Morehead Planetarium and Science Center

Carolina Science Cafe | Bacteria Get Hangry Too
2023-06-06 18:00 - 19:00 (America/New_York) | Gizmo Brew Works, 157 E Franklin St #100, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27514, United States
Individual bacterial cells are miniscule, yet bacterial communities are responsible for activities that have major consequences for our planets, including causing infectious disease and carrying out major geochemical cycles. When considering the mechanisms by which such small cells carry out globally important functions it becomes clear that bacterial cells must work collectively to coordinate their activities and respond to their environment.

But how are such activities coordinated? Are there rules that determine how the community organizes and which activities different bacteria take? We will explore how bacterial communities are organized and what might be the benefits of having communities that are composed of many members that carry out unique roles.

This month we will be joined by Adam Rosenthal, an Assistant Professor in the UNC Medical School department of Microbiology and Immunology. Adam has been studying bacterial communities from backgrounds as diverse as the termite-gut and industrial fermenters. His newly established lab is trying to understand the extent and role of bacterial cell-to-cell differences during bacterial infection.

Designed for adults, this program explores science topics making national and international headlines and offers the chance to meet the experts behind the headlines. The Carolina Science Café will be hosted at Gizmo Brew Works on Tuesday, June 6th, starting at 6:00 p.m.

You do not need to register…just show up!

Skywatching: Views from The Durham
2023-07-10 20:00 - 23:00, 2023-07-24 20:00 - 23:00, 2023-09-25 20:00 - 23:00 | The Durham Hotel, 315 E. Chapel Hill St, Durham, North Carolina, 27701, United States
Join us on the roof of The Durham Hotel for a series of telescopic stargazing nights. Stop by for guided constellation tours and educational activities, all while enjoying music from DJ Mic Check. Music begins at 8:00 pm and stargazing begins at 9:00 pm. This skywatching event is free and open to the public. All ages are welcome.

Carolina Science Cafe | Artemis II: There and Back Again
2023-07-11 18:00 - 19:00 | Gizmo Brew Works, 157 E Franklin St #100, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27514, United States
Join Nick Eakes, NASA/JPL Solar System Ambassador and Astronomy Educator from Morehead Planetarium and Science Center, to discuss Artemis– NASA’s new lunar exploration program. For the first time in over 50 years, humanity is going to set foot on the Moon – sending the first woman and first person of color to the lunar surface.

Through the Artemis missions, NASA will implement new technology to study our closest neighbor in new and better ways, with the ultimate goal of preparing for future human missions to Mars. Nick will provide the history and context of the Artemis program as well as updates on where we are in the mission timeline.

Nick Eakes has been an informal science educator at the Morehead Planetarium and Science Center (MPSC) since 2008. Nick is a proud product of Chapel Hill Carrboro City Schools and went on to receive his BA in Psychology from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2012. Along with actively presenting astronomy programs in the planetarium, Nick designs curriculum, travels the state with the NC Science Festival, and is currently the coordinator of Morehead’s astronomy outreach programs – including the Mobile Planetarium and Skywatching.

Designed for adults, this program explores science topics making national and international headlines and offers the chance to meet the experts behind the headlines. The Carolina Science Café will be hosted at Gizmo Brew Works on Tuesday, July 11th, starting at 6:00 p.m.

You do not need to register…just show up!

Carolina Science Cafe | The Dark Side of the Universe
2023-08-01 18:00 - 19:00 | Gizmo Brew Works, 157 E Franklin St #100, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27514, United States
Join us on the first Tuesday of every month for Carolina Science Cafe, Morehead Planetarium and Science Center’s free, current science awareness program. For this month, we will be joined by Adrienne Erickcek to learn about dark energy and what that means for how our universe operates.

Designed for adults, this program explores the science topics making national and international headlines and offers the chance to meet the experts behind the headlines.

Observations of the oldest light in the Universe and other astronomical measurements indicate that only 5% of the current energy content of the Universe is made of elements found on the periodic table. The other 95% is composed of dark matter and dark energy: dark matter is responsible for the growth of galaxies, while dark energy shoves galaxies apart at an accelerating rate. I will discuss how we infer the existence of dark matter and dark energy and how we hope to learn more about these key drivers of cosmic evolution.

A simulated image of the first dark matter structures to form in the universe.

About the Speaker:

Adrienne Erickcek joined the UNC physics and astronomy department in 2013 after completing a joint postdoctoral fellowship at the Canadian Institute of Theoretical Astrophysics and the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics. She developed an interest in cosmology while an undergraduate student at Princeton University, and she went on to receive her Ph.D. in cosmology from Caltech. For the past several years, her research has focused on the first dark matter structures, and in 2018 she was awarded an NSF CAREER grant to investigate how to use dark matter to probe the evolution of the Universe during its first second.

Designed for adults, this program explores science topics making national and international headlines and offers the chance to meet the experts behind the headlines. The Carolina Science Café will be hosted at Gizmo Brew Works on Tuesday, August 1st, starting at 6:00 p.m.

You do not need to register…just show up!

[CANCELED] Skywatching: Views from The Durham
2023-08-28 20:00 - 23:00 | The Durham Hotel, 315 E. Chapel Hill St, Durham, North Carolina, 27701, United States
This event has been canceled due to weather.

Join us on the roof of The Durham Hotel for a series of telescopic stargazing nights. Stop by for guided constellation tours and educational activities, all while enjoying music from DJ Mic Check. Music begins at 8:00 pm and stargazing begins at 9:00 pm. This skywatching event is free and open to the public. All ages are welcome.

Carolina Science Cafe | Malaria in Africa: Ecology, Mitigation, and Challenges
2023-09-05 18:00 - 19:00 | Gizmo Brew Works, 157 E Franklin St #100, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27514, United States
Join us on the first Tuesday of every month for Carolina Science Cafe, Morehead Planetarium and Science Center’s free, current science awareness program. For this month, we will be joined by Dr. Michael Emch to explore spatial and timing patterns of malaria in the developing world.

