Wonderfest: Ask a Science Envoy: Rock Clocks & Supernovae

Venue

Hopmonk Tavern, Session Room

Address

224 Vintage Way, Novato, CA 94945

Date and Time

Wednesday, May 27, 2026, 07:00 PM - 08:30 PM

Price

Free

Host

Wonderfest

Performers

• Caroline Hasler (UC Berkeley geophysicist): Presenting on "Measuring Geologic Time with Rock Clocks," explaining how radioactive elements in microscopic rock crystals decay at predictable rates, acting as "rock clocks" to date major Earth events from its formation to the asteroid impact that killed the dinosaurs.
• Eli Wiston (UC Berkeley astronomer): Presenting on "Seeing Core-collapse Supernovae with Radio Telescopes," discussing how massive stars explode at the end of their lives and how observing these events with radio telescopes in invisible wavelengths can reveal new information about the stars' activity before death, their environments, and their remnants.

Activity Description

This event features Wonderfest Science Envoys, who are early-career researchers with strong communication skills. They will give short talks on modern science topics, followed by a Q&A session. The topics include using "rock clocks" to measure geologic time and observing core-collapse supernovae with radio telescopes.

Editorial Recommendation

BayAreaScience.org originally listed this event for May 27, then corrected it to May 26, and has now confirmed that the original May 27 date is correct.