location: The Bazaar Cafe, 5927 California St. (22nd Ave) San Francisco
TRANSCRIPT AVAILABLE (PDF)

Tuesday, November 8th, 2005
Topic: From Spatial Awareness To Consciousness
It's hard to imagine how we would exist without spatial awareness, yet that is exactly what many patients with stroke and other forms of brain damage must do. The study of such patients has revealed new insights into the role that the perception of space plays in producing accurate descriptions of the world. Lynn Robertson, author of Space, Objects, Brains and Minds will discuss her work on spatial functions of the brain and their role in perceptual awareness.
Speaker: Lynn Robertson; Professor of Psychology & Senior Research Scientist, UC Berkeley
Location: The Bazaar Cafe, 5927 California St. (22nd Ave) San Francisco

Wednesday, October 12th, 2005
Emotion, Lies, and Wizardry
Humans are natural-born liars. Evolutionarily speaking, what's the purpose of this devious skill? And why is it so hard for us to detect deception? If you're a "truth wizard" (the top 2% of lie-spotters) you're pretty good at it, but research suggests most of us are not. Tonight Maureen O'Sullivan will talk to us about the biology of emotion, reading the true feelings of others, and the role of deception in maintaining social relationships, romantic bonds, and even happiness.
Speaker: Maureen O'Sullivan; Professor of Psychology, USF
Location: The Bazaar Cafe, 5927 California St. (22nd Ave) San Francisco
TRANSCRIPT AVAILABLE (PDF)

Tuesday, September 13th, 2005
Topic: The War on Cancer—Where We Are Now and Hopes for the Future
Cancer consists of a spectrum of over 200 different diseases that afflict tens of millions of people worldwide. We now understand that cancer arises (PDF) due to alterations in genes responsible for promoting or restraining normal cell growth. Armed with such knowledge, considerable progress is now being made in prevention, diagnosis, and treatment—giving us hope and optimism for more rapid progress in tackling the challenge of this dread disease.
Speaker: Martin McMahon; Efim Guzik Distinguished Professor of Cancer Biology, UCSF
Location: The Bazaar Cafe, 5927 California St. (22nd Ave) San Francisco
TRANSCRIPT AVAILABLE (PDF)

Wednesday, August 3rd, 2005
Topic: Genomes—From Human to Neanderthal
Until very recently, the only DNA recoverable from extinct species was from the mitochondria — the cell's energy producing organelles. While mtDNA reveals much about our evolutionary family tree, it's nuclear DNA that tells the real story of life. Now, with the exciting news that scientists at the DOE Joint Genome Institute have successfully sequenced nuclear DNA from an extinct cave bear species, that story is about to get even more interesting.
Speaker: Eddy Rubin, director of the DOE Joint Genome Institute
Location: The Bazaar Cafe, 5927 California St. (22nd Ave) San Francisco 831-5620

Tuesday, July 12th, 2005
Topic: Hunting for Planets
In 1995 astronomers detected the first known planet outside of our own solar system — a gas giant (like Jupiter) orbiting a star called 51 Pegasi. Since then, about 150 extrasolar planets have been found around distant stars. Small, rocky, earth-like planets with life-friendly chemistry have not yet been identified — but the spanking fresh discovery of the smallest planet currently known has planet hunters saying such a find may not be far off.
Speaker: Chris McCarthy; Research Fellow, San Francisco State University
Location: The Bazaar Cafe, 5927 California St. (22nd Ave) San Francisco

Wednesday, June 8th, 2005
Topic: The Rise and Fall of the Antibiotic of Last Resort
It is the certain fate of all antibiotics to be fought off eventually by the pathogens they target. But the process is accelerating — an alarming situation for public health officials as well as for anyone planning to get a potentially fatal infection. Are we near to exhausting all of nature's warriors in our battle against disease? Can we synthesize effective substitutes? And why are big pharmaceutical companies pulling out of antibiotic research when it's most needed? Uh-oh. Come find out.
Speaker: Steven Dong; Scientist, Kosan Biosciences
Location: The Bazaar Cafe, 5927 California St. (22nd Ave) San Francisco