Designed for adults, this program explores the science topics making national and international headlines and offers the chance to meet the experts behind the headlines.

You might have noticed the recent news that there have been several locally acquired cases of malaria in the United States in both Texas and Florida for the first time in 20 years. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, approximately 2,000 cases of mostly travel-related malaria were diagnosed in the United States each year. What does that mean for us here in North Carolina and the rest of the country more broadly? What is malaria and how is it transmitted? Learn more at our September Carolina Science Cafe to find out!

Half of the world’s population is at risk of malaria and there are almost 250 million cases globally and more than half a million deaths annually. More than 90% of the cases and deaths are in Africa, mostly in children. Malaria elimination is a goal with most countries attempting to become malaria-free within the next two decades. While there has been great progress in this fight, there have been recent setbacks. This discussion will describe malaria ecology, mitigation tools, and some of the challenges such as climate change.

Michael E. Emch, PhD, a health geographer, is a W.R. Kenan, Jr. Distinguished Professor of Geography and Epidemiology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He is also a Fellow of the Carolina Population Center. He has published widely in the subfield of disease ecology, mostly of infectious diseases of the developing world. He directs the Spatial Health Research Group. He is also a member of the UNC Infectious Diseases, Epidemiology, and Ecology Lab. Many of the courses he teaches are about spatial components of health and disease.

His present research includes an NIH-funded study to evaluate the effectiveness a malaria vaccine in Malawi, Ghana, and Gabon, an NSF-funded study on the landscape genetics of swine influenza, and an NSF-funded study on the relationships between household energy use for cooking and heating and respiratory infections in Southern Africa.

Designed for adults, this program explores science topics making national and international headlines and offers the chance to meet the experts behind the headlines. The Carolina Science Café will be hosted at Gizmo Brew Works on Tuesday, September 5th, starting at 6:00 p.m.

You do not need to register…just show up!

Teen Science Cafe | Science Trivia Night
2023-09-15 17:30 - 19:00 | Morehead Planetarium and Science Center, 250 E Franklin St, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27516, United States
Join us for our September Teen Science Cafe! 📚

Please join us at Morehead Planetarium on Friday, September 15th for a very exciting Teen Science Cafe! We will be joined by our 2023 – 2024 Teen Advisory Board for a fun-filled evening of science trivia jeopardy. The right doors up the big stairs will open at 5:30 for pizza and conversation. The cafe will start at 6:00 and wrap up around 7:00ish.As a preview of the topics we will cover this year, each category of the trivia will be an area of science that we will be discussing during this school year. From astronomy to zoology and everything in between, there is something for everyone!

About our presenters:Morehead’s Teen Advisory Board is a group of local high school students who set the agenda, tone, and structure of the Teen Science Cafe program. As a way to get to know everyone, they are excited to put together an exciting evening of team-building fun to kick off the school year.

Program Schedule

5:30 pm – Arrive and check in. We will gather inside the west, main entrance of Morehead.

5:30 pm – 6:00 pm: Pizza social. Pizza social will take place in our classrooms, located on the 2nd floor.

6:00 pm – 7:00 pm: Discussion & activities. Presentations will take place at the Science LIVE! Stage.

*Please Note: Depending on scheduled activities, the program may end between 7:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

Preparing for Tomorrow’s Pandemics Today | Carolina Science Cafe
2023-10-03 18:00 - 19:00 | Haw River Tap & Table, 300 E Main St C, Carrboro, NC, 27510, United States
About the Program:

Join us on the first Tuesday of every month for Carolina Science Cafe, Morehead Planetarium and Science Center’s free, current science awareness program. For this month, we will be joined by Dr. Timothy Sheahan to explore preparing for tomorrow’s pandemics today with broad-spectrum antivirals.

Designed for adults, this program explores the science topics making national and international headlines and offers the chance to meet the experts behind the headlines. Please note the Carolina Science Cafe will be moving to a new location at Haw River Tap & Table in Carrboro for the foreseeable future.

Being a virologist is a lot like being a detective. Constantly problem solving and trying to stay one step ahead of the next villain. Viruses are found all over the world and they affect everyone everywhere they go. We never know when or what virus will emerge next, but Dr. Tim and his team will be ready for the challenge.

During this cafe we will discuss questions like:

What is a virus and how do we get sick?

How and why antiviral drugs are made?

How long is the drug development process?

How do we learn about viruses that we have not even found yet?

What can we do to prepare for tomorrow’s pandemics today? Broad-spectrum medical countermeasures that are effective against all the Coronaviruses known today will likely work against future emerging Coronaviruses. Thus, the development of broadly acting medical counter measures is key to our future pandemic preparedness.

About the Speaker:

Dr. Sheahan is an NIH funded virologist working at the host pathogen interface to develop new methods of viral control. After receiving his bachelor’s degree in Microbiology from the University of New Hampshire in 1999, he moved to Boston to try to make a career in punk rock music but soon realized that he enjoyed pipetting more than playing guitar. In 2003, he began his graduate training at UNC Chapel Hill with Dr. Ralph Baric focusing coronavirus (CoV) spillover and the design broadly acting vaccines and therapies. After postdoctoral studies on hepatitis C virus (HCV) in the laboratory of 2020 Nobel Laureate Dr. Charles M. Rice at the Rockefeller University, he became an Investigator at GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) working to develop host targeting antivirals to treat acute respiratory infections. Tim became an Assistant Professor in the Department of Epidemiology in the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health in 2015.

