On Tuesdays, Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) is hosting free virtual science pubs via Facebook Live. The local science center has kicked off a new online series of short talks on topics such as geology, ethology and physics.
Since OMSI’s Facebook page is public, you can watch the livestream even without a Facebook account. Visit their page to tune in. You can also watch the live event on their Youtube channel.
The virtual science pubs are free, but OMSI does encourage a $5 donation that can be made on their website.
Here are the descriptions and details about the upcoming virtual science pubs.
OMSI Virtual Science Pubs
Disruption Continued: Emerging Mobility Technologies and Cities in the time of COVID
Over the past five years, cities across the country have experienced an explosion of new transportation options, from being able to take a ride on a scooter or in someone’s car with a few clicks on your smartphone, to ordering goods online from Amazon or a restaurant meal from your favorite delivery app. The pandemic has disrupted transportation again by reducing demand for passengers while accelerating the demand for delivery.
In this talk, Urbanism Next Center Director Nico Larco and Program Director Becky Steckler will discuss these trends as well as what they mean for our communities.
This talk is Tuesday, November 17 at 6:30 p.m.
The 22nd Century Survival Project
The 22nd Century has the potential to hinder if not outright eliminate society and civilization. Climate change and new technologies are fostering changes to our individual and collective experiences at a pace unseen before. Artificial intelligence, pandemics, antimicrobial resistance, and climate change all bring risks that have global reach and that can have deep and long-lasting local impacts. Many of these risks can only be addressed through collective action. These are the hallmarks of the Anthropocene – the age of dominant human influence on the Earth.
In this talk, geographer Jamon Van Den Hoek and complexity scientist James Watson will introduce and discuss the challenges and opportunities facing us in the coming century with a focus on climate change.
This talk is Tuesday, December 1 at 6:30 p.m.
Dynamic Geology of the Oregon Coast
The Oregon coast lies at a plate boundary where the Juan de Fuca Plate is crashing under the North American plate. This “subduction” causes dynamic geology of large earthquakes and tsunamis about every 500 years. The origin of the rocks of the coasts is interesting from the headlands of the north coming from basalt flows that have flowed across the state to uplifted sea floor! The southern Oregon coast is made up on the Klamath Mountains which are parts of continents just stuck onto Oregon. The sediment of the beaches is constantly in motion creating spits and bay barriers. The town of Bay Ocean literally eroded into the sea because of a jetty put in the wrong place. Many sand dunes are present along the coastline – how did they get there and why are they growing? Landslides have a huge history on the coastline and many examples will be discussed. What is the origin of our famous sea stacks like Haystack Rock? It is one exceptionally beautiful place with some great stories!
This talk is Tuesday, March 2 at 6:30 p.m.
The Science of Clean, Safe Drinking Water
We often don’t think about the water from our tap. Where does it come from and how is it treated to make it healthy and safe? The Portland Water Bureau wants to share the science behind treating and delivering safe drinking water to 700,000 Portland area residents along with regional wholesale customers. Our presentation will look at the science behind clean and safe drinking water—past, current, and what’s coming in the future. Hear from the Portland Water Bureau how we’re protecting against lead, pathogens, toxic algal, and more!
This talk is Tuesday, April 13 at 6:30 p.m.
After the lectures there will be a Q&A session. You will be able to easily ask your questions via the comment section on the Facebook Live. For more information, visit OMSI’s website.
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