Craig Nelson, Author "The Age of Radiance: The Epic Rise and the Dramatic Fall of the Atomic Era" With a biographer's penchant for detail, author Craig Nelson will chronicle the historical figures of the atomic age, including its "Forgotten Women." His lecture will keep visitors guessing at every turn. Nelson is the author of "The Age of Radiance: …

This is the Q&A portion of Craig Nelson's talk, "The Age of Radiance." With a biographer's penchant for detail, author Craig Nelson will chronicle the historical figures of the atomic age, including its "Forgotten Women." His lecture will keep visitors guessing at every turn. Nelson is the author of "The Age of Radiance: The Epic Rise and Dramatic …

Dr. Alison Barth Associate professor Carnegie Mellon University Department of Biological Science How do our experiences change us? How are memories stored and retrieved? Scientists believe the answers lie in how connections between neurons, called synapses, can be strengthened or weakened over time. The brain contains about 100 billion neurons and …

This is the Q&A portion of Dr. Barth's presentation. Dr. Alison Barth Associate professor Carnegie Mellon University Department of Biological Science How do our experiences change us? How are memories stored and retrieved? Scientists believe the answers lie in how connections between neurons, called synapses, can be strengthened or weakened over ti…

Matthew C. Lamanna, Ph.D. Assistant Curator Section of Vertebrate Paleontology Carnegie Museum of Natural History Birds are today's most diverse group of land-living backboned animals. They comprise more than 10,000 species. But their origins remain poorly understood. Lamanna's expeditions have unearthed dozens of exquisitely-preserved avian fossil…

This is the Q&A portion of Matthew Lamanna's talk, The Origin of Modern Birds. Matthew C. Lamanna, Ph.D. Assistant Curator Section of Vertebrate Paleontology Carnegie Museum of Natural History Birds are today's most diverse group of land-living backboned animals. They comprise more than 10,000 species. But their origins remain poorly understood. La…

Margee Kerr, "Scare-ologist" at ScareHouse Using her background in sociology, Margee Kerr will explain why we enjoy fear. She will focus on the biological, psychological, and sociological reasons we can, and do, enjoy thrilling and scary activities and material. From roller coasters and haunted attractions to scary movies and video games, her talk …

This is the Q&A portion of Margee Kerr's talk. Margee Kerr, "Scare-ologist" at ScareHouse Using her background in sociology, Margee Kerr will explain why we enjoy fear. She will focus on the biological, psychological, and sociological reasons we can, and do, enjoy thrilling and scary activities and material. From roller coasters and haunted attract…

In his first story, "Ouch! Let Me See Where It Hurts," Dr. Pollock will explore aspects of the basic biology of chronic pain and how in some cases, it arises from a dynamic interplay of the nervous system and the immune system. Along with his colleagues he has found that specially formulated nano-particles can be used to label immune cells that can…

In his first story, "Ouch! Let Me See Where It Hurts," Dr. Pollock will explore aspects of the basic biology of chronic pain and how in some cases, it arises from a dynamic interplay of the nervous system and the immune system. Along with his colleagues he has found that specially formulated nano-particles can be used to label immune cells that can…

Jake Marsico, Master of Tangible Interaction Design Candidate at Carnegie Mellon University steps in to answer the questions, what is computational design and what is the CoDe Lab? What do craft, tectonics, aesthetics, interaction, and architecture techniques that navigate between digital and analog have in common? SciTech Days are a special kind o…

Amidst great fanfare, three American racing airplanes were shipped to France to fly in the prestigious Gordon Bennett Race in the fall of 1920. None completed a single lap of the race. American aviation plunged to a nadir. The Pulitzer Trophy Air Races, endowed by his sons in memory of publisher Joseph Pulitzer, lifted American aviation to the top.…

This is the Q&A portion of the talk with Michael Gough. Amidst great fanfare, three American racing airplanes were shipped to France to fly in the prestigious Gordon Bennett Race in the fall of 1920. None completed a single lap of the race. American aviation plunged to a nadir. The Pulitzer Trophy Air Races, endowed by his sons in memory of publish…

Anca Dragan Carnegie Mellon Robotics Institute A unique aspect of the Quality of Life Technology Center (QoLT) Center is its strength in all the relevant disciplines, which include robotics, rehabilitation science, human computer interaction, geriatrics, social sciences, and health care policy. Through their people, QoLT is connected to some of the…

Eric J. Beckman Chemical Engineering Department University of Pittsburgh Many consumers would agree that using truly environmentally friendly products is a good thing. However, having to wade through a sea of less-than-accurate "green" advertising claims as well as the perception that greener products don't work as well or are more expensive than t…

This is the Q&A portion of the evening. *A correction from the Q&A: Zipcar's IPO was in April 2011. Zipcar common stock traded on NASDAQ under the ticker symbol "ZIP" until 14 March 2013, when Avis Budget Group acquired Zipcar for US$500 million in cash. Eric J. Beckman Chemical Engineering Department University of Pittsburgh Many consumers would a…

Explore digital dreaming with Matt Stewart, who earned his master's degree from Carnegie Mellon University's Entertainment Technology Center (ETC). Learn about a graduate program that combines technology and fine arts to creates new processes, tools, and vision for storytelling and entertainment. During this workshop, Stewart will share his experie…

This is the Q&A portion of the talk by Dr. Andrew Watson. Healthcare traces its roots back to around 400 BC and the era of Hippocrates, when doctors began realizing how face-to-face treatments could aid in healing. Through the evolution of healthcare we have gone from learning about basic circulation to the role of genetics. The march of time has s…

