Fireside Chat Gravity
2021-03-03 16:00 - 17:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Fireside
Fireside Chat Gravity: The Reckoning
From black holes to landing a rover on Mars, gravity is the essential consideration. Gravity is not a classical force like magnetism. Newton described the behavior of objects subject to gravity, but did not describe its nature. Einstein showed mathematically that gravity is mass/energy distorting spacetime. Accordingly, gravity is now understood to be that mass-induced spacetime distortion/curvature. Please join us for an informal chat to explore the ramifications of the modern understanding of gravity and to have your questions addressed by our panelists.

with Matthew Burr, Dr. Phil Youngblood & Dr. William Wall.

Non-members only need to register once to attend the free events.
Is this the first time you will attend a presentation with us?
Follow this link first.

Henupoto Wara: Supernatural Anti-Hero of the Mythical Past
2021-03-06 10:00 - 11:00 | Auditorium
Graphic: The Emberá Comarca of Eastern Panama within the red circle

Henupoto Wara: Supernatural Anti-Hero of the Mythical Past

The Emberá, a tropical lowland tribe of the Darién rain forest of Eastern Panama and the Pacific coastal lowlands of Colombia, have a strong tradition of telling detailed stories about animals, spirits, and demons and of adventures in the mythical past. Henupoto Wara, or Leg-Born Child, is one of the most famous stories and chronicles the adventures of this cultural anti-hero as he engages the many supernatural ecologies and denizens of Emberá cosmology. This discussion presents the story and discusses an interpretation of some of the ecological images, assumed knowledge and cosmological implications embedded is this oft-told narrative.

Henupoto tries to tear off the face of the moon because the elders said the moon killed his mother.
The story of Henupoto is one of the most well-known stories of the pantheon of Emberá stories, myths, legends and narratives. It is the story of a man who is born of the union between a spirit and a woman. His mother dies in childbirth and he grows up a troubled but powerful orphan constantly trying to locate the being that killed his mother. As part supernatural being, he executes a series of herculean tasks that require his special skills. Like many characters in stories among the Emberá, Henupoto is not precisely a hero but rather a supernaturally strong anti-hero that makes embarrassing demands upon society that results in the elders always trying to figure out a way to get rid of him. However, no matter how difficult the task they assign or how unlikely he is to succeed at the tasks, he comes out victorious. That is, until the dramatic end. His efforts, it can be interpreted, profoundly protect society from the potential ravages of the supernatural world. Henupoto is constantly upsetting and resetting the balance between the human, the natural and the supernatural worlds. Although Henupoto is universally admired among the Emberá, for his strength, cunning, skill and determination, he is also an outcast and a cosmic misfit. He is also comically naïve as he attempts to track down the being that killed his mother when it was he, himself, when he was born, who caused his mother to die in childbirth.

Emberá in ceremonial dress from Emberá Drua, a village on the upper Chagres River, Panama
The Emberá have a sophisticated cosmology or, if you will, religion in which the many actors, spirits, demons, people, animals and natural forces interact in a complex and dynamic spiritual equilibrium. It is often the role of the shaman or in this case a human spirit being to maintain this equilibrium by creating harmony among all these competing forces and to ensure that the spirits from time-to-time can be bound to human intention through carefully executed rituals that seduce the often ambivalent spirits into cooperation. The Emberá have a strong narrative tradition that communicates ecological principles. The stories contain strong evocative images and symbols and form a type of encapsulated language, coding metaphorically the actions of the human and spirit world. This language, with its ecological imagery, shows what happens when the cultural rules are broken and they delineate the fine line between the cultural and spiritual domain.

Emberá Drua village in the upper Chagres River, Panama

The story of Henupoto dramatically illustrates the supernatural struggle of cosmological forces and demonstrates the power of narratives to encode culturally rich information. Myths, such as Henupoto, provide a unique view into the complex cultural perspective of traditional cultures that practice a pre-literary narrative tradition for countless generations.

Presentation by William Harp
Information Systems Technologist, Cultural Anthropologist and Geospatial Analyst

William Harp

Previous lectures on film

Non-members only need to register once to attend the free events.
Is this the first time you will attend a presentation with us?
Follow this link first.

Classical Sunday Concerts
2021-03-07 07:00 - 08:00, 2021-03-14 07:00 - 08:00, 2021-03-21 07:00 - 08:00, 2021-03-28 07:00 - 08:00, 2021-04-04 07:00 - 08:00, 2021-04-11 07:00 - 08:00, 2021-04-18 07:00 - 08:00, 2021-05-02 07:00 - 08:00 and 4 more dates | The Lighthouse Café

A few of my favorite hemes
2021-03-13 10:00 - 11:00 | Auditorium
A few of my favorite hemes.
The “heme cofactor” is familiar to us as the part of hemoglobin where oxygen attaches for transport through blood. It lends blood its characteristic color. However, the heme unit is a versatile part of many biological functions. It participates in the metabolism of perceived toxins by the liver, in the production and sensing of the neurotransmitter NO, and as support for other enzyme systems by managing electron availability. In this talk, we will explore some of the basic structural features of heme and their consequences in biological systems.