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Sheahan and colleagues generated preclinical proof-of-principle data that remdesivir and molnupiravir were broadly active against the CoV family suggesting these antivirals could be employed to treat future emerging CoV. This work helped accelerate the clinical testing of these antivirals in early 2020. Sheahan is currently working to develop broad-spectrum inhibitors of emerging CoV and is also developing mouse models of chronic hepacivirus infection within which to study the effect of antiviral therapy on the development of liver disease and cancer.

Sheahan has been active in communicating the importance of antivirals during the pandemic on television and print media including a feature in GQ Magazine. Three new human CoV have emerged in the past 20 years. Thus, the development of broadly acting therapies for CoV will remain of focus of Dr. Sheahan’s research to be better prepared for tomorrow’s pandemics, today.

Designed for adults, this program explores science topics making national and international headlines and offers the chance to meet the experts behind the headlines. The Carolina Science Café will be hosted at Haw River Tab & Table in Carrboro on Tuesday, October 3rd, starting at 6:00 p.m. with light appetizers available for all attendees.

Carolina Science Cafe is produced by Morehead Planetarium and Science Center and sponsored by the UNC Chapter of Sigma Xi.

You do not need to register…just show up!

Skywatching: Views from The Durham
2023-10-16 18:30 - 21:30 | The Durham Hotel, 315 E. Chapel Hill St, Durham, North Carolina, 27701, United States
Join us on the roof of The Durham Hotel for a series of telescopic stargazing nights. Stop by for guided constellation tours and educational activities, all while enjoying music from DJ Mic Check. Music begins at 6:30 pm and stargazing begins at 7:30 pm. This skywatching event is free and open to the public. All ages are welcome.

October Teen Science Cafe | Exploring the Future of Moon Travel
2023-10-20 17:30 - 19:00 | Morehead Planetarium Fulldome Theater, 250 E Franklin St, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27514, United States
Join us for our October Teen Science Cafe!

Please join us at Morehead Planetarium on Friday, October 20th for a very exciting Teen Science Cafe! We will be exploring astronomy and future of future of space travel to and from the moon with Morehead Planetarium’s Full Dome Show “Forward! To the Moon.” The right doors up the big stairs will open at 5:30 for pizza and conversation. The cafe will start at 6:00 and wrap up around 7:00.

Learn about NASA’s Artemis program and plans for the next trip to the Moon.

Kari Byron from Crash Test World and MythBusters launches us on a journey beyond the Earth towards a sustainable future in space. NASA’s 21st century Artemis program, named after the Greek moon Goddess and twin of Apollo, is the next step in our mission to explore the universe and land the first woman and person of color on the surface of the Moon.

Produced by Fiske Planetarium in collaboration with TEND Studio with funding from NASA SSERVI and Lockheed Martin.

Program Schedule

5:30 pm – Arrive and check in. We will gather inside the west, main entrance of Morehead.

5:30 pm – 6:00 pm: Pizza social. Pizza social will take place in our classrooms, located on the 2nd floor.

6:00 pm – 7:00 pm: Discussion & activities. Presentations will take place at the Full Dome Theater.

*Please Note: Depending on scheduled activities, the program may end between 7:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

Carolina Science Cafe | Why do men die 10 years before women?
2023-11-07 18:00 - 19:00 | Haw River Tap & Table, 300 E Main St C, Carrboro, NC, 27510, United States
Join us on the first Tuesday of every month for Carolina Science Cafe, Morehead Planetarium and Science Center’s free, current science awareness program. For this month, we will be joined by Dr. Marc Rogers to explore the stigma of men’s health during Movember to raise awareness for men’s health – specifically prostate cancer, testicular cancer, mental health and suicide prevention.

Designed for adults, this program explores the science topics making national and international headlines and offers the chance to meet the experts behind the headlines. Please note the Carolina Science Cafe has moved to a new location at Haw River Tap & Table in Carrboro.

Men on average die around 10 years younger compared to their female counterparts. In an effort to close this gap, we will discuss maintaining a man’s health as they age starting from their early 20s into late into their retirement years. Routine screenings for prostate cancer, elevated cholesterol, diabetes, elevated blood pressure, colon cancer and testicular cancer will be discussed along with more in depth information about erectile function, low testosterone, penile curvature (Peyronie’s disease), and male fertility concerns to help maintain quality of life.

About the Speaker:

Marc J. Rogers, M.D. is an associate professor in the Department of Urology at the University of North Carolina (UNC) Healthcare in Chapel Hill, NC. He graduated with his Doctor of Medicine from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. He completed his urology residency at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He received his fellowship training in male infertility and sexual medicine at the University of Washington Medical Center in Seattle, Washington. Dr. Rogers is a member of the American Urological Association, Sexual Medicine Society of North America, the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, and the Society for the Study of Male Reproduction.

Dr Rogers’ clinical interests include male infertility, vasectomy reversals, treatment of erectile dysfunction, Peyronie’s disease, including complex reconstruction techniques, hypogonadism, and male urinary incontinence. He is the author of multiple peer-reviewed articles and review articles and has presented research at national and international meetings. He is interested in promoting resident education and promoting an improved awareness of men’s health in the community.

Designed for adults, this program explores science topics making national and international headlines and offers the chance to meet the experts behind the headlines. The Carolina Science Café will be hosted at Haw River Tab & Table in Carrboro on Tuesday, November 7th, starting at 6:00 p.m. with light appetizers available for all attendees.

Carolina Science Cafe is produced by Morehead Planetarium and Science Center and sponsored by the UNC Chapter of Sigma Xi.

You do not need to register…just show up!

Teen Science Cafe | Does warmer mean hungrier?
2023-11-17 17:30 - 19:00 | Morehead Planetarium and Science Center Science Stage, 250 E Franklin St, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27514, United States
Join us for our November Teen Science Cafe!