Healthcare traces its roots back to around 400 BC and the era of Hippocrates, when doctors began realizing how face-to-face treatments could aid in healing. Through the evolution of healthcare we have gone from learning about basic circulation to the role of genetics. The march of time has seen the advent of ever more complicated surgeries, organ t…

Illah Reza Nourbakhsh The ambition of modern robotics goes beyond copying humans, beyond the effort to make walking, talking androids that are indistinguishable from people. Future robots will have superhuman abilities in both the physical and digital realms. They will be embedded in our physical spaces, with the ability to go where we cannot, and …

Illah Reza Nourbakhsh This is the Q&A portion of Dr. Nourbakhsh's presentation on 'Robot Futures'. The ambition of modern robotics goes beyond copying humans, beyond the effort to make walking, talking androids that are indistinguishable from people. Future robots will have superhuman abilities in both the physical and digital realms. They will be …

Georgena Terry Founder, Terry Precision Bicycles for Women CEO, Heart of Steel Bicycles Have you ever ridden on a bike that just felt right – or that just felt wrong? At its heart, a bicycle frame is an exercise in trigonometry. As with dominoes, changing one element often has effects on the other elements. The body of the rider also has to fit int…

This is the Q&A portion of Georgena Terry's talk, "Bikes and Bodies" Have you ever ridden on a bike that just felt right – or that just felt wrong? At its heart, a bicycle frame is an exercise in trigonometry. As with dominoes, changing one element often has effects on the other elements. The body of the rider also has to fit into the equation. The…

"The Living Dead Brain: What human brains teach us about zombie minds" The realities of modern neuroscience once only existed in the imaginations of science fiction authors. Brain signals can control robotic arms or make music, viruses are being used to reprogram neurons to fire when exposed to light, and giant magnets are capable of visualizing ou…

This is the Q&A portion of Dr. Timothy Verstynen's talk, "The Living Dead Brain: What human brains teach us about zombie minds" The realities of modern neuroscience once only existed in the imaginations of science fiction authors. Brain signals can control robotic arms or make music, viruses are being used to reprogram neurons to fire when exposed …

This is the Question and Answer portion of our evening with Dr. Nathan Morehouse following his lecture "Flying Colors: Innovation and Evolution in Butterfly Coloration." Dr. Morehouse has been chasing colorful insects since the age of 3, but he began his formal training as a biologist at Cornell University, graduating with Distinction in Research i…

*Note: Due to a microphone malfunction, the first few minutes of the lecture were lost. We apologize for the inconveniance and less than ideal quality of what was able to be recorded. Butterfly colors have fascinated biologists and amateurs alike for thousands of years, but it’s only been in the past several decades that researchers have begun to u…

View the corresponding slide show here! Abstract: Improvements to the existing electric power grid infrastructure, whose design dates back nearly a century, have been identified as a key aspect of the current U.S. strategy to improve energy efficiency, grid reliability, and power security. In order to effectively and economically implement the nece…

Join the staff of Carnegie Science Center's Buhl Digital Dome for a lecture on Cosmology, the study of the structure and evolution of the universe. In this episode, join Robert Marshall to learn about the history of our ever evolving understanding of the universe, explore different techniques for getting around astronomy's problems, and take steps …

Join the staff of Carnegie Science Center's Buhl Digital Dome for a lecture on Cosmology, the study of the structure and evolution of the universe. In this episode, join Robert Marshall to learn about the history of our ever evolving understanding of the universe, explore different techniques for getting around astronomy's problems, and take steps …

Join the staff of Carnegie Science Center's Buhl Digital Dome for a lecture on Cosmology, the study of the structure and evolution of the universe. In this episode, join Robert Marshall to learn about the history of our ever evolving understanding of the universe, explore different techniques for getting around astronomy's problems, and take steps …

Join the staff of Carnegie Science Center's Buhl Digital Dome for a lecture on Cosmology, the study of the structure and evolution of the universe. In this episode, join Robert Marshall to learn about the history of our ever evolving understanding of the universe, explore different techniques for getting around astronomy's problems, and take steps …

Misha Angrist, PhD Assistant Professor of the Practice Duke University Institute for Genome Sciences & Policy Here is a Human Being: At the Dawn of Personal Genomics Misha Angrist knows the field of personal genomics well. In April 2007, he became the fourth subject in Harvard geneticist George Church's Personal Genome Project. In 2009, he was amon…

What Are Lichens and What Do They Say About Air Quality in Our Region? Join Matthew R. Opdyke, PhD, for a discussion of his recent research on the lichen community in southwestern Pennsylvania, which included surveys of Frick, Schenley, Mingo Creek parks, and Forbes State Forest. Opdyke's research explores lichens as air pollution indicators, as we…

Please download the corresponding PowerPoint Presentation here: https://docs.google.com/leaf?id=0B72jWNjNLuDcNDg1YmJiZWItNjgwZi00MzFmLTllMDQtNTRkZTVhOTMxOWRj&hl=en The Marcellus Shale represents one of the largest reservoirs of unconventional natural gas in the world. It holds the potential to provide a source of energy and jobs. Its extraction, ho…

John Radzilowicz Director of Science & Education Carnegie Science Center Dan Malerbo Planetarium Education Coordinator Carnegie Science Center Historic Open Forum on the Future of Space Exploration at NASA At the invitation of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Carnegie Science Center is holding this town hall meeting to gath…

John Radzilowicz Director of Science & Education Carnegie Science Center Dan Malerbo Planetarium Education Coordinator Carnegie Science Center Historic Open Forum on the Future of Space Exploration at NASA At the invitation of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Carnegie Science Center is holding this town hall meeting to gath…