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Free online lectures: Explore a world of ideas

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Science for the Public

Science for the Public is a grassroots nonprofit organization committed to the promotion of adult science literacy. The organization hosts public presentations by scientists at Boston Public Library, a community science TV series, and online science resources. Citizen participation is actively encouraged in the development of our programs and resources. Today, many of the most pressing issues of modern life require the expertise of scientists. Citizens must therefore have a reasonable understanding of science in order to function as responsible members of society. Further, as the pace of scientific discovery accelerates, modern citizens must be able to grasp new concepts and information that are reshaping our perspectives. Although the issue of science literacy is now being addressed at the K-12 level, there is no science curriculum for the adult population. And it is the adult population that votes, pays taxes and raises children.

http://www.scienceforthepublic.org/

  • Accelerated Climate Change: Can Nature Adapt?

    Tue, Oct 9, 2012
    "A leading authority on conservation issues, especially flora and fauna adaptations to rapid climate change, Professor Primack brings a truly global perspective to Nature's rapid response mechanisms. He discusses changes in the Massachusetts habitat that Henry David Thoreau made famous, and describes the limitations of plants and animals to adapt to this era of intense current climate stress. Richard B. Primack is a Professor in the Biology Department at Boston University. He received his B.A. at Harvard University in 1972 and his Ph.D. at Duke University in 1976, and then was a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Canterbury. He has served as a visiting professor at the University of Hong Kong and Tokyo University, and has been awarded Bullard and Putnam Fellowships from Harvard University and a Guggenheim Fellowship. Dr. Primack was President of the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation, and is currently Editor-in-Chief of the journal Biological Conservation. Twenty-seven foreign-language editions of his textbooks have been produced, with local coauthors adding in local examples. He is an author of rain forest books, most recently Tropical Rain Forests: An Ecological and Biogeographical Comparison, Second Edition (with Richard Corlett). Dr. Primack's research interests include: the biological impacts of climate change; the loss of species in protected areas; tropical forest ecology and conservation; and conservation education. He is currently writing a popular book about changes in Concord since the time of Henry David Thoreau and Walden."
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  • See What I Mean? Visualizing in Science

    Tue, Dec 11, 2012
    "We depend on visual representation for science concepts and data to make this kind of information more comprehensible. Science illustration is art in the service of science. The experts who do that visual translating are essential to scientific communication 'and to science literacy. One of the best in the field is Bang Wong, Creative Director at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard. Bang Wong is probably best known for his design of the famous DNAtrium at the Broad Institute, the interactive display that makes genetics accessible and engaging. Other examples of his creative approach to science visualization include the 3-D Phylogenetic Tree mobile and the DataStream display, both irresistible attractions at the Broad. A leading innovator in the illustration of genetic processes and data, Bang Wong routinely makes very difficult material accessible to both experts and nonspecialists. His work is everywhere: on display at the Broad Institute near MIT, on PBS's Nova, and in major professional journals. In his December 11 lecture, he discusses the importance of science visualization and the great possibilities for such representation that are made possible by new technologies. Bang Wong Creative Director, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard "
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  • Mapping the Milky Way

    Wed, Feb 13, 2013
    "Radio astronomy can unmask structures in the universe that are otherwise invisible. And the discoveries are spectacular. One of the most ambitious projects has been the mapping of the structures of the Milky Way, an immense task that has taken decades. Using small radio telescopes in the US and Chile, Thomas Dame's team has made a series of great discoveries, including the identification of two previously unknown spiral arms in the Milky Way. In this lecture, Dr. Dame explains how radio telescopes reveal the invisible, why mapping the structure of our own galaxy is so difficult, and how the famous discoveries of this project were made. Thomas Dame, PhD, Director, Radio Telescope Data Center, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, and Lecturer on Astronomy at Harvard University"
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  • Microbe Evolution

    Tue, Feb 12, 2013
    "The Marx Lab at Harvard University investigates the mechanisms of microbe evolution under carefully controlled conditions in the lab. Dr. Marx and his colleagues have demonstrated how genetic modifications within one microbe species can influence modifications in a neighboring species. The Marx lab is providing a wealth of new information about a very complex process. Christopher Marx, PhD, Associate Professor of Organismic & Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University "
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  • The Role of the Ocean in the Global Carbon Cycle

    Tue, Jan 22, 2013
    Dr. Follows explains how ocean circulation, seawater chemistry and marine biology combine to shape the complex system known as the ocean carbon cycle. Life on Earth depends on the viability of this cycle, which regulates the balance of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Dr. Follows describes how the system works and also the biological consequences when the CO2 balance is seriously disrupted by excess atmospheric CO2. Understanding the dynamics of the carbon cycle requires the skills of many scientists representing different fields: geology, biology, chemistry, physics, among others. The Follows group participates in a major interdisciplinary effort, the Darwin Project, which is unraveling how the carbon cycle works, how it becomes destabilized, and what it takes to recover its stability. Mick Follows, PhD, Senior Research Scientist Earth, Atmosphere, & Planetary Sciences Massachusetts Institute of Technology "
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  • Solar Magnetic Storms and Space Weather