Please join us at Morehead Planetarium on Friday, November 17th for a very exciting Teen Science Cafe! We will be joined by Esteban Agudo, a marine ecologist interested in how environmental characteristics (i.e. temperature, structural complexity) affect marine communities in a time of global change. Our guiding question will be “How is climate change affecting predation in marine communities?”

The western doors up the big stairs will open at 5:30 for pizza and conversation. The cafe will start at 6:00 and wrap up around 7:00.

Temperature affects every aspect of the biology of ectotherms (cold blooded animals). Through my research I study the effects of temperature changes on predation rates (e.g., how much an organism eats) of marine organisms including whelks, starfish, and reef fishes in the Galapagos Archipelago. As climate change is causing the ocean to get warmer, we need to know how temperature affects the interactions between species to better predict the future of marine communities.

About Esteban:

I was born in Caracas, Venezuela. While I was an undergrad majoring in Biology, I learned to scuba dive and found I could combine my passion for science and my passion for the ocean into a career. After finishing my undergrad, I went into graduate school and did my master also in my home country, studying the importance of corals as provider of shelter for reef fishes. Afterward I worked as lab manager in the same lab for a couple of years, where I spend most of my time traveling across the Venezuelan coast and islands studying the health status of coral reefs and helping students to develop their own projects. In 2019 I moved to North Carolina to start my PhD at UNC in the Bruno Lab where I had been studying the effect of temperature on interactions between species on reefs in the Galapagos.

Program Schedule

5:30 pm – Arrive and check in. We will gather inside the west, main entrance of Morehead.

5:30 pm – 6:00 pm: Pizza social. Pizza social will take place in our classrooms, located on the 2nd floor.

6:00 pm – 7:00 pm: Discussion & activities. Presentations will take place at the Full Dome Theater.

*Please Note: Depending on scheduled activities, the program may end between 7:00 p.m. and 7:15 p.m.

Carolina Science Cafe | New Frontiers in Hydrology
2023-12-05 18:00 - 19:00 | Haw River Tap & Table, 300 E Main St C, Carrboro, NC, 27510, United States
NASA’s Surface Water and Ocean Topography Mission: A New Eye in the Sky for Earth’s Water

Join us on the first Tuesday of every month for Carolina Science Cafe, Morehead Planetarium and Science Center’s free, current science awareness program. For this month, we will be joined by Dr. Tamlin Pavelsky to discuss how his team is verifying data from a new NASA’s SWOT mission that is recording the first global survey of Earth’s water cycle with unprecedented accuracy.

Please note the Carolina Science Cafe will be moving to a new location at Haw River Tap & Table in Carrboro for the foreseeable future.

In December 2022, NASA and its international partners launched the Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) mission, a new satellite that uses radar to measure Earth’s rivers, lakes, and oceans. SWOT’s groundbreaking technology allows us to measure ocean currents, observe floods, and monitor water resources in ways that were previously impossible. In this talk, we will explore some of the first results from SWOT and what they might mean for our understanding of water on our planet.

Designed for adults, this program explores science topics making national and international headlines and offers the chance to meet the experts behind the headlines. The Carolina Science Café will be hosted at Haw River Tab & Table in Carrboro on Tuesday, December 5th, starting at 6:00 p.m. with light appetizers available for all attendees.

About Tamlin:

Tamlin Pavelsky is a professor of global hydrology in the Earth, Marine and Environmental Sciences Department at the University of North Carolina. He is also NASA’s Hydrology Science Lead for the recently launched SWOT satellite mission. Tamlin earned his BA in Geography from Middlebury College and a master’s and PhD, also in Geography, from UCLA. He uses satellite imagery, field measurements, and other tools to study the world’s rivers and lakes. Tamlin grew up outside of Fairbanks, Alaska in wood-heated cabins with no electricity or running water.

Carolina Science Cafe is produced by Morehead Planetarium and Science Center and sponsored by the UNC Chapter of Sigma Xi.

You do not need to register…just show up!

Noche de Estrellas | Stargazing Night at Peach Road
2023-12-08 18:00 - 20:00 | Peach Road Cultural Center, 911 Ileagnes Rd, Raleigh, North Carolina, 27603, United States
El viernes 8 de diciembre te invitamos a explorar el cielo nocturno con Noche de Estrellas, en colaboración con el Consulado de México en Raleigh, Morehead Planetarium Science Center, Red Global MX, Sigma XI, el Ayuntamiento de Raleigh, el Club de Astronomía de Raleigh y el Museo de Ciencias Naturales de Carolina del Norte.

Esta noche contará con recorridos estelares con expertos bilingües en astronomía, además de chocolate caliente y actividades científicas en el interior para niños. Tenga en cuenta que este evento gratuito depende del clima y podría estar sujeto a cancelación.

Friday, December 8, we invite you to explore the night sky with Noche de Estrellas, in collaboration with the Mexican Consulate in Raleigh, Morehead Planetarium Science Center, Red Global MX, Sigma XI, Raleigh City Hall, Raleigh Astronomy Club, and the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences.

This night will feature Star Tours with bilingual astronomy experts, as well as hot cocoa and indoor science activities for kids. Please note that this free event is weather-dependent and could be subject to cancellation.

Skywatching at Little River Regional Park
2023-12-13 20:00 - 22:00 | Little River Regional Park, 301 Little River Park Way, Rougemont, North Carolina, 27572, United States
Join us from 8 to 10 p.m. at Little River Regional Park on December 13! With the guidance of a Morehead educator and members of Chapel Hill Astronomy and Observing Society (CHAOS), you’ll have the chance to view the sky via telescope, engage in hands-on astronomy activities, and take a laser-guided “star tour” of the night sky. There may also be an opportunity to see meteors from the Geminid meteor shower.

When joining us at this free event, we ask that you leave pets at home and, if you plan to hang out, bring chairs or blankets. Please note that weather can affect this event. Stay up-to-date via social media.

Find additional resources and FAQs on our Stargazing page.

