Rocket into 2021 with Secret Science Club!

Join us in celebrating science as a vital part of culture and public life, and standing up for science as we head into the new year. 

Donate to our New Year's pledge drive and help launch Secret Science Club into 2021. (And get some cool pledge rewards!)

Thanks to all the amazing, hard-working scientists who presented at Secret Science Club in 2020, and to our fabulous partners, volunteers, and supporters. And thanks to YOU – our indomitable, wonderful, ever-curious audience members. We so appreciate your hanging in there with us through the pandemic, as we continue to present live science programs to the public via Zoom.

To make a donation and support Secret Science Club 2021 (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 tote bags, T-shirts, lab notebooks, secret swag, and more!). For those of you who don't want pledge rewards, click here for faster check out.

Happy New Year, everyone! 

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

LIVE ONLINE: Tuesday, January 12 @ 8PM, Secret Science Club presents Evolutionary Biologist & Author Daniel Lieberman, FREE!

Make it a new year's resolution! Come to the first Secret Science Club of 2021 with biological anthropologist & author Daniel Lieberman

Join us live via Zoom on Tuesday, January 12 @ 8PM (Eastern Time USA) "Doors" 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 (or request the Zoom link), send us an email (secretscienceclub@gmail.com)

At the next Secret Science Club, evolutionary biologist & author Daniel Lieberman takes on exercise and the human body. He asks: If exercise is so good for us, why do so many people avoid it? Are humans born to be athletes (or couch potatoes)? Is sitting really the new smoking? Can just walking keep you fit? How many calories did you burn while binge-watching Bridgerton over the holidays?

Jumping off from his new book Exercised: Why Something We Never Evolved to Do Is Healthy and Rewarding, Dr. Lieberman explores human physiology and the natural history of physical activity, delving into metabolism, speed vs endurance, the effects of aging, and the ins and outs of sitting, sleeping, sprinting, weight lifting, playing, fighting, walking, jogging, and even dancing.

Daniel Lieberman is a professor of human evolutionary biology at Harvard University. He studies the anatomy and physiology of the human body, and how our evolutionary history affects health and disease. The author of over 150 scientific papers, Dr. Lieberman has written three popular books, including The Story of the Human Body and (most recently) Exercised: Why Something We Never Evolved to Do is Healthy and Rewarding. He is best known for his work on the evolution of running and enjoys running himself (often barefoot).

Before & After
--Mix up our cocktail of the night, the Barefoot Runner… (recipe to come!)
--Groove to (r)evolutionary tunes
--Bring your questions for the live Q&A
--Snag a copy of Daniel Lieberman’s new book, Exercised: Why Something We Never Evolved to Do Is Healthy and Rewarding here or wherever you buy books!

This is a FREE event.

To support Secret Science Club, consider making a donation to our annual pledge drive! There are cool pledge rewards, too, like T-shirts, tote bags, and lab notebooks. Visit our secure pledge page here.

What’s next at Secret Science Club online?
Stay tuned for sleep (and dreaming) experts Antonio Zadra and Robert Stickgold on Wednesday, January 27, 2021!

(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 “Barefoot Runner” (designed by Secret Science Club’s Experimental Mixology Lab)
Ingredients: Spiced or Dark Rum, Orange Juice, Grenadine, Slice of Lime
- Into a highball glass filled with ice, pour 6 oz orange juice
- Then add 2 oz spiced or dark rum
- Add a couple splashes of grenadine, and gently stir
- Garnish with a slice of lime

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, December 9 @ 8PM, Secret Science Club presents Astronaut & Author Kathryn Sullivan, FREE!

Come fly with us! Secret Science Club blasts off with Astronaut & Author Kathryn Sullivan!

Join us live via Zoom on Wednesday, December 9 @ 8PM (Eastern Time USA) "Doors" 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 (or request the Zoom link), send us an email (secretscienceclub@gmail.com)

Kathryn Sullivan is the first American woman to walk in space. Trained as a scientist - with a Ph.D. in geology and oceanography - she helped launch the Hubble Space Telescope while on the crew of the Discovery space shuttle.

Jumping off from her rocket-fueled 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 an astronaut who has spent over 500 hours in space and is a veteran of three NASA shuttle missions. From 2014 to 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. In June 2020, she became the first woman to reach the Challenger Deep, seven miles below the sea’s surface and the deepest part of the ocean. Handprints on Hubble is her first book.