Friday, May 20th, 2005
SPECIAL EVENT: Ask a Scientist teams up with the SF Sidewalk Astronomers!
If you've ever stumbled upon a crew of telescope-wielding Saturn-lovers out on a random San Francisco street corner, you've most likely had an encounter with the SF Sidewalk Astronomers. Tonight we're teaming up with them to bring you a full evening of starry goodness. First, come hear Sensational Seth Shostak from SETI (AAS's very first speaker ever) talk about the search for extra-terrestrial life. Afterwards we'll go on a field trip out to 9th and Irving, one of the SFSA's favorite spots to set up their telescopes. Weather permitting, we'll be able to view Saturn, Jupiter, the moon, and who knows what else!
Speaker: Seth Shostak; Senior Astronomer, SETI Institute
Location: The Canvas Gallery, 1200 9th Ave (@ Lincoln) San Francisco

Wednesday, May 4th, 2005
Topic: Brain, Mind, and Consciousness
With billions of nerve cells and trillions of connections between them, the human brain is the most complex structure in the known universe. The question of how it creates consciousness has challenged our very best thinkers, from philosophers to evil robot designers. Dr. David Presti will tell us how imaging technologies, psychoactive drugs, and studies of brain damaged individuals are revealing connections between the chemical and physical mechanics of the brain and our thoughts, feelings, and behavior.
Speaker: David Presti; Professor of Neurobiology, UC Berkeley
Location: The Bazaar Cafe, 5927 California St. (22nd Ave) San Francisco

Tuesday, April 12th, 2005
Topic: Extreme Weather
If you think that talking about the weather is nothing more than a survival tactic for dull cocktail parties, you haven't met Christopher Burt. He's the author of Extreme Weather, a gripping page-turner packed with shocking statistics, bizarre stories, and beautiful photographs. Why doesn't California get hurricanes? What's up with global warming? And was that really an F1 tornado that recently twisted through South SF? Come ask Chris. Books will be available for sale at the event.
Speaker: Christopher Burt, author
Location: The Bazaar Cafe, 5927 California St. (22nd Ave) San Francisco

Tuesday, March 22nd, 2005
Topic: Mysterious Moon Landing
Scientists believe that Titan, Saturn's largest moon, may have similarities to pre-life Earth. In January, the Cassini spacecraft dropped a probe into Titan's thick atmosphere, discovering a dynamic weather system and a surface eroded by rains and rivers of liquid methane. Chris McKay, who spoke to us last year about Mars, will tell us what this may mean for our understanding of planetary formation and maybe even the origin of life.
Speaker: Chris McKay; Research Scientist, NASA Ames Space Science Division
Location: The Bazaar Cafe, 5927 California St. (22nd Ave) San Francisco

Tuesday, February 15th, 2005
Topic: Stem Cells
If you're anything like me, you're excited about the potential of stem cell research to provide cures for diseases and disabilities like Alzheimer's, spinal cord injury, stroke, and heart disease. You've heard the enthusiasm, the cautions, and the controversy...but you're not exactly sure what it all means. Bruce Conklin will talk to us about why this area of medical research is so exciting to scientists and what we may expect to see in terms of therapies in the future.
Speaker: Bruce Conklin; Gladstone Institutes, UCSF
Location: The Bazaar Cafe, 5927 California St. (22nd Ave) San Francisco

Monday, January 24th, 2005
Topic: Two Hands, One Brain
Moving, talking, seeing, and hearing are so easy that we rarely give a thought to the masterpiece of engineering that runs the show. The two hemispheres of the brain are connected by the corpus callosum, allowing smooth functioning in healthy individuals. But much of what we know about the hemispheres actually comes from studies of people who have had them separated because of neurological disorders. Rich Ivry will tell us about this fascinating research.
Speaker: Rich Ivry; director of the Cognition and Action Lab
Location: The Bazaar Cafe, 5927 California St. (22nd Ave) San Francisco

