Live Online! Sunday, July 19 @ 2PM, Secret Science Club presents Epidemiologist & Author Adam Kucharski on "The Rules of Contagion: Why Things Spread—and Why They Stop"

Secret Science Club returns with a brunch-time event!

Join us live via Zoom on Sunday, July 19 @ 2PM with epidemiologist Adam Kucharski, author of "The Rules of Contagion: Why Things Spread—and Why They Stop"

Outbreaks. Infections. Virality. Hello, 2020! We’ve got COVID-19 hotspots breaking out like wildfires, while misinformation about the coronavirus rips through social media at Mach speed. But you know what? Maybe… just maybe… smart ideas are catching, too. At the next Secret Science Club, Adam Kucharski breaks down the science of epidemiology and explores how we can all get better at predicting & managing outbreaks.

"Doors" to the Zoom Room will open at 1:30pm (Eastern Time USA).

Shhh... everyone on our mailing list will be emailed the Zoom link the night before.  (To join the Secret Science Club mailing list, send us an email.)

In the meantime...

--Mix up our boozy brunch-time cocktail, the Vaccini (pronounced vax-ee-nee)... Ingredients to come! 

--Prepare to groove to our infectious playlist

--Bring your questions for the live Q&A!  

--Snag a copy of Adam Kucharski's “utterly timely” new book, THE RULES OF CONTAGION at Bookshop. 

Adam Kucharski is an associate professor and Sir Henry Dale fellow at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, where he works on analysis of infectious disease outbreaks, including COVID-19. His writing and research have appeared in Wired, Scientific American, the New York Times, and the Guardian. The author of The Rules of Contagion and The Perfect Bet, he lives in London.

This is a FREE event.

To support Secret Science Club's online programming, you can make a DONATION via:

Credit Card, PayPal, Apple Pay, or Google Pay on Donorbox:

Cash App: $SecretScienceClub

Zelle: scienceliveproductions@gmail.com

(Note: If you don't already have the Zoom meeting app on your computer or mobile device, you can download it for free at zoom.us ) 

This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.

Live Online! Secret Science Club & the Dana Foundation present the "Dana Foundation Brain Lecture" featuring Neuroscientist Daphna Shohamy

Join us live via Zoom on Thursday, June 18 @ 8PM with neuroscientist Daphna Shohamy

At the Secret Science Club's online edition, neuroscientist Daphna Shohamy will dive deep into the human brain to explore the links between memories, decision-making, and motivation.  

"Doors" to the Zoom Room will open at 7:30pm (Eastern Time USA).

Shhh... everyone on our mailing list will be emailed the Zoom link the night before.  (To join the Secret Science Club mailing list, send us an email.)

In the meantime...   

--Put this brain-bending event on your calendar 

--Get ready to mix your own cocktail (let's make it a Memory Palace!) and shimmy to mind-blowing tunes 

--Bring your questions for the live Q&A

--Take a peek at the Dana Foundation's awesome digital magazine, Cerebrum, for news, podcasts, and analysis on emerging ideas in brain science  

Daphna Shohamy is a neuroscientist, professor of psychology at Columbia University, director of the Learning Lab at Columbia University, and a member of the Dana Alliance for Brain Initiatives. She uses behavioral research and neuroimaging studies to explore the neural processes by which memory, learning, and decision-making interact. She is the recipient of the McKnight Foundation Memory and Cognitive Disorders Award, the Cognitive Neuroscience Society's Young Investigator Award, and the Association for Psychological Science Janet Spence Award. Her research has been featured in Psychology Today, Vulture, The Verge, Time, and Popular Science, and she served as a scientific advisor to the Oscar-winning animated film Inside Out.

This edition of Secret Science Club - featuring Daphna Shohamy - is sponsored by the Dana Foundation in celebration of Brain Awareness Week (postponed from March). The Dana Foundation is dedicated to advancing understanding about the brain in health and disease through research grants and public outreach. 

This is a FREE event.

