LIVE ONLINE: Wednesday, June 16 @ 8PM, Secret Science Club presents mathematician and best-selling author Jordan Ellenberg and “Shape,” FREE!

Secret Science Club presents Mathematician & Best-selling Author Jordan Ellenberg on Shape: The Hidden Geometry of Information, Biology, Strategy, Democracy, and Everything Else

Join us live via Zoom on Wednesday, June 16 @ 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 just request the Zoom link), send us an email (secretscienceclub@gmail.com)

The word “geometry” comes from Ancient Greek and means “measuring the world.” If anything, that’s an undersell. Geometry doesn’t just measure the world—it explains it.

At the next Secret Science Club, mathematician Jordan Ellenberg—the bestselling author of Shape and How Not to Be Wrong—embarks on a far-ranging exploration of the power of geometry, which turns out to help us all think better about practically everything. He asks:

--How should a democracy choose its representatives?
--How can you stop a pandemic from sweeping the world?
--How do computers learn to play Go, and why is Go so much easier for them to learn than learning to read a sentence?
--Can the “golden ratio” predict the stock market? (Sorry, no.)
--What should your kids learn in school if they really want to learn to think?

Before & After
--Mix up our strangely shaped cocktail of the night, the ”Rumboid”… (recipe below!)
--Groove to ever-expanding, multi-dimensional tunes
--Bring your questions for the live Q&A
--Snag a copy of Jordan Ellenberg’s new book, Shape: The Hidden Geometry of Information, Biology, Strategy, Democracy, and Everything Else here or wherever you buy books!

Jordan Ellenberg is the John D. MacArthur Professor of Mathematics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He is the author of How Not to Be Wrong and the just-published book Shape: The Hidden Geometry of Information, Biology, Strategy, Democracy, and Everything Else. His writings have appeared in Slate, Wired, the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Washington Post, Boston Globe, and the Believer.

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 “Rumboid” (created by Joe Cacciola/Mixologist)
Ingredients: 1½ oz White Rum, ¾ oz Honey Cinnamon Syrup**, 3 oz Banana Juice (Loóza brand), and Mint Sprig for garnish
- Pour all ingredients into a shaker glass with ice and shake well
- Strain into a rocks glass filled with ice
- Garnish with a mint sprig
**Honey Cinnamon Syrup Recipe
- Mix 3 tbsp of honey, 5 oz of water, and ½ tsp of ground cinnamon in a saucepan. Heat until the honey melts and combines with the water. Simmer for 5 minutes while stirring. Let it cool then pour into a jar.(It will keep in the refrigerator for two 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: Wednesday, May 19 @ 8PM, Secret Science Club presents theoretical physicist Chanda Prescod-Weinstein and “The Disordered Cosmos,” FREE!

Reach for the Stars! Secret Science Club presents theoretical physicist Chanda Prescod-Weinstein and The Disordered Cosmos

Join us live via Zoom on Wednesday, May 19 @ 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 just request the Zoom link), send us an email (secretscienceclub@gmail.com)

At the next Secret Science Club, physicist and author Chanda Prescod-Weinstein shares her love for physics, from the Standard Model of Particle Physics and what lies beyond it, to the physics of melanin in skin, to the latest theories of dark matter — all with a new spin informed by history, politics, and the wisdom of Star Trek.

Jumping off from her new book, The Disordered Cosmos, Dr. Prescod-Weinstein asks:

--What do we know about the Early Universe?
--Why is “dark matter” such a misnomer?
--What is the hypothesized axion particle?
--Why should access to the beauty of the dark night sky be a human right?
--How is science shaped by cultural forces, and how can we practice science more ethically and humanely?

Before & After
--Mix up our cosmic cocktail of the night, The Starry Night… (recipe below!)
--Groove to interstellar tunes
--Bring your questions for the live Q&A
--Snag a copy of Chanda Prescod-Weinstein’s new book, The Disordered Cosmos: A Journey into Dark Matter, Spacetime, & Dreams Deferred here or wherever you buy books!