Tuesday, December 14th, 2004
Topic: Plant Sex
The birds do it, the bees do it...and so do sunflowers and strawberries! Every living thing on Earth has some clever way of making more of itself. Tonight plant "sexpert" Karen Kalumuck will give us a shocking sneak peek into the secret world of garden shenanigans. We'll even get the chance to dissect and examine fruits and flowers at this special hands-on event. You'll never look at your dinner table the same way again.
Speaker: Karen Kalumuck; biologist and educator, Exploratorium
Location: The Bazaar Cafe, 5927 California St. (22nd Ave) San Francisco

Monday, November 22nd 2004
Topic: Becoming a Tiger
When it comes to all of us animals, some of our behaviors are instinctual and some are learned. Susan McCarthy, author of Becoming a Tiger: How Baby Animals Learn to Live in the Wild (and coauthor of the bestselling When Elephants Weep) will talk about Nature and Nurture's greatest collaboration: turning baby animals into skilled, thriving adults. How do baby elephants learn which plants to use for self-medication? What kind of song does an orphaned bird sing? Come find out. (Books will be available for sale at the event.)
Speaker: Susan McCarthy, biologist and author
Location: The Canvas Gallery, 1200 9th Ave (@ Lincoln) San Francisco

Tuesday, November 9th 2004
Topic: The Big One!
Earthquakes are an inescapable fact of life for San Franciscans. But aside from the vague and disquieting warning that The Big One is coming, what do we really know about them? If you're anything like me, you approach the entire topic with a combination of dread and denial. Tonight Jack Boatwright from the US Geological Survey will tell us everything we ever wanted to know about our terra not-so-firma: myths, facts, precautions, and more.
Speaker: Jack Boatwright; Seismologist, US Geological Survey
Location: The Bazaar Cafe, 5927 California St. (22nd Ave) San Francisco

Monday, October 25th 2004
Topic: Sex, Time and Power
Why did big-brained Homo Sapiens suddenly emerge some 150,000 years ago? In his provocative new book, Sex, Time and Power: How Women's Sexuality Shaped Human Evolution, Leonard Shlain presents his theory that profound alterations in female sexuality hold the key to this mystery. Dr. Shlain, Chairman of Laparoscopic Surgery at CPMC in San Francisco, is also the author of the bestselling Art & Physics and The Alphabet Versus the Goddess. Books will be available for sale at the event.
Speaker: Leonard Shlain, surgeon and author
Location: The Bazaar Cafe, 5927 California St. (22nd Ave) San Francisco

Monday, September 27th 2004
Topic: Saturnalia!
After a seven year, 2.2 billion mile journey through the solar system, the Cassini spacecraft has finally reached its destination: Saturn. Its mission, however, is only beginning. Over the next four years Cassini will orbit Saturn 76 times, sending images and information back to us earthbound busybodies. Tonight Mark Showalter will tell us what we have learned, and may soon learn, from all this. And since we're talking about glamorous, photogenic Saturn, expect slides!
Speaker: Mark Showalter, NASA Ames
Location: The Canvas Gallery, 1200 9th Ave (@ Lincoln) San Francisco

Monday, August 30th 2004
Topic: 101 Things You Can Do with a Corpse
Mary Roach, author of the fascinating and hilarious Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers, will tell us how our dearly departed have helped us make strides in plastic surgery, crime solving, and guillotine technology, to name just a few examples. And if we're lucky she'll also tell us about human composting, full body (or head, depending on how you want to look at it) transplants, and cannibalism! Books will be available for sale at the event.
Speaker: Mary Roach, journalist and author
Location: The Canvas Gallery, 1200 9th Ave (@ Lincoln) San Francisco