Note: If you don't already have the Zoom meeting app on your computer or mobile device, you can download it for free at zoom.us

To support Secret Science Club's online programming, you can make a donation via:

Credit Card, PayPal, Apple Pay, or Google Pay on Donorbox:

Cash App: $SecretScienceClub

Zelle: scienceliveproductions@gmail.com

Cocktail Recipe for the “Memory Palace” (created by Joe Cacciola)
Ingredients: Handful of Blueberries (at least 6), 2 Mint Leaves (and more for garnish), 1½ oz of Gin, Splash of Club Soda, ¼ oz Quick Simple Syrup**, Juice of ½ Lime, Ice
-Combine in a rocks glass: a handful of blueberries, 2 mint leaves, ¼ oz simple syrup, and juice of ½ lime.
-Muddle to a slow count of 10 until blueberries are crushed and mint leaves are torn
-Fill the glass with ice
-Add gin and stir well
-Add splash of club soda to taste
-Garnish with a sprig of mint

**Quick simple syrup recipe:
Ingredients: ½ Cup Water, ½ Cup Sugar
-Put water and sugar in a shaker and shake vigorously for 1 minute. Let settle, then shake again to a slow count of 10.
This mixture will last in the refrigerator for 2 weeks.

This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.

Live Online! Thursday, June 11 @ 8PM, Secret Science Club presents Biomedical Scientist & Author Muhammad H. Zaman on the "Biography of Resistance: The Epic Battle Between People and Pathogens”

Join us live via Zoom on Thursday, June 11 @ 8PM with Muhammad H. Zaman, author of “Biography of Resistance: The Epic Battle Between People and Pathogens”

You thought viruses were dastardly? Bacteria are breaking bad too, as a growing number of infections become resistant to antibiotics. At the next Secret Science Club, biomedical scientist & author Muhammad H. Zaman investigates the next pandemic.

"Doors" to the Zoom Room will open at 7:30PM.

Shhh... everyone on our mailing list will be emailed the Zoom link the night before.  (To join the Secret Science Club mailing list, send us an email.)

In the meantime...   

--Mix up our cocktail of the night, the Perfect Placebo… it’ll cure what ails you (recipe below)

--Prepare to dance in your PJs to our science-inspired playlist before the talk 

--Bring your questions for the live Q&A

--Snag a hot-off-the-presses copy of Dr. Zaman’s new book, BIOGRAPHY OF RESISTANCE and support independent booksellers at Bookshop.

Muhammad H. Zaman is the Howard Hughes Medical Institute Professor of Biomedical Engineering and International Health at Boston University. The author of over 100 scientific papers, he and his work have been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Scientific American, Express Tribune, NPR, and Popular Science. His new book “Biography of Resistance: The Epic Battle Between People and Pathogens” is the result of hundreds of interviews and travel to labs, jungles, urban centers, and archives on multiple continents.

This is a FREE event.

But... you can help keep Secret Science Club's online programming going by making a DONATION via:

Credit Card, PayPal, Apple Pay, or Google Pay on Donorbox:

Cash App: $SecretScienceClub

Zelle: scienceliveproductions@gmail.com

What's next?

Stay tuned for the Dana Foundation Brain Lecture with neuroscientist Daphna Shohamy on June 18!

Note: If you don’t already have the Zoom meeting app on your computer or mobile device, you can download it for free at zoom.us

Cocktail Recipe for the “Perfect Placebo” (created by Joe Cacciola)
Ingredients: 1 oz Pomegranate Juice, 3 Basil Leaves, Lime, Prosecco
-Pour into a shaker: 1 oz pomegranate juice, 2 basil leaves, and juice of ¼ of a lime
-Muddle until basil leaves are well broken down
-Add four ice cubes and shake well
-Strain into a flute glass, top off with Prosecco, and garnish with a slightly torn basil leaf
Enjoy!

Photo credit: Jackie Ricciardi/Boston University

This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.