Chanda Prescod-Weinstein is a physicist, cosmologist, and feminist theorist at the University of New Hampshire. A monthly columnist for New Scientist magazine, she researches what we know & don’t know about the Universe. She was recently named one of the ten people who most shaped science in 2020 as part of the Nature10. A cofounder of Particles for Justice, she received the 2017 LGBT+ Physicists Acknowledgement of Excellence Award for her contributions to improving conditions for marginalized people in physics and the 2021 American Physical Society Edward A. Bouchet Award for her contributions to particle cosmology. The Disordered Cosmos 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

(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 Starry Night” (created by Joe Cacciola/Mixologist)
Ingredients: 1 oz Applejack, 1 oz Apricot Brandy, 3 oz Pineapple Juice, ½ oz Honey Syrup**, Juice of ½ Lemon, 3 dashes of Orange Bitters, and Mint Sprig (for garnish)
- Pour all ingredients into a rocks glass filled with ice, and stir well
- Garnish with mint
**Honey Syrup Recipe
- Mix 1 part honey and 1 part water in a small pan. Heat until honey dissolves, stir well, then let cool. (It keeps in the refrigerator for two 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! Wednesday, April 28 @ 8PM, Secret Science Club is heading out of this world . . .

Secret Science Club presents geneticist Christopher Mason and bioethicist Matthew Liao in conversation on human bioengineering, space travel, and the future of Earth!

Join us live via Zoom on Wednesday, April 28 @ 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 SSC's mailing list (or just request the Zoom link), send us an email (secretscienceclub@gmail.com)

A geneticist and computational biologist at Weill Cornell Medicine, Christopher Mason works with NASA to study the impacts of space travel on the human body. His new book The Next 500 Years: Engineering Life to Reach New Worlds argues that it is our obligation to engineer the human genome to prepare humanity for life on other planets—because life on Earth has an expiration date. He sets forth a bold, futuristic timeline to put this plan in motion.

Matthew Liao is director of the Center for Bioethics at NYU and editor-in-chief of the Journal of Moral Philosophy. He studies the impact of technology and genetic engineering on human rights. As a thought experiment, he has proposed that humans might be biomedically engineered to minimize our environmental impact on Earth—and reduce our carbon footprint. He is the author of The Right to Be Loved, Philosophical Foundations of Human Rights, Moral Brains, and Ethics of Artificial Intelligence.

Before & After
--Mix up our cocktail of the night, the New You… (recipe below!)
--Groove to intergalactic tunes in our zero-gravity lounge
--Bring your questions for the live Q&A
--Snag a copy of Christopher Mason’s new book, The Next 500 Years: Engineering Life to Reach New Worlds, 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 theoretical physicist & cosmologist Chanda Prescod-Weinstein on Wednesday, May 19!

(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 New You” (created by Joe Cacciola/Mixologist)
Ingredients: 1½ oz Bourbon, 1 tsp Crème de Menthe, ½ oz Honey Syrup**, 3 oz Peach Juice, Juice of ½ Lemon, Mint Sprig (for garnish)
- Pour all ingredients over ice into a rocks glass, and stir well
- Garnish with mint sprig
**Honey Syrup Recipe
- Mix 1 part honey and 1 part water in small pot. Heat until honey is dissolved. 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, April 6 @ 8PM, Secret Science Club presents Bird Researcher & Best-selling Author Scott Weidensaul with “A World on the Wing,” FREE!

Come fly with us! Secret Science Club presents Bird Researcher & Author Scott Weidensaul

Join us live via Zoom on Tuesday, April 6 @ 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 just request the Zoom link), send us an email (secretscienceclub@gmail.com)

High over our heads, billions of migrating birds perform mind-blowing feats of navigation and endurance each spring. Some species forgo sleep for weeks or remain in unbroken flight for months at a stretch. Others complete ultra-marathon migrations in record time, winging over 3,000 miles in mere days. To find their flight paths, they use Earth’s magnetic field and a form of quantum entanglement that would make Einstein’s head spin.

At the next Secret Science Club, bird researcher and author Scott Weidensaul jumps off from his new book A World on the Wing to explore the rapidly evolving science behind bird migration and the amazing diversity of birds that make these epic journeys.

Before & After
--Mix up our cocktail of the night, the Goldfinch… (recipe below!)
--Flit, flutter & fly to grooves that soar
--Bring your questions for the live Q&A
--Snag a copy of Scott Weidensaul’s high-flying new book, A World on the Wing: The Global Odyssey of Migratory Birds here or wherever you buy books!

