Speakers' corner

Scientists at the National Ignition Facility (NIF) at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory just put the finishing touches on a $3 billion football-stadium-sized facility armed with 192 of the world’s highest energy lasers. Their hope is to focus these giant lasers onto a pea-sized fuel capsule, compressing and heating a small bit of frozen hydrogen inside, to match the heat and pressure conditions found at the sun’s core, leading to atomic fusion and energy gain for the first time. Dr. Edward Moses, NIF’s director, discusses NIF’s technical capabilities, its role in the development of fusion energy and the exciting new scientific opportunities it presents in astrophysics, material science and other areas of high energy density science. Tuesday, May 12, from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at SRI Menlo Park, Middlefield Road at Ringwood — International Building. Entrances to Conference Center parking are next to the church on Ravenswood and at Ringwood and Middlefield.

Karen Pollak

What would you give to get your baby to sleep through the night? While children and sleepless nights seem to go hand in hand, Karen Pollak, founder of Babies2Sleep.com, shows parents a new way. Pollak works with families to guide their children into better sleep patterns and routines ... making life easier, and more rested, for everyone. Pollak speaks Saturday, May 9 at 2 p.m. in the Main Auditorium of the South San Francisco Library, 840 W. Orange Ave. For more information call 829-3876.

Iain Pears

British novelist Iain Pears has written extensively on the subjects of art and history and was an international financial correspondent for Reuters and the BBC. Pears talks about his new book, Stone’s Fall, on Tuesday, May 12 at 7 p.m. at M is for Mystery bookstore, 86 E. Third Ave. in Downtown San Mateo. For more information call 401-8077 or visit www.MforMystery.com.

All events are free unless otherwise noted. Please check before the event in case of schedule changes.