Before & After
--Mix up our cocktail of the night, the Spacewalk… (recipe below!)
--Groove to interstellar tunes
--Bring your questions for the live Q&A
--Snag a copy of Kathryn Sullivan’s new book, Handprints on Hubble: An Astronaut’s Story of Invention here or wherever you buy books!

This is a FREE event.

You can support Secret Science Club's programming 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 at Secret Science Club online?
Stay tuned for Evolutionary Biologist Daniel Lieberman on Tuesday, January 12, 2021!

(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 “Spacewalk” (created by Joe Cacciola/Mixologist)
Ingredients: 1½ oz Gin, ½ oz Galliano, Juice of ½ Lemon, ½ oz Simple Syrup**, Splash of Club Soda, Mint for Garnish
- In a bar shaker with ice, combine gin, Galliano, lemon juice, and simple syrup
- Shake well, and strain over ice into a cocktail glass
- Add a splash of club soda
- Garnish with a sprig of mint
**Simple Syrup Recipe:
- Mix 1 part water and 1 part sugar in a small pot. Simmer until sugar dissolves. Let cool.

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: Tuesday, November 17 @ 8PM, Secret Science Club presents the "Dana Foundation Brain Lecture" with Neuroscientist Wendy Suzuki, FREE!

Live Online! Secret Science Club presents the “Dana Foundation Brain Lecture” with Neuroscientist Wendy Suzuki on “The Astonishing Effects of Exercise on Your Brain” 

Join us live via Zoom on Tuesday, November 17 @ 8PM (Eastern Time USA) "Doors" open at 7:30PM 

Shhh... everyone on our mailing list will be emailed the Zoom link the night before. To join our mailing list (or request the Zoom link), send us an email (secretscienceclub@gmail.com)

Feeling brain-drained by everything going on this year? Prepare to energize with brain-and-exercise expert Wendy Suzuki! At the next Secret Science Club, Dr. Suzuki dives into the neuroscience and asks:

--What changes take place in the brain during & after exercise?
--How does exercise support deep and focused learning?
--What are the best physical exercises for your brain? Can you bulk up and sculpt your hippocampus?
--What’s the connection between exercise and memory?
--Will there ever be personalized prescriptions for exercise to boost and protect brain health?

BEFORE AND AFTER 
--Mix your own “Neuroblaster” cocktail… (recipe below!)
-- Shimmy to brain-pumping grooves
--Bring your questions for the live Q&A
--Take a peek at the Dana Foundation's digital magazine, Cerebrum, for news, podcasts, and analysis on emerging ideas in brain science
--Learn how you can participate in Brain Awareness Week, the global campaign to foster enthusiasm and support for brain science

Wendy Suzuki is a neuroscientist and professor of neural science and psychology at the Center for Neural Science at New York University. Her major research interest is brain plasticity, the ability of the brain to physically change in response to the environment. She is best known for her extensive work studying areas in the brain critical for our ability to form and retain new long-term memories. More recently, her research has focused on understanding how aerobic exercise can be used to improve learning, memory, and higher cognitive abilities in humans. She is the author of the book Healthy Brain, Happy Life, which was turned into a PBS special.

This mind-blowing edition of Secret Science Club - featuring Wendy Suzuki - is supported 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 is a FREE event.

You can support Secret Science Club's programming 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 at Secret Science Club online?
Stay tuned for Astronaut Kathryn Sullivan on Wednesday, December 9!

(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 “Neuroblaster” (designed by Secret Science Club’s Experimental Mixology Lab)
Ingredients: Bourbon or Rye, Cherry Juice, Ginger Beer or Ginger Ale, Lemon or Maraschino Cherry (for garnish)
- Pour a shot or two of your favorite bourbon or rye into a highball glass filled with ice
- Then add “two fingers” of cherry juice to the glass
- Top off with ginger beer or ginger ale, and gently stir
- Garnish with a slice of lemon or maraschino cherry

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: Join us for a special brunch-time event! Sunday, October 25 @ 2PM, Secret Science Club presents Global Ecosystem Ecologist Thomas Crowther, FREE!

Trees. Soil. Earth's Atmosphere. Every Breathing Thing . . .  

