This week in science: 8/11 - 8/17

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August 11, 10:50 AM

by Christopher Langton, S.F. Science Examiner

 

 

UPDATE: the event listed for August 16th is an error - it has already taken place.

Monday, August 11th, 8:00 PM
Rational Comedy for an Irrational Planet: an Evening of Science Humor
Brian Malow
The Punchline Comedy Club
444 Battery Street
San Francisco

Tuesday,  August 12th:  2am - Dawn
The Perseid Meteor Shower

Tuesday, August 12th at 6:00 pm
Improving Organ Transplantation:
Tony Allison, D.Phil., B.M.; Transplant Scientist
SRI Menlo Park
Middlefield Road at Ringwood
Dining Room in the International Building
Map and directions

INCORRECT - The following event was posted in error - it has already taken place.

Saturday, August 16th at 7:30 pm
Alien Worlds Safari:  A Tour Through a Universe of Possibilities
A public event of the 5th Astrobiology Science Conference
Santa Clara Convention Center Theater in Santa Clara
5001 Great America Pkwy
Santa Clara

The details:

Monday, August 11th, 8:00 PM

Rational Comedy for an Irrational Planet: an Evening of Science Humor
Brian Malow
The Punchline Comedy Club
444 Battery Street
San Francisco

An evening of science-flavored stand-up from Brian Malow, Earth's premier science comedian

"It's as much about expanding the mind as it is tickling the funny bone."
           - The Washington Times
 
Doors: 7pm   Show: 8pm
Tickets:  Phone 415.397.4337 or online

For more information visit Brian's website
Questions?...  sciencecomedian@gmail.com
 
And for a taste of Brian's science comedy: Brian Malow on Youtube
 

Tuesday,  August 12th:  2am - Dawn

Perseid Meteor Shower

The Earth is crossing the debris trail in the wake of comet Swift-Tuttle. Peak meteor sightings of about 1 per minute are possible from sites not spoiled by city lights. Best viewed between 2AM and Dawn on Tuesday, August 12th. See my article on the Perseids

Tuesday, August 12th at 6:00 pm

Improving Organ Transplantation:
Tony Allison, D.Phil., B.M.; Transplant Scientist
SRI Menlo Park
Middlefield Road at Ringwood
Dining Room in the International Building
Map and directions

Every year, kidney transplants improve the quality of life of more than 20,000 U.S. citizens who are on renal dialysis. Heart and kidney transplants keep alive many thousands of patients who would otherwise die. Organ transplants are rejected unless recipients are immunosuppressed. Cyclosporine and Tacrolimus have been used for that purpose for decades, but they damage kidneys and have other adverse effects.   Allison applied observations on inherited defects of purine synthesis to design an immunosuppressive drug ( mycophenolate mofetil) with fewer side effects. It is now widely used in transplantation.

Organs that are stored before transplantation are anoxic, and when blood passes through them after the operation they can be damaged.  A way to minimize reperfusion injury, and thereby improve the function of transplanted organs, will be discussed.

Allison received a D.Phil. and a medical qualification from Oxford University. He was a travelling fellow with Linus Pauling at the California Institute of Technology. The first half of his career was spent with the Medical Research Council ( M.R.C.) of the U.K.  In 1981 he accepted a position as a Vice President for Research at  Syntex, Palo Alto, where he initiated the development of CellCept, which is marketed by Roche to prevent organ graft rejection.  Allison is currently V.P. for Research of Alavita Pharmaceuticals, Mountain View.

Cafe Scientifique Silicon Valley

INCORRECT - The following event was posted in error - it has already taken place.

Saturday, August 16th at 7:30 pm

Alien Worlds Safari:  A Tour Through a Universe of Possibilities
A public event of the 5th Astrobiology Science Conference
Santa Clara Convention Center Theater in Santa Clara
5001 Great America Pkwy
Santa Clara
(408) 748-7027

Astronomers now estimate that our galaxy could harbor tens of billions of Earth-size planets.  How many of these might be host to life?  We still can't say, but many researchers are optimistic that Earth is not the only world to have spawned living things.

This public event will bring together leading scientists as they describe their visions of the sort of alien worlds that await our discovery, based on solid scientific discoveries we've made on Earth.  From slime worlds to the highly engineered environments of advanced civilizations, our experts will explore a mind-bending range of possibilities.

The evening features Dr. Tori Hoehler, microbiologist at NASA's Astrobiology Institute; Prof. T. C. Onstott, Princeton University geoscientist and one of Time magazine's 100 most influential people for 2008; Prof. Peter Ward, University of Washington paleontologist and popular science author; and Dr. Jill Tarter, astronomer and Director for the Center for SETI Research. The event will be moderated by Dr. Seth Shostak, astronomer at the SETI Institute and host of the popular radio show, "Are We Alone?"

The event is free and open to the public.
 

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