Live Online! Wednesday, May 13, Secret Science Club presents Astrophysicist Priya Natarajan, FREE on Zoom

Secret Science Club’s new online edition is about to blast off!

Join us live via Zoom on Wednesday, May 13, 8pm with astrophysicist Priya Natarajan. 

“Doors” to the Zoom Room will open at 7:30pm. 

Shhh... everyone on our mailing list will be emailed the Zoom link the night before.

In the meantime… 
--Put it on your calendar
--Get ready to mix your own cosmic cocktails & groove to interstellar tunes
--Prepare to take a deep dive into the nearest black hole, as we set off to explore our expanding Universe
--Bring your questions for the live Q&A!

Priyamvada Natarajan is a professor of astronomy and physics at Yale University, specializing in dark matter, dark energy, and supermassive black holes. The author of over 100 scientific papers, Dr. Natarajan and her work have been featured in the Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Scientific American, and New York Times, as well as on PBS’s NOVA, NPR, CNN, StarTalk, and the BBC. She is the author of the award-winning book Mapping the Heavens: The Radical Scientific Ideas that Reveal the Cosmos. 

This is a FREE event! 

Note: If you don’t already have the Zoom meeting app on your computer or mobile device, you can download it for free at zoom.us

To support Secret Science Club's online programming, you can make a donation via:

Credit Card, PayPal, Apple Pay, or Google Pay on Donorbox:

Cash App: $SecretScienceClub

Zelle: scienceliveproductions@gmail.com

This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.

Secret Science Club Videos!

Secret Science Club's live in-person events are on hiatus as we all practice social distancing during the COVID-19 outbreak. 

Stay well... and stay tuned for updates as we work to bring our live science programming online! 

In the meantime, please "SSC and chill" at home with these recent videos. 

Check out our Dana Foundation Brain Lecture with Neuroscientist Nim Tottenham. She spoke at Secret Science Club about human brain development, emotional behavior, stress, and well-being.  

If you missed seeing Sean Carroll's talk about quantum physics and "Something Deeply Hidden" at our Secret Science Club North event last fall, you can see the entire talk (with an intro by physicist Brian Greene) on C-SPAN's BookTV.

At last December's SSC North event at Symphony Space, astronaut Kathryn Sullivan talked about her life in outer space and her book Handprints on Hubble: An Astronaut's Story of Invention. Watch it here. 

***POSTPONED*** Secret Science Club & the Dana Foundation present the Dana Foundation Brain Lecture with Neuroscientist Daphna Shohamy (in honor of Brain Awareness Week!) MONDAY, March 16, 8PM @ the Bell House, FREE

Folks, we are sorry to announce that our March 16 Secret Science Club event at the Bell House is being postponed due to the COVID-19 outbreak. The Dana Foundation Brain Lecture with Neuroscientist Daphna Shohamy will be rescheduled at a future date.

According to neuroscientist Daphna Shohamy, “memories are fundamental to everything we are and everything we do.” We use memories to learn. We use memories to make decisions. We use memories to form our identities. We use memories consciously, subconsciously, and constantly.

At the next Secret Science Club, Daphna Shohamy dives deep into the human brain to explore the links between memories, decision-making, and motivation. She asks:

--What exactly is memory? And how are memories built?

--What’s going on in the brain when we learn new things and form new habits?

--How do rewards and motivation shape how memories are formed?

--What role does dopamine play in memory and learning?

--How do different parts of the brain work together to use memories to make decisions?

BEFORE & AFTER

--Try our cocktail of the night, the “Memory Palace”

--Shimmy to mind-blowing tunes 

--Stick around for scintillating Q&A

Daphna Shohamy is a neuroscientist, professor of psychology, and director of the Learning Lab at Columbia University. She uses behavioral research and neuroimaging studies to explore the neural processes by which memory, learning, and decision-making interact. She is the recipient of the McKnight Foundation Memory and Cognitive Disorders Award, the Cognitive Neuroscience Society’s Young Investigator Award, and the Association for Psychological Science Janet Spence Award. Her research has been featured in Psychology Today, Vulture, The Verge, Time, and Popular Science, and she served as a scientific advisor to the Oscar-winning animated film Inside Out.