Secret Science Club explores the "wood wide web" with global ecologist Thomas Crowther  

Join us live via Zoom on Sunday, October 25 @ 2PM.
"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.)

There is a reason woodlands are the settings of so many fairy tales. A functioning forest is misty, mossy, age-old, and mysterious. It's not only the trees with their legions of leaves sheltering untold plant and animal species, but multitudes of microbes hidden in the soil - everything working together, with countless connecting threads, absorbing rain and nutrients, exhaling vapor and oxygen. Magical? No question. Unquantifiable? Maybe not. Global ecologist Thomas Crowther wants to count and map it all.

Thomas Crowther estimates there are 3 trillion trees on the planet and that before humans and agriculture came along, there were 3 trillion more. He calculates that in the world's soils, there are 430 quintillion nematodes - tiny creatures that play an outsize role in storing carbon and mitigating climate change. He's mapped webs of underground organisms that nourish the roots of 28,000 tree species across the planet. The way Dr. Crowther figures it, the more we know about these global ecosystems, the better to fight biodiversity loss and climate change.

BEFORE AND AFTER 
--Mix up our brunch-time cocktail, the Lorax… (recipe below!)
--Prepare to groove to our leafed-out playlist
--Bring your questions for the live Q&A

Thomas Crowther is a a global ecosystem ecologist at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich (ETH Zurich). He directs the Crowther Lab, a multidisciplinary group of scientists that researches forests and their relationship to Earth's carbon cycle. Last year, he received the British Ecological Society's Founders' Prize. He and his work have been featured in the New York Times, Washington Post, National Geographic, Rolling Stone, and on the BBC, NPR, and CNN. He is scientific advisor to the United Nations Trillion Trees Campaign and the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration.

This is a FREE event.

You can support Secret Science Club's programming 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 at Secret Science Club online?
Stay tuned for Neuroscientist Wendy Suzuki on Tuesday, November 17!

(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 Lorax” (created by mixologist Joe Cacciola)
Ingredients: 1 Teaspoon Bourbon, ½ oz Honey Syrup**, 1 oz Apple Cider, Juice of ½ Lemon, 3 Shakes of Orange Bitters, Prosecco, 1 Stem of Dill (for garnish)
- Pour the bourbon, honey syrup, apple cider, orange bitters, and lemon juice into a bar glass with ice and shake well
- Strain into a champagne glass or flute
- Top off with Prosecco
- Garnish with a dill stem
**Honey Syrup Recipe: Mix 1 part honey with 1 part lightly heated water until honey dissolves.

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! Tuesday, October 6 @ 8PM, Secret Science Club presents Astrophysicist & Author Katie Mack on “The End of Everything (Astrophysically Speaking)”

Everything you always wanted to know about the ultimate fate of the cosmos*
(*But were afraid to ask) 

We know the Universe had a spectacular beginning. It started with the Big Bang, and it expanded into an array of flaming stars, black holes, and whirling galaxies. But will there be an equally breathtaking end to this cosmic story? At the next Secret Science Club, astrophysicist Katie Mack embarks on a mind-bending tour of possible cosmic finales, including the "Big Crunch," "Heat Death," and the "Bounce" (gulp). Along the way, we detour into quantum mechanics, supernovas, and dark energy. Don’t miss this wildly fun ride to The End of Everything.

Join us live via Zoom on Tuesday, October 6 @ 8PM with Katie Mack, author of The End of Everything (Astrophysically Speaking)
"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... 
--Mix up our cocktail of the night, the Cosmic Conundrum… (recipe below!)
--Prepare to groove to our heaven-sent playlist
--Bring your questions for the live Q&A

--Snag a copy of Katie Mack's out-of-this-world new book, THE END OF EVERYTHING here!

Katie Mack is a theoretical astrophysicist at North Carolina State University. Throughout her career she has studied dark matter, the early universe, galaxy formation, black holes, cosmic strings, and the ultimate fate of the cosmos. Alongside her academic research, she is an active science communicator and has been published in popular publications such as Scientific American, Slate, Sky & Telescope, the New York Times, and Cosmos magazine, where she is a columnist. The End of Everything is her first book.

This is a FREE event.

You can support Secret Science Club's programming 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 at Secret Science Club online?
Stay tuned for Ecosystem Ecologist Thomas Crowther on Sunday, October 25!

