This Saturday at The Science Circle

 

 

Saturday, April 15

 

    ~*~

    

    At 10 AM PST   

    Recap of the 2023 VWBPE conference on Second Life

    By Dr. William Schmachtenberg (Dae Miami SL) and Linda Morris Kelley, BA (Delia Lake SL)

    https://www.sciencecircle.org/event/vwbpe-2023/

    Auditorium

 

   The Science Circle (72,129,30)

      

    ~*~

 

    At 9 PM PST   

    ChatGPT and AI

    By Jes Stannard

    https://www.sciencecircle.org/event/health/

    SC Meeting Spot

 

   The Science Circle (72,129,30)

 

    ~*~

    

    NOTE: Non-members required to register once

    IM Jes Cobalt or Nymf Hathaway

╚══════════════════════════════ The Science Circle (72,129,30) ═╝

 

 

Announcement: This Saturday at The Science Circle - "Precambrian-Cambrian Explosion of Marine Organisms". "Alien Exosociology"

 

"Precambrian-Cambrian Explosion of Marine Organisms: The Latest Fossil and Geologic Data from Virginia"

Saturday October 9,

10 AM to 11 AM SL time

"Precambrian-Cambrian Explosion of Marine Organisms: The Latest Fossil and Geologic Data from Virginia"

By Dr. William F. Schmachtenberg, SL: Dae Miami

Virginia contains excellent exposures of Late Precambrian and Early Cambrian rocks and fossils. In this talk, I will share pictures of those rocks and fossils and possible theories that can explain the explosion of life in the oceans during the Early Cambrian. There will also be pretty touristy landscape pictures for Chantal and others who love the mountains of Virginia! If time permits I would also like to discuss Perseverance rovers search for life on Mars and why Virginia may be a model for the search for life on Mars. So a little bit of something for everyone!

To read the announcement in full, Click Here. 

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/The%20Science%20Circle/125/132/22
 
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"Alien Exosociology"

Saturday October 9

9PM to 10PM SL time

Recent military reports of unexplained objects flying in our skies have sparked renewed interest in alien visitors. Some scientists predict that we will have made contact with advanced civilizations on other worlds within 25 years. What might they be like, and — more importantly – how might they act? Steven Van Hook, a researcher in transcultural relations, will consider what universal social traits we could share in common with our galactic alien neighbors.

Dr. Steven R. Van Hook,
 
To read the announcement in full, Click Here.
 
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/The%20Science%20Circle/67/129/32
 

Announcement: The Science Circle - Late Ordovician Extinction

Saturday September 7
10 AM to 11AM SL time

There have been at least 5 mass extinctions in the geologic past and some say there was a sixth. Multiple theories from volcanism, plate tectonics, biotic interactions, and changes to ocean chemistry have been proposed for these extinction events. Local field studies in Virginia has shed light on the Late Ordovician extinction when 86% of animals in the ocean perished. These data will be given in the presentation. Studies like this one are important in answering the question will there be another mass extinction in the future?

by Dr. William F. Schmachtenberg (Dae Miami SL) 

For more information, Click Here. 

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/The%20Science%20Circle/61/127/32

Announcement: The Science Circle Field Trip - Tour of the Geology Museum

Tour of the Geology Museum
Saturday, June 15 at 10AM PDT
By Dr. William F. Schmachtenberg

A few years ago, James Madison University gave Bill Schmachtenberg (Dae Miami  SL) permission to create a virtual geology museum on their sim. Unfortunately, the JMU campus on SL shut down. The Science Circle stepped in and has generously permitted Bill to recreate the museum on their region. On June 15 we will tour the maps in the global geology museum and then have a talk about Bill’s past and current research projects concerning palaeography, palaeontology, and extinction events.

For more information, click here: https://www.sciencecircle.org/event/geology-museum/
   

Announcement: This Week At The Science Circle: Volcano!

"Volcano!"

Saturday September 22, 10-11AM SL time

By Dae Miami (Dr. William F. Schmachtenberg)

The eruption of Kilauea in Hawaii is the latest example of the active role of volcanoes on the Earth. This presentation will present research on what makes certain volcanoes explosive and others gentle. I will also present research on ancient volcanoes in Virginia. Some of  these volcanoes are well understood in terms of plate tectonic theory. Others as researched by James Madison University geologists are still a mystery to science.