Myoglobin, Hemoglobin, and their Ligands
Heme Proteins
Nitric Oxide Synthase
Myoglobin
Cytochrome c
Heme metabolism

Dr. Mike Shaw

Reference work in the library

Previous lectures on film

Non-members only need to register once to attend the free events.
Is this the first time you will attend a presentation with us?
Follow this link first.

Understanding Science: Particle Physics
2021-03-20 10:00 - 11:00 | Auditorium
Niels Henrik David Bohr 1885 – 1962. Danish physicist who made foundational contributions to understanding atomic structure and quantum theory, for which he received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1922.

Understanding Science
Particle Physics: The Search for the Smallest of Things

Only a century ago, while the concept of an irreducible object known as an atom was long known and there was growing evidence for its existence, most people had little idea that atom were composed of even smaller particles, many of them with exotic characteristics.

Richard Phillips Feynman 1918 – 1988 was an American theoretical physicist
In the next few decades, electrons, protons, and neutrons, the relatively stable particles that make up the atoms that constitute all matter were discovered, followed by particles only found in natural events involving high energy. As more powerful particle accelerators were developed, still more exotic particles were theorized and discovered and a Standard Model of how particles interacted and were related was formed in the 1960’s-1970’s.

What does the Standard Model reveal about the particles that make up everything? How can Feynman diagrams show particle interactions? What is missing from the Standard Model? Join me as we explore the search for the smallest of things – subatomic particles – and what we have learned about them.

Presentation by Dr. Phil Youngblood

Dr. Phil Youngblood

Reference work in the library

Previous lectures on film

Podcast

Non-members can register for the free events through SC members.
Is this the first time you will attend a presentation with us?
Follow this link first.

Panel: Ministry for the Future
2021-03-27 10:00 - 11:00 | Auditorium
The recent state-wide cold snap that left many Texans without electricity and water seems like a good time to consider Kim Stanley Robinson’s book The Ministry for the Future.

This book is disaster novel wrapped loosely around a series of essays, stories, metaphors, reports and commentaries about economics, politics and social inequality. The story line follows two characters: Frank, the sole survivor of a lethal heat wave, and Mary, the director of the Ministry for the Future, an agency established by the U.N. Their relationship is complicated by an incident that results in Frank’s arrest. The book is not an easy read, dealing as it does with a serious effort to alter human behavior enough to ward off the dire consequences of ignoring our own contributions to climate change. Robinson recognizes both the difficulty of making such changes and the necessity to do so and argues convincingly for some possible solutions.

A not-too-long interview with the author Kim Stanley Robinson that touches on the main ideas of the book, to help you prepare for the discussion.

Guests

Mary Anne Clark

Linda Morris Kelley

Natalie Foster

Matthew Burr

Previous panels on film

Non-members only need to register once.
Is this the first time you will attend a presentation with us?
Follow this link first.

Early Cretaceous Meat-Eating Dinosaurs of Maryland and Virginia
2021-04-03 10:00 - 11:00 | Auditorium
Image: Dinosaurus.nl
Early Cretaceous Meat-Eating Dinosaurs of Maryland and Virginia

512 fossils from the Early Cretaceous of Maryland are currently stored at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC, USA. Of those most are bones of a large, long necked 4-legged dinosaur called Astrodon, which belongs to the Sauropod group. We also have bones from armored Ankylosaur dinosaurs, ornithopod or bird footed dinosaurs, and two meat eaters, Acrocathosaurus and Deinonychus. Acrocanthosaurus was almost the size of a T. rex, and Deinonychus was a raptor. A group of high school students in Virginia and New York collaborated to analyze teeth from these meat eaters in order to reconstruct the ecology of Maryland and Virginia during the Early Cretaceous.
Dr. William Schmachtenberg will present the results of their research during this meeting. The students work have been submitted to the New York Paleontological Society for publication.

Dr. William Schmachtenberg

Reference work in the library

Previous lectures on film

Non-members only need to register once to attend the free events.
Is this the first time you will attend a presentation with us?
Follow this link first.

Methamphetamine
2021-04-10 10:00 - 11:00 | Auditorium
The History, Pharmacology & Pathophysiology of Methamphetamine

Methamphetamine was first derived from another stimulant in 1893. Initially unrestricted, it seduced populations of many countries by its stimulant effects and addictive nature.
Aside from a few accepted medical uses as a controlled substance, it has played
– an economic role as a profitable drug,
– a geopolitical role as an agent of enhancement for military personnel and political leaders,
– and with underground manufacture and distribution, in the illegal drug trade in the United States and elsewhere.

