Science Circle

Heroes of Evolution: Richard Dawkins
2021-02-12 09:00 - 10:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Auditorium
Heroes of Evolution: Richard Dawkins

For the first time in this lecture series, I will discuss a still living icon of evolution. Richard Dawkins has had an immense impact in his lifetime on the advancement of evolutionary theory as well as science advocacy. His energy and commitment to science are still ongoing today. The talk will discuss his scientific work as well as highlight some of his activities advocating for rational thinking. The talk will consist of three sections:
Scientific Work
The Selfish Gene and select other books for the nonscience audience and their effect on science and culture
Advocacy for Skepticism and Atheism

Presentation by Dr. Stephen Gasior (Xootfly)

Dr. Stephen L. Gasior

Reference work in the library

Previous lectures on film

Podcasts

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Fireside Chat The Rest is Silence
2021-02-10 16:00 - 17:00 | Fireside
Still having questions regarding “The Rest is Silence“?
Or are you fascinated by Genetics?
Come to the Fireside Chat and ask your questions, in a casual environment, to Dr. Mary Anne Clark

Q&A with Dr. M. A. Clark, Professor of Biology, Texas Wesleyan University

Dr. Mary Anne Clark

Reference work in the library

Previous lectures on film

Non-members can register for the free event.
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Classical Sunday Concerts
2021-02-07 07:00 - 08:00, 2021-01-31 07:00 - 08:00, 2021-01-24 07:00 - 08:00, 2021-01-17 07:00 - 08:00, 2021-01-10 07:00 - 08:00, 2021-01-03 07:00 - 08:00, 2020-12-27 07:00 - 08:00, 2020-12-20 07:00 - 08:00 | The Lighthouse Café
CLASSICAL SUNDAY CONCERTS
Sundays at 7 AM PST
Weekly piano concerts by Earl Kiech at the lighthouse cafe.

Wake up quietly, start your afternoon relaxed or take a seat in a comfortable armchair to end your day with us.
No matter what time zone you are in, Earl’s music balances a stressful week at any time of the day.
This is the perfect time to catch up with colleagues and friends.

The Rest is Silence
2021-02-06 10:00 - 11:00 | Auditorium
Image: Wikipedia
Silent mutations are changes in the DNA of a protein-coding gene that do not result in a change in the encoded protein. How can silent mutations occur? How can you detect a silent mutation? How frequent are silent mutations relative to mutations that produce an amino acid change? Are silent mutations really silent? This presentation will address these and other questions about silent mutations.
A presentation by Dr. Mary Anne Clark
Max Chatnoir
M. A. Clark, Professor of Biology, Texas Wesleyan University

Dr. Mary Anne Clark

Reference work in the library

Previous lectures on film

Fireside Chat Wednesday, February 10 at 4 PM PST

Non-members can register for the free event.
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Fireside Chat DNA/RNA Science
2021-02-03 16:00 - 17:00 | Fireside
Still having questions regarding “Advances in DNA and RNA Science“?
Come to the Fireside Chat and ask your questions, in a casual environment, to Dr. Mary Anne Clark & Dr. Stephen Gasior

Q&A with Dr. Mary Anne Clark & Dr. Stephen Gasior

Non-members can register for the free events through SC members.
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Advances in DNA and RNA Science
2021-01-30 10:00 - 11:30 | Auditorium
Image: DNA vs RNA – Similarities and Differences Sciencenotes.org
Nucleic Acids: Advances in DNA and RNA Science / Forensics and Vaccines

Guests

1. Dr. Stephen L. Gasior

2. Dr. Mary Anne Clark

Matthew Burr

Previous panels on film

Fireside Chat Wednesday, February 3 at 4 PM PST

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Fireside Chat: Covid-19
2021-01-23 10:00 - 11:00 | Fireside
Fireside chats are intimate gatherings with the last speaker to have a free-form discussion. Audience drives the discussion with their questions or topics. This additional opportunity for the audience to receive answers to questions will be scheduled a few days after the last presentation.
This week the open introduction of this new addition, central today Covid-19. The questions are answered by Phil Youngblood Ph.D. and Robert Hendrix MD.

Phil Youngblood, Ph.D.
Robert Hendrix, MD

Non-members can register for the free events through SC members.
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The Global COVID-19 Pandemic - Are We Winning Yet?
2021-01-16 10:00 - 11:00 | Auditorium
Image Nature.com: Coronavirus biology and replication: implications for SARS-CoV-2

The Global COVID-19 Pandemic – Are We Winning Yet?

We will present an update covering some of what has been learned in the past year, 2020, regarding
– the molecular biology of the SARS-CoV-2 virus,
– mechanisms of disease in humans
– medical COMPLICATIONS of COVID-19 infection.
Treatment will be reviewed, including strategies and limitations of various new vaccines, with some discussion of the potential of public health versus the failings of human compliance.

