Science On Tap 5/28 In PDX: Thigmomorphogenesis, Or Why Most Trees Don’t Fall Over (Photo) -05/05/25

Date: Wed, May 28th, 2025

Time: 7 pm

Location: Alberta Rose Theatre

Tickets: $15-$45

Event Website: scienceontaporwa.org/events/alberta-may_28_trees/

 

Back by popular demand!
Have you ever noticed a tree not fall over?  A tree’s natural state is upright—it’s their default mode. Yet, myths pervade:

• “You should thin your tree”
• “You should top your tree”
• “Douglas-firs have shallow roots”
• “Lone trees are more likely to fall”
• “The roots will ruin my foundation”
• “That tree will fall and kill my whole family”

Despite the ubiquity of normal, upright trees around us, we often only notice those scattered few that stop being upright, most often in extreme weather.  And frankly, those few sully the good reputation of the thousands of others.

 

In the PNW, our trees grow to be some of the tallest and largest organisms on the planet, and that can be understandably intimidating as you watch them bend and sway during winter weather from your home.  Luckily, our trees did not achieve their prominence by accident, and this talk will explain what the trees are doing, how they react to their environment, and what you can do to make sure your trees are safe.

 

How does a tree build itself?  How does it choose which direction to grow?  Is it a giant, static monolith waiting to crush everything beneath it? or a dynamic, self-optimizing living system that wants to keep itself upright arguably more than you? Join us on a journey through the lifecycle of a tree: how it grows, lives, and dies.  In other words: how do trees become trees and what makes them so good at it?

 

An arborist, a dendrologist, and educator, Casey Clapp is the principal consultant with Portland Arboriculture and co-host/co-creator of CompletelyArbortrary, a weekly podcast about trees and other related topics. He’s also the author of the forthcoming book The Trees Around You: How to identify common neighborhood trees in the Pacific Northwest.  

 

---

Science on Tap is a science lecture series where you can sit back, drink a pint, and enjoy learning. Listen to experts talk about the science in your neighborhood and around the world. You don't have to be a science geek to have fun--all you need is a thirst for knowledge! For more information on this event or about Science on Tap, visit Science on Tap OR WA.

Science On Tap TUES 5/6 In Vancouver: Bomb Cyclones To Renewable Energy: Weather Forecasting In The PNW (Photo) -04/18/25

Date: TUES, May 6th, 2025

Time: 7 pm

Location: Kiggins Theatre Vancouver, Wa

Tickets: $15-$45

Event Website: https://www.scienceontaporwa.org/events/kiggins_may_6_weather/

 

The Pacific Northwest has a reputation for being damp, dark, and cold. However, there’s much more to it. From the dry summers to highly localized wind storms, bomb cyclones, surprise snow storms, and the inland desert, Washington and Oregon have a lot of weather to offer.

• Why do weather apps often fail in the Northwest?
• What makes weather in this region so difficult to forecast?
• How do these difficulties manifest themselves in wind and solar power?

Lack of data and widespread mountainous terrain makes it so weather apps often leave much to be desired. It can even be hard to interpret what a human forecaster is trying to say. After the challenge of forecasting weather, meteorologists in the region are met with the almost harder challenge of conveying that forecast.
 

This diversity of weather is a significant renewable energy asset, with numerous companies scrambling to harness the power of Columbia Gorge wind and Columbia Basin sunshine. As our energy infrastructure becomes more weather-dependent, it is more important than ever to understand and tackle these regional issues to maintain a reliable electrical grid during North America’s transition to green energy sources.
 

Mark Ingalls is a Vancouver, B.C.-based meteorologist forecasting in the energy sector focused on the NE U.S. Before moving to Canada, he forecasted wind and solar energy generation at Avangrid Renewables in Portland, which owns wind and solar parks in the Eastern Columbia Gorge. He is a contributor to the weekly Canadian TV/radio program The Comedeorological Report and operates a blog focused on PNW weather at ingallswx.com.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Science on Tap is a science lecture series where you can sit back, drink a pint, and enjoy learning. Listen to experts talk about the science in your neighborhood and around the world. You don't have to be a science geek to have fun--all you need is a thirst for knowledge! For more information on this event or about Science on Tap, visit Science on Tap OR WA.