Past Events

Bernie Krause, author, musician and naturalist has dedicated his life to recording the sounds of wild soundscapes on all seven continents, around the world. Krause captures sounds ranging from birdsong and the wind in the trees, to the tinier sounds of insects. Over the past 50 years, Krause has witnessed evidence of multiple environments being radically altered by human influence, and the resultant soundtracks or “biophonies” reflect chaotic alterations due to stress. Krause’s current installation, THE GREAT ANIMAL ORCHESTRA has crossed the Atlantic and is now on display at the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, where it will remain till spring 2022. Krause discusses his animal narratives and explains why he has dedicated his life to this work.

Smell is one of the primal ways that we humans, first navigate the world. Yet smell largely remains a sensorial mystery because of the intricate way that scent, emotion and memory are intertwined in the brain. Research into olfaction, the science of what happens between the nose and the brain, has intensified in the past couple of years due to the huge number of people who lost their sense of smell due to COVID. Luckily, this condition, anosmia, is usually temporary. To help us understand this important but often overlooked sense, we talk to Sandeep Robert Datta, Professor of Neurobiology at Harvard Medical School and Venkatesh Murty, Professor of Molecular and Cellular Biology at Harvard’s Center for Brain Science. They will be joined by Dr. Eric Holbrook, Director of Rhinology at Mass Eye and Ear. But if you are not a sommelier or a parfumer, how much do our noses really matter in making sense of the world. Please join the discussion and don’t forget your coffee – just one sniff contains 800 separate volatile chemicals!

Among the numerous “green” (clean) energy resources being developed, one that has received significant government and industry support is “blue” hydrogen. But this alternative fuel is actually very questionable. According to a major analysis by climate scientists Robert Howarth (Cornell Univ) and Mark Jacobson (Stanford Univ), “the greenhouse gas footprint of blue hydrogen is more than 20 percent greater than burning natural gas or coal for heat and some 60 percent greater than burning diesel oil for heat,” Dr. Howarth explains what blue hydrogen is, how it is produced, and why we must consider the environmental and climate risks of developing this particular resource.

Michael J. Bobbitt, Executive Director of the Mass. Cultural Council will be joined in conversation with Catherine Carr Kelly, Executive Director of Central Square Theater and collaborator on the Starlight Square project. We investigate why the arts are a key asset to the Commonwealth and the third largest contributor to its GDP. Cambridge Forum provides free and open discussions about the pertinent issues and ideas confronting us, in the world today. ### RESOURCES [Actions for the Arts Graphics](https://www.artsactionfund.org/sites/artsactionfund.org/files/2021-04/MASS%202021.pdf) Trailer from the Arlekin players Theatre performance of [“Witness”](https://vimeo.com/655499436?mc_cid=9e2d2a7ad3&mc_eid=UNIQID) Learn more about [The Walk](https://www.walkwithamal.org,) produced by Good Chance Theatre

Benjamin Zander is the renowned conductor of the Boston Philharmonic orchestra and Boston Youth Philharmonic orchestra, and co-author of The Art of Possibility.” Zander will discuss the everyday miracles that can happen despite catastrophe. Cambridge Forum provides free and open discussions about the pertinent issues and ideas confronting us, in the world today.

Arjun Dey is a core member of the Dark Energy Spectroscropic Instrument (DESI) survey project, the largest cosmic cartography project ever undertaken. DESI will provide the most precise measurements to date of the expansion history of the universe and the role of dark energy. In this program, Dr. Dey discusses the enigma of dark energy and the accelerating expansion of the universe, the scope of the DESI project, and the broad impact it will have on astrophysics and cosmology.

Back in August (2021) we talked with Andrew Knoll about the development and forces of our planet based on his recent book, of A Brief History of Earth: Four Billion Years in Eight Chapters. We ran out of time and couldn’t discuss the last –and very important—chapter, “Human Planet” –the story of the Anthropocene. Dr. Knoll very kindly agreed to discuss this topic separately and in this program we take up the Anthropocene and how the November COP26 international meeting underscores the human impact on our planet.