(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 “Cosmic Conundrum” (created by Joe Cacciola)
Ingredients: 1½ oz Gin, ¾ oz Apricot Brandy, 3 oz Pink Grapefruit Juice, ¼ to ½ Teaspoon Sugar (to taste), Juice of ½ Lime, Splash of Grenadine, Slice of a Lime (for garnish)
-In bar shaker, combine all ingredients except grenadine and shake well
-Pour mixture over ice into a rocks glass
-Add a splash of grenadine and let it float down naturally
-Garnish with a slice of lime.

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, September 23 @ 8PM, Secret Science Club & the Lasker Foundation present the “2020 Lasker Public Lecture” with Immunologist Arturo Casadevall

Secret Science Club & the Lasker Foundation present the 2020 Lasker Public Lecture with Immunologist Arturo Casadevall
 
Join us live via Zoom, WEDNESDAY, September 23 @ 8PM (Eastern Time USA). "Doors" to the Zoom Room open at 7:30PM

To join our mailing list or request the Zoom link, send us an email (secretscienceclub@gmail.com).

Since the start of this pandemic, Arturo Casadevall and his colleagues have been working 24/7 on researching antibody-rich convalescent plasma as a treatment for COVID-19. Their efforts (and those of plasma donors) have been hailed by many as heroic. Yet in recent weeks, convalescent plasma has become alarmingly politicized.
 
At the next Secret Science Club, we cut through the noise with Dr. Casadevall, as he explores why the investigation of convalescent plasma and antibody-based therapies is important - no matter the outcome - and how it may help in the search for other treatments and preventions. 

Dr. Casadevall asks:
•    How does the SARS-CoV-2 virus attack the human body? How does the body fight back?
•    What is the theory behind using convalescent plasma to treat COVID-19 and how are studies being conducted? What does the data show? What other antibody-based therapies are being investigated?
•    What can we learn from research and experiences fighting the coronavirus in other countries? Is there an end to the pandemic in sight?

Arturo Casadevall is a professor of medicine and infectious diseases at Johns Hopkins University, and chair of the Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. The author of more than 746 scientific papers, he aims to protect people from harm caused by new pathogens, resistant organisms, and compromised immune systems. His groundbreaking contributions to the field of infectious disease have been recognized with multiple awards and honors, including the American Society for Microbiology Founders Distinguished Service Award, the National Institutes of Health Merit Award, the Rhoda Benham Award from the Medical Mycological Society of the Americas, and his election to both the National Academy of Medicine and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He is currently the chair of the National COVID-19 Convalescent Plasma Project, a consortium of physicians and scientists from 57 hospitals, universities, and blood banks who are investigating the use of convalescent plasma in the COVID-19 pandemic.

Before & After: Mix up our cocktail of the night, the Cuba Libre in honor of Dr. Casadevall's birthplace (recipe below); groove to our emergency-approved playlist; and stick around for the live audience Q&A.  
 
This edition of the Secret Science Club, the 2020 Lasker Public Lecture in honor of Al Sommer, is sponsored by the Lasker Foundation. The Foundation works to foster the prevention and treatment of disease and disabilities by honoring excellence in basic and clinical science, educating the public, and advocating for support of medical research.
 
This is a FREE event!
 
You can support Secret Science Club's programming by making 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)

Cocktail Recipe for the “(Bloody) Cuba Libre” (created by mixologist Joe Cacciola)
Ingredients: 1½ oz Rum, 3½ oz Tomato Juice, Juice of ½ Lemon, 3 Pinches of Salt, 3 Pinches of Ground Black Pepper, 3 Dashes of Hot Sauce (preferably chipotle), 1 Teaspoon Honey, ¼ Teaspoon Sugar, ¼ Apple (diced), 3 Mint Leaves
- In a bar shaker, combine honey, sugar, 2 mint leaves, diced apple, and a couple of drops of water; then muddle well
- Add tomato juice, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and hot sauce
- Pour drink back and forth between two shaker glasses (or stir gently)
- Pour into a wine glass, and add 4 or 5 ice cubes
- Garnish with a mint leaf and a slice of lemon

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, September 9 @ 8PM, Secret Science Club presents Physicist & Author Leonard Mlodinow on "Stephen Hawking: A Memoir of Friendship and Physics"

Stephen Hawking seems to encapsulate genius. Not since Albert Einstein has a scientific figure held such a position in popular consciousness. Writer and physicist Leonard Mlodinow tells the story of his friend and their long-time collaboration, offering an intimate account of this giant of science, his courageous battle with ALS, and his groundbreaking theories about the cosmos.