Scott Weidensaul is a writer and active field researcher, specializing in birds and bird migration. He is the author of nearly thirty books, including the Pulitzer Prize finalist Living on the Wind and The Ghost with Trembling Wings. He is co-director of Project Owlnet, a collaboration among nearly 125 banding and research stations across North America studying owl migration, as well as co-founder of Project SNOWstorm, which uses cutting-edge tracking technology to study snowy owls.

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 geneticist Christopher Mason & bioethicist Matthew Liao on Wednesday, April 28!

(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: Chris DeSorbo

Cocktail Recipe for the “Goldfinch” (created by Joe Cacciola/Mixologist)
Ingredients: ¾ oz Gin, ¾ oz Crème de Noyaux, dash of Maraschino Liqueur, ¾ oz Fresh-squeezed Lemon Juice, ¾ oz Simple Syrup, 2 dashes of Angostura Bitters (optional), 3 Blueberries and a Lemon Twist (reserve for garnish)
- In a bar shaker half filled with ice, combine all ingredients
- Shake well
- Strain into a coupe glass
- Garnish with 3 blueberries and lemon twist

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, March 16 @ 8PM, Secret Science Club presents the "Dana Foundation Brain Lecture" with Neuroscientist Yasmin Hurd, FREE!

Secret Science Club presents the “Dana Foundation Brain Lecture” with Neuroscientist Yasmin Hurd (in honor of Brain Awareness Week) 

Join us live via Zoom on Tuesday, March 16 @ 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 just request the Zoom link), send us an email (secretscienceclub@gmail.com)

It is one year into the pandemic, and there is no question that the increased stress and social isolation are having a psychological effect on our society—and perhaps even long-term effects on our brains. One area of particular concern is how the pandemic is affecting our use (and abuse) of drugs and alcohol, as well as the impact on people with existing addiction disorders.

At the next Secret Science Club, neuroscientist Yasmin Hurd highlights these critical issues as well as discussing her own groundbreaking research on cannabis and opioids. In her talk, "The Vulnerable Brain: Pathways to and from Addiction," Dr. Hurd asks:

--What is addiction, and how does it affect and even change the brain?
--Why are some brains more vulnerable to substance abuse and addiction? What is the role of stress?
--How does marijuana use impact the developing brain? What’s the story with CBD?
--What are some pathways out of addiction? How might cannabinoids be used to treat opioid dependence?

Yasmin Hurd is a professor of psychiatry, neuroscience and pharmacological sciences at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai; director of the Addiction Institute at the Mount Sinai Behavioral Health System; Ward-Coleman Chair of Translational Neuroscience at Mount Sinai; and a member of the Dana Alliance for Brain Initiatives. She has conducted pioneering research on the neurobiology of opioid abuse, the neurodevelopmental (and cross-generational) effects of cannabis, and potential treatments for opioid addiction. A member of the National Academy of Medicine, Dr. Hurd and her research have been featured on NPR, ABC, and CNN, and in the New York Times, Time, and Discover.

BEFORE AND AFTER 
--Mix your own “Gray Matter” mocktail… (recipe below!)
--Groove to synapse-soothing tunes
--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

This edition of Secret Science Club - featuring Yasmin Hurd - is supported by the Dana Foundation in celebration of Brain Awareness Week. 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 around the world!

This is a FREE event.

What’s next at Secret Science Club online?
Stay tuned for naturalist & author Scott Weidensaul on Tuesday, April 6!

(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)

Recipe for “Gray Matter” Mocktail (created by Secret Science Club’s Experimental Mixology Lab)
Ingredients: Homemade Lemonade sweetened to your taste (or good quality store-bought lemonade), ⅓ cup Blueberries, Club Soda
- Reserve a few berries for later, and mash the remaining blueberries in a bowl
- Pour the mashed blueberries into a highball glass
- Add ⅓ glass lemonade
- Muddle all ingredients
- Fill highball glass with ice, and top off with club soda
- Garnish with a few whole berries

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, February 28 @ 2PM, Secret Science Club presents Nobel Prize-winning Biologist & Author Paul Nurse on “What Is Life?” FREE!

Secret Science Club presents Nobel Prize-winning Biologist & Author Paul Nurse on "What Is Life?”

