Monday, March 24, 2008

• 5 p.m. - 6 p.m.
  The Ballroom
  The Blackwell Inn
  2110 Tuttle Park Place

The View From The Center Of The Universe

• The universe is made mostly of dark matter and dark energy, with visible matter making up only about half a percent of the total. This lecture explains and visualizes this new picture of the universe and its evolution. Joel and Nancy alternate frequently during the presentation, presenting scientific and philosophical viewpoints. They show spectacular new images and videos, using both updated ancient symbols and the latest astronomical data and simulations. They also use humorous cartoons to illustrate how cosmological ideas have cultural implications. The talk is both entertaining and educational, and it can be enjoyed by everyone from people who know nothing about modern astronomy to experts in the field. It is a remarkable fact that humans - and indeed intelligent life anywhere in the universe - must have a size that is in the middle of all possible size scales. Becoming aware of this and other aspects of our special place in the cosmos opens a sweeping new perspective on what we truly may be as humans and what we can do to resolve our personal and global challenges.

• Joel R. Primack, a professor of physics at the University of California Santa Cruz, has done foundational research in cosmology. He and his team use some of the world's biggest supercomputers to simulate the evolution of the universe, and they compare the results with observational data. He has recently chaired the Forum on Physics and Society of the American Physical Society, as well as the Committee on Science, Ethics, and Religion of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and he served on the recent Beyond Einstein study of the National Academy of Sciences.

• Nancy Ellen Abrams is a lawyer, writer, and former Fulbright scholar, with a long-term interest in the history, philosophy, and politics of science. While working on the staff of the U.S. Congress, she co-created a novel method by which government agencies can make wise policy decisions in cases involving scientific uncertainty, and she has consulted on this for the Swedish government, several state governments, and various corporations. Her articles have appeared in journals, magazines, and books. She has also released three albums of her songs and performed in eighteen countries.