This week is a good one for doing some hands-on science, with both family-friendly interactive events and experiments (Astronomy Days, Bioluminescence Community Project Night, etc.) as well as adult-only events (such as the Little Rock Museum of Discovery’s Science After Dark event). The ScienceOnline 2013 conference is going on next week in North Carolina, where you can meet and hear presentations by Skepchicks Bug Girl and Nicole as well as Emily (Seelix) and Steve (TreeLobsters) from Mad Art Lab.

One of the first of the year’s SkeptiCamps is going on this weekend, in Phoenix, as well as a meet-and-greet picnic for a new Camp Quest in Arizona.  Plus, you’ll find other family-friendly events, lectures, and even a skeptics’ outing to a Led Zeppelin Tribute listed below, in addition to the regular events (Skeptics in the Pub, Drinking Skeptically, regular group meetings, and, of course, bowling, in our events calendar).

Events for Jan. 25–Jan. 31

Below are some highlights of events around the U.S. (listed by region) and the UK. You can find a ton more going on all over the world in our events calendar.

Don’t see your area listed here or in the calendar? Shoot us an email, or let me know in the comments what area you are interested in.

NORTHEAST

Cambridge, MA, Sun., Jan. 27

Greater Boston Humanists are having their first free Sunday lunch and lecture, “Can I Give My Kids the Benefits of Religion Without the Religion?” with Katherine Ozment.

Philadelphia, PA, Mon., Jan. 28

The Freethought Society and the Ethical Humanist Society of Philadelphia are hosting a talk by Katherine Stewart, author of The Good News Club: The Christian Right’s Stealth Assault on America’s Children.

Washington, DC, Sun., Jan. 27

Susan Jacoby will be talking about her book, The Great Agnostic: Robert Ingersoll and American Freethought, as part of the Center for Inquiry DC Voices of Reason series. Free but registration is required.

SOUTHEAST

Mobile, AL, Thurs., Jan. 31

The University of Alabama Secular Student Alliance is hosting a talk by Ed Buckner about his book In Freedom We Trust: The Logic and History that Supports Why This Is a Free Country, Not a Christian Nation. More info on the Gulf Coast Freethinkers meetup page.

Atlanta, GA, Tues., Jan. 29

The European Union Science Café series features a talk this Tuesday by Nicolas Florsch, scientific attaché to the French General Consulate in Atlanta, on “Highly Advanced Mining Techniques in 16th-Century Europe.”

Raleigh, NC—Multiple

Sat., Jan. 26, to Sun., Jan. 27: The NC Museum of Natural Sciences is hosting Astronomy Days this weekend, a free two-day event with presentations, workshops, activities, movies, and more.

Wed., Jan. 30, to Sat., Feb. 2, 2013: ScienceOnline 2013 is next week at NC State University, featuring Skepchicks Bug Girl and Nicole as well as Seelix (Emily) and Steve (TreeLobsters) from Mad Art Lab.

SOUTHCENTRAL

Little Rock, AR—Multiple

Sun., Jan. 27: Join the Arkansas Society of Freethinkers for “The Legends of Lisa & Martin— Pain and Pot,” a lecture by doctoral students Lisa Brents (biology) and Martin Watts (neuroscience).

Wed., Jan. 30: The Little Rock Museum of Discovery is hosting Science After Dark, a monthly adult interactive evening focused this month on “Twisted Tastes,” the science behind microgastronomy, complete with samples of foods that taste completely different from what you would expect. 21+. Cash bar. $5 per person; members free

Kingsville, TX, Tues., Jan. 29

Join the Corpus Christi Atheists to go hear sex columnist Dan Savage speaking at Texas A&M University–Kingsville. Free event.

MIDWEST

Chicago, IL, Fri., Jan. 25

The Chicago Council on Science and Technology and Argonne National Laboratory are hosting “CP-1: Past, Present & Future of Nuclear Energy,” featuring several speakers commemorating the 70th anniversary of the world’s first nuclear reactor, Chicago Pile-1. Register here.

Lansing, MI, Sun., Jan. 27

The Mid-Michigan Atheists & Humanists dinner meeting this month features Joe Messina, of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Geography Department, talking about “Global Climate Change: Responding to the Skeptics.” RSVP here.

