Science Circle

The Chemistry and Geology of Gold
2022-05-21 10:00 - 11:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Auditorium
The Chemistry and Geology of Gold
Gold has been valued for all time due to its properties of malleability and high luster. In this talk we will consider the history and geologic origin of gold and its chemical properties. Gold is one of the few elements that can be found as a metal in nature, however methods of extracting gold are not ecologically friendly. Its current importance goes beyond personal adornment or financial security. Electronics, medicine, and new areas of catalysis are at the forefront of gold’s useful contributions to our society.
A joint presentation by Dr Mike Shaw, Professor of Chemistry and Dr Bill Schmachtenberg, Geologist.

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Bees! And other endangered animals
2022-05-21 21:00 - 22:00 | Patio in Paris
Bees! And other endangered animals
The hum of bees is the voice of the garden – Elizabeth Lawrence

As the world changes with the impact humans leave on it, more and more animals find themselves on the endangered list. Today we will talk about conservation, the different methods we use to achieve it, and endangered animal species you would like to shine a light on.

Classical Concert
2022-05-22 07:00 - 08:00, 2022-05-29 07:00 - 08:00, 2022-06-05 07:00 - 08:00, 2022-06-12 07:00 - 08:00, 2022-06-19 07:00 - 08:00, 2022-06-26 07:00 - 08:00, 2022-07-03 07:00 - 08:00, 2022-07-10 07:00 - 08:00 and 4 more dates | The Lighthouse Café

Telomere to Telomere: Completion of the Human Genome
2022-05-28 10:00 - 11:00 | Auditorium
Telomere to Telomere: Completion of the Human Genome
Max Chatnoir (RL Mary Anne Clark, Texas Wesleyan University)
In 2001, two research groups published reports on the sequence of the human genome, whose euchromatic sequence was then subsequently largely completed, chromosome by chromosome. A reference sequence was released in 2013 and updated in 2019. In April 2022, new protein coding regions and most of the remaining heterochromatic sequence, including the repetitive centromeric regions, was reported. Any interesting surprises? Come and see!

A presentation by Dr. Mary Anne Clark
Previous work in the Film Collection

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Internet Law
2022-05-28 21:00 - 22:00 | Patio in Paris
Internet Law
“[Behavioral tracking] is an area today that has very few regulations and even fewer rules” – Gary Kovacs
“As the most participatory form of mass speech yet developed, the Internet deserves the highest protection from government intrusion.” – Judge Dalzell

Today’s discussion will center around the concept of Internet Law and how it could, or should, be approached.

Educare Region Tour
2022-06-04 10:00 - 11:00, 2022-06-11 21:00 - 22:00 | Educare
Think back on your first days in a virtual world: A confounding jumble of pop-up options blocking the scenery; embarrassing moments stuck bouncing off walls — that’s what we may recall. The Educare region provides a gentle first-time orientation for newcomers (and hesitant returnees) to explore VW education possibilities. For this ‘tour’ please land at the Orientation Dome, give it a quick walk-through, then climb the stairs to the large lit Auditorium above. Throughout your visit, please try to adopt the perspective of a first-time VW visitor. You’ll be asked to share that imagined experience as you visit Educare region resources and rides. Welcome!
Field trip by Dr. Steven Van Hook

Bio: Dr. Steven R. Van Hook has developed and taught mixed-format courses in cross-cultural communications and global affairs for the University of California and other universities in the United States and abroad. He’s been a newspaper columnist, radio talk show host, TV news anchor, and television bureau chief in Moscow covering the fall of the Soviet Union. He has directed international public education campaigns through the United States Agency for International Development. He has a PhD specializing in transcultural learning, and is published in scholarly journals including SAGE, and UNESCO’s Prospects. Research website

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Archaeology of Northern Ethiopia & Eritrea
2022-06-04 21:00 - 22:00, 2022-06-11 10:00 - 11:00 | Science Circle Opensim Grid
Archaeology of Northern Ethiopia & Eritrea

Abyssinia, which is intended as a living museum & educational resource on the Science Circle’s OpenSim grid, is my reconstruction of ancient archaeological sites in Tigray (northern Ethiopia) & Eritrea that date from at least 1000 BCE through roughly 800 CE. I excavated at several of these sites decades ago (1969-1972), & now am restoring parts of them virtually to their prominence during their heyday. Currently I have constructed two major buildings & other parts of Yeha, capital of the kingdom then known as Di’amat, located in Tigray, as well as a palace at Metera in Eritrea, representing the Aksumite period.

