UC Science Today

There’s no doubt that receiving the first message from an extraterrestrial civilization will be historic. But what would be the next step? Dan Werthimer directs the search for extraterrestrial intelligence, or SETI, at the University of California, Berkeley. He says that if humans ever receive a message, we should just keep listening.

"The course of action for now would be not to transmit a message back to another civilization. We think Earthling's are a primitive civilization. We're an emerging civilization. We've only had radio a hundred years, laser just for fifty years. We're just getting in the game. Our civilization, we're still killing each other, and we think that it's a good idea to just listen for now, just see what's out there. Listen for radio signals, or listen if you will, for laser signals and not do any kind of deliberate transmitting."

And if we do send response, Werthimer says it should be a group decision.

"We think that should be, not a decision by a few scientists, but it should be a decision for all of humanity, by people in many countries and it should be a big discussion about whether or not we transmit a message back."

There’s no doubt that receiving the first message from an extraterrestrial civilization will be historic. But what would be the next step? Dan Werthimer directs the search for extraterrestrial intelligence, or SETI, at the University of California, Berkeley. He says that if humans ever receive a message, we should just keep listening.

"The course of action for now would be not to transmit a message back to another civilization. We think Earthling's are a primitive civilization. We're an emerging civilization. We've only had radio a hundred years, laser just for fifty years. We're just getting in the game. Our civilization, we're still killing each other, and we think that it's a good idea to just listen for now, just see what's out there. Listen for radio signals, or listen if you will, for laser signals and not do any kind of deliberate transmitting."

And if we do send response, Werthimer says it should be a group decision.

"We think that should be, not a decision by a few scientists, but it should be a decision for all of humanity, by people in many countries and it should be a big discussion about whether or not we transmit a message back."

There’s no doubt that receiving the first message from an extraterrestrial civilization will be historic. But what would be the next step? Dan Werthimer directs the search for extraterrestrial intelligence, or SETI, at the University of California, Berkeley. He says that if humans ever receive a message, we should just keep listening.

"The course of action for now would be not to transmit a message back to another civilization. We think Earthling's are a primitive civilization. We're an emerging civilization. We've only had radio a hundred years, laser just for fifty years. We're just getting in the game. Our civilization, we're still killing each other, and we think that it's a good idea to just listen for now, just see what's out there. Listen for radio signals, or listen if you will, for laser signals and not do any kind of deliberate transmitting."

And if we do send response, Werthimer says it should be a group decision.

"We think that should be, not a decision by a few scientists, but it should be a decision for all of humanity, by people in many countries and it should be a big discussion about whether or not we transmit a message back."

There’s no doubt that receiving the first message from an extraterrestrial civilization will be historic. But what would be the next step? Dan Werthimer directs the search for extraterrestrial intelligence, or SETI, at the University of California, Berkeley. He says that if humans ever receive a message, we should just keep listening.

"The course of action for now would be not to transmit a message back to another civilization. We think Earthling's are a primitive civilization. We're an emerging civilization. We've only had radio a hundred years, laser just for fifty years. We're just getting in the game. Our civilization, we're still killing each other, and we think that it's a good idea to just listen for now, just see what's out there. Listen for radio signals, or listen if you will, for laser signals and not do any kind of deliberate transmitting."

And if we do send response, Werthimer says it should be a group decision.

"We think that should be, not a decision by a few scientists, but it should be a decision for all of humanity, by people in many countries and it should be a big discussion about whether or not we transmit a message back."

With childhood obesity rising at alarming rates, the U.S. Department of Agriculture is funding an evaluation of a project developed by the San Francisco Unified School District that aims to make school food an enjoyable experience for all students. Kristine Madsen, a pediatrician and research scientist at the University of California, Berkeley and UC San Francisco Joint Medical Program is evaluating the multi-year program. It’s currently in one pilot school and includes mobile food carts, lounges in dining halls and a smart meal app where kids will be able to provide feedback for meals, and even order food.

"So, those are things that SFUSD is trying to do that we think are really innovative and forward thinking and ultimately we think other schools would want to do the same thing, but other schools won’t do it unless they know that it works. 4:00 So, we come in and we overlay a scientific evaluation that will hold water with other schools, other districts, both locally and across the state and even across the nation."