More on the presentation can be read at: https://www.sciencecircle.org/event/volcano/

The Science Circle (61/126/32)

Announcement: This Week At The Science Circle: “Student Virtual World Science Projects in Sine Space”

"Student Virtual World Science Projects in Sine Space”

Saturday, June 9th at 10AM - 11AM PDT

Members here at Science Circle regularly attend our meetings for online discussions and collaboration. On June 9, I will discuss my attempts to get my students to collaborate and work together online. Sine space seems to provide the online networking in a safe networked environment we need. One of my students has created a space colony for Europa, and another has created a geological simulation called Eagle Rock, based on an actual area in Virginia. The creator of the sims can control who has access to the sim and can even delete it if so desired.

An optional field trip will be given at the end of the lecture. Details on how to log in will be giving at the end of the lecture. These sims can be accessed with a web browser and a guest account. Although the sine space client for pc and an account is recommended at https://sine.space.

by Dr. William F. Schmachtenberg (Dae Miami SL)

For more information, Click Here.

Announcement: This Week At The Science Circle: "Punctuated Equilibrium, Neoteny, and Evolution"

"Punctuated Equilibrium, Neoteny, and Evolution: A tribute to the late Dr. Stephen Jay Gould"
Saturday, March 10 at 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM PST     
by Dr. William F. Schmachtenberg (Dae Miami SL) 
                                   
"Stephen Jay Gould was undoubtedly one of the most influential scientists of the 20th Century who along with Niles Eldredge published the theory of Punctuated Equilibrium. He was a prolific author of many articles on Neoteny, and other ideas that revolutionized biologists ideas of evolution. I had the fortune to attend several of his lectures as well as interview him at Harvard University before his untimely death in 2002. I will be sharing my personal reflections on this great scientist as well as sharing unpublished correspondence with Dr. Gould."


Read more information here.

The Science Circle (61/127/32)

Announcement: This Week at the Science Circle

Saturday 23th 10 AM PDT

“Virtual Reality in Science!” by William Schmachtenberg, Ph. D (Dae Miami in SL)

Abstract: VR in Education. There has been a lot of hype about Virtual Reality in the Media, but what is actually involved in using VR in education? How much does it cost, what hardware do you need, how do you set it up, and how good is the software that is available? For the most part, VR in schools has meant Google Cardboard, but other forms of VR are getting cheaper such as Gear VR and even Oculus Rift.

I have been conducting hands-on research with Google Cardboard,  Gear VR and Oculus Rift setups and will be sharing those results in this presentation, but I hope you will come and share your information on VR as well. I will also include reviews of current VR software.
         
More information about Dae's presentation at https://sciencecircle.org/upcoming-saturday/

The Science Circle (61/126/32)

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Sunday 24th 10 AM PDT

“Horse-hunting Crocodiles and Tiny Alligators: Crocodilian Evolution after the Age of the Dinosaurs” by Alex Hastings, Ph. D                                       

Crocodiles have had an impressively long evolutionary history. During the Age of the Dinosaurs they reached massive size and diversified into a wide array of forms, but their lineage did not die with the mass extinction that ended that era. After the massive ecological shifts that occurred, crocodilians adapted to new circumstances and have been enormously successful.

Dr. Hastings will present some of his research on this fascinating group of animals in the millions of years that have followed since the extinction including running crocodiles and dwarf alligators.


More information about Hasting's presentation at https://sciencecircle.org/upcoming-sunday/

The Science Circle (61/126/32)

Announcement: The Science Circle Presents " New Software, Apps, and Virtual Environments in Science”

Saturday March 4th @ the Science Circle

Presentation: “New Software, apps, and virtual environments in Science”
Presenter: Dae Miami / William Schmachtenberg
Time: 10AM PST
Location: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/The%20Science%20Circle/61/127/32




2017 seems to present us with a dizzying array of new apps, devices, and software in the sciences. I will pick my favorites, and present new research my students are doing with apps I have created. Feel free to come and share your picks for the best new science apps and software.

More information about Dae's presentation
https://sciencecircle.org/upcoming-presentation/

Announcement: This Week at the Science Circle

TUESDAY 8th

The Exploratorium presents: LIVE coverage of a total solar eclipse

Time: between 5 and 6 PM PST

The Science Circle (114/206/30) 

SATURDAY 12th

"A new app for identifying fossils from a picture. 

Uses for education and research"

By Bill Schmachtenberg – Dae Miami

Time: 10 AM PST

The Science Circle (139/206/95)