This edition of Secret Science Club—the Brain Awareness Week kickoff lecture featuring Daphna Shohamy—is sponsored by the Dana Foundation. The Dana Foundation is dedicated to advancing understanding about the brain in health and disease through research grants and public outreach.

Brain Awareness Week is the global campaign to foster public enthusiasm and support for brain science. Every March, partners host imaginative activities in their communities that share the wonders of the brain and the impact brain science has on our everyday lives. Search the calendar of events for fun and fascinating events throughout New York City!

Secret Science Club meets Monday, March 16, 8 pm @ the Bell House, 149 7th St. (between 2nd and 3rd avenues) in Gowanus, Brooklyn. Subway: F or G to 4th Ave, R to 9th St.

Doors open at 7:30 pm. Please bring ID: 21+. No cover. Just bring your smart self.

Photo credit: Eileen Barroso/Columbia University

This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.

Welcome to the Invisible Universe! Secret Science Club presents Astrophysicist Chiara Mingarelli, Tuesday February 18, 8PM @ the Bell House, FREE!

Gravitational waves in space-time are like ripples in a pond cause by a pebble thrown in the water—that is, if the pebble’s impact had the energy of, say, our own Sun exploding. Predicted by Einstein in 1916, gravitational waves proved devilishly difficult to detect. It was only in 2015 that scientists were first able to pinpoint the existence of a real-life gravitational wave, echoing across space-time as the result of a collision of two black holes more than a billion miles away.

That discovery ushered in a new “wave” in astronomy: Gravitational waves aren’t just fascinating phenomena—they are a whole new way to study the cosmos. Astrophysicist Chiara Mingarelli is part of a consortium of international scientists, working on new methods to predict and detect gravitational waves in an effort to understand the large portion of the Universe that remains invisible to us.

At the next Secret Science Club, Dr. Mingarelli asks:

--Are there different kinds gravitational waves? Why are some harder to detect than others?

--What might gravitational waves teach us about dark matter, dark energy, black holes, and the Big Bang?

--What role do pulsars (those super-freaky but super-reliable, rotating, radio-wave emitting neutron stars) play in gravitational wave research?

Before & After

--Pulse and flow to grooooovitational tunes

--Contemplate the Universe with Dark Energy, our cocktail of the night

--Stick around for the stellar Q&A

Chiara Mingarelli is an astrophysicist at the Flatiron Institute’s Center for Computational Astrophysics and an assistant professor of physics at the University of Connecticut. Her core research is focused on using Pulsar Timing Arrays to detect low-frequency gravitational waves. She is a member of NANOGrav (the North American Nanohertz Observatory for Gravitational Waves), a consortium of scientists, using an international network of radio telescopes to detect gravitational waves caused by the merger of supermassive black holes. She has written for Scientific American and been a featured scientist on Amy Poehler’s Smart Girls, Quartz News, and the Science Channel’s How the Universe Works.

This astronomical edition of Secret Science Club meets Tuesday, February 18, 8 pm @ the Bell House, 149 7th St. (between 2nd and 3rd avenues) in Gowanus, Brooklyn. Subway: F or G to 4th Ave; R to 9th St.

Doors open at 7:30 pm. Please bring ID: 21+. No cover. Just bring your smart self!

Image credits: Chiara Mingarelli: Flatiron Institute; Gravitational Waves: NASA/C. Henze

This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.

Dive Inside the Human Body! Secret Science Club presents Structural Biologist Kevin Gardner, TUESDAY, January 21, 8PM @ the Bell House, FREE!

The human body is made of trillions of cells. Inside each cell, it’s as busy as the subway system with a dismaying array of routes, signals, and ever-moving parts. Exploring these teeny-tiny living labyrinths is the mission of modern-day micronauts like Kevin Gardner.