Kansas City, MO, Sun., Jan. 27

The Kansas City Atheist Coalition is hosting a screening of The Revisionaries, a film about the textbook battles in Texas. $10 to $15 donation requested. Proceeds benefit the National Center for Science Education. Skype conversation with NCSE programs and policy director Josh Rosenau, who was at the Texas board hearings, will follow the movie.

SOUTHWEST

Mesa, AZ, Sun., Jan. 27

The Humanist Society of Greater Phoenix is hosting a talk by LuAnn Dahlman, of the NOAA Climate Program Office, on “Climate Change: How We Know What We Know and What We Might Do About It.”

Tempe, AZ—Multiple

Sat., Jan. 26: SkeptiCamp Phoenix 2013 is this Saturday at ASU. SkeptiCamps are essentially un-conferences, community organized, where the people who attend also speak. See the wiki for details, deadlines, and to register.

Sun., Jan. 27: Camp Quest is coming to Arizona this summer. Meet other families, counselors, organizers, and volunteers at a Meet-n-Greet Picnic this Sunday. Volunteer, register campers, donate, and find out more about Camp Quest Arizona here.

WEST

Los Angeles, CA, Sun., Jan. 27

Atheists United and CFI-LA are hosting a science talk by Richard Wade, “How Big is Big, How Far is Far,” an interactive astronomy talk. Family friendly and free!

Ridgecrest, CA, Sun., Jan. 27

The Backyard Skeptics are getting together for an overnight tour of Little Petroglyph Canyon.

$20. Only a few spots left. Sign up here.

Salinas, CA, Sat., Jan. 26

The Monterey County Skeptics are getting together to see the Hartnell College Cheeky Spanks Tribute to Led Zeppelin. RSVP to reserve a ticket. $10.

San Diego, CA—Multiple

Fri., Jan. 25: The San Diego New Atheists and Agnostics are taking part in a co-working event, “Jelly at the Hive,” where people who work at home bring their laptops and current projects and work together for a change of perspective and scenery.

Sun., Jan. 27: Various freethought groups in the San Diego area are getting together for the Look-of-Death presentation and group discussion led by local secular leaders on secular terms and concepts and communicating with believers.

Sunnyvale, CA, Mon., Jan. 28

Join Bioluminescence Community Project Night at BioCurious, where various experiments in bioluminescence are taking place, from fireflies, algae, and jellyfish to glow-in-the-dark plants, as well as art pieces. Family friendly.

Denver, CO, Mon., Jan. 28

Take advantage of one of several free days at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science on Monday.

Reno, NV, Mon., Jan. 28

The University of Nevada–Reno is hosting a lecture by University of Washington anthropologist Donald Grayson, “The Ice Age of the Great Basin.”

NORTHWEST

Hillsboro, OR, Mon., Jan. 28

The Oregon Museum of Science and Industry is hosting another Science Pub, “Eye on the Wild: Conservation Photographer Suzi Eszterhas.” $5.

Portland, OR, Mon., Jan. 28

The Freedom From Religion Foundation Portland group is having its first meetup this Monday. RSVP here.

UK

Leeds, Thurs., Jan. 31

Maryam Namazie is speaking at the University of Leeds on “Islam in Public Policy: A Look at Sharia Courts in Britain, Multiculturalism and Gender Inequality.”

London, Sun., Jan. 27

This Sunday’s Conway Hall Lecture is by Professor Ted Cantle on “Multicultural Societies are the Future, but Multiculturalism Is at an End!” £3; free to members.

Manchester, Sat., Jan. 26

The Northern Ex-Muslim Meetup Group is getting together for a Home Cooked Food Festival. Bring a dish from your home country to share.

Paddington, Tues., Jan. 29

The Canal Cafe Theatre is featuring a performance by comedian Matt Thomas, “The Human Being’s Guide to Not Being a Dick about Religion.”

Want to promote your skeptical, atheist, humanist, science, or just all-around geeky event or group on our events calendar? Click here to send us the details.

Featured image, “Bioluminescence,” by Simon Håkansson.