Monday, August 23rd 2004
Topic: Beyond the Genome
The Human Genome Project was the single biggest, and most hyped, endeavor in the history of biology. Now, just three years later, genomics is already passe. The new big thing in biotech is proteomics, the study of the structure and function of proteins. (If genes are the recipe for baking a life form, then proteins are the flour, sugar, and eggs. Sort of.) Come learn what proteomics is teaching us about disease, cures, and the mystery of life itself.
Speaker: Mimi Roy; Scientist, SurroMed
Location: The Bazaar Cafe, 5927 California St. (22nd Ave) San Francisco

Monday, July 26th 2004
Topic: Mad Cows & More
The bizarre story of prions, the infectious agent believed to cause "mad cow disease" (BSE) and a handful of other equally gruesome degenerative disorders, unfolds like a mystery, thriller, and adventure story all rolled into one. You've most likely heard the horror stories about the human variant of BSE and were at least a little alarmed by the recent discovery of a couple of mad cows in the U.S. So should you stop eating burgers? Paula Shadle will give us the scoop.
Speaker: Paula Shadle; Principal Consultant, Shadle Consulting
Location: The Bazaar Cafe, 5927 California St. (22nd Ave) San Francisco

Monday, June 7th 2004
Topic: The Nanotechnology Revolution
Fifteen years ago IBM's Don Eigler made nano-history when he spelled out "IBM" with 35 individual xenon atoms. Since then nanotechnology has given us computers so tiny that a single drop of water could hold a trillion of them, miniscule wires that can assemble themselves using synthetic DNA, and the dream of cell-sized machines that may someday be able to patrol and repair our bodies like benevolent viruses. Don't miss this glimpse into our very near future!
Speaker: Don Eigler; IBM Fellow, IBM Almaden Research Center
Location: The Bazaar Cafe, 5927 California St. (22nd Ave) San Francisco

Monday, May 24th 2004
Topic: Reading The Book Of Nature
The universe may be a mystery, but it's no secret! Michael Schneider, educator and author of A Beginner's Guide To Constructing The Universe: The Mathematical Archetypes Of Nature, Art and Science will show us how the same few beautiful patterns of mathematics appear over and over again in nature, mythology, religion, science, art and architecture. You may use numbers and see shapes every day, but you'll never look at them the same way again.
Speaker: Michael Schneider, author and teacher
Location: The Bazaar Cafe, 5927 California St. (22nd Ave) San Francisco

Monday, April 26th 2004
Topic: Killer Animals: Fears, Facts, Statistics and Reality
Douglas J. Long knows his killer animals. He's worked with the best of them, from sharks to scorpions to snakes and wild mammals on six continents. With the media's obsession on attacks and killings, what's the truth amidst the hype, panic and paranoia? And how can we best co-exist with the animals that also call California their home? If you were just going to sit on the couch tonight watching Animal Planet, come meet Douglas instead.
Speaker: Douglas J. Long; Researcher, California Academy of Sciences
Location: The Bazaar Cafe, 5927 California St. (22nd Ave) San Francisco

Monday, March 22nd 2004
Topic: How Dinosaurs Learned to Fly
Not all dinosaurs went extinct. The survivors fly all around us...we know them as birds. But the question remains: How did dinosaurs learn to fly in the first place? This conversation will cover some of the recent, exciting work on the topic of the origin of avian flight as well as answer those burning paleontology questions you might have.
Speaker: Alan Gishlick; Research Paleontologist, UC Museum of Paleontology
Location: The Bazaar Cafe, 5927 California St. (22nd Ave) San Francisco

Monday, February 23rd 2004
Topic: The Evolution Controversy
"Nothing in biology makes sense except in light of evolution," Theodosius Dobzhansky once said. Yet from the Scopes trial to last month's exclusion of the e-word from a proposed set of state science standards in Georgia, opposition to evolution education continues to be strong. Come hear about the motivations, tactics and prospects of antievolutionism.
Speaker: Glenn Branch; Deputy Director, National Center for Science Education
Location: The Bazaar Cafe, 5927 California St. (22nd Ave) San Francisco

