The Drunkard’s Walk: How Randomness Rules Our Lives by Leonard Mlodinow
October 13th at 6:30 pm
What role do numbers play in our daily lives? How do we interpret chance events and how do they impact our future behavior in a particular situation? How reliable or unreliable are wine ratings, political polls, and school grades? Physicist Mlodinow’s book on predictability–or the lack thereof–is sure to challenge some of your views.
Reservations: Free. To reserve a place, go online or call 800-794-7576. Meet at the Business Reception Desk off the Middle Drive entrance.
The Canon: A Whirligig Tour of the Beautiful Basics of Science by Natalie Angier
September 15th at 6:30 pm
Join a discussion of Angier’s primer on scientific topics ranging from thinking scientifically to geology, astronomy, and evolutionary biology. A New York Times columnist and Putlizer Prize-winning journalist, Aniger asked scientists, “What do you wish everyone knew about your field?” The results are in The Canon.
Reservations: Free. To reserve a place, go online or call 800-794-7576. Meet at the Business Reception Desk off the Middle Drive entrance.
The Carbon Diaries 2015 by Saci Lloyd, August 1, 11.00 am in the Education Classroom
It’s 2015 and the effects of global warming have hit close to home with the “Great Storm” that hit London. In response, Great Britain decides to implement carbon rationing—each person is allotted a miniscule amount of carbon use per year. Good-bye air travel. Good-bye home heating. Laura Brown, a 16-year-old Londoner, shares her diary of what happened in this uncertain and tumultuous future. Join us for a discussion of what the future might hold.
Reservations: Free with general admission to the museum, but please call the Naturalist Center at 415.379.5494 to reserve a space.
Sea Change: A Message of the Oceans by Sylvia Earle June 16th, 6:30 pm in the Naturalist Center
In recognition of World Ocean Day this month, the group will read and discuss noted marine biologist Sylvia Earle’s book which is both a plea for ocean conservation and a very personal story of her own lifelong exploration of life in the deep.
Reservations: Free. Reserve a space by calling 415-379-5494.
Note: Bookworms will not meet in July and August, but will resume in September.
Shark Life: True Stories About Sharks and the Sea by Peter Benchley, June 6, 11.00 am in the Education Classroom
Coming face to face with the jaws of a great white shark. Chasing leaping orcas near Vancouver. Swimming with hoards of hammerheads in the Sea of Cortez. Benchley, the author of Jaws shares his many underwater adventures with sharks and other marine creatures, while helping the reader learn more about these majestic creatures, how to swim with them safely, and why it is vital for us to protect our oceans. Join us for a discussion of Benchley’s fascinating read.
Reservations: CANCELED
