February 9, 2010 | 7:00 P.M.

Genetic engineering allows the delivery of genes into plants and results in the production of a number of initial genetically modified (GM) organisms with potentially useful new traits. These are screened rigorously in the lab and the field in order to select the most suitable crop.  Join Dr. Volker Mittendorf and Demetra Vlachos from Syngenta Biotechnology, Inc. as they discuss the regulatory criteria, breeding efforts, and role that biotechnology companies play in developing GM crops. 

Speakers: Dr. Volker Mittendorf and Demetra Vlachos

See previous Periodic Tables

Allen Wilcox, Uncovering the Mysteries of Human Fertility: On Sex, Fertile Days, and Why the Rabbit Dies, July 2009:

"The audience quickly got caught up in the topic, and they asked great questions. You’ve created a forum that truly bridges the gap between scientific research and the general public that makes research possible.  (And besides, how many times do I get to say to a packed house, “Oh, and by the way, the person holding my right ovary is my mom”!)"

Mohamed Noor, On the Origin of Species, Really, May 2009:

"I thoroughly enjoyed talking with folks at Periodic Tables- the house was packed, the audience was engaged, the food was great- an all around  great experience!  I was especially impressed at the incredible range of attendees, both in age (from school-kids on up) and in specialty/occupation.  And they all asked great questions, too.  What a great experience- thank you so much for having me."

Phillip Barron, Human Enhancement, December 2008:

"I just wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed last night's event. The audience was very engaging, and I was challenged by some of their questions. I will make it known in any future publication that I had such a great dialogue on these complicated issues with folks from the Periodic Tables event."

Steve Cummer, The Invisibility Cloak, October 2008:

"The experience was every bit as interesting as I'd hoped. Attendance was good and I got a lot of thoughtful, relevant questions from the audience. It's a great opportunity to connect with the public, and I'm glad I did it."

 

Periodic Tables is a monthly gathering where curious adults can meet in a casual setting to discuss the latest science in plain English. At Periodic Tables, you will chat with your neighbors and local experts about interesting and relevant science happenings right here in the Triangle and beyond. No lengthy PowerPoint presentations, no drawn-out seminars, no confusing jargon. Simply smart and relevant science in a relaxed atmosphere. Eating and drinking is encouraged, and there is no such thing as a stupid question.

Come out and join us on the second Tuesday of every month for a lively conversation at Broad Street Café. Come early to enjoy the fantastic appetizers, wood-fired pizza, burgers and salads that complement their 15 beers on tap and full liquor bar.

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Periodic Tables is based on the popular Science Café format. As explained by our good friends at WGBH in Boston, a science café's casual meeting place, plain language, and inclusive conversation create a welcoming and comfortable atmosphere for people with no science background.

Each event is organized around an interesting topic of conversation. A scientist gives a brief presentation and sometimes shows a short video clip to kick off the discussion. You can leave a café meeting when you want, but you'll miss out if you show up late.

There are many variations on the basic science café. One café might have a trivia quiz. One might include a panel of scientists. And yet another may include a storyteller. Topics range across all sciences, and some cafés even explore connections between science and other disciplines, like the arts.

Learn about the latest issues in science
Chat with a scientist in plain language
Meet new friends
Speak your mind
Talk with your mouth full

January 12, 2010

Spirits of the Night: Getting to Know an Ancient Relative

The Duke Lemur Center has had an active conservation program for 20 years with over 80% of their lemur colony involved in scientific research. Graduate students and research scientists are involved in projects studying feeding adaptations, vocalizations, reproductive behavior, vertical clinging and leaping, and vision acuity. Dr. Sarah Zehr from the Duke Lemur Center shared the creative and non-invasive ways data is collected on these endangered animals.

December 8, 2009 

Hide and Seek in the Open Sea: Vision and Camouflage in Marine Animals

Speaker: Dr. Sönke Johnsen, Associate Professor of Biology, Duke University

The open ocean, which comprises over 99.5% of the earth’s liveable space, is an exceptionally difficult place to hide. The background is featureless, predation is intense, and there is nothing to cower behind. Complete invisibility is usually the only successful strategy. Dr. Sönke Johnsen shared a colorful presentation on how animals in the open ocean have evolved a number of beautiful tricks that are absent or rare in other environments.

November 10, 2009

Masking the Swine Flu: A Textiles Approach

Speaker: Dr. Stephen Michielsen, Associate Professor in Textile Engineering, Chemistry and Science

Imagine a world in which germs are eliminated before infection occurs. Are smart wearable technologies the answer to preventing the spread of the swine flu? Dr. Stephen Michielsen from the College of Textiles at NC State talked about a mask he has created that, when exposed to light, kills viruses and bacteria.

View a Slidecast of this presentation here

October 13, 2009

Science on Tap: The Chemistry of Beer

Speakers:  Andy Miller, Triangle Brewing Company and Nate Cowles, Brew Master Store

This month we tapped into the science of brewing beer and discovered how a few simple ingredients (yeast, water, hops and grains) can make a variety of brews. We also discussed the importance of sterilization and the microbiology of yeast culturing.