Genetics & Microbiology | December Teen Science Cafe
2023-12-15 17:30 - 19:00 | Morehead Planetarium and Science Center Science Stage, 250 E Franklin St, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27514, United States
Please join us at Morehead Planetarium on Friday, December 15th for a very exciting Teen Science Cafe! We will be joined by Dr. Jack Keene, who has a long-term interest in the structure and function of viral and mammalian genomes. Having determined the first genomic sequences for rabies, Ebola, Marburg and vesicular stomatitis virus, and discerned the origins of defective interfering viruses, interests shifted to the cloning of six human genes involved in autoimmune reactivity. During this event we will be exploring studies with viruses, autoimmunity, and regulation of mRNAs.

The western doors up the big stairs will open at 5:30 for pizza and conversation. The cafe will start at 6:00 and wrap up around 7:00.

About Dr. Keene

Jack D. Keene is a James B. Duke Professor of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology at Duke University where he studies the regulation of RNA and the mechanisms of RNA-protein interactions. His work includes many accolades isolating the first human autoimmune antigen.

Jack’s father was a schoolteacher in mathematics who was one of the first to use computers for the military. His family moved to 10 different locations where he worked for the Air Force to set up computers. Thus, Jack became a scientist at 9 years old because he got to see so many interesting things with his father. Biology became his love at the University of California and University of Washington and trained at the NIH for 4 years and then became a faculty member of Duke University in 1979.

Program Schedule

5:30 pm – Arrive and check in. We will gather inside the west, main entrance of Morehead.

5:30 pm – 6:00 pm: Pizza social. Pizza social will take place in our classrooms, located on the 2nd floor.

6:00 pm – 7:00 pm: Discussion & activities. Presentations will take place at the Science Stage located on the 1st floor.

*Please Note: Depending on scheduled activities, the program may end between 7:00 p.m. and 7:15 p.m.

Quantum Computing in Your Future | Carolina Science Cafe
2024-01-16 18:00 - 19:00 | Haw River Tap & Table, 300 E Main St C, Carrboro, NC, 27510, United States
Join us for our next instalment of the Carolina Science Cafe, Morehead Planetarium and Science Center’s free, current science awareness program. For this month, we will be joined by Dr. Dan Stancil from NC State to discuss the future of quantum computing. This event has been rescheduled due to previous inclement weather and will now take place on Tuesday, January 16th.

Please note the Carolina Science Cafe has moved to Haw River Tap & Table in Carrboro next to Cat’s Cradle.

Refrigeration coils keep the quantum computer at sub zero temperatures. IBM Q Dilution Refrigerator (Credit: Graham Carlow)

Quantum Computing is an approach that uses the unusual quantum mechanical properties of the microscopic world to potentially solve computational problems that have never before been feasible, and to significantly accelerate others.

The talk will include an introduction to quantum computing, global trends and an anticipated technology timeline, and an overview of some promising application areas. An overview will also be given of the IBM Quantum Innovation Center at NC State and its activities.

Designed for adults, this program explores science topics making national and international headlines and offers the chance to meet the experts behind the headlines. The Carolina Science Café will be hosted at Haw River Tab & Table in Carrboro on Tuesday, January 16th, starting at 6:00 p.m. with light appetizers available for all attendees.

About Dan:

Daniel D. Stancil is the Alcoa Distinguished Professor and Executive Director of the IBM Quantum Innovation Center at NC State. His early interest in radios and electronics launched an engineering career that has been–and continues to be–fun and rewarding. Along the way he picked up engineering degrees from Tennessee Tech (B.S.E.E.) and MIT (M.S., E.E. and Ph.D.). He has spent many years as a professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at both Carnegie Mellon University and NC State. He was Head of the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department at North Carolina State University from 2009-2023.

Carolina Science Cafe is produced by Morehead Planetarium and Science Center and sponsored by the UNC Chapter of Sigma Xi.

You do not need to register…just show up!

Teen Science Cafe | Water Quality
2024-01-19 17:30 - 19:00 | Morehead Planetarium and Science Center Science Stage, 250 E Franklin St, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27514, United States
Protecting underserved populations from lead and toxic metals in drinking-water.

Please join us at Morehead Planetarium on Friday, January 19th for a very exciting Teen Science Cafe! For this month we will be joined by Dr. Michael Fisher from the UNC Water Institute to dive into the topic of water quality and community science.

The western doors up the big stairs will open at 5:30 for pizza and conversation. The cafe will start at 6:00 and wrap up around 7:00.

Lead is a potent neurotoxin that harms human health with disproportionate impacts on infants, developing fetuses, and vulnerable populations. As lead in gasoline, paint, and food has been progressively brought under greater control in recent decades, water remains an increasingly important exposure route.

This route is particularly important in private wells in the US, as well as in a variety of water system types in many low- and middle-income country settings worldwide. Recent work by researchers at UNC and their collaborators seeks to generate evidence to inform progress on lead-free drinking water in the US and worldwide, in alignment with 2030 sustainable development goals.

Meet Our Speaker

Dr. Fisher develops, evaluates, and applies technologies and methods for addressing under-recognized health concerns in water and sanitation, both in the US and internationally. This work focuses on three areas: 1) monitoring and evaluation of water and sanitation processes, infrastructure, and service delivery; 2) improving water and wastewater treatment; and 3) applications of implementation science and quality improvement methods to improving the performance of water and sanitation systems.

Program Schedule

5:30 pm – Arrive and check in. We will gather inside the west, main entrance of Morehead.

5:30 pm – 6:00 pm: Pizza social. Pizza social will take place in our classrooms, located on the 2nd floor.

6:00 pm – 7:00 pm: Discussion & activities. Presentations will take place at the Science Stage located on the 1st floor.

*Please Note: Depending on scheduled activities, the program may end between 7:00 p.m. and 7:15 p.m.