This presentation will discuss the pharmacology of N-methamphetamine and its use in medical treatment as well as drug abuse, with emphasis on the mechanisms of action and pathophysiology that arises from addiction and long term use. We will also examine the medical costs and criminal impact on society arising from the existence of this drug.

Robert A. Hendrix, MD

Reference work in the library

Previous lectures on film

Podcast Global Outbreak of Fatty Liver Disease

Podcast Doctor’s Tips for Healthier Mind and Body

Non-members only need to register once.
Is this the first time you will attend a presentation with us?
Follow this link first.

Understanding Science: Earth and the Solar System
2021-04-17 10:00 - 11:00 | Auditorium
Image: ESA – ESA’s missions to the Sun
Understanding Science
Our Home: The Earth and the Solar System
From the bizarre world of the very small, the subatomic particles that make up everything we know, we turn our attention to the macro world, namely our sun and the objects which orbit it. In this case, one of the small particles within this ‘atom,’ just one among a billion other star systems that comprise our galaxy, itself only one of billions of other galaxies in our known universe, is the only home we have, the ‘third rock from the sun’ we call Earth.

I do not think humans really appreciated how special the Earth is until we were able to travel beyond it. I remember during the Apollo 8 mission, the first that time humans left Earth’s gravity, how the contrast of the ‘blue marble’ in space rising over the drab, lifeless moon brought a stark realization to everyone who witnessed it that we live on a fragile, ‘goldilocks’ planet with just the right conditions to make the surface habitable for life as we know it. It was this realization that inspired Earth Day in 1970 and the movements since to preserve what we have here for future generations.

During the 1960’s, space exploration seemed part of the Space Race and Arms Race, a product of the Cold War. After a few missions to the moon, humans have not ventured outside Earth’s orbit. However, robotic spacecraft have not only helped us to better understand our home planet but have also probed deep into space and the worlds beyond ours to try to understand our place in the universe, to answer the questions of how unique our planet is, whether there may be life elsewhere, and to understand how it all began.

In recent years, there has been a resurgence of interest in space exploration. In just this last year there have been three missions to Mars, and several more to our Moon, the Sun, and the smaller bodies of the solar system, by a handful of nations, not just the Cold War rivals. There are also several commercial entities planning serious efforts to exploit the resources on the moon and beyond, and cooperative efforts to put a space station around the Moon, with a base on the surface to follow.
NASA Science, Mars 2020 Mission, Perseverance Rover

Join me as we explore how we ventured out beyond our home and the amazing discoveries we have made about our solar system and its inhabitants and the world beyond, some exciting recent and current plans for further exploration, and what all this might mean for our future.
Presentation by Dr. Phil Youngblood

Dr. Phil Youngblood

Reference work in the library

Previous lectures on film

Podcast

Non-members only need to register once.
Is this the first time you will attend a presentation with us?
Follow this link first.

Panel: Robots & Drones
2021-04-24 10:00 - 11:00 | Auditorium
From toys to surveillance to autonomous flight on another planet, robots and drones are becoming a part of life in the 21st century. We are on the threshold of advances in AI and universal surveillance that will bring benefits and risks to society. It is time to discuss the implications of these new elements in our world.

A 16-minute YouTube to get you started: Why do Boston Dynamics Robots dance? And Could Elon Musk be right that superhuman AI is only around five years away?

Guests: Our Audience

Matthew Burr

Previous panels on film

Non-members only need to register once.
Is this the first time you will attend a presentation with us?
Follow this link first.

Big Data, Machine Intelligence, and the Human Cognition
2021-05-01 10:00 - 11:00 | Auditorium
Big Data, Machine Intelligence, and the Human Cognition

There is an interesting convergence of three major technological trends: big data, AI, and virtual humans. Big data are transforming science, scholarship, and virtually every other aspect of the modern society. AI may be the most transformative technology ever, and it can help us discover complex phenomena hidden in the big data, that humans alone cannot grasp. Finally, virtual humans operated by AIs may be the most intuitive and natural ways for the human-AI interactions.
Presentation by Professor George Djorgovski

Professor S. George Djorgovski

Previous lectures on film

Non-members only need to register once to attend the free events.
Is this the first time you will attend a presentation with us?
Follow this link first.

Excursion OpenSim: Account support
2021-05-02 06:00 - 07:00, 2021-05-02 09:00 - 10:00 | Auditorium
Preparation Excursion June 12th

On Saturday, June 12th, Skip Dahlgren (AbaBrukh) takes us to his Archaeological sites of Ethiopia & Eritrea on our Opensim grid.
For this, visitors need a different viewer, and an avatar must be created. On Sunday, May 2, we offer you the opportunity to receive assistance from grid manager Agustin Martin at two times.
You can also get started yourself, on this page the tutorial.