Restoration of 2,700-year-old temple in Yeha/Ethiopia completed

I created a similar project on Second Life more than a decade ago, but technical & financial issues prevented its continuation, so I am grateful to be able to created it again.
Framed within the striking dragon-tooth mountains characteristic of the region, Yeha was the administrative & religious capital of a kingdom that controlled trade along the Red Sea together with its counterpart & related South Arabian kingdom Saba’ in what is now Yemen, The language, culture, religion, & architecture of the two kingdoms bear strong similarities, indicating their close contact.
There are two major buildings in Yeha from that period, the Great Temple, which still remains largely standing, & the administrative palace, whose ruins are known as Grat Be’al Gibri (the Field of the Tax Collector). I participated in the first two seasons of excavation at the latter, during which the front of the building, including a colonnaded portico, were opened.
Subsequent more recent excavations on both buildings by a joint German-Ethiopian team have revealed many additional details about them, which are incorporated in my full-scale recreations of the buildings, which can be fully explored. I also included several other structures which represent other aspects of the city as it must have appeared at that time, including houses, a market, a pavilion for a royal festival, farm fields, & a representative war elephant, which were one of the exports from the kingdom to the Mediterranean & the Middle East. As time & space permit, it is my intention to add other important sites from both Tigray & Eritrea.
This project has gained greater significance for me since the tragic war which has been fought throughout Tigray since November 2020, causing great human suffering & destruction. Many of the sites & artefacts that have been or will be represented are located in Tigray, which now is undergoing the upheaval of disastrous civil war.

A new region & archaeological period has been added with the restoration of an Aksumite palace. So far this consists of an amalgam of different sites in Eritrea & Tigray dating between the 4th & 6th centuries CE, based primarily on a palace designated Mat-A at Metera in Eritrea, where I participated in the last two seasons of excavation during 1969 & 1970, as well as one of the palaces at Aksum in Tigray where I worked during 1971 & 1972.
I dedicate this project to the people of Tigray, as well as those of Ethiopia & Eritrea, with urgent hopes for return to peace & stability.

This is an excursion in OpenSim with Archaeologist Skip Dahlgren.
We have prepared a tutorial on how to register an account and enter the Science Circle open sim grid, click here to view it.

Second Life’s 19th Birthday
2022-06-18 10:00 - 11:00, 2022-06-18 21:00 - 22:00 | SL19B regions
Second Life celebrates its 19th birthday on 23 June and we will be celebrating with them!

SL19B regions will be open to SL residents from 16 June-5 July 2022.
The theme this year will be Steampunk! Steampunk is a science fiction genre in which modern technology exists in a steam-powered 19th century setting (think Jules Verne). Come join the fun! Explore resident-created exhibits on the Steampunk theme, plus performances, music, and shopping, over an area of 24 regions sponsored by Linden Lab.
>> There is a large map of the SL19B region on the south part of Science Circle island that you can use for orienting yourself.
— Find any of these islands in SL and transport there.
— The orientation area on SLB Impressive is in an enormous gold-domed building that displays the history of SL from 2003-2022.
Here is some of what you can expect:
— The area is gorgeously designed and landscaped.
— Many of the buildings are nearly the size of whole regions. Explore the huge arboretum to the northeast.
— Over 10 regions are full of incredibly imaginative user-created builds.
— The 8 regions to the south have large areas for music and other events.
Can you find…
— The balloon ride station?
— The Victorian hedge maze?
— The clock with rabbits as the hands?
— The “Hunt HUD” with prizes for finding things?

Concert & Dinner
2022-06-25 09:00 - 10:00 | Scarlett Hotel
What an eventful year we have had!
– Phil opened the year with “Ingenuity: First Aircraft on Mars!”.
– Jes who has started to provide Asia and Oceania with its own program.
– Beragon who has started his Bistro discussions.
– More SC Opensim region owners and field trips.
– A week-long Christmas program.
– Linda Kelley & Keith Grant collaborated on a climate presentation called “Too hot! Too dry! Too wet! The roller coaster of extreme weather in a climate-changing world”.
– Merrill Johnson who debuted “A Political Geographer’s Perspective on Ukrainians and Their Territory”.
– Mike Shaw and collaborators received a NSF revolving funding 2022-2025 for The Science Circle region.
– Two new board members, Natalie Foster and Stephen Gasior.
– A new Concert Organiser, Ael.
– Mike Shaw & Bill Schmachtenberg who co-presented “The Chemistry and Geology of Gold”.
– The move to Eduverse.
– And at 10 AM PDT today, the opening of the Archaeology Exhibition.
But before that, we offer you a Classical Concert by Ael, at the Scarlett Hotel, an underwater location. Join us for breakfast, lunch, dinner or midnight snack and share your memories of the past year with us.