PFAS in North Carolina Drinking Water | Carolina Science Cafe
2024-02-06 18:00 - 19:00 | Haw River Tap & Table, 300 E Main St C, Carrboro, NC, 27510, United States
Community impacts and interventions to reduce human exposure.

Join us for our next instalment of the Carolina Science Cafe, Morehead Planetarium and Science Center’s free, current science awareness program. For February, we will be joined by Dr. Detlef Knappe from NC State to discuss Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in North Carolina drinking water.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a class of synthetic organic chemicals that are widely used in industry and in consumer products. Many PFAS are persistent, bioaccumulative, mobile, and toxic, and PFAS occur widely in drinking water. The talk will include an overview of (1) PFAS occurrence in NC drinking water, (2) efforts to eliminate sources of PFAS pollution, and (3) interventions to reduce human exposure to PFAS.

Designed for adults, this program explores science topics making national and international headlines and offers the chance to meet the experts behind the headlines. The Carolina Science Café will be hosted at Haw River Tab & Table in Carrboro on Tuesday, February 6th, starting at 6:00 p.m. with light appetizers available for all attendees.

About Detlef

Detlef Knappe is the S. James Ellen Distinguished Professor of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering at NC State University. In 1985, he moved from a small Black Forest town in Germany to a small prairie town in Illinois, where he began his undergraduate studies. In 1996, he received his PhD degree in Environmental Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and joined the faculty at North Carolina State University. Detlef’s research interests broadly encompass drinking water quality and treatment with the goal of reducing human exposure to organic contaminants.

He is the Deputy Director of NC State’s Center for Environmental and Health Effects of PFAS, and he serves on the North Carolina Secretaries’ Science Advisory Board (jointly convened by the NC Departments of Environmental Quality and Health and Human Services). Apart from his passion for clean drinking water, Detlef enjoys kayaking, gardening, and brewing beer in his somewhat limited spare time.

Carolina Science Cafe is produced by Morehead Planetarium and Science Center and sponsored by the UNC Chapter of Sigma Xi.

You do not need to register…just show up!

Resource Links

CompTox Chemicals Dashboard (epa.gov)

Home – SixClasses.org

PFAS-Free Products – PFAS Central

Contact Email: knappe@ncsu.edu

Teen Science Cafe | State of Our Climate
2024-02-16 17:30 - 19:00 | Morehead Planetarium and Science Center Science Stage, 250 E Franklin St, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27514, United States
Please join us at Morehead Planetarium on Friday, February 16th for a very exciting Teen Science Cafe! For this month we will be joined by North Carolina’s State Climatologist, Dr. Kathie Dello to hear about climate and weather trend in North Carolina.

The western doors up the big stairs will open at 5:30 for pizza and conversation. The cafe will start at 6:00 and wrap up around 7:00.

Join State Climatologist Kathie Dello for an overview of the past year in North Carolina’s weather and climate, including major events and impacts to agriculture and other sectors. This program webinar will include historical and future perspectives about our recent climate conditions and an opportunity for Q&A with the State Climate Office.

About Dr. Dello

Kathie Dello is the state climatologist of North Carolina and the director of the North Carolina State Climate Office. She is the 5th permanent director and first woman to hold this position at the NCSCO in the office’s history. Kathie also serves as the co-director of the NOAA Regional Integrated Sciences and Assessment (RISA) for the Carolinas, the Carolinas Collaborative on Climate, Health, and Equity (C3HE).

Program Schedule

5:30 pm – Arrive and check in. We will gather inside the west, main entrance of Morehead.

5:30 pm – 6:00 pm: Pizza social. Pizza social will take place in our classrooms, located on the 2nd floor.

6:00 pm – 7:00 pm: Discussion & activities. Presentations will take place at the Science Stage located on the 1st floor.

*Please Note: Depending on scheduled activities, the program may end between 7:00 p.m. and 7:15 p.m.

Directives from the Deep Sea | Carolina Science Cafe
2024-03-05 18:00 - 19:00 | Haw River Tap & Table, 300 E Main St C, Carrboro, NC, 27510, United States
Join us for our next installment of the Carolina Science Cafe, Morehead Planetarium and Science Center’s free, current science awareness program. For the March cafe, we will be joined by professional science communicator Marley Parker to learn what life is like during a deep-sea ocean expedition.

How do benthic organisms impact our daily lives? Why (and how) should we invest resources to explore the seafloor? Are submersibles safe? In this talk, Marley Parker will discuss these questions, and share photos, videos, and stories from several of her deep sea research expeditions.

Designed for adults, this program explores science topics making national and international headlines and offers the chance to meet the experts behind the headlines. The Carolina Science Café will be hosted at Haw River Tab & Table in Carrboro on Tuesday, March 5th, starting at 6:00 p.m. with light appetizers available for all attendees.

Meet the Speaker

Marley Parker has spent the past decade working as a professional science communicator. At the beginning of 2018, she left her full-time position at UNC Research to start her own business as a freelance photographer, videographer, and science writer. In the past six years, Marley has specialized in documenting deep sea research. She has joined over 20 expeditions on various research vessels in the Pacific, the North Atlantic, the Caribbean, and the Antarctic Peninsula.

Carolina Science Cafe is produced by Morehead Planetarium and Science Center and sponsored by the UNC Chapter of Sigma Xi.

You do not need to register…just show up!

Teen Science Cafe | Next-generation Leaders in Science and Technology
2024-03-15 17:30 - 19:00 | Morehead Planetarium Fulldome Theater, 250 E Franklin St, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27514, United States
Please join us at Morehead Planetarium on Friday, March 15th for a very exciting and very special Teen Science Cafe! For this month we will be joined by a delegation of high school students from Japan as a part of Nagoya University MIRAI Global Science Campus program. This program is designed to develop students into truly creative researchers who will be future leaders in science and technology. Under this program, the University will recruit students with creativity and imagination who dream of winning a Nobel Prize (in Physics, Chemistry or Physiology/Medicine), and students who are highly willing and motivated to become future leaders on the world stage.