Join us live via Zoom on Sunday, February 28 @ 2PM (Eastern Time USA) "Doors" open at 1:30PM 

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

Life is all around us; it's abundant, diverse, and extraordinary. But what does "being alive" actually mean? Nobel prize-winner Paul Nurse has spent his career revealing how living cells work. At the next Secret Science Club, he takes up the challenge of answering one of the most intriguing questions in science: what is life?

In his new book – What Is Life? – Paul Nurse illuminates five great ideas that underpin biology: the cell, the gene, evolution by natural selection, life as chemistry, and life as information. He traces the roots of his own curiosity and knowledge to reveal how science works, both now and in the past. Using his personal experiences, in and out of the lab, he shares with us the obstacles, the lucky breaks, and the thrilling eureka moments of discovery. To survive the threats that face humanity today – from pandemics and climate change to loss of biodiversity and food security – it is vital that we all understand what life is.

Paul Nurse is a geneticist and cell biologist, and director of the Francis Crick Institute in London. He previously served as president of Rockefeller University, president of the Royal Society, and trustee of the British Museum. He is a recipient of the 2001 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. What Is Life? Five Great Ideas in Biology is his first book.

Before & After
--Mix up our brunch-time cocktail, the "Lust for Life”… (recipe below!)
--Prepare to groove to our ever-evolving playlist
--Bring your questions for the live Q&A
--Snag a copy of Paul Nurse’s brilliant new book, What Is Life? Five Great Ideas in Biology 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 neuroscientist Yasmin Hurd on Tuesday, March 16 at 8PM (Eastern Time USA)

(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 “Lust for Life” (created by Joe Cacciola/Mixologist)
Ingredients: Prosecco, 2½ oz Pineapple Juice, ¾ oz Grenadine, Squeeze of Lemon, Wedge of Lemon for Garnish
- In a bar shaker with ice, combine pineapple juice, grenadine, and squeeze of lemon
- Shake well
- Then strain into a wineglass and top off with Prosecco
- Garnish with a wedge 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, January 27 @ 8PM, Secret Science Club presents Sleep Researchers & Authors Antonio Zadra and Robert Stickgold on "When Brains Dream," FREE!

At the next Secret Science Club, sleep researchers Antonio Zadra and Robert Stickgold explore what happens When Brains Dream

Join us live via Zoom on Wednesday, January 27 @ 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)

All of us spend about a third of our lives sleeping and a significant portion of that time dreaming. Dreams—those melting visions of our slumbers—have long been a source of fascination. But why do we have dreams at all? Researchers Antonio Zadra & Robert Stickgold, the authors of When Brains Dream, take on these night-time mysteries at the next Secret Science Club. They ask:

--What’s going on in our sleeping brains? Does dreaming contribute to our biological and neurological well-being? How?

--What’s the relationship between dreams and memories? Why are some dreams so emotion-filled? And why do some dreams seem weighted with meaning that is just out of our grasp?

--What causes disorders such as recurring nightmares, sleep paralysis, and sleepwalking?

--How do scientists study dreaming?

Antonio Zadra is a professor of psychology at the Université de Montréal and a researcher at the Center for Advanced Research in Sleep Medicine. Robert Stickgold is a professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and director of the Center for Sleep and Cognition. Together, they are the authors of When Brains Dream: Exploring the Science & Mystery of Sleep.

Before & After
--Mix up our cocktail of the night, "A Midwinter Night's Dream"… (recipe below!)
--Groove to rock lullabies and other dreamy tunes
--Bring your questions for the live Q&A
--Snag a copy of Antonio Zadra and Robert Stickgold's fascinating new book, When Brains Dream: Exploring the Science & Mystery of Sleep 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 coming up at Secret Science Club online?
Stay tuned for Nobel Prize-winning biologist Paul Nurse on Sunday, February 28 at 2PM (Eastern Time USA)

(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 “A Midwinter Night’s Dream” (created by Joe Cacciola/Mixologist)
Ingredients: 1 oz Gin, 1 oz Almond Syrup, 1 oz Heavy Cream, 3 Drops of Chocolate Bitters (Fee Brothers), a Piece of Chocolate (for garnish)
- In a shaker glass, combine the gin, almond syrup, heavy cream, and chocolate bitters
- Add lots of ice and shake well
- Pour into a small rocks glass with the ice from the shaker
- Garnish with the chocolate

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, 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 below!)
--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.