Geek Alert: Wonderfest, the San Francisco Bay Area’s Festival of Science, will take place at Stanford’s Hewlett Teaching Center on Saturday, Nov. 6, and at UC Berkeley’s Stanley Hall on Sunday, Nov. 7. This free event is an opportunity to hear pairs of researchers discuss and debate the big and timely scientific questions we’re all dying to explore.

Wonderfest will include the Amateur Science Forum, the Bay Area Science Expo, presentation of the Carl Sagan Prize for Science Popularization, and the final round of the WonderCup Challenge high school science competition.

“Renowned psychologist Philip Zimbardo will address Does Time Have Secret Power In Our Lives? with psychologist and video game developer Kelly McGonigal. We owe long-time Wonderfest supporter Bea Strickland a big “thank you” for helping to arrange this intriguing dialogue.

Earth’s two loftiest chemistry medals will sparkle in the Wonderfest spotlight when Nobel Prize winner Paul Berg joins Priestley Medal winner Richard Zare to consider Will Synthetic Biology Make Industrial Chemistry Obsolete? What an honor for Wonderfest to engage the expertise of these two phenomenal scientists.”

WHAT’S THE DEAL: Wonderfest: Festival of Science is Free.

WHEN: November 6-7, 2010.

WHERE: Saturday, Nov. 6 at Stanford’s Hewlett Teaching Center; Sunday, Nov. 7, 2010, at UC Berkeley’s Stanley Hall.

CHEAP TIP: If you only want the geek light version, check the Wonderfest website later for  in audio/video highlights.