We will have an exciting poster session for many of the students during the pizza social session from 5:30 – 6:00 and several more will be giving short presentations on their research projects as a part of the normal presentation time from 6:00 – 7:00. No registration required to attend but expect a higher attendance than usual.

Below is the list of research projects that will be shared by the visiting students:

Effect of Ag addition on the hydrogen permeation through Pd-based membranes: An experimental and computational study

Fabrication of Silicon-Germanium (SiGe) graded layer for ultra high efficient multi-junction solar cells

Thermomagnetic Effects in Co/CoGe Multilayers for Novel Thermoelectric Conversion Device Applications

Proposal for Improving Public Transportation in Rural Areas Using Person Trajectory Data and Questionnaire Survey

X-ray Observation Data Reveals Mysteries of Stars and Clusters of Galaxies

The research on the influence of polyphenols in the fibril growth of Amyloid Beta

An attempt to elucidate and predict the onset of solar flares based on three-dimensional analyses of solar magnetic field

Production of oils from various sugars using budding yeast

Differential damage response using nerve injury-induced gene-deficient mice

Exploring Bystander Effect in Pancreatic Cancer: Development of a Novel Treatment Strategy

Global Science Campus is a program organized by the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) to develop next-generation leaders in science and technology. Under this program, for developing outstanding human resources who will be able to play active roles in the world, universities recruit and screen local high school students with excellent motivation and capabilities, as well as develop and implement sophisticated science programs, which include international activities, for the students.

Program Schedule

5:30 pm – Arrive and check in. We will gather inside the west, main entrance of Morehead.

5:30 pm – 6:00 pm: Poster Session & Pizza Social. Pizza social will take place in our classrooms, located on the 2nd floor.

6:00 pm – 7:00 pm: Presentation & Discussion. Presentations will take place at the Full Dome Theater located in the Breakthrough Hub.

*Please Note: Depending on scheduled activities, the program may end between 7:00 p.m. and 7:15 p.m.

Carolina Science Cafe | Life under a Solar Eclipse
2024-04-02 18:00 - 19:00 | Haw River Tap & Table, 300 E Main St C, Carrboro, NC, 27510, United States
Extraordinary Darkness: How Animals Respond to Solar Eclipses

Join us for our next installment of the Carolina Science Cafe, Morehead Planetarium and Science Center’s free, current science awareness program. For the April cafe, we will welcome Dr. Lisa Paciulli and Dr. Adam Hartstone-Rose from NC State University to discuss wildlife under a solar eclipse. This event is a part of the North Carolina Science Festival, a statewide, month-long celebration of science.

Until the “Great American Eclipse” of 2017, the only broad study of animal behavior during a solar eclipse was conducted during an eclipse that passed through New England in 1932 – all other descriptions were fairly anecdotal, and many were contradictory. In 2017, Dr. Hartstone-Rose’s lab did a study of how 17 species of animals at a zoo on the path of totality reacted to this phenomenon, and the results were amazing! Come learn about which animals reacted to the eclipse, how they reacted, and what their plans are for the eclipse happening on April 8th – including how you can contribute to the research!

Designed for adults, this program explores science topics making national and international headlines and offers the chance to meet the experts behind the headlines. The Carolina Science Café is hosted at Haw River Tab & Table in Carrboro on Tuesday, April 2nd, starting at 6:00 p.m. with light appetizers available for all attendees.

About The Lab

The Hartstone-Rose Lab studies functional morphology and comparative anatomy in vertebrates. They examine the relationship between anatomical form and behavioral functions through studies of animal behavior, soft-tissue muscle dissections and analysis, and morphological analysis of the craniodental anatomy of both extant and extinct species. Beyond their morphological research, they have several funded projects aimed at broadening participation in STEM.

Learn More: Dr. Hartstone-Rose Research Lab (google.com)

Carolina Science Cafe is produced by Morehead Planetarium and Science Center and sponsored by the UNC Chapter of Sigma Xi.

You do not need to register…just show up!

UNC Science Expo
2024-04-06 11:00 - 16:00 | Morehead Planetarium and Science Center, 250 E Franklin St, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27516, United States
One of the largest celebrations of science in North Carolina returns on April 6!

As a signature event of the North Carolina Science Festival, the UNC Science Expo features over 100 booths, hands-on activities, games, science demonstrations, food trucks, and behind-the-scenes lab tours.

At this year’s Expo, Morehead Planetarium and Science Center will also celebrate its 75th anniversary by bringing more excitement, including discounts from Franklin St. businesses, stage performances, prizes, and more. Come celebrate all the hard work and research of UNC scientists right here on campus!

More about the Expo

Teen Science Cafe | Evolution of Animal Behavior
2024-04-19 17:30 - 19:00 | Morehead Planetarium and Science Center Science Stage, 250 E Franklin St, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27514, United States
Feisty females: hyenas and lemurs and meerkats, oh my!

Please join us at Morehead Planetarium on Friday, April 19th for a very exciting Teen Science Cafe! For this month we will be joined by Duke University professor Dr. Christine Drea to explore species where females display physical and behavioral traits that are usually associated with males.

Dr. Drea will talk about a few special primate and carnivore species, in which all female members display physical and behavioral traits that are typically associated with males. Despite the species’ very different lifestyles, they share the same unusual suite of behavioral traits – including more rough-and-tumble play, scent marking, and aggression than males – that ultimately relate to increased female competition and contribute to making dominant females much more reproductively successful than lower females.

The western doors up the big stairs will open at 5:30 for pizza and conversation. The cafe will start at 6:00 and wrap up around 7:00.

