May 2015: Lectures and Events at the California Academy of Sciences

Benjamin Dean Astronomy Lectures
Emerging Pictures of Distant Worlds
Bruce Macintosh, Professor of Physics, Stanford University
Monday, May 4 at 7:30 pm | Morrison Planetarium
In less than two decades, more than a thousand planets have been discovered orbiting other stars. Though we know our solar system is not alone, we haven’t yet determined if it is rare or unique. The powerful techniques used to detect extrasolar planets are still too insensitive to see any of the planets in our solar system. Since Earth is ten billion times fainter than the sun, known extrasolar planets are only “seen” through extremely challenging and indirect methods. Luckily, recent advances in technology have allowed a handful of giant planets to be seen directly. Bruce Macintosh will discuss these planets—the first-ever images of other solar systems—and the technology that allowed us to discover them. New instruments like the advanced Gemini Planet Imager promise to find dozens more planets, including the youthful equivalent of our own Jupiter. Guests will also learn about future exploration prospects, including behemoth ground-based telescopes and the WFIRST-AFTA space mission. Finding another 'pale blue dot'—an Earth twin with the biosignatures of extrasolar life—may require even more advanced space telescopes, but promise to round out our view of the universe.
Tickets: General $12, Seniors $10, Members $8. Seating is limited and advanced ticketing is required. To purchase tickets, visit www.calacademy.org/lectures or call (877) 227-1831.

Science Classes and Courses
Naturalist 101: Birding Basics (Adults and families with children ages 10+)
Saturday, May 9 from 9:30 am – 11:30 pm | Stowe Lake Boathouse
Celebrate International Migratory Bird Day with a special 2-hour introduction to the exciting world of birdwatching! Join Academy naturalists to learn clues for identifying birds and tips for using binoculars. Stroll around Stow Lake to observe birds on the water, and then hike up Strawberry Hill to search for birds among the trees. Binoculars and field guides will be available for check out. Registered guests meet at the Stow Lake Boathouse in Golden Gate Park.
Tickets: General $10, Members $15. Space is limited; advanced registration is required. All youth (18 years and younger) must be accompanied by a paid adult. Program fee does not include museum admission. Purchase tickets at http://www.calacademy.org/events or call (415) 379-8000.

Conservation Photography Programs
Among Giants: A Life with Whales
Flip Nicklin, Marine Biologist and National Geographic Photographer
Monday, May 11 at 7:00 pm | Morrison Planetarium
Join us for an evening of photographic beauty inside Morrison Planetarium's 75-foot, all-digital dome. Tour the world's great oceans with a marine biologist as he follows elusive whales in the pursuit of knowledge. As a leading expert on cetaceans, Flip Nicklin explores the marine environment to study and photograph whales, porpoises, and dolphins around the world. “Among Giants” tells the story of Nicklin’s life and career on the high seas, from his first ill-equipped shoots in the mid-1970s through his long association with the National Geographic Society. Nicklin is equal parts photographer, self-trained scientist, and adventurer. With Nicklin as your guide, enjoy a first-hand account of the stories behind each mesmerizing ocean photograph, and marvel at the majesty of whales in the wild and the people who work to protect them. A book signing will immediately follow this special, one-time-only presentation.
Tickets: General $12, Seniors $10, Members $10. Seating is limited and advanced ticketing is required. To reserve a place today, visit www.calacademy.org/lectures or call (877) 227-1831.

Conversations on Science
The Science of Sleep
Matthew Walker In Conversation with Indre Viskontas Wednesday, May 20 at 7:30 pm | Nourse Theatre The science of sleep has traditionally been abstract, but advances in imaging technology now allow scientists to peek inside the sleeping brain. This is exactly what neuroscientists at UC Berkeley are working on in sleep labs, which study everything from how the brain functions during sleep to what the impacts of sleep deprivation have on our health and on our memories. Why do we sleep? What exactly is going on in our brain during the various stages of sleep? What is the optimal number of hours and how does sleep affect our mood, our memories, and more? The brilliance of sleep may be greater than you ever imagined. As a Professor of Neuroscience and Psychology at the University of California Berkeley, Dr. Matthew Walker examines the impact of sleep on human health and disease. He earned his PhD in neurophysiology from the Medical Research Council in London, and has been appeared on 60 Minutes and the National Geographic documentary, Sleepless in America, among other programs. Dr. Walker will be in conversation with Indre Viskontas, a cognitive neuroscientist with the University of California, San Francisco, a member of the faculty at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, and an award-winning researcher and teacher. Viskontas currently co-hosts the popular science podcast Inquiring Minds.
Tickets: General $27, Members $24. To reserve a place today, visit www.calacademy.org/lectures or call (415) 392-4400. This series takes place at the historic Nourse Theatre located at 275 Hayes Street in San Francisco. Space is limited and advanced purchase is recommended.

Conservation Photography Programs
In Partnership with the Oceanic Society
Whales, Birds & Life of the Farallon Islands Led by Gary Sharlow, Photographer & Education Manager Saturday, May 30 at 1:00 pm | Farallon Islands Affectionately known as San Francisco’s "Galapagos Islands," the Farallon Islands serve as one of the most biologically rich and important habitats along the western coast of the United States. Experience what 99% of San Francisco residents never see with their own eyes, and hop aboard a boat that passes under the Golden Gate Bridge to visit one of the richest marine ecosystems in the world. The Farallon Islands, just 27 miles off the coast of San Francisco, are included in the Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary, a food-rich marine ecosystem that attracts whales, dolphins, seals and seabirds each summer and fall to feed and breed. Researchers have catalogued hundreds of individual humpbacks and blue whales as seasonal feeding residents; 23 species of marine mammals—including 18 species of whales and dolphins—can be found here. The Farallon Islands National Wildlife Refuge is the largest seabird rookery in the contiguous United States, replete with nesting Tufted Puffins, Pigeon Guillemots, Rhinoceros Auklets, and many migratory drawn to these nutrient-rich waters. Island beaches are covered with sea lions, including massive (and endangered) Steller's sea lions. This is a two-day event with a 3 hour class at the Academy on Saturday* and an 8 hour boat excursion into the marine sanctuary on Sunday from 8am to 4pm. Your trip starts with an Academy presentation about the National Marine Sanctuary and a photography training session with your DSLR. Learn useful tips that will allow you to keep your head up (and your eyes on the horizon) in search of whales and birds during Sunday’s exciting adventure.
Tickets: General $175, Members $150. Ages 18+, or youth 14-17 with an adult chaperone. Tickets must be purchased at least 14 days in advance of the event. To reserve a place today, visit www.calacademy.org/lectures or call (877) 227-1831. *Ticket includes all day admission to the Academy on Saturday.