The past couple of years have been rife with uncertainty, but there is one thing you can always count on - StreetTalks! We bring back the most popular Livable Streets event - the StreetTalk 10-in-1 - now in a virtual format. This year’s event features 10 speakers from around the region and the country in a lightning round of presentations covering a wide range of topics, including transforming housing policy, the future of the MBTA and expanding the meaning of “safe” on our streets. Speakers include: Anne Calef of Boston Indicators; Jesse Kanson-Benanav, Abundant Housing MA; Christian MilNeil, StreetsblogMASS; Alaa Mukahhal, Boston Transportation Department; A.a.Ron Myers + Ed Word Galan, A Trike Called Funk; Gretchen Rabinkin, Boston Society of Landscape Architects; Jamey Tesler, MassDOT; Monica G. Tibbits-Nutt, 128 Business Council; and Luli Lobos, LivableStreets Alliance. There is still a lot we don’t know about the future - but we do know we’ll need to advance strategies to combat climate change, tackle systemic inequity, and make our streets work for everyone. Add your most burning question below, and join us for an evening of inspiration as we hear about the great work being done by amazing people on the street level. (See what we did there?) # Resources "[Somerville Council Requests New Design with Protected Bike Lanes for Highland Ave,](https://mass.streetsblog.org/2021/02/15/somerville-council-requests-new-design-with-protected-bike-lanes-for-highland-ave/) " Streetsblog MA (Feb.2021) More on the [Transportation Demand Management (TDM) Point System](https://www.boston.gov/departments/transportation/transportation-demand-management-tdm-point-system) Here’s an article about [the bike & bus lanes in North Cambridge](https://mass.streetsblog.org/2021/10/20/city-of-cambridge-will-adds-another-bus-lane-to-outer-mass-ave-) BSLA Inside Out campaign: https://www.bslanow.org/news/insideout2021 "[State embraces all-at-grade Allston project,](https://commonwealthmagazine.org/transportation/state-embraces-all-at-grade-allston-project/) " Commonwealth Magazine (Sept. 2021) More on [maximum parking ratios](maximum parking ratio guidelines) in Boston. Gender & Mobility Initiative: www.gendermobility.com More about the [Mass Ave bridge bike lanes](https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/11/22/metro/bikers-celebrate-new-lane-layout-mass-ave-bridge/) Photo Credit: Anne Calef

The Persian Gulf remains tense as the rivalry between the regional powers of Saudi Arabia and Iran continues. Tensions escalated in early 2020 as the United States began to intervene in the Gulf, launching an airstrike that killed two Iranian military commanders. What are the historical influences that have led to these tensions? What role, if any, should the United States play? Is using military force a viable foreign policy option for 2021 and beyond? Photo: ["Persion Gulf 2" by Stuart Rankin | CC-Flickr](https://www.flickr.com/photos/24354425@N03/42164510780)

Boston Globe cultural columnist Jeneé Osterheldt moderates a discussion with three Black women artists. She asks what makes their work a beautiful resistance and explores why Black femme radical imagination and art is a beautiful resistance. Learn about the inspiration behind each woman's work and how their chosen craft is what Audre Lorde would call _a vital necessity of our existence._ Osterheldt delves into what it means to be Black and femme and how everyone loves a Black woman until she dare speak for herself and use her art as her portal. She shines a light on the backlash experienced by Candace McDuffie and shares her own experience with death threats, as well as what nearly all Black women with a platform endure both by their own community and other communities. She brings in a little Toni, a little bell, a little of each artist and how we root for one another and persist through the f**kery. ###Resources [A Beautiful Resistance](bostonglobe.com/abeautifulresistance) | Instagram: @abeautifulresistance Poems by Ashley Rose: [Poem for Mayor Janey 100th Day in Office](https://youtu.be/c312nGSzsoc) [The Haunting 2020 NAACP Convention Poem of the Year/ March for Mothers BLM ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXJL3etwAZU&authuser=0) Ashley's WGBH Stories from the Stage, [The 1996 Flood of Roslindale](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_-1ubOolps&authuser=0) [“Not Liking Beyoncé's "Kitty Kat" Doesn't Make Me Anti-Black,”](https://www.essence.com/op-ed/not-liking-beyonces-kitty-kat-doesnt-make-me-anti-black/ ) by Candace McDuffie for _Essence_. Listen to Oompa’s single [“Closer”](https://open.spotify.com/album/5kVUFD5JzgqsrfSOt0j3hR?si=2JH09NCNTSSV1J058rQDlw&nd=1 ) Oompa’s latest album, [UNBOTHERED](https://open.spotify.com/album/4awaXFZzfvJT9g3Qm3nwnN?si=WKv62JI5ROuGkGZe9THrMg&nd=1 ) was released independently on October 1