Join us live via Zoom on Wednesday, September 9 at 8PM with Leonard Mlodinow, author of Stephen Hawking: A Memoir of Friendship and Physics

"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...  
--Mix up our cocktail of the night, the Theory of Everything… (recipe below!)

--Prepare to groove to our cosmic playlist

--Bring your questions for the live Q&A

--Snag a copy of Leonard Mlodinow's enthralling new book, STEPHEN HAWKING: A Memoir of Physics and Friendship here or wherever you buy books!

Leonard Mlodinow is a physicist and best-selling author. He received his PhD in theoretical physics from Berkeley, was an Alexander von Humboldt Fellow at the Max Planck Institute, and was on the faculty at the California Institute of Technology. His previous books include The Grand Design and A Briefer History of Time (both with Stephen Hawking), Subliminal (winner of the PEN/E. O. Wilson Literary Science Writing Award), and War of the Worldviews (with Deepak Chopra), as well as Elastic, Euclid’s Window, Feynman’s Rainbow, and The Upright Thinkers.

This is a FREE event.

You can support Secret Science Club's programming by making a DONATION via:

Credit Card, PayPal, Apple Pay, or Google Pay on Donorbox https://donorbox.org/secret-science-club

Cash App: $SecretScienceClub

Zelle: scienceliveproductions@gmail.com

What’s next at Secret Science Club online?
Stay tuned for the 2020 Lasker Public Lecture with Immunologist Arturo Casadevall on September 23!

(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)

Photo credit: Martin Haburaj

Cocktail Recipe for “The Theory of Everything” (created by Joe Cacciola)
Ingredients: 1½ oz Gin, ½ oz Midori**, 3 oz Tonic Water, 2 Peeled Cucumber Slices, 3 Mint Leaves, 1 Lemon-Rind Twist
- In a cocktail shaker, combine 1 cucumber slice, 2 mint leaves, and Midori, then muddle until the cucumber is well crushed
- Add ice and gin, and stir well
- Add tonic water
- Strain through a fine mesh strainer into a rocks glass with ice
- Garnish with a slice of cucumber, mint leaf, and a lemon-rind twist
**(If you don’t have Midori, you can substitute a piece of honeydew muddled with a pinch of sugar.)

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! Tuesday, August 25 @ 8PM, Secret Science Club presents Neuroscientist & Author David Eagleman on "Livewired: The Inside Story of the Ever-Changing Brain"

Secret Science Club gets into your head …

The magic of the brain is not found in its parts, but in the way those parts unceasingly reweave themselves in an electric, living fabric. At the next Secret Science Club, neuroscientist David Eagleman explores the brain’s marvelous neuroplasticity. Jumping off from his new book Livewired, Dr. Eagleman shares his research on synesthesia, dreaming, wearable devices, and revolutionary ways to think about the five human senses.

Join us live via Zoom on Tuesday, August 25 @ 8PM with David Eagleman, author of Livewired: The Inside Story of the Ever-Changing Brain

"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...  
--Mix up our cocktail of the night, the Synapse Sling… (recipe below!)

--Prepare to groove to our ever-changing playlist

--Bring your questions for the live Q&A

--Snag a copy of David Eagleman's mind-blowing new book, LIVEWIRED here or wherever you buy books!

David Eagleman is a neuroscientist and best-selling author. He teaches brain plasticity at Stanford University and is co-founder & CEO of Neosensory, a company that makes wearable devices that enable people to “listen” with their skin. He is the author of eight books, including Incognito: The Secret Lives of the Brain and SUM, a best-selling work of fiction that was turned into two operas. He and his research have been featured in the New Yorker, Wall Street Journal, The Verge, Smithsonian, The Guardian, and on NPR and the BBC. He was the creator and host of the Emmy-nominated PBS series The Brain with David Eagleman.

This is a FREE event.