September 8, 2009

The Science of Hurricanes

Speakers: Chris Hohmann, Chief Meteorologist, WTVD ABC11 and Dr. Ryan Boyles, Director and State Climatologist, State Climate Office of North Carolina

Should we be attempting to control the weather? Is there more to a hurricane than just destruction? Join us for a discussion with ABC's Chief Meteorologist, Chris Hohmann and Dr. Ryan Boyles from the State Climate Office to discuss the history of North Carolina hurricanes, what role they play in our ecosystem and whether or not hurricane intervention is a wise choice.

August 11, 2009

The Nuclear Renaissance

Speaker: Dr. David McNelis, Director of the Center for Sustainable Energy, Environment and Economic Development, UNC Institute for the Environment

July 14, 2009

Uncovering the Mysteries of Human Fertility: On Sex, Fertile Days, and Why the Rabbit Dies

Speaker: Allen Wilcox, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

Everyone knows where babies come from, but few people appreciate the extraordinary and in some cases completely weird processes that have to work right in order for a new life to form.

Dr. Wilcox discussed the key steps of human conception and early pregnancy including the window of days in which a woman can conceive, some of the factors that affect a couple's chances of conceiving, and the new options for infertile couples created by modern technology.

View a slidecast of this presentation here 

June 9, 2009

Bioremediation - Using Bacteria to Clean Up the Environment

Speaker: Pat Hicks, Wavefront Energy and Environmental Services

Would you believe that fungus and bacteria are naturally taking care of our world's contamination problem? Learn all about bioremediation with Pat Hicks of Wavefront Energy and Environmental Services.

May 12, 2009

On the Origin of Species, Really

Speaker: Mohamed Noor, Duke University

Hear Duke evolutionary biologist Mohamed Noor discuss the work that made him one of only a dozen scientists honored with the Darwin-Wallace Medal last year. This prize is given only once every fifty years to those twelve scientists who have done the most to advance Darwin's thinking.

Although Darwin's book title suggested that he provided us with insights on the origin of species, in fact, he only focused on the process of divergence within species and assumed the same process "eventually" led to something that could be called a new species.  

View a slidecast of this presentation here.

April 14, 2009

Waves of Ocean Literacy 

Speaker: Cynthia Cudaback, NC State University

If the Earth is a body, the ocean is its blood, circulating over most of the surface, moderating temperature and sustaining life. Cynthia Cudaback provides college and high school students with the tools they need to be informed stewards of the ocean, and its importance to the long-term sustainability of our planet. Her talk will focus on the success of marine education efforts, and opportunities for improvement.

March 10, 2009

Rekindling Wood Energy in America

Speaker: Dan Richter, Duke University

Most people agree that we need to switch from fossil fuels to renewable energy, but few agree on the best method. The rate and sustainability of this transition will be determined in the next few years. In Europe, the renewable energy “heavyweight” is widely recognized to be advanced wood combustion (AWC); in America, wood is not even mentioned in most discussions about renewables. Two decades of European experience with AWC demonstrate that wood is “shovel ready” to contribute to the renewable energy portfolio of the United States.

FEBRUARY 10, 2009

Transforming Learning Through Computational Thinking
Speaker: Bob Panoff, Shodor Foundation

Shodor is a Durham-based organization devoted to creating real world hands-on learning projects for students both in Durham and around the world. Bob will share his personal story as to why he left tenured academics and created Shodor and show you how he is helping to transform science and mathematics via the internet and network technologies sush as the National Science Digital Library.

January 13, 2009

Buzzed: Using Fruit Flies to Understand Alcohol Addiction

Speaker: Kapil Ramachandran, Duke Univ. Freshman

What is the alcohol tolerance of a fruit fly? How does a drunk fruit fly act? What does such an experiment look like? As a 16-year old, Kapil Ramachandran discovered that eliminating a specific protein in fruit flies stops them from building a tolerance to alcohol. Learn why this simple discovery won a national award, and what it could mean for our understanding and treatment of addiction.

DECEMBER 9, 2008

Human Enhancement Beyond Our Natural Abilities
Speaker: Phillip Barron, from Autonomy, Singularity, Creativity: The Human & the Humanities project

Ethical issues of performance enhancing drugs and sports equipment development. Why is a carbon fiber bike OK and a carbon fiber leg not OK?

NOVEMBER 11, 2008

Using Dino-Science to Find Extra-Terrestrials

Speaker: Dr. Mary Schweitzer

Did life never evolve on other planets? Did it evolve then go extinct? Or is it thriving now? Dr. Mary H. Schweitzer, Associate Professor of Paleontology at NC State, will share her expertise in the field of Astrobiology and explain how we can use the tools of molecular paleontology to detect biomarkers not only in fossils but also in extra-terrestrial samples.

OCTOBER 14, 2008

The Invisibility Cloak

Speaker: Dr. Steven Cummer

“We’ve devised a recipe for an acoustic material that would essentially open up a hole in space and make something inside that hole disappear from sound waves,” says Steven Cummer, a scientist at Duke’s Pratt School of Engineering. Such a cloak might hide submarines in the ocean from detection by sonar or improve the acoustics of a concert hall by effectively flattening a structural beam.