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10 October – SkepTalk
12 October – HangOut
23 October – Virtual Skeptics in the Pub

SkepTalk

Adam Hartstone-Rose PhD

WHAT: Daytime Darkness: How Total Eclipses Influence Changes in Animals – and Humans

Because a total solar eclipse occurs in any given location only about once every 375 years, experiencing an eclipse is a once-in-a-lifetime event for most of us, and even more so for most other animals. There is surprisingly little published about the effects of eclipses on people and other animals. But the US was lucky enough to experience two transcontinental total solar eclipses in relatively rapid succession in 2017 and in April of 2024. In 2017, my team studied animal reactions to this bizarre event, and we expanded that work for the 2024 eclipse during which we had hundreds of participatory scientists along its path making observations not only of how animals responded to the eclipse but how the eclipse itself, and participating in this research, influenced their own feelings of awe and affinity toward science. Thus, we have an amazing opportunity to discuss a phenomenon that we now know to be literally awesome!

WHO: Adam Hartstone-Rose, Professor of Biological Sciences at North Carolina State University, studies functional morphology and comparative anatomy, mostly of primates and carnivores: how are animals adapted to do what they do? His lab examines the relationship between anatomical form and behavioral functions – especially the relationship between diet and the masticatory apparatus (jaws, teeth and masticatory muscles). They do this through studies of animal behavior (e.g., feeding experiments), soft-tissue muscle dissections and analysis, and examination of the skulls and teeth of both living and extinct species. Beyond morphological research, lab members conduct research on animal responses to eclipses and the psychological effect of participating in that research on participating scientists. The laboratory’s psychology research is part of a larger emphasis focusing on broadening participation in STEM by people from groups that have been historically underrepresented in science.

WHEN: Thursday October 10 at 6:30PM PDT (UTC -7)

HOW: Online. Click HERE

Hangout

HangOut with Steve Newton: An Earthquake Crawl of the East Bay

Come hang out with geologist Steve Newton as we explore the East Bay’s earthquake history on a fun and informative crawl!

When: Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024, 11:00 AM – 3:30 PM, estimated

Where: Meet in the parking lot of Arroyo Agua Caliente Park. This is less than a mile from Warm Springs BART; let us know if you would like a ride from the BART station. info@BASkeptics.org

What to bring: Water, a lunch, and good walking shoes. Let us know you are attending this free event by signing up on Eventbrite.

What’s going to happen: We’ll start our earthquake tour in Fremont, and carpool up the East Bay driving/stopping/driving to see and have explained to us the planet’s greatest hits, so to speak. How have earthquakes shaped the East Bay, and how can we recognize the effects of these powerful natural forces on our topography?

Bring a lunch for our lunch stop, probably near Lake Elizabeth in Fremont. After our survey of the evidence for and effects of earthquakes, we’ll return to our starting point in Fremont. Learn about what geology has done and may have in store for us, and have fun with your fellow skeptics.

Steven Newton is a professor of Geology at College of Marin, as well as a former programs and policy director at the National Center for Science Education. An experienced teacher, he led the NCSE’s Grand Canyon raft trips for several years. A lifelong fascination with earthquakes grew after experiencing the 1989 Loma Prieta quake, and led him to a detailed study of the Hayward fault, one of the most urbanized–and dangerous–faults in the world. Our trip will focus on the ground-level visible evidence for the Hayward fault as it cuts through several East Bay cities.

Virtual Skeptics in the Pub

WHAT: Virtual Skeptics in the Pub

This is a casual night of socializing with fellow skeptics who live in various locations around the oblate spherical planet Earth.

Please join us! This is a free event brought to you by Bay Area Skeptics. All are welcome.

WHEN: Wednesday October 23, 7-9pm Pacific (GMT-7)

HOW: Online. Join HERE. Passcode: 1023