Just what is Science Pub? Science Pub is an informal get-together where you can interact with experts and where there's no such thing as a silly question. No scientific background is required - just curiosity, a sense of humor, and an appetite for food, drinks, and knowledge. We meet once a month. Topics are focused on advances in science and technology that directly affect our lives, and the experts are leading researchers and scientists in the field. Don't expect a speaker behind the podium! It's relaxed, interactive, and fun.

The Science Pub is open to anyone and everyone, no admission fee or RSVP required. Science Pub is meant for adults. Tell your friends, and we hope to see you there!

For more information or to sign up for our mailing list, please contact sciencepub@omsi.edu or call 503-797-4517.

The Portland Science Pub has a new home!

When: The last Monday of the month @ 7:00 pm

Where: Mission Theater & Pub, 1624 N.W. Glisan, Portland, OR

Doors open at 5 p.m.

OMSI has started recording the science pub! You can find recordings on our past pub page, or subscribe to the podcast!

For bonobos, a species of great ape, sex is not just for reproduction; it's used for greeting, bonding, play, and conflict resolution. It's just one of several things that set these apes apart from their evolutionary cousins-gorillas, chimpanzees, orangutans, and humans. In communities of bonobos, females hold the power: They maintain priority over food, they create alliances with other females to keep peace in their groups, and they avoid conflict. Are the peaceful, nonviolent bonobos really capable of empathy, sensitivity, and altruism? What can bonobo behavior tell us about human interaction?

Dr. Frances White is a primatologist interested in the evolution of non-human and human primate social behaviors and has been studying bonobos since 1983. She is an associate professor of anthropology and director of the Institute of Cognitive and Decision Sciences at the University of Oregon.

7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Doors open at 5:00 p.m. Come early for food and drinks!

Imbibe Restaurant & Lounge
2229 SE Hawthorne Blvd., Portland

Cheap and clean energy. Reduced environmental pollution. Greater computing power. Solutions to world hunger and national security. Cures for devastating diseases such as cancer. All of these could result from nanotechnology, a promising new field involving the design and manipulation of matter at the molecular and atomic levels. But there are plenty of uncertainties about how nanomaterials might affect human health and the environment. Learn more about nanotechnology's potential benefits and how scientists are dealing with the risks.

Dr. Jim Hutchison, is professor of chemistry and the director of the University of Oregon Materials Science Institute. His research interests include preparation and study of nanoscale materials. His work has been instrumental in developing the UO's nation-leading program in "green" (environmentally-benign) organic chemistry.

**Note: this is a repeat performance of the Science Pub on Nanotechnology held in March 2008.

Geckos can run up smooth vertical surfaces but, until recently, no one knew how they did it. Looking at the structure of gecko feet at the nanoscale and measuring the tiny forces involved showed that gecko feet stick mechanically, not chemically. This discovery lead to the development of the world's first adhesive that is dry, self-cleaning, reversible, and can even work in the vacuum of outer space. Designs based on gecko feet are being used to create robots that can run up walls, and this adhesive could bring changes to the manufacture of everything from home electronics to car brakes. At this Science Pub we will talk about how the study of mechanisms and evolution of animal locomotion has lead to biologically inspired materials and machines.

Kellar Autumn, Ph.D., professor of biology at Lewis & Clark College since 1998, does research that has grown into a new field of study at the interface between biology, physics, and materials science. He has authored over 40 scientific papers and his research is featured in textbooks, encyclopedias, and popular books including The Nanotech Pioneers: Where Are They Taking Us? Every major television network has covered his work, as have hundreds of newspaper, magazine, and Internet articles worldwide.

Come see physics in action! Jugglers, acrobats, and other circus artists often base their acts on simple Newtonian principles of motion and balance taken to extremes. How does gravity's constant rate of acceleration affect the juggling of bowling balls? Why would a Nobel Laureate beg a vaudevillian to spin a ball on his finger? Which tricks are created using math? Did the Japanese really acquit a 17th-century prisoner on the strength of his inertia skills? Which came first: the bed of nails or the ladder of swords? How many new performance ideas can a desperate juggler glean from a room full of science-minded folks?

Rhys Thomas, has been making a living performing hilarity and dexterity for over 20 years. His science shows have been presented in Trinidad, Singapore, at museums across the U.S. and Canada, and even toured by dogsled across frozen ocean to Siberian Yupik villages. Thomas has served as artist-in-residence at the Smithsonian Institution and performs as an OMSI educator at schools in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and other western states.

When: The 2nd Thursday of the month.
7:00 pm
Where: Cozmic Pizza
199 W 8th Ave, (inside The Strand @ 8th & Charnelton)

Co-sponsors:

Some of the most devastating environmental disasters happen in countries with few scientists and even fewer legal safeguards against polluters. Discover how scientists at the Environmental Law Alliance Worldwide (ELAW) are helping communities in Asia, Africa, and Latin America identify toxic emissions, hold polluters accountable, and win environmental justice. At this Science Pub, we'll learn about conducting air, water, and soil testing in remote parts of the world, and how lab results translate into relief for disadvantaged communities. Hear reports from South Africa, Kenya, Peru, Argentina, Malaysia, and more.

Mark Chernaik, PhD, JD, has served as staff scientist at the Environmental Law Alliance Worldwide for more than 15 years. Chernaik has traveled around the globe to help uncover environmental abuse, promote sustainable solutions, and enforce the human right to a healthy environment.

Though we enjoy one of the safest food supplies in the world, occasional outbreaks of infectious disease associated with eating are inevitable. Join us for a discussion of current research on E. coli O157 disease spread by fresh produce, why these outbreaks occur, and how our own personal food handling and purchasing habits can help minimize contact with infectious agents.

Jay Mellies, Ph.D, is an associate professor of biology at Reed College in Portland. He was an Alexander von Humboldt Fellow at the Max-Planck-Institute for Infectious Biology in Tuebingen, Germany, and a Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Maryland School of Medicine, and his current long-term research goal is to study the molecular mechanisms of how E. coli causes disease.