About the Speaker

Dr. Christine Drea is a Professor of Evolutionary Anthropology and of Biology at Duke University. Her research interests are in the mechanisms, development, function, and evolution of animal social and reproductive behavior, with a focus on exceptional mammals, including hyenas, lemurs, and meerkats. The general premise driving this selection is that unusual species test our understanding of normal processes and function as ‘experiments of nature.’

Her team’s current work, conducted in parts of Africa and at the Duke Lemur Center in North Carolina, is centered on the role of androgens in female dominance and aggression, the neuroendocrine mediators of social bonding and cooperation, the evolution of chemical communication, and the role of microbes in mediating animal behavior and wellbeing. A passion for wildlife and wild spaces fuels teaching, mentoring, and public outreach aimed at encouraging curiosity about and appreciation of the world around us, as well as activism in support of nature conservancy. Service within the academy is focused on improving diversity and achieving equity in the workplace.

Program Schedule

5:30 pm – Arrive and check in. We will gather inside the west, main entrance of Morehead.

5:30 pm – 6:00 pm: Pizza social. Pizza social will take place in our classrooms, located on the 2nd floor.

6:00 pm – 7:00 pm: Discussion & activities. Presentations will take place at the Science Stage located on the 1st floor.

*Please Note: Depending on scheduled activities, the program may end between 7:00 p.m. and 7:15 p.m.

Carolina Science Cafe | Atmospheric Aerosols
2024-05-07 18:00 - 19:00 | Haw River Tap & Table, 300 E Main St C, Carrboro, NC, 27510, United States
Big Things Have Small Beginnings: How understanding atmospheric aerosols can save lives and help our climate

Join us for our next installment of the Carolina Science Cafe, Morehead Planetarium and Science Center’s free, current science awareness program. For the May cafe, we will welcome Dr. Will Vizuete from Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering (ESE) in the Gillings School of Global Public Health.

Designed for adults, this program explores science topics making national and international headlines and offers the chance to meet the experts behind the headlines. The Carolina Science Café is hosted at Haw River Tab & Table in Carrboro on Tuesday, May 7th, starting at 6:00 p.m. with light appetizers available for all attendees.

Exposure to atmospheric aerosols are believed to cause annually 8.3 million premature deaths worldwide. Atmospheric aerosols are also an important atmospheric radiative forcer and plays a critical role in our understanding of the impacts of climate change. Tackling problems of air pollution mortality and climate change are the global public health challenges that motivate this talk.

In this talk, find out about how his research is helping us understand how we form atmospheric aerosols, and its connection to human health and climate change. Learn how the latest computing science is being used to build computer simulations of the atmosphere to understand how these aerosols are formed, where they go, and how they impact humans and the planet.

Dr. Vizuete is a Professor in the Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering (ESE) at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC). The ESE Department resides within the Gillings School of Global Public Health and is primarily oriented toward graduate education. His department’s research scope spans water, air, and the sublayer environments and is focused on their interactions from an engineering and science perspective.

Within the department, Dr. Vizuete works within the two interdisciplinary programs of “Air Quality and Atmospheric Processes” and “Human Exposure and Health Effects.” his research is primarily conducted within interdisciplinary teams where this diversity of expertise, coupled with their engineering background, has allowed me to develop novel engineering solutions for public health problems. For fun, Dr. Vizuete is a WXYC DJ and plays bass in a traditional ska/reggae band The Unsustainables.

Carolina Science Cafe is produced by Morehead Planetarium and Science Center and sponsored by the UNC Chapter of Sigma Xi.

You do not need to register…just show up!

Skywatching: Views from The Durham
2024-05-13 20:30 - 22:30 | The Durham Hotel, 315 E. Chapel Hill St, Durham, North Carolina, 27701, United States
Join us on the roof of The Durham Hotel for a series of telescopic stargazing nights. Stop by for guided constellation tours and educational activities, all while enjoying music from DJ Mic Check. Music begins at 8:00 p.m. and stargazing begins at 8:30 p.m. This skywatching event is free and open to the public. All ages are welcome.

Teen Science Cafe | FIRST Carrborobotics
2024-05-17 17:30 - 19:00 | Morehead Planetarium and Science Center Science Stage, 250 E Franklin St, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27514, United States
Please join us at Morehead Planetarium on Friday, May 17th for a very exciting Teen Science Cafe! For this month we will be joined by FIRST Robotics team Carrborobotics who has just returned from the national competition. They will be showcasing this year’s robot, discussing the challenges they faced, and how to get involved.

Their team is completely student led and managed. We are nearly equal in our male-female ratio. Carrborobotics is a space open to all, regardless of appearance or orientation. We aim to provide a space within STEM where underrepresented groups are able to learn and grow their skills.

Carrborobotics pushes to bring out the best in our members and are constantly learning about ourselves through the construction of our robots and the friendships the team forms. Most of our team members have been in the local school system since elementary and take pride in visiting their past schools and getting younger students involved in STEM at early ages.

The western doors up the big stairs will open at 5:30 for pizza and conversation. The cafe will start at 6:00 and wrap up around 7:00.

Established in 2019, Carrborobotics is a FIRST® Robotics Competition team. We are based in Carrboro, North Carolina, and represent the students of Carrboro High School. Currently, our team is student-led by two captains, with the guidance of our lead mentor, Dr. Morais.

Learn More About the Team

Schedule

5:30 pm – Arrive and check in. We will gather inside the west, main entrance of Morehead.

5:30 pm – 6:00 pm: Pizza social. Pizza social will take place in our classrooms, located on the 2nd floor.

6:00 pm – 7:00 pm: Discussion & activities. Presentations will take place at the Science LIVE! Stage.

*Please Note: Depending on scheduled activities, the program may end between 7:00 p.m. and 7:15 p.m.