Monday, January 26th 2004
Topic: Life on Mars (?)
There's some interesting stuff going on over at the place next door. The current missions to Mars are searching for evidence of life, and we nosy neighbors are waiting eagerly for answers. And what about the future? Will we ever visit? If life was once there, can we bring it back? Could we ever make Mars habitable for humans? Don't start packing yet, but do come ask Chris your questions.
Speaker: Chris McKay; Research Scientist, NASA Ames Space Science Division
Location: The Bazaar Cafe, 5927 California St. (22nd Ave) San Francisco

Monday, December 8th 2003
Topic: A General Theory of Love
What's behind romantic attraction? Why do parents love their children? Can pets really improve our physical well being? Why does loneliness hurt? Dr. Thomas Lewis, author of A General Theory of Love (written with co-authors Drs. Fari Amini and Richard Lannon) will talk to us about the evolution of the psychobiology of love, and how love determines our moods, stabilizes and maintains our health and actually changes the structure of our brains.
Speaker: Thomas Lewis; Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at UCSF
Location: The Bazaar Cafe, 5927 California St. (22nd Ave) San Francisco

Monday, November 10th 2003
Topic: The Evolution Detective
Dr. Jerry Lowenstein's work on extracting genetic materials from fossils was one of the inspirations for Michael Crichton's book Jurassic Park. His research has made the front page of the NY Times, he has worked with Jane Goodall and the Leakeys, and has published over 200 articles for scientific journals. Tonight he'll tell us about his research using molecular techniques to determine how extinct species are related to the living.
Speaker: Jerry Lowenstein; Professor of Medicine at UCSF, Professor of Biology at SFSU
Location: The Bazaar Cafe, 5927 California St. (22nd Ave) San Francisco

Monday, October 27th 2003
Topic: The Genomics of Gattaca
Learn genomics from Ethan Hawke and Uma Thurman? The futuristic sci-fi thriller Gattaca raises interesting issues that are becoming more contemporary, and less futuristic, every day. For example, will future generations be custom-designed? Come watch selected scenes and discuss them with scientist Steven Bodovitz. (Think of this as Genomics 101...bring all your DNA-related questions. No need to have seen, or liked, Gattaca.)
Speaker: Steven Bodovitz; Principal, BioPerspectives
Location: The Bazaar Cafe, 5927 California St. (22nd Ave) San Francisco

Monday, September 22nd 2003
Topic: Things That Go Bump in the Night - Parasites!
What did Darwin die of? Why is sickle cell anemia so common? A worm that penetrates your skin in San Jose? Forget that horror movie you were going to watch and join us instead to learn about organisms that are truly stranger than science fiction.
Speaker: Jim McKerrow; Director, Sandler Center for Research on Parasitic Diseases
Location: The Bazaar Cafe, 5927 California St. (22nd Ave) San Francisco

Monday, August 25th 2003
Topic: The Myth of Aging
Come hear Dr. Cynthia Kenyon tell her astonishing story of how genetic tinkering in nematodes caused them to live up to SIX times their normal lifespans. The implications for humans are staggering. (Just think of all the extra nematodes we can now enjoy!)
Speaker: Cynthia Kenyon; Director, Hillblom Center for the Biology of Aging; UCSF faculty
Location: The Bazaar Cafe, 5927 California St. (22nd Ave) San Francisco

Monday, July 28th 2003
Topic: Aliens!
What are the chances that life has developed elsewhere in our solar system and all throughout the universe? Could any of it be intelligent life? And what are we doing to find it? Come find out what we Earthlings are up to in this fascinating realm of modern science.
Speaker: Seth Shostak; Senior Astronomer, SETI Institute
Location: The Bazaar Cafe, 5927 California St. (22nd Ave) San Francisco