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 can register for the free events through SC members.
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The COVID-19 Pandemic A Year On
2021-01-09 10:00 - 11:00 | Auditorium
The COVID-19 Pandemic A Year On

The last time The Science Circle presented on the COVID-19 pandemic was back at the beginning of April when we were alarmed that the number of known cases in the world had reached 1 million. By the time of this presentation, a conservative estimate of the number of cases worldwide will have reached 100 million, with no end yet in sight. One bright piece of news in recent days, however, has been the beginning of vaccinations in some countries and the unprecedented race to create more vaccines.

Photo: Utrecht University
Over three Saturdays from 9 January through 23 January, we will revisit one of the most pressing issues of our times, now a year after the novel coronavirus was identified.

On the first Saturday (9 Jan), Phil Youngblood Ph.D., will talk with you about where we have come over the last year and perhaps what we will see in 2021, as well as the many ways the pandemic has taken a toll on us this past year.
On the second Saturday (16 Jan), Robert A. Hendrix, MD, will present the medical side of the pandemic, that is, what we have learned about how this new virus affects the human body and how the vaccines work.
Finally, on the third Saturday (23 Jan), we will hold a “Fireside Chat” intended to address the types of issues that is of most interest to our audience about these issues.
Presentation by 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.
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Fireside Chat CRISPR
2021-01-04 17:00 - 18:00 | Fireside
While CRISPR science is fun, a more intimate talk about the implications and ethics. I will come with my own potential topics but come with those questions burning your brain about CRISPR. Do you fear the genome editing future? Do you want to speculate on what society and biology will be like in 10, 20, 100 years? Is this a good thing or a bad thing?

Fireside Chat with Dr. Stephen Gasior

Dr. Stephen L. Gasior

Reference work in the library

Previous lectures on film

Podcasts

CRISPR 2020: Year in Review
2021-01-02 10:00 - 11:00 | Auditorium
Figure NobelPrize.org. Using the genetic scissors, researchers can edit the genome of practically all living things.

Every year there are new advances in genome engineering. In this talk, the most important and interesting news in CRISPR-based gene editing from 2020 will be presented. Come learn about Technology Advances, New Tools, Intellectual Property, and Target Genes and Modified Organisms from a former published practitioner in the field. Of special note this year is the awarding of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry to Jennifer Doudna and Emmanuelle Charpentier for their work in CRISPR. Thus, the talk will start with a little deeper history of its discovery and invention. This year CRISPR was used for more than just gene editing, so those will be of particular interest and discussed as well.
Non-members can register for the free events through SC members.
Presentation by Dr. Stephen Gasior (Xootfly)

Dr. Stephen L. Gasior

Reference work in the library

Previous lectures on film

Podcasts

EXTRA
Fireside chat
Monday, January 5 at 5 PM PST
Fireside chats are intimate gatherings with the last speaker to have a free-form discussion. Audience drives the discussion with their questions or topics.

Is this the first time you will attend a presentation with us?
Follow this link first.

Follow the Food Special
2020-12-27 12:00 - 13:00 | Auditorium
Follow the Food is a BBC documentary sponsored by one of the big three agriculture companies, Corteva Agrisciences. It covers the current food chain, challenges to feeding the world, and new technologies in world agriculture.

Come watch the Special Episode Follow the Food Chain on Sunday December 27th at 12 PM PST
Features a Q&A afterwards with a Corteva Agrisciences Scientist.

Virtual Worlds: Past, Present and Future
2020-12-26 09:00 - 11:30 | Auditorium
Guests

1. Bill Harp, Panama

2. George Djorgovski, USA

3. Phil Youngblood, USA

4. Steven Van Hook, USA

09:00 – 10:00 George Djorgovski & Bill Harp
10:00 – 10:30 Intermezzo, with musical accompaniment by Earl Kiech
10:30 – 11:30 Steven Van Hook & Phil Youngblood

Matthew Burr

Previous panels on film

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Urban agriculture and sustainable food
2020-12-19 10:00 - 11:00
Urban agriculture and sustainable food: field trip to a Second Life backyard food garden with Delia Lake

UN Sustainable Development Goal #2 is Zero Hunger, yet worldwide, hunger is increasing.

Getting fresh food to people with little waste and reduced greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs)
Food – one of the essentials for life.
Over 4 B people worldwide and growing live in urban areas.
1/3 of food produced worldwide is wasted, with people in affluent countries wasting even more, while almost 1 B people experiencing food insecurity.

Most food is produced far away from where it is eaten and is transported to us. All told, it’s estimated that it takes about 10 kcal of energy for every 1 kcal of food we get.

Can we get fresh food to people with little waste and reduced greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs)? Yes, we could grow a significant portion of our food in or near urban areas where most people eat it, but as Joni Mitchell said it in Big Yellow Taxi (1970). “Don’t it always seem to go, that you don’t know what you’ve got ‘til it’s gone? They paved paradise, put up a parking lot.”
There is a nascent and growing movement toward urban and suburban farming. I have been growing vegetables in RL urban environments for decades, and in SL since 2008. On this Second Life fieldtrip we’ll explore a few ways that each of us might advance urban farming in our solid lives.

