LECTURES & TALKS

Watch Dr. Manan Arya from JPL talk about recent advances in origami engineering and its application to unfoldable spacecraft structures. This lecture took place at the Keck Institute for Space Studies (Caltech) on February 12, 2020.

Ever think to yourself, “What makes this machine work?” Well, look no further! In this talk, Chris goes over the arcane art of software engineering and how it is utilized to transform the individual pieces of a telescope into a working machine. Christopher Contaxis is the father of one, avid amateur astronomer, and long-time software engineer. He has been writing software for 23 years-everything from video games, web sites, and telescope control systems, as a former LSST Software Engineer working on the primary/tertiary mirror control system. His mission as an engineer is to reach the simplest solution to the problems that need solving and demystify the process of software development for those who are curious.

"Changing the Solar System Economy Paradigm" From the 22nd Annual International Mars Society Convention, held at the University of Southern California from October 17-20, 2019. The four-day International Mars Society Convention brings together leading scientists, engineers, aerospace industry representatives, government policymakers and journalists to talk about the latest scientific discoveries, technological advances and political-economic developments that could help pave the way