This Saturday at The Science Circle

 

Saturday April 11

 

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At 10 AM PST  

 

Nipah Virus: A Deadly Zoonotic Threat With Pandemic Potential

By Tagline

 

SURL: https://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/The%20Science%20Circle/59/128/29

 

    ~*~

 

    NOTE: Non-members required to register once

    IM Jes Cobalt or Nymf Hathaway

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

 

SL Video: "Virtual Cultures in Pandemic Times - Official Trailer"

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From Draxtor Despres on March 26. "Since March 2020, Draxtor has been following UC Irvine Department of Anthropology researchers Tom Boellstorff, Evan Conaway, Chandra Middleton and Sandy Wenger around Animal Crossing and Second Life to find out how the COVID-19 pandemic is reshaping online interaction. 

In the film, protagonists from all over the world open up about their anxieties and everyday challenges during the last two years, and share what virtual worlds and social games mean to them in the context of a global health crisis. 

Many hours of mixed reality interviews, group discussions in Second Life and a comprehensive survey filled out by over 4000 players/residents provide the basis for a sprawling narrative. What emerges through participant observation is a mosaic of impressions, voices and worlds belonging to people from all walks of life, who are actively engaging in community building in the digital realm as they are trying to make sense of a new age dominated by uncertainty and physical isolation. 

The film premieres April 2nd right here on YouTube and in Second Life at Film Threat. More information = https://www.draxtor.com/virtualcultures 

(This film has been made possible with support of the National Science Foundation, award number 2028560, “RAPID: The Role of Emerging Virtual Cultures in the Prevention of COVID-19 Transmission”)"
 

Announcement: This Saturday at The Science Circle - "CRISPR" and "Science Communication In A Pandemic"

 

"CRISPR Year in Review 2021"

Saturday January 29

10:00 AM - 11:00 AM SL time

Every year there are new advances in genome engineering enabled by CRISPR/Cas editing systems. In this talk, the most important and interesting news in CRISPR-based gene editing from 2021 will be presented. Come learn about Technology Advances, New Tools, Intellectual Property, and Target Genes and Modified Organisms from a practitioner in the field. This year’s emphasis will be on the wide range of uses and modifications in medicine and agriculture.

Presentation by Dr. Stephen Gasior (Xootfly)

Auditorium

For more information, Click Here.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/The%20Science%20Circle/72/129/30

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"Science Communication In, Or In Preparation For A Pandemic"

Saturday January 29

9:00 PM - 10:00 PM SL time

Mitigating the damage of the COVID-19 pandemic has been hugely dependent on society’s adoption of personal protective measures to curb the spread of the virus. Misinformation has also been cited as a threat to the employment of countermeasures like vaccines. To what extent is the public understanding of the mechanisms by which diseases spread or medical solutions function important in improving survival outcomes during a pandemic? Is it sufficient or perhaps better to be reliant on expert opinions and policies alone?

Fireside

For more information, Click Here.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/The%20Science%20Circle/161/99/25
 

"Pandemic" Game Pulled From Steam By Developers

 

"Pandemic," an online game by Asmodee Digital, has just been taken down from Steam at the request of the developer. There was no official announcement, though one player posted on Reddit that contacting the company he was told "we are taking the Pandemic app off the stores. We have worked hard over 4 years on Pandemic and withdrawing it from the stores has not been an easy choice. This decision was made with a heavy heart for a multitude of reasons that we cannot disclose."

Jody Macgregor would write, "When a planned Pandemic giveaway on the Epic Games Store was canceled in 2020, it was assumed to be a matter of sensitivity given the Covid-19 pandemic was in its early stages. It seems a bit late to follow up for the same reason, so presumably there's something else behind this delisting."

The game has been taken down from the developer's website, so the page is accessible only through the Wayback Machine.

Source: PC Gamer
 

Announcement: This Saturday at The Science Circle - "Museums" and "Has The Global Pandemic Changed Your View on Others or Society?"

 

"Museums"

Saturday November 6

10 AM to 11 AM SL time 

Which real-life museum do you recommend to others?

This can be a local, national or foreign museum and can be a science, art, history, maritime or open air museum. Is the location exceptional or the architecture of the building? Share it with us.

Which one left an indelible impression on you? Tell us what you found and discovered. Perhaps you can share an image of what impressed you the most. Share the website of the relevant museum with us.

An example of museum development and innovation is the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. The Night Watch “De Nachtwacht by Rembrandt van Rijn” is currently being restored and to inform, educate and share this process with the public, you can get a virtual tour here.

We look forward to your museum!

This FC topic is an idea of William Schmachtenberg

Fireside

For more information, Click Here.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/The%20Science%20Circle/161/99/24 

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"Has The Global Pandemic Changed Your View on Others or Society Itself?"

Saturday November 6

9PM to 10PM SL time

“You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty.” -Mahatma Gandhi

“A people that values its privileges above its principles soon loses both.” -Dwight D. Eisenhower.

Auditorium

For more information, Click Here.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/The%20Science%20Circle/104/125/1114 
 

Virtual Ability's Mental Health Conference

  

On Friday April 16, Virtual Ability held it's Mental Health Symposium. The conference had several discussions about different aspects of how the Coronavirus Pandemic has affected peoples' mental health. Gemma Cleanslate was there. She observed two of the talks, as well as looking at some exhibits nearby.
 
Read Gemma's article in Events.
  

