News 22 April 2008: The ConocoPhillips Energy Prize is designed to recognize new ideas and original, actionable solutions that can help improve the way the United States develops and uses energy:
1. Developing new energy sources, including new ways to develop alternative energy.
2. Improving energy efficiency, such as new methods to significantly reduce the amount of energy consumed in the United States.
3. Combating climate change, including solutions that reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Participants have until May 30, 2008, to submit their entries. See the complete program rules and entry details. Come on, Café people, let's win that prize!
News 22 April 2008: If you (like half of Denver) were at the Café to hear Erica Ellingson talk about dark matter, you heard some comments frrom Martin Huber about crystal WIMP detectors deep underground that may ring in a special way when struck by a weakly-interacting massive particle. Here's the YouTube video of the CDMS group's (very silly) simulation. Any of it sound familiar?
News 2 April 2008: Do you want the presidential candidates to debate their views on contemporary science issues, from global warming to stem cell research? So do many major organizations including the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the National Academy of Sciences. You can join their discussion and sign a petition; click the logo: 
News 27 March 2008: Denver's fine newspaper,
Westword, selected our Café Sci as the
2008 Best Place to Get Your Geek On. Kind of a problem for those who never take their Geek off. This is the work of intrepid reporter Joel Warner, in whose lap you are invited to sit if you can't find a chair next time.
News 18 May 2007:
Dark matter visualized. The Hubble Space Telescope was used to study a pair of galaxy clusters that are colliding 5 billion light years from Earth. (To be accurate, they collided 5 billion years ago!) From the visible mass of stars and gas, the clusters should be flying apart, but they aren't. Why not--is there some mass there that can't be seen? The images of even more distant galaxies, seen through the colliding clusters, are distorted; the light from them is bent by mass it passes as it heads towards us. So the scientists mapped the degree of distortion, plotted it as a color gradient over the Hubble image of the galactic clusters, and saw a dark ring of otherwise invisible mass. This ring is almost surely
dark matter, and it's an incredible 2.5 million light years across.
Excellent images are available here.
More news items...
What is the Denver Café Scientifique?
The Café Scientifique idea started in England a few years ago, based on
the French Café Philosophique. In the Café Scientifique, people (often
science buffs) come together in a friendly pub after work and hear an informal
(no PowerPoint!) introduction to an interesting current scientific topic, led by an expert. We take a short break
for refreshments, to meet new people, and chat, and then we return for questions and answers and
general discussion. All questions and comments are welcome, as this isn't a seminar, it's a chance for all of
us to express an opinion, expert or otherwise.
Grady Booch, Chief Scientist at IBM, who spoke at the Café in 2004, wrote: "While I
typically speak only to fellow geeks, this was absolutely the most refreshing encounter I've had in a
very long time. It's wonderful to be among a group of such intelligent and diverse people who are
passionate about pursuing knowledge and understanding." Dennis Van Gerven said
of his talk: "I can honestly say I haven't had that much fun without losing
consciousness in years!" Gene Abrams, who had to be convinced that Security would protect him from the angry mob if he tried to talk about mathematics, wrote: " In what ranks as one of the most satisfying and rewarding opportunities of my career, I had the privilege to share what I do with a group of tavern-goers who were thirsting for more than just the local microbrew." Dr. Connie Price described her talk about antibiotic-resistant MRSA as "Probably one of the most fun things I've done in my career."
EVERYONE IS WELCOME!
We meet at the
Wynkoop Brewing Company. We start at 6:30 PM in
the large & comfortable first floor Mercantile Room and go to approximately 8:00 PM.
Because we
have been getting large crowds, it isn't practical to serve meals at the tables. We invite you to come
early and get dinner in the regular restaurant, or wait until we're through (about 8 PM) and eat then.
The Wynkoop's food is great! There is bar service throughout the session, and the Wynkoop people have
generously offered to provide snacks for our guests.
Café Scientifique meetings are FREE. The Wynkoop is generously providing
the facility; we buy our own food and drinks. Seating is limited, and the event is popular, so you may want
to arrive around 6 PM to be sure of getting a seat.
The Colorado Café Scientifique is organized by an informal group of
President's Teaching Scholars and other faculty from CU and other institutions up and down the Front Range, as well as students, science types from industry and government, and science buffs. We welcome your input, including ideas
for speakers and topics. Bring them with you to the next Café, or e-mail
them and any questions to John.Cohen@uchsc.edu.
This site was developed by Cheri Milliron. Colorado Café logo designed by Helen Macfarlane.
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