With childhood obesity rising at alarming rates, the U.S. Department of Agriculture is funding an evaluation of a project developed by the San Francisco Unified School District that aims to make school food an enjoyable experience for all students. Kristine Madsen, a pediatrician and research scientist at the University of California, Berkeley and UC San Francisco Joint Medical Program is evaluating the multi-year program. It’s currently in one pilot school and includes mobile food carts, lounges in dining halls and a smart meal app where kids will be able to provide feedback for meals, and even order food.

"So, those are things that SFUSD is trying to do that we think are really innovative and forward thinking and ultimately we think other schools would want to do the same thing, but other schools won’t do it unless they know that it works. 4:00 So, we come in and we overlay a scientific evaluation that will hold water with other schools, other districts, both locally and across the state and even across the nation."

With childhood obesity rising at alarming rates, the U.S. Department of Agriculture is funding an evaluation of a project developed by the San Francisco Unified School District that aims to make school food an enjoyable experience for all students. Kristine Madsen, a pediatrician and research scientist at the University of California, Berkeley and UC San Francisco Joint Medical Program is evaluating the multi-year program. It’s currently in one pilot school and includes mobile food carts, lounges in dining halls and a smart meal app where kids will be able to provide feedback for meals, and even order food.

"So, those are things that SFUSD is trying to do that we think are really innovative and forward thinking and ultimately we think other schools would want to do the same thing, but other schools won’t do it unless they know that it works. 4:00 So, we come in and we overlay a scientific evaluation that will hold water with other schools, other districts, both locally and across the state and even across the nation."

With childhood obesity rising at alarming rates, the U.S. Department of Agriculture is funding an evaluation of a project developed by the San Francisco Unified School District that aims to make school food an enjoyable experience for all students. Kristine Madsen, a pediatrician and research scientist at the University of California, Berkeley and UC San Francisco Joint Medical Program is evaluating the multi-year program. It’s currently in one pilot school and includes mobile food carts, lounges in dining halls and a smart meal app where kids will be able to provide feedback for meals, and even order food.

"So, those are things that SFUSD is trying to do that we think are really innovative and forward thinking and ultimately we think other schools would want to do the same thing, but other schools won’t do it unless they know that it works. 4:00 So, we come in and we overlay a scientific evaluation that will hold water with other schools, other districts, both locally and across the state and even across the nation."

If you’re still unsure about whether electric vehicles can meet your daily driving needs, you’ll soon be able to get personalized answers based on your own individual driving patterns. Research scientist Samveg Saxena of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory says that the app, called MyGreenCar, uses a vehicle-to-grid simulator to provide fuel economy estimates for drivers in any vehicle.

"If you were making exactly the same trips that you wanted to make that you were making in your current vehicle, what would happen if you were driving an electric vehicle instead? And through the "MyGreenCar" tool that we have coming up soon, we'll be able to give people the individual ability using their smartphones to record how they're driving, how they're using whatever vehicle they have right now. And then give them a personalized answer, would whatever vehicle they're looking at buying for their next vehicle meet their needs?"

Saxena says that one of the goals of the app is to help drivers to understand the benefits of clean vehicles.

"Electric vehicles go a long way in mitigating these global challenges and these urban challenges."

If you’re still unsure about whether electric vehicles can meet your daily driving needs, you’ll soon be able to get personalized answers based on your own individual driving patterns. Research scientist Samveg Saxena of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory says that the app, called MyGreenCar, uses a vehicle-to-grid simulator to provide fuel economy estimates for drivers in any vehicle.

"If you were making exactly the same trips that you wanted to make that you were making in your current vehicle, what would happen if you were driving an electric vehicle instead? And through the "MyGreenCar" tool that we have coming up soon, we'll be able to give people the individual ability using their smartphones to record how they're driving, how they're using whatever vehicle they have right now. And then give them a personalized answer, would whatever vehicle they're looking at buying for their next vehicle meet their needs?"

Saxena says that one of the goals of the app is to help drivers to understand the benefits of clean vehicles.

"Electric vehicles go a long way in mitigating these global challenges and these urban challenges."