Some members already have an avatar on our Opensim grid, we request them to test their avatar and viewer in time.
Note: June 12 is too late to start with this!

Computer vision
2021-05-08 10:00 - 11:00 | Auditorium
Computer vision

Computer vision is impressively prevalent in today’s world, enabling a wide array of advancements like self-driving cars, snapchat filters and automated medical image analysis. This lecture hopes to demystify the techniques used by machines to comprehend the visual world. The basic tasks of feature extraction to perform procedures like object detection or image classification, and the use of powerful AI (Artificial Intelligence) tools like Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) will be introduced. The potential and existing applications of these tools in a vast array of fields, and the increasing availability of computational resources and online material to learn about and utilize them will be discussed.

A presentation by Karthik P., Graduate Student

Non-members only need to register once.
Is this the first time you will attend a presentation with us?
Follow this link first.

SC Briefing
2021-05-15 10:00 - 11:00 | Auditorium
We are sorry this is a private briefing for SC members only.
We hope to see our guests again next week at Phil Youngblood’s “Understanding Science: How Computers Work”

Understanding Science: How Computers Work
2021-05-22 10:00 - 11:00 | Auditorium
Understanding Science: How Computers Work
The last two presentations in this series explored particle physics, the world of the very small, and our solar system, the much larger space that surrounds our more familiar world. In this episode we will explore one area of how science is applied to create technology by examining how the very small, and relatively simple, world of computer electronics is employed to create the more familiar and complex worlds we represent on devices we can carry around with us.
First, we will briefly look at how transistors, the components that create the ‘1s and 0s’ used to store and transmit everything, are made so small that billions can fit into the chips that form the ‘brains’ and ‘memory’ of every computer.
Then we will step through how transistors and other circuitry work together to create the logic of an electronic calculator.
Finally, we will step through how the processor, the ‘brain’ behind operations, works with memory and peripheral units to process a computer program (commonly called an application or app) that instructs your computer to do all the wondrous things we do with them these days.
Presentation by Dr. Phil Youngblood

Dr. Phil Youngblood

Reference work in the library

Previous lectures on film

Podcast

Non-members only need to register once.
Is this the first time you will attend a presentation with us?
Follow this link first.

Panel: Medicinal Psychedelics
2021-05-29 10:00 - 11:00 | Auditorium
Panel: Medicinal Psychedelics
In recent years there have been reports of the therapeutic clinical use of psychedelic substances to treat mental health ailments such as PTSD, Bi-Polar Disorder, depression, and end of life palliative care. Please join us in the Science Circle to discuss the potential of psychedelics as medicine with therapeutic applications.

Guests

Robert A. Hendrix, MD

Stephen L. Gasior, Ph.D.

Matthew Burr

Previous panels on film

Fireside Chat Wednesday, June 2 at 5 PM PDT

Non-members only need to register once.
Is this the first time you will attend a presentation with us?
Follow this link first.

Fireside Chat Medicinal Psychedelics
2021-06-02 17:00 - 18:00 | Fireside

Travel to the Time of Titanoboa
2021-06-05 10:00 - 11:30 | Titanoboa exhibition
Travel to the Time of Titanoboa

The Science Behind Titanoboa
Dr. Alex Hastings will lead part of the tour discussing the world of Titanoboa, 60 million years ago. How and why was the snake so big? What else lived in those murky waters? Plus he’ll share what it was like finding Titanoboa fossils in the Cerrejon coal mine.

Linda Kelley’s Ecosystem
Linda will talk a little about what it takes to bring fossils to life and particularly building an ecosystem from what is shown and not shown in the fossil records. For her this entailed doing a lot of literature review and sussing out how all these things could plausibly fit together. In addition to the fauna that shared space with the Titanoboa, and the kinds of flora, this included reading about geologic changes during that period and estimates of Paleocene weather.

Creating an Animated Animesh Titanoboa for Second Life
Dr. Greg Bollella will discuss the process for creating, texturing, rigging, and animating an animesh object for Second Life. Most of the presentation will be an overview of the processes with more detail for a few very interesting techniques and observations. The workflow and tool-chain are important and will be presented. The tools used were, ZBrush, Maya, Photoshop, Substance Painter, and Substance Designer. Of particular interest is that no images were used in creating the textures for Titanoboa, only math!

Note: Wear boots. We are going to venture into murky waters.

Fireside Chat Monday, June 7 at 2 PM PDT

Non-members only need to register once.
Is this the first time you will attend a presentation with us?
Follow this link first.
