TALKS

THIRST FOR KNOWLEDGE School’s back in session for the young and not-so-young alike, but for non-students who miss the classroom, here’s a chance to listen to the learned as they speak their minds. Columbia University offers its scholars to the general public during “Cafe Science,” a monthly event that brings university scientists to Picnic, an Upper West Side restaurant, to discuss matters prevalent in today’s press. Tonight, an associate professor of earth and environmental sciences, Kevin Griffin, and an associate professor of earth and environmental engineering, Wade McGillis, present “Carbon Consequences: A Story of Trees, Wind, Traffic, and the Air We Breathe.” Mr. Griffin specializes in plant respiration, or the release of carbon dioxide. One question he aims to answer, according to his homepage on Columbia’s Web site, is how arctic plants can contribute to the carbon balance of their environment during a growing season that consists of 24 hours of daylight — when plant respiration is generally assumed to happen only at night. Admission includes one drink, but if you’re inclined to grab a bite after the talk, Picnic offers French cuisine with touches from America and the rest of Europe, including a duck breast served with spaetzle and a star anise-scented sauce. 6 p.m., Picnic, 2665 Broadway, between 101st and 102nd streets, 212-870-3163, $10, cash only.

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