Skeptics talk evolutionary psychology 10/18 2pm

[ October 18, 2008; 2:00 am to 3:00 am. ] If you aren’t familiar, the Philadelphia Association for Critical Thinking (PHACT) is the local science skeptics group. They aren’t (entirely) a group of cranky humbugs and debunkers. In fact, they are jolly bunch of freethinkers and science geeks. They host monthly lectures Fall through Spring at the Community College of Philadelphia.

Unfortunately, I was away [...]

Advice for the Franklin?

Pardon for the blatant self-promotion, but I posted some unsolicited advice for the Franklin on my private blog.
And, with that, you won’t hear much from me the next few days as I’m on vacation. But I plan on coming back relaxed, refreshed and ready to geek out on science in Philly.

Origins of Modern Terrorism at the Chemical Heritage Foundation 9/16

[ September 16, 2008; 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm. ] Fear not, cheapskates, the CHF is still hosting free lectures (unlike the series I just posted about).

The Chemical Heritage Foundation’s venerable Brown Bag noontime series returns on Sept. 16th with a bang (Ha! Inappropriate!) with Mats Fridlund, who will discuss the “Materialist Origins of Modern Terrorism.”

Presumably he’s not referring “materialism” in the [...]

Langer talks Biomaterials at CHF 9/25

[ September 25, 2008; 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm. ] As I just got finished posting, the CHF is hosting a new lecture series in coordination with their Molecules That Matter exhibit.

First up is Robert Langer from MIT on September 25th. Doors open at 5, lecture at 6 and the reception is at 7, so at least you might get some wine and cheese for [...]

Faye Flam’s settling The Score at Wistar 9/16

[ September 16, 2008; 7:00 pm; ] The lovely and talented Faye Flam will be discussing her new book The Score: How the Quest for Sex Has Shaped the Modern Man at the Wistar Institute on September 16th.

The Wistar Institute is on 3601 Spruce Street, deepinahearta Penn’s campus and across the street from HUP. It is free, but kindly register at www.wistar.org/AuthorRSVP [...]

Buying the right telescope, The Franklin, 9/11

[ September 11, 2008; 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm. ] Can’t tell Venus from a distant Southwest A320?
Looking through a cardboard tube cramping your style?

Then maybe you’ll want one of them new-fangled “telescope” thingies in your Christmas stocking.

In September, The Franklin’s Joel N. Bloom Observatory will host a special telescope buyer’s guide version of their monthly “Night Skies in the Observatory” event. The event [...]