You can support the Secret Science Club's programming by making a DONATION via:

Credit Card, PayPal, Apple Pay, or Google Pay on Donorbox https://donorbox.org/secret-science-club

Cash App: $SecretScienceClub

Zelle: scienceliveproductions@gmail.com

What’s next at Secret Science Club online?
Stay tuned for “Stephen Hawking: A Memoir of Friendship and Physics” with physicist & author Leonard Mlodinow on September 9!

(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)

Photo credit: Mark Clark

Cocktail Recipe for the “Synapse Sling” (created by Joe Cacciola)
Ingredients: 1½ oz Dark Rum, 3½ oz Hibiscus Tea Syrup**, ½ oz Club Soda, 3 Sliced Strawberries, 8 Blueberries
- In a wine glass, pour rum over ice
- Add hibiscus tea syrup and stir well
- Add a splash of club soda
- Garnish with sliced strawberries and blueberries
Makes one cocktail.

** Hibiscus Tea Syrup recipe:
Ingredients: ½ inch piece ginger (peeled and chopped), ¼ cup sugar, 3 cups water, ½ cup dried hibiscus flowers or 6 hibiscus tea bags
- Bring the water and ginger to a boil in a small pot.
- Add sugar, stir until dissolved.
- Remove from heat, add the hibiscus flowers or tea bags.
- Let the tea seep for 10 minutes.
- Then strain through a fine mesh strainer.
- Let cool (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, August 13 @ 8PM, Secret Science Club presents Evolutionary Biologist & Author Barbara Natterson-Horowitz on "Wildhood: The Astounding Connections Between Human and Animal Adolescents"

Secret Science Club returns with a WILD summer event! 

At the next Secret Science Club, evolutionary biologist Barbara Natterson-Horowitz dives into the adolescent world of humans, penguins, whales, and hyenas—and shares eye-opening insights into the brains, bodies, and behaviors of young adults. 

Join us live via Zoom on Thursday, August 13 @ 8PM with Barbara Natterson-Horowitz, author of Wildhood: The Astounding Connections Between Human and Animal Adolescents

"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...

--Mix up our cocktail of the night, the Wild Child... Recipe below! 

--Prepare to groove to our untamed playlist

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

--Snag a copy of Barbara Natterson-Horowitz's fascinating new book, WILDHOOD here or wherever you buy books!

Barbara Natterson-Horowitz is an evolutionary biologist and cardiologist whose patients include gorillas, lions, wallabies, and humans. A visiting professor in the Department of Human Evolutionary Biology at Harvard University and professor of medicine in the UCLA Division of Cardiology, she is president of the International Society for Evolution, Medicine, and Public Health. Her previous book, Zoobiquity: The Astonishing Connection Between Human and Animal Health, was a New York Times best-seller.

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

What's next at Secret Science Club?
Stay tuned for “Livewired: The Inside Story of the Ever-Changing Brain” with neuroscientist & author David Eagleman on August 25!

(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 “The Wild Child” (created by Joe Cacciola)
Ingredients: 1 oz Tequila, 1 oz Agave Syrup (preferably blue or light), 9 oz of a Lager-type Beer, ¾ oz Lime Juice, Wheel of a Lime for garnish
- Combine the tequila, agave syrup and lime juice in a shaker glass
- Add ice and shake well
- Strain into a chilled mason jar
- Add 9 oz of beer
- Stir gently
- Garnish with a lime wheel

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! 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)... Recipe below! 

--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 ) 

Cocktail Recipe for the “Vaccini” (created by Joe Cacciola)
Ingredients: 1½ oz Gin, ½ oz Simple Syrup** (or a splash to taste), ½ oz Lime Juice, 4 Mint Leaves, 3 oz Watermelon Juice (seed the watermelon, cut into pieces and put in a juicer; or if using a blender, put a few pieces of ice with the seeded watermelon chunks, blend and strain)
- In a cocktail shaker glass, muddle the mint and simple syrup well
-Add gin, watermelon juice, lime juice and 4 cubes of ice
-Shake well, then strain into a rocks glass over ice
-Garnish with a sprig of mint and a slice of lime
Makes one cocktail.

**Simple syrup recipe:
Ingredients: ½ cup water, 3 tbs sugar
-Put water and sugar in a small pot and simmer for 5 minutes.
-Let cool.
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! 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.