The universe is a dynamic environment where collisions and close encounters play a significant role. For instance, we will take a closer look at collisions responsible for the birth of our planet Earth and life itself, but also those that nearly destroyed it. Is our Solar system safe? Are there any hidden dangers we can expect in the future? Let’s find out.
Dr. Vaclav Pavlik is our speaker this month
Science Café is happening on Aug 10 at 6PM at Hopscotch.
Dr. Chanh Kieu, Associate Professor at IU’s Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences will discuss broadly how hurricanes and climate are related. He will also talk about a way by which hurricanes can be used to diagnose future climate changes, along with potential uncertainties and challenges of this approach.
We will restart Science Café monthly (mostly) on Wednesdays starting at 6 at Hopscotch on Dodds & Morton.
Science Cafe Bloomington is on hiatus until it is safe to gather indoors again. We will try to hold some virtual science cafe sessions in the Summer months.
Dr. Armin Moczek gave a great talk on Cicadas last week, and with his permission I’m linking to it here in lieu of an in person meeting this month.
50 billion of these will be coming up this week in Monroe County
https://iu.mediaspace.kaltura.com/media/t/1_a53hmqk9/212337753
Many drugs are available to treat schizophrenia, depression, and anxiety, but the drugs are far from effective. And after more than 70 years of searching for effective drug therapies, we still have little insight into the underlying mechanisms of mental illness. The trouble lies, at least in part, in how the drugs were developed and how modern medicine operates.
George Rebec is Chancellor’s Professor Emeritus, Psychological and Brain Sciences
“How Structure Biology Aids to Visualize the Molecules of Life”
Have you ever wondered what makes our planet look green from space? Have you ever wondered how our cells generate the power we need to function and live? Have you ever wondered how our cells communicate with the outside world? Have you ever wondered what is responsible for how we experience ourselves and the world around us?
Join Dr Susanne Ressl on a fascinating journey through highlights from structure biology and how this particular field helped to understand how molecular machines (proteins) work.
Several things to note:
1) We’re starting at 7pm
2) We’re on the 3rd Wednesday
3) We’re at Hopscotch on Morton & Dodds
4) Hopscotch doesn’t have much food, which is why we’re beginning at 7pm (They do have great coffee, tea, beer, and pastries all the time.)
The obesity epidemic is sweeping the globe. Find out how the body regulates weight, why it’s so difficult to keep weight off, and what this means for health outcomes and the future of obesity.
Dr. Natasha Murataeva received her PhD in neuroscience from IU
Several things to note:
1) We’re starting at 7pm
2) We’re on the 3rd Wednesday
3) We’re at Hopscotch on Morton & Dodds
4) Hopscotch doesn’t have much food, which is why we’re beginning at 7pm (They do have great coffee, tea, beer, and pastries all the time.)
Dr. Eduardo Brondizio will provide an overview of the process and some of the key findings of IPCC for biodiversity*.
Launched in May 2019 after three years of work by over 400 experts from 50+ countries, the Global Assessment is the most comprehensive analysis of the global environment to date, looking past 50 years and scenarios going forward. It covers terrestrial, freshwater, and marine systems, it evaluates international agreements on sustainable development and biodiversity, and several multilateral conventions; it looks at interactions between climate change and other drivers of change, and their implications for society; it’s the first assessment to systematically consider the contributions of indigenous and local knowledge and issues relevant to Indigenous peoples and local communities; and, it assess options and approaches going forward.
(* the Global Assessment on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services of the UN Intergovernamental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services IPBES)
Physicist Mike Snow will join us for another Science Cafe, this time on the subject of gravity. Come learn the latest about the nature of the force that keeps us grounded.
Several things to note:
1) We’re starting at 7pm
2) We’re on the 3rd Wednesday
3) We’re at Hopscotch on Morton & Dodds
4) Hopscotch doesn’t have much food, which is why we’re beginning at 7pm (They do have great coffee, tea, beer, and pastries all the time.)
Professor Fritz Breithaupt, director of the Experimental Humanities Lab will discuss his work on empathy.
What can trigger empathy and what can block empathy? Empathy is often considered the basis of moral action, but plays a central part in a variety of highly problematic behaviors. The ability to empathize with other people proves to be a prerequisite for deliberate acts of humiliation and cruelty. Even well-meaning compassion has many unintended consequences.
This talk will discuss a range of phenomena, including vampirism (helicopter parents wishing to relive a better youth), empathic sadism, humanitarianism (in which people identify with helper-heroes to feel good about themselves at the costs of holding others in the victim role, but mistake this for empathy), and dynamics of polarization (empathetic side-taking that leads to aggression), all concepts and ideas from the recent book, The Dark Sides of Empathy.
Several things to note:
1) We’re starting at 7pm
2) We’re on the 3rd Wednesday
3) We’re at Hopscotch on Morton & Dodds
4) Hopscotch doesn’t have much food, which is why we’re beginning at 7pm (They do have great coffee, tea, beer, and pastries all the time.)