Announcement: This Saturday at The Science Circle - "Fireside Chat: Covid-19"

 

"Fireside Chat: Covid-19"

 Saturday January 23,

10 AM to 11 AM SL time

Fireside chats are intimate gatherings with the last speaker to have a free-form discussion. Audience drives the discussion with their questions or topics. This additional opportunity for the audience to receive answers to questions will be scheduled a few days after the last presentation.

This week the open introduction of this new addition, central today Covid-19. The questions are answered by Phil Youngblood Ph.D. and Robert Hendrix MD.

For more information, Click Here. 

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/The%20Science%20Circle/67/129/32

Announcement: This Saturday at The Science Circle - "The Global COVID-19 Pandemic – Are We Winning Yet?"

 

The Global COVID-19 Pandemic – Are We Winning Yet?

Saturday January 16
10 AM to 11 AM SL time

We will present an update covering some of what has been learned in the past year, 2020, regarding

– the molecular biology of the SARS-CoV-2 virus,

– mechanisms of disease in humans

– medical COMPLICATIONS of COVID-19 infection.

Treatment will be reviewed, including strategies and limitations of various new vaccines, with some discussion of the potential of public health versus the failings of human compliance. 

By Robert A. Hendrix, MD

For more information, Click Here. 

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/The%20Science%20Circle/67/129/32

Announcement: This Saturday at The Science Circle - "The COVID-19 Pandemic A Year On"

 

"The COVID-19 Pandemic A Year On"

Saturday January 9, 

10 AM to 11 AM SL time 

The last time The Science Circle presented on the COVID-19 pandemic was back at the beginning of April when we were alarmed that the number of known cases in the world had reached 1 million. By the time of this presentation, a conservative estimate of the number of cases worldwide will have reached 100 million, with no end yet in sight. One bright piece of news in recent days, however, has been the beginning of vaccinations in some countries and the unprecedented race to create more vaccines.

Over three Saturdays from 9 January through 23 January, we will revisit one of the most pressing issues of our times, now a year after the novel coronavirus was identified.
 
On the first Saturday (9 Jan), Phil Youngblood Ph.D., will talk with you about where we have come over the last year and perhaps what we will see in 2021, as well as the many ways the pandemic has taken a toll on us this past year.

On the second Saturday (16 Jan), Robert A. Hendrix, MD, will present the medical side of the pandemic, that is, what we have learned about how this new virus affects the human body and how the vaccines work.

Finally, on the third Saturday (23 Jan), we will hold a “Fireside Chat” intended to address the types of issues that is of most interest to our audience about these issues.

For more information, Click Here. 

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/The%20Science%20Circle/67/129/32

Philip Rosedale at Lab Gab

About two weeks ago, Philip Rosedale, the founder of Linden Lab, was interviewed by Strawberry Linden on the "Lab Gab" show. Known by the same name inworld, Philip had much to say about Linden Lab and Second Life, as well as his current company High Fidelity. He talked some about what shaped decisions such as what drove him to create Linden Lab, why his particular choice of avatar, his management style at the Lab, the "Rig,' why did he leave Linden Lab and form High Fidelity, and how he thought the Pandemic was driving the public to go virtual like it hadn't before.

Read the details of the interview in People.

Announcement: This Saturday at The Science Circle - The COVID-19 Pandemic: Envisioning the Future

"The COVID-19 Pandemic: Envisioning the Future"

Saturday April 18
10 to 11 AM SL time

A major pandemic is sweeping the globe. While new cases and COVID-19 related deaths continue to climb throughout our connected world, there are signs that the pandemic has reached its peak in several parts of the world. Individuals and societal groups are reacting differently, looking for solutions to stem the threat to our health and way of life.

In the face of this threat, people are turning to governments for action, to the medical community for help, to the scientific community for answers, to commercial entities for products, to mass media for information, to social media for support, and to non-scientific organizations for miracles. In many ways, the pandemic is not just a test of our immune systems, but of what we hold valuable and where we put our trust.

Dr. Youngblood will bring us up to date on the pandemic and discuss the science and psychology behind what we are being asked to do to save the lives of others and possibly our own. No one has “2020 hindsight” about what will happen next, but we can share probable futures based on experiences in our past and the ability of the scientific approach to project future .

To read more, Click Here. 

 https://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/The%20Science%20Circle/67/129/32
 

Announcement: This Friday and Saturday at The Science Circle - "The COVID-19 Pandemic: Science and Society"

"The COVID-19 Pandemic: Science and Society"

Saturday April 4

10 AM to 11 AM SL time

The COVID-19 Pandemic: Science and Society

Robert A. Hendrix, M.D. and Phillip D. Youngblood, Ph.D.

A major pandemic is sweeping the globe. Cases of COVID-19 are growing exponentially as people spread the disease throughout our connected world. Individuals and societal groups are reacting differently, looking for solutions to stem the threat to our health and way of life.

In the face of this threat, people are turning to governments for action, to the medical community for help, to the scientific community for answers, to commercial entities for products, to mass media for information, to social media for support, and to non-scientific organizations for miracles. In many ways, the pandemic is not just a test of our immune systems, but of what we hold valuable and where we put our trust.

Dr. Hendrix will talk about what we all want to know – what this is, what you can do about it, and what medical researchers are doing to try to find ways to combat the virus.

 Dr. Youngblood will talk about what has happened over the last few months, what is happening now, and how individuals and society are reacting to the pandemic, recognizing that this presentation and discussion is a snapshot of our collective experience that is ongoing and rapidly changing.

No one has “2020 hindsight” about what will happen next, but we will also talk about probable futures based on experiences in our past and the ability of the scientific approach to project future trends.

For more information, Click Here

https://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/The%20Science%20Circle/67/129/32