Linda M. Kelley

Reference work in the library

Previous lectures on film

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Classical Sunday Concerts
2020-12-13 07:00 - 08:00 | The Lighthouse Café
CLASSICAL SUNDAY CONCERTS
Sundays at 7 AM SLT
Weekly piano concerts by Earl Kiech at the lighthouse cafe.
Wake up quietly, start your afternoon relaxed or take a seat in a comfortable armchair to end your day with us.
No matter what time zone you are in, Earl’s music balances a stressful week at any time of the day.
This is the perfect time to catch up with colleagues and like-minded people.

Recent Developments at Chemistry World
2020-12-12 10:00 - 11:00
Chemistry World was established as a joint venture between Texas A&M University and the Florida Institute of Technology by Dr. K (Dr. Wendy Keeney-Kennicutt) and Winkelmann Teichmann (Dr. Kurt Winkelman) as part of NSF-funded research to examine the effectiveness of virtual worlds in the teaching of chemistry content. They worked with Xandi Mars and Random Cole, SL designers who are based in Texas and who work extensively with Texas A&M. The results of the study were published in the Journal of Chemical Education. The result is an asset to the chemistry education community in Second Life which supports a realistic teaching environment which includes a laboratory, a classroom, offices to meet with TAs/faculty, and space to “hang out”. In addition there is an area for practising camera skills, and a series of platforms which host two laboratory experiments which include an ideal gas law activity and a precipitation titration activity.

Amidst the SARS-COVID-2 pandemic in late Spring 2020, Dr. Shaw assumed management of the region. The idea was to use its facilities to supplement the lab activities for a freshman chemistry for engineers course in Fall 2020. In spring 2021, it will be used to supplement an advanced Bioinorganic chemistry class. This tour will highlight the facilities built as part of the original study, will show the current builds of 3D bioinorganic models, and will show the current state of the Solid-State Models activity developed since April 2020. The logistics of implementing these SL activities will be described.

Dr. Mike Shaw

Reference work in the library

Previous lectures on film

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Classical Sunday Concerts
2020-12-06 07:00 - 08:00, 2020-11-29 07:00 - 08:00, 2020-11-22 07:00 - 08:00, 2020-11-15 07:00 - 08:00 | The Lighthouse Café
CLASSICAL SUNDAY CONCERTS
Sundays at 7 AM SLT
Weekly piano concerts by Earl Kiech at the lighthouse cafe.
Wake up quietly, start your afternoon relaxed or take a seat in a comfortable armchair to end your day with us.
No matter what time zone you are in, Earl’s music balances a stressful week at any time of the day.
This is the perfect time to catch up with colleagues and like-minded people

Virtual Worlds for University Students: Some Thoughts and Experiences
2020-12-05 10:00 - 11:00 | Virtech
Virtual Worlds for University Students: Some Thoughts and Experiences

Virtual Worlds such as SL have a great potential as an educational platform, and there is an extensive literature on the subject. Likewise, they can offer social and psychological benefits, which can be very important, especially in the times of a social distancing. Much of this is due to the subjective sense of presence, including the avatar self-identification.

Our immediate motivation to re-introduce VWs as a viable online venue for the Caltech students (the undergraduates in particular, especially the incoming class) to socialize, interact, network, collaborate, and learn collectively until the pandemic is no longer limiting such interactions in the physical space. At the moment, the students in this cohort (roughly 18 to 22 years old) depend on the traditional social media for such interactions. Later on, we plan to introduce educational activities such as the lectures, office hours, etc. We thus created Virtech, a Caltech sim in SL, and I will describe the process that led to this choice. The initial response from the students was mostly enthusiastic, but mixed, and their feedback was very valuable, as we continue to develop Virtech.
This presentation will take place on Virtech sim, followed by a guided tour and exploration.

George Djorgovski (SL: Curious George)

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Kuhn: A Primer in Scientific Paradigm Shifts
2020-11-28 10:00 - 11:30 | Auditorium
Guests

1. Stephen L. Gasior

2. Giuseppe Longo

Matthew Burr

Previous panels on film

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The Biochemistry of Our Senses
2020-11-21 10:00 - 11:00 | Auditorium
“The Biochemistry of Our Senses”
All living things become aware of, and interact with their environment and each other through, their senses. While the mechanism of sensory perception may be complicated, it all comes down to chemistry and physics, with chemistry being mostly electricity and energy levels in atoms. No magic required.
Understanding the chemistry of biology reveals secrets about how life exists, how living things are all related, and provides important clues about how and why living things evolved from each other.
Join me in exploring the fascinating and dynamic world of the very small, the menagerie of molecules that create familiar tastes and smells, that help us to see and feel, that mess with or fool our natural systems, and that make up us and the rest of life and living things.

Dr. Phil Youngblood

Reference work in the library

Previous lectures on film

Podcast

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