A biochemist and biophysicist, Kevin Gardner has been unlocking the secrets inside cells for over two decades. As he dives into this microscopic world, he visualizes how all-important cellular proteins look in three dimensions and studies how they react to different stimuli—all with the goal of learning how the human body works and finding new cures for diseases.

At the next Secret Science Club, Dr. Gardner asks:

--How do cells—bacteria, plant, and human—sense what is going on in the world around them?

--What role does light play in the world of cells? What are “optogenetic tools”? How do they turn genes on and off?

--How can understanding a cell’s reaction to stimuli, such as light and oxygen levels, be used to discover new biotech tools and cancer treatments?

BEFORE & AFTER

--Imbibe our macroscopic cocktail of the night, the Inner Space

--Sway to bio-themed tunes and feel the grooves at the cellular level

--Stick around for the scintillating Q&A

Kevin Gardner is the Einstein Professor of Chemistry & Biochemistry at the City College of New York, and he is the Director of the Structural Biology Initiative at CUNY’s Advanced Science Research Center. Dr. Gardner uses combinations of structural biology methods, including Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction, to probe how cellular proteins perceive and react to changes in the environments around them. He and his research team have discovered that a diverse group of proteins use similar mechanisms of signaling and regulation despite sensing radically different stimuli. His lab is exploring how these processes can be artificially controlled, leading to the development of new anti-cancer therapies and research tools.

This molecular edition of the Secret Science Club meets Tuesday, January 21, 8 pm @ the Bell House, 149 7th St. (between 2nd and 3rd avenues) in Gowanus, Brooklyn. Subway: F or G to 4th Ave, R to 9th St.

Doors open at 7:30 pm. Please bring ID: 21+. No cover. Just bring your smart self.

For more information, contact secretscienceclub@gmail.com Or visit us on the Web at http://secretscienceclub.blogspot.com 

This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.

Your Support Is Our Rocket Fuel!

Donate to Secret Science Club's holiday pledge drive and help launch us into 2020.

At Secret Science Club this year, we've taken an amazing, curiosity-inspired ride, with public talks on brain science, virus hunting, human & animal emotions, climate science, quantum physics, artificial intelligence, ocean science, and more. We want 2020 to be just as mind-blowing and science-filled!

Please join us in celebrating science as a vital part of culture and public life and standing up for science as we head into a new decade. 

To make a donation and support Secret Science Club 2020 (and an all-new season of free and low-cost public science events), visit our secure pledge page. You can get fun pledge prizes, too (SSC T-shirts, lab notebooks, secret swag, and more!). For those of you who don't want pledge rewards, click here for faster check out.

Thanks to all the brilliant scientists who presented at SSC this year, to the awesome staff at the Bell House & Symphony Space, and to our fabulous partners, volunteers, and supporters. And thanks to YOU - our wonderful, ever-curious audience members.

Cheers to everyone for supporting SSC's mission! Science for All! Happy holidays! 

Secret Science Club is a program of Science Live Productions, Inc, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, and your donations are tax deductible to the full extent permitted by law.

For more information, contact secretscienceclub[at]gmail.com

Make a Splash! Secret Science Club presents Marine Biologist & Explorer David Gruber, MONDAY, December 16, 8PM @ the Bell House, FREE!

We’re getting wet and wild for the holidays!

Take the plunge at the next Secret Science Club with ocean explorer and marine biologist David Gruber.

Just returned from an expedition exploring the frigid waters underneath the ice in Greenland, David Gruber typically spends about two months of the year conducting undersea research—scuba diving or riding in tiny submersible vehicles that allow him to spend hours below the surface.

He’s curious about unsung, strange ocean creatures, such as deep-sea jellyfish and sponges, and how they live in diverse environments—from coral reefs to the Arctic. He’s invented techniques—such as “soft” robotic arms—to interact with delicate marine organisms. And he’s fascinated by biofluorescence, with his research leading to the discovery of the first biofluorescent sea turtle and over 200 other “glowing” sea animals.

