May 3 – Astronomy in the 21st century
Since the dawn of mankind, humans have looked “up” and wondered. From nonverbal musings to analytical investigations, from the Megalithic Stone Builders to Copernicus and Kepler; this is the foundation of modern astronomy. Then, Galileo first turned a telescope to the sky in 1609 and the “Universe,” as we had come to know it, would never be the same. Take a journey through the astronomical ages, from ancient observatories to NASA’s Great Observatories, the International Year of Astronomy, the Large Hadron Collider, and beyond.
February 1 – Stem Cells
Join UCSD professor Dr. Alysson Muotri to learn more about stem cells. What do they do and why are they so important? Where does the current research lead and what diseases do scientists hope to treat? What are the ethical concerns and how are they being addressed? You won’t want to miss this stem-ulating presentation!
March 1 – Connected: The Surprising Power of Social Networks
Dr. James Fowler joins the Fleet Science center for a fascinating discussion of how our social networks drive and shape virtually every aspect of our lives. How we feel, whom we marry, whether we fall ill, how much money we make, and whether we vote all depend on what others around us–even those distantly connected to us–are doing, thinking, and feeling. Learn how these connections have an ancient evolutionary past and how this will affect our new life as technology moves our networks online.
April 5 – Earthquakes: Is California due for a large one?
Join Dr. Debi Kilb of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography for an interactive discussion of how technology of today has helped us learn about earthquakes of the past and what is in place now to help scientists with earthquake forecasting. Taking a step beyond the standard lecture, 3-D visualizations and hands-on activities will be included in this presentation.
May 4: “Debugging the Legal System”
Join entomologist David Faulkner to learn about the role insects play in legal investigations.
June 1: “Dietary Origin(s) of the Human Lineage ”
This month’s presentation features UCSD Anthropologist Margaret Schoeninger, who will discuss reconstructing the prehistoric human diet, ecology and migration patterns.
July 6: “Lunar Exploration – Past, Present and Future”
As the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission approaches, Dr. Philip Blanco joins us for an inspiring presentation with restored archival footage from the Apollo missions and lunar demonstrations.
August 3: “Novel Approaches to Monitoring Cancer Cells”
Patients with epithelial cancers benefit substantially from the availability of more and more treatment choices. However, new approaches are needed to make treatment decisions that are applicable to the individual patient. Current research shows that a blood sample can be used to find cells that come from the tumor. These cells carry messages that could aid physicians in developing specialized treatments in the future. Clinicians, biologists and physicists at Scripps Clinic and Scripps Research are working together to uncover these messages. However, finding these cells is like finding the needle in a haystack and understanding them is like reading a new book in a foreign language.
October 5: “Compulsive Eating & Addiction-like Neuroadapations”
Obesity and eating disorders are critical global health problems that have emerged jointly with the increased availability of palatable food and the rise in dieting. This talk will review motivational, consummatory and metabolic changes that occur when palatable food is eaten intermittently, as well as examine addiction-like changes of stress and reward systems in the brain.
November 16: “The Lewis & Clark Expedition”
Join an animated James Thomas for an exciting look at the famous expedition to the pacific coast and back! Follow Lewis and Clark’s route as Thomas shares highlights of the expedition. A book signing will follow the talk.
December 7: “Plant Pathology”
How did a microscopic organism on a potato lead to the mass migration of people? What is rust on a plant and how does it affect your food supply? These and many more topics from the world of plant diseases will be presented.
May 3: “Astronomy in the 21st Century”
Since the dawn of mankind, humans have looked “up” and wondered. From nonverbal musings to analytical investigations, from the Megalithic Stone Builders to Copernicus and Kepler; this is the foundation of modern astronomy. Then, Galileo first turned a telescope to the sky in 1609 and the “Universe,” as we had come to know it, would never be the same. Take a journey through the astronomical ages, from ancient observatories to NASA’s Great Observatories, the International Year of Astronomy, the Large Hadron Collider, and beyond.
June 7: “Successful Aging & Cognitive Awareness”
Join Dr. Stephen Barnes of San Diego State University for a presentation on how and why human beings age. Particular emphasis will be on the 21 universal aging events all adults experience, as well as the latest research on memory loss and cognitive decline.
August 2 “Chaparral & Wildfire”
Of all the distinct, natural communities in California, only one is found throughout and only one can be said to represent the state’s most characteristic wilderness: the chaparral. Join us as we explore the chaparral’s unique natural history, reveal the truth concerning its many myths and surprising mysteries, and why it represents such a vital link to nature for all Californians. We will also discuss how we can create fire safe communities and protect our natural environment at the same time.
Greg Rubin is a native plant expert, lecturer, and writer and works with of The California Chaparral Institute, a non-profit research and educational organization focusing on California's shrubland ecosystems.
October 4 “Shooting the Moon: Getting Down with Gravity”
Join UCSD physicist Eric Michelsen for a look at current studies using Einstein's theory of gravity by tracing out the orbit of the moon around the earth with a laser, often to 1 mm accuracy (the thickness of a dime). Though General Relativity has never been wrong, it does not include quantum mechanics, so most physicists believe that General Relativity must break down at some small level. The presentation will include an overview of the experiment, the cutting edge technology used, and the science discoveries that have been made and those physicists hope for in the future.