    Wed, Mar 13, 2013
    This year we're hearing a lot about coronal mass ejections (CMEs), the spectacular explosions of solar particles that are spewed far into space. Although Earth's magnetic barrier prevents most CME penetration, CMEs can cause extensive damage to electronic communications and to power grids. For this reason, scientists monitor the solar cycles very closely. Dr. Hughes explains how solar cycles and these enormous storms occur, the effect of these ejections on Earth's magnetic field, and a number of other features of space weather. W. Jeffrey Hughes, PhD., Professor of Astronomy and Associate Dean of the Graduate School, Boston University. Dr. Hughes is Director of the Center for Integrated Space Weather Modeling (CISM), an NSF Science and Technology Center. He is an international expert on the dynamics of the Earth's magnetosphere and its interactions with the solar wind and the ionosphere.
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  • Two Paul Steinhardt Projects: The "Cyclic Universe" and "Quasicrystals"

    Tue, Apr 30, 2013
    "One of the greatest theoretical physicists of our time, Paul Steinhardt is extraordinary in terms of his range and depth. In this program he discusses two of his best known research projects: first, the theory of a cyclic universe; and second, his prediction and later actual discovery of an entity thought not to occur naturally, the quasicrystal. Both of these projects are changing our view of Nature. Paul Steinhardt, Ph.D., The Albert Einstein Professor in Science at Princeton University, and Director of the Princeton Center for Theoretical Science. Professor Steinhardt is a faculty member of both the Department of Physics and Department of Astrophysical Sciences at Princeton."
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  • Medicating ADHD: Diagnosis and the Long-Term Effects of the Medications

    Wed, Mar 20, 2013
    Whitaker's work has alerted both the medical community and the general public to the serious dangers of psychotropic medicines when used for extended periods. He has become a standard reference for the facts. Two of Robert Whitaker's books on this subject are among the most cited in the literature: Mad in America (2002) and Anatomy of an Epidemic (2010). He has received numerous awards, including a George Polk Award for medical writing and a National Association of Science Writers Award for best magazine article. He was a finalist for a Pulitzer Prize in 1998. Robert Whitaker is a prominent medical writer, whose concentration is on psychiatric care and psychotropic drugs. In this presentation he provides important information about how ADHD 'now an 'epidemic'' is diagnosed and why users of medications for ADHD should be cautious. Recent news stories about the hazards of long-term ADHD medications and the more general use of these drugs to enhance concentration underscore the importance of Whitaker's discussion.
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  • Power Plants and the Freshwater Crisis

    Tue, Jun 25, 2013
    Freshwater is a critical resource and the supply is rapidly dwindling in an era of climate change. The demand for water far exceeds the rate of natural replenishment, leaving a seriously depleted water table and increased conflict over water rights in many regions. The bulk of our freshwater use is for cooling in power plants and irrigation in large-scale agriculture. In this discussion, John Rogers focuses especially on the problem of power plants. In the United States, 90 percent of electricity comes from conventional thermoelectric power plants' coal, nuclear, natural gas, and oil, and such technologies depend on freshwater cooling. Much of that freshwater is wasted. In a time of critical loss of freshwater, the deployment of alternative energy systems cannot be postponed.
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  • Antarctic Fishes: Models for Climate Change and Human Disease

    Tue, Jul 9, 2013
    The notothenioid icefishes of Antarctica are among the most interesting examples of evolution. When the Southern Ocean formed, the blood of the icefish evolved unique 'antifreeze' properties that enabled them to survive the extreme cold of the Southern Ocean (temperatures of '1.8 to +1°C). In addition, the icefish skeletal structure changed, becoming much lighter in weight. These two adaptations ensured the survival of icefish while many other organisms became extinct at the time of the ocean temperature change. Dr. Detrich explains why the icefish were able to adapt while most other organisms in the Antarctic area became extinct when the Southern Ocean formed. He also discusses how blood and skeletal changes that were survival features for the icefish are features of disease 'anemia and osteoporosis' in humans. Professor Detrich brings to his research a broad and deep background in biochemistry, molecular biology and genomics. His work is providing significant insights into both climate change biology and medicine. Dr. Detrich has spent more than twelve field seasons in Antarctica, at Palmer Station and McMurdo Station and he describes, in this lecture, the excitement of 'research on the ice' and the climate changes in Antarctica he has witnessed over two decades. H. William Detrich, III, Ph.D., Professor, Marine Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Department of Biology, Northeastern University; Principal Investigator for the United States Antarctic Program since 1984.
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