Dr. Gruber tries to see the ocean through the eyes of sea creatures and lately, he’s particularly interested in how these animals communicate. He asks: Can we learn how to talk to whales using artificial intelligence? What are fish “saying” with biofluoresence and bioluminescence? How can we use new technology to understand undersea species?

David Gruber is a marine biologist and professor at Baruch College at the City University of New York and CUNY Graduate Center. He is an Explorer for National Geographic and a researcher at the American Museum of Natural History. His research & writing have appeared in the New Yorker, New York Times, National Geographic, and The Best American Science Writing. This year, Dr. Gruber was awarded the 2019 Lagrange Prize, the greatest international recognition for complex systems science, for his research “focused on the conservation of biodiversity, protection of resources and the safeguarding of ecosystems."

Before & After

--Dive into the holidays with our cocktail of the night, the Jingle Shell!
--Groove to sea shanties, surf music, and whale song 

--Plunge into the sea-salty Q&A

This deep-sea edition of the Secret Science Club meets Monday, December 16, 8 pm @ the Bell House, 149 7th St. in Brooklyn (between 2nd and 3rd avenues). Subway: F or G to 4th Ave; R to 9th St.

Doors open at 7:30 pm. Please bring ID: 21+. No cover. Just bring your smart self!

Photo credits: David Gruber by Elias Carlson; Comb Jelly by David Gruber

This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.

Secret Science Club (North) presents Astronaut & Author Kathryn Sullivan, Tuesday, December 3, 8PM @ Symphony Space, $25

Grab your space boots! Secret Science Club is rocketing into Manhattan for a special edition!

Secret Science Club (North) presents Handprints on Hubble with Astronaut & Author Kathryn Sullivan, Tuesday, December 3, 8PM @ Symphony Space, (Use code SECRET20 to get $20 tickets.)

A scientist with a PhD in geology and oceanography, Kathryn Sullivan is the first American woman to walk in space. A veteran of three NASA missions, Dr. Sullivan was on the crew of the Discovery shuttle that launched the Hubble Space Telescope. Celebrating 30 years in orbit, the Hubble today continues to transmit revelatory images and data to scientists back here on Earth.

Jumping off from her new book Handprints on Hubble, Kathryn Sullivan is here to tell the epic tale of the Hubble, her own pioneering space missions, and how the world's most iconic telescope has revolutionized our understanding of the Universe.

Kathryn Sullivan is a former NASA astronaut who has spent over 500 hours in space. Until 2017, she served as the Administrator of the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), overseeing a network of satellites, ships, and airplanes that monitor Earth’s oceans and atmosphere. Handprints on Hubble is her first book.

Before & After 

--Try our space-shuttle-inspired cocktail of the night, the Atlantis

--Groove to the cosmic ballet

--Stick around for the far-out Q&A 

--Hot off the presses! Snag a signed copy of Kathryn Sullivan’s new book, Handprints on Hubble: An Astronaut’s Story of Invention

Get $20 tickets for Kathryn Sullivan here with code SECRET20 and enter the code at checkout. You can also use the code at the Symphony Space box office (call 212.864.5400 or visit in person).

This rocket-fueled edition of Secret Science Club North meets Tuesday, December 3, 8PM @ Symphony Space, 2537 Broadway @ 95th St in Manhattan. Subway: 1, 2, or 3 to 96th Street. Doors open at 7:30pm. This is an all-ages event!

Secret Science Club & the Dana Foundation present the Dana Foundation Brain Lecture with Neuroscientist Nim Tottenham, TUESDAY, November 12, 8PM @ the Bell House, FREE!

When we are born, our brains don’t have much hard-wiring. But newborn neurons are exquisitely primed to make brain circuits as a baby learns new things. Compared to the minds of other species, young human brains are remarkably plastic and adaptable: Over the course of our prolonged childhoods, over 1 million new neural connections form every second, as we acquire language, play, and interact with parents and caregivers.

