OCEANSIDE -- Area residents hungry for a deeper understanding of some of the world's biggest mysteries are going to get the chance to "nibble" on the latest science topic each month while sipping coffee at a local bookstore.

Brian Hart, a 28-year-old physicist from Laguna Hills, said SoCal Science Cafe will make its North County debut Saturday. The cafe is an informal gathering of people of all ages from all walks of life who come together to discuss science issues.

The inaugural event is set for 5 p.m. Saturday at the Barnes & Noble Booksellers store at 2615 Vista Way in Oceanside.

The topic will be Dan Linehan's book, "SpaceShip One: An Illustrated Story," which chronicles the development of the first commercial aircraft designed to take tourists into outer space.

Hart said Linehan will be on hand to talk about the unique aircraft, answer questions and sign copies of his book.

The topic should prove to be intriguing for "anyone who is excited about the prospect of one day being able to pay a ticket and travel into space," he said.

In addition to Barnes & Noble providing the place to meet, Starbucks will provide free coffee to sip, he said.

Astronomy has proven to be a particularly hot topic for the group's informal discussions, which are held regularly at several locations around Southern California.

"Everyone likes space," Hart said.

He said the SoCal Science Cafe also has hosted talks on global warming, hurricanes, fuel cells, oil, the causes of obesity and evidence that some dinosaurs had arthritis.

Sometimes the group just plays games.

That's what Hart has in mind for the second North County outing, set for 3 p.m. July 19 at the Oceanside bookstore. After a short discussion addressing how to incorporate green technologies into business ventures, Hart said participants will play "The Green Game," something also known as "Paradice."

"It's a board game that tests your skills at sustainable development," Hart said.

Players take turns being givers and takers, and they have to work together to save a world called "Paradice."

Interestingly, Hart said, "kids are able to do it, but adults aren't able to do it without blowing up the world."

SoCal Science Cafe is something Hart founded four years ago in Orange County to promote an informal forum where people gather in a relaxed "cafe atmosphere" to discuss science topics.

"It is a very casual setting," he said in a telephone interview Tuesday. "We try not to make it intimidating so that people who didn't take a lot of science classes in school don't feel like they are going back to school."

Indeed, Hart said, one need not be a scientist to attend. And only a handful of attendees are.

At a heavily attended meeting on oil drilling a year ago, Hart asked for a show of hands to find out how many in the crowd were scientists or engineers. "Out of the 150 people there, two people raised their hands," he said.

Hart, who earlier this month earned a doctorate in astrophysics from UC Irvine, said the program is patterned after a national one that has a presence in 35 metropolitan areas. He started the Southern California branch with a weeknight meeting at a coffee shop in the city of Orange.

"It was me and four other people," he said.

After continued light attendance at other weekday meetings, Hart said he switched to Saturday afternoons at other locations in Orange County and attendance started averaging 60.

"Then we branched over to Pasadena," Hart said. "And now we're branching down to Oceanside. It's a nice way to begin reaching the San Diego area. I truly mean for this to be a regional program, and we have never been south of Newport Beach before."

For more information, call (949)735-7252 or visit www.socal-sciencecafe.org/oceanside.

Contact staff writer Dave Downey at (760) 745-6611, Ext. 2623, or ddowney@nctimes.com.