Amidst all the tech parties, happy hours and startup competetions, you might just be looking to hang out and drink and talk about science for an hour or so. Well, lucky for you, the Science on Tap events at Ravenna Third Place Books are still going strong through the summer. This month, science writer Sally James is going to be talking about science is represented and reported in the mainstream media. As always, no science expertise is required, just swing by, have a pint and enjoy the chat.

It’s no wonder that neither Clinton nor Obama have taken a side in this controversial issue. To commit one way or another would no doubt alienate some critical part of their electorate.

It looks like the Dorkbot folks are still recovering from their “Strange Things” show back in December and January, but they’re getting back into the swing of it with a full new meeting in March. The dorks will be hosting an audio-themed event this month, with three guests: Jim Owen (electronic /orchestral composer), Doug Haire (Sonarchy, KEXP), and Mike McCracken (Audible Avatar). Dorkbot is no longer about people doing strange things with electricy… it’s about people just doing strange things. And if you go, you’re always guaranteed to see something brilliant you haven’t seen before.

If Charles Darwin were alive today, he’d be 199 years old. And, assuming he was still able and willing to travel at that advanced age, he might be amused to see anthropologist Richard Milner’s one-man musical about his life, presented next Wednesday at Town Hall. Milner draws on historic photographs, illustrations and thousands of letters between Darwin and his contemporaries, punched up with Gilbert and Sullivan song parodies. “The Darwin I have in my show is not the Darwin of The Origin of Species but the Darwin of the letters, who was a very, very interesting man,” says Milner. Song snippets are available at DarwinLive.com, and tickets, as usual, are just $5 at Town Hall.

Project Orion began in 1958 with Ted Taylor and Freeman Dyson, working to build a spacecraft powered by nuclear pulse propulsion. Though the project is looked back on with great fondness by it’s participants, it was ultimately shut down from political concerns. It’s a fascinating story, which George Dyson (Freeman’s son) documented in his book on the subject. Town Hall has some really amazing lectures lined up over the coming months, and this is sure to be no exception.

Bored tonight? Looking to brush up on some neuroscience? It’s a bit last minute, but if you’re looking for something to do, you should head down to Town Hall to see Jonah Lehrer talk about his new book Proust was a Neuroscientist. The essence of Lehrer’s writing is that artist’s such as Proust and Cezanne have been able to anticipate certain aspects of the natural world that couldn’t be proven by science until later. So what can science learn by studying art? You have to pay $5 at the door to get in, the usual Town Hall rate.

Climate change and global warming are both starting to get a lot of attention from the mainstream press. But even at it’s best, the coverage only barely scratches the surface of either subject. Thankfully, the folks that run Science on Tap are offering us a unique opportunity over the next few months to dig a little deeper into global warming and it’s overall effects on the environment.

First up, tonight, Joshua Tewksbury (UW Biology Professor) will be talking about “The Biological Impact of Climate Change”, focusing specifically on the most sensitive ecosystems in the tropics. Next month, after Thanksgiving, Peter Ward of the Zoology Departement at UW will be talking about the worst-case scenarios, asking the question “What’s the worse that can happen from global warming?”. Both events will be downstairs in the Pub at Ravenna Third Place Books, and everyone is encouraged to attend, no matter what your scientific background.

Oliver Sacks is a world-renowned neurologist and best-selling author. But this week he’s in town promoting his latest book, Musicophilia, which explores all the different ways that music can affect the brain. He’s a dynamic speaker, and this is a great opportunity to see him in person. He’ll be at the Seattle Public Library on Friday evening. No word on whether Robert DeNiro will be in attendance.

It seems like every year we become more aware of natural disasters: hurricanes, earthquakes, tsunami’s, etc. And always lurking in the background is the specter of global warming and how we are affecting the climate. Will the extreme weather get worse? How will we cope as a species? Roger del Moral, a biology professor at UW, is giving a talk on the subject at Town Hall this week. He’ll discuss how we should be reacting to these disasters, in a way that benefits us and other species for the long-term.

There is a constant conversation going on right now about humanity’s impact on the environment. But what would happen if humanity just disappeared one day? How long would it take for our monuments and infrastructure to crumble? Alan Weisman will be offering his insights on the ecological debate from a unique perspective this Wednesday at Town Hall.