At the next Secret Science Club, neuroscientist Nim Tottenham explores human brain development and its relationship to emotional behavior, stress, and well-being. She asks:

--How are early-life experiences linked to emotional functioning in adulthood? Why do some early experiences matter so much?

--How is brain development affected by relationships with parents and primary caregivers.

--Can childhood stress rewire our brains?

--How does brain plasticity in childhood relate to psychological resilience and vulnerability?

Nim Tottenham is a neuroscientist, professor of psychology, and director of the Developmental Affective Neuroscience Lab at Columbia University. Her research examines brain development underlying emotional behavior in humans. She uses brain imaging, behavioral, and physiological methods to examine the development of brain circuitry in children, teens, and their parents, and she is the author of more than 80 scientific papers. A recipient of the National Institute of Mental Health Biobehavioral Research Awards for Innovative New Scientists (BRAINS) award and the American Psychological Association’s Distinguished Scientific Award for Early Career Contribution to Psychology, Dr. Tottenham has been a featured scientist on CNN and NBC news and in the Wall Street Journal and Washington Post.

BEFORE & AFTER
--Sample our cocktail of the night, the Smartini
--Shimmy to mind-blowing grooves
--Stick around for the scintillating Q&A

This edition of Secret Science Club—the Dana Foundation Brain Lecture featuring Nim Tottenham, is sponsored by the Dana Foundation. The Dana Foundation is dedicated to advancing understanding about the brain in health and disease through research grants and public outreach.

This Secret Science Club meets Tuesday, November 12, 8 pm @ the Bell House, 149 7th St. (between 2nd and 3rd avenues) in Gowanus, Brooklyn. Subway: F or G to 4th Ave, R to 9th St.

Doors open at 7:30 pm. Please bring ID: 21+. No cover. Just bring your smart self.

This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.

Secret Science Club presents Atmospheric Scientist Sonali McDermid, SUNDAY, October 20, 8PM @ the Bell House, FREE!

Something in the Air! Secret Science Club presents Climate Scientist Sonali McDermid, SUNDAY, October 20, 8PM @ the Bell House, FREE!

When Sonali McDermid first began studying the atmosphere, she was drawn in by the sheer power and dynamism of Earth’s oceans of air. Compared to our planet’s massive size, our atmosphere is thin and insubstantial. Yet, the amount of energy being transported through the system and the resulting storms, wind currents, temperature shifts, and climate zones are phenomenal and fascinating. Changes in the atmosphere can make or break us. 

At the next Secret Science Club, Dr. McDermid explores Earth's phenomenal atmosphere, its relationship to Earth's ecosystems and agriculture systems, and the perils of climate change. She asks:

--Does the way we grow food impact local and global climate? How?

--How do wild ecosystems influence weather and climate—and vice versa?

--What impact will climate change have on the world’s ability to feed itself?

--Can soil help solve the climate crisis?

Sonali McDermid is an atmospheric scientist, climatologist, and professor of environmental studies at NYU. Her research focuses on understanding interactions between climate change and variability, land-use, and agriculture, with an eye towards identifying and quantifying important feedbacks and uncertainties. She employs a variety of tools and datasets, primarily global climate models, but also observed and remote-sensing datasets, and process-based crop models. She has been a featured scientist on Vice News, NPR’s Morning Edition, and ScienceLine.

BEFORE & AFTER

--Imbibe our jazz-infused seasonal cocktail of the night: Autumn in New York (It’ll warm you up as the city cools down.)

--Groove to tunes that blow hot and cold

--Stick around for the scintillating Q&A

This inclement edition of the Secret Science Club meets Sunday, October 20, 8 pm @ the Bell House, 149 7th St. (between 2nd and 3rd avenues) in Gowanus, Brooklyn. Subway: F or G to 4th Ave, R to 9th St.

Doors open at 7:30 pm. Please bring ID: 21+. No cover. Just bring your smart self.

This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.