Below all activities of the West calendar September 2021 – June 2022. How many presentations have you attended in the past year?

September – December 2021

September
PDT

Sat 4
10 AM
Phil Youngblood
Ingenuity: First Aircraft on Mars!
33

Mon 6
10 AM
Matt Burr
Discussion: ‘Oumuamua & UFO’s
16

Sat 11
10 AM
Alex, Greg, Linda
Titanoboa + Fireside Chat
29

Sat 18
10 AM
Simon Bignell
The Past and Future of Virtual World Psychological Research and Development CANCELLED
—

Sat 25
10 AM
Fireside Chat
Bias
20

October

Sat 2
10 AM
Chantal Jager
What is it about The Science Circle and Second Life?
27

Mon 4
10 AM
Matt Burr
Discussion: Psychology & Personality
12

Sat 9
10 AM
Bill Schmachtenberg
Precambrian-Cambrian Explosion of Marine Organisms
31

Sat 16
10 AM
Steven Van Hook
Alien Exosociology: Our Transgalactic Commonalities
38

Sat 23
10 AM
Giuseppe Longo
Artificial Intelligence? The truth behind a fascinating buzzword
30

Sat 30
10 AM
Robert Hendrix
Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Failure in Human Disease
26

November
PST

Sat 6
10 AM
Fireside Chat
Museums
20

Mon 8
10 AM
Matt Burr
Discussion: Mars exploration
10

Sat 13
10 AM
Steven Van Hook
Virtual Teaching Tactics to Help a Divided World
34

Sat 20
10 AM
Stephen Gasior
Choking on Red Pills: A Biological Take on Modern Dating Dynamics
38

Sat 27
10 AM
Mike Shaw
Organic Chem Basics: Diels-Alder and similar reactions
20

December

Field trips in SL or OpenSim

Sat 4
10 AM
Marion Smeltzer
Archaeology in OS
15

Mon 6
10 AM
Matt Burr
Discussion: Science / Sci Fi Movies and books
8

Sat 11
10 AM
Mary Anne
Open Sim Genome tour
17

Sat 18
10 AM
Stephen Gasior
FC Dating Dynamics
26

Christmas

Sat 25
10 AM
Chantal Jager
Cirque du Mystere
9

Sun 26
7 AM
Earl Kiech
Concert
12

Mon 27
7 AM
Stephen Gasior
Climate vids
9

Tue 28
7 AM
Chantal Jager & Jes Stannard
Chouchou
9

Wed 29
7 AM
Earl Kiech
Concert
10

Thur 30
7 AM
Stephen Gasior
Follow Your Food
8

Fri 31
7 AM
Chantal Jager & Jes Stannard
David Rumsey Map Islands
10

January – June 2022

January

Sat 1
10 AM
Stephen Gasior
A Biological Perspective on Mating Dynamics in a Sex Ratio Imbalanced Population
27

Sun 2
7 AM
Earl Kiech
Concert
14

Sat 8
10 AM
Bill Schmachtenberg
The role of the Greeks in Science and Math Concept
34

Sun 9
7 AM
Earl Kiech
Concert
19

Sat 15
10 AM
Steven Van Hook
2020s Vision: The Future is Nearly Now
29

Sun 16
7 AM
Earl Kiech
Concert
13

Sat 22
9.30 AM
William Wall
The James Webb Space Telescope: A Summary
30

Sat 22
10 AM
Matt Burr
Beragon’s Bistro: Webb Telescope
21

Sun 23
7 AM
Earl Kiech
Concert
15

Sat 29
10 AM
Stephen Gasior
2021 CRISPR Year in Review
35

Sun 30
7 AM
Earl Kiech
Concert
14

February

Sat 5
10 AM
Matt Burr
Beragon’s Bistro: Comparative Education. How do different countries approach education?
32

Sun 6
7 AM
Earl Kiech
Concert
19

Sat 12
10 AM
Stephen Gasior
Darwin Day, Heroes of Evolution: E. O. Wilson
38

Sun 13
7 AM
Earl Kiech
Concert
13

Sat 19
10 AM
Phil Youngblood
History & Future of SC
35

Sun 20
7 AM
Earl Kiech
Concert
15

Sat 26
10 AM
Linda Kelley & Keith Grant
Too hot! Too dry! Too wet! The roller coaster of extreme weather in a climate-changing world
34

Sun 27
7 AM
Earl Kiech
Concert
16

March

Sat 5
10 AM
Bill Schmachtenberg
Geology and Palaeontology of Greece
29

Sun 6
7 AM
Earl Kiech
Concert
17

Sat 12
9 AM
Merrill Johnson
A Political Geographer’s Perspective on Ukrainians and Their Territory
25

Sat 12
10 AM
Phil Youngblood
What’s In Our Water: The Science of Water Quality and Testing
38

Sun 13
7 AM
Earl Kiech
Concert
12

Sat 19
10 AM
Robert Hendrix
On Expectation and Prediction of Events
27

Sun 20
7 AM
Earl Kiech
Concert
15

Sat 26
10 AM
Matt Burr
Beragon’s Bistro: Gender
30

Sun 27
7 AM
Earl Kiech
Concert
15

April

Sat 2

VWBPE
VWBPE
–

Sun 3
7 AM
Earl Kiech
Concert
16

Sat 9
10 AM
George Djorgovski
Galaxy Formation
27

Sun 10
7 AM
Earl Kiech
Concert
15

Sat 16
10 AM
Matt Burr
Beragon’s Bistro: Second Life vs. The Metaverse
32

Sun 17
7 AM
Earl Kiech
Concert
15

Sat 23
10 AM
Phil Youngblood
The Dynamic Geology of Asia-Oceania
26

Sat 30
10 AM
Stephen Gasior
What’s Happening in the World of Synthetic Biology: A Report From A Global Conference
31

May

Sun 1
7 AM
Ael
Concert
13

Sat 7
10 AM
Phil Youngblood
Plankton – Drifting Through Life
24

Sun 8
7 AM
Ael
Concert
13

Sat 14
10 AM
Matt Burr
BB: Lessons for the Next Pandemic
26

Sun 15
7 AM
Ael
Concert
12

Sat 21
10 AM
Mike Shaw & Bill Schmachtenberg
The Chemistry and Geology of Gold
26

Sun 22
7 AM
Ael
Concert
15

Sat 28
10 AM
Mary Anne Clark
Telomere to Telomere: Completion of the Human Genome
19

Sun 29
7 AM
Ael
Concert
12

June

Field trips in SL or OpenSim

Sat 4
10 AM
Steven Van Hook
Educare Region Tour
27

Sun 5
7 AM
Ael
Concert
18

Sat 11
10 AM
Skip Dahlgren
Open Sim Abyssinia Tour
14

Sun 12
7 AM
Ael
Concert
11

Sat 18
10 AM
Phil Youngblood
19th Second Life Birthday 2022
21

Sun 19
7 AM
Ael
Concert
14

Sat 25
9 AM
Ael & Phil Youngblood
Concert & Dinner

Sat 25
10 AM
Marion Smeltzer
Opening Archaeology Exhibit

Sun 26
7 AM
Ael
Concert

Opening Archaeology Exhibit
2022-06-25 10:00 - 11:00 | Archaeology
Archaeology Tour
In my career choice as a practicing public archaeologist, I always look for new and exciting ways to incorporate places that bring a hint of mystery and encourage further reading.
I was fortunate to stumble on the education website Owlcation and found the perfect listing to illustrate my passion for the subject and about places well beyond my area where I live and work.
It’s my pleasure to introduce you the 20 most significant archaeological sites around the world display.
Places on a series of pentagon shaped platforms, all the sites shown have slide screen informative panels briefly describing each area.
Come learn the secrets they hold from the past, who made them, and why they are deserted today.

By Marion Smeltzer,
MA Practicing Archaeologist

Style Transfer
2022-06-25 21:00 - 22:00 | Scarlett Hotel
Style Transfer
Have you ever wondered what your favourite photos would look like through the eyes of an artist like Van Gogh? I did, and I was stoked to know that I could do it with artificial intelligence. In this presentation I’ll discuss artificial intelligence-based style transfer methods, briefly introducing convolutional neural networks (CNNs) and general adversarial networks (GANs), before talking about two algorithms capable of style transfer in image contexts.

A presentation by Karthik Prathaban, a student of AI.

Follow the Food
2022-07-09 07:00 - 08:00, 2022-07-23 07:00 - 08:00, 2022-07-30 07:00 - 08:00, 2022-08-06 07:00 - 08:00, 2022-08-13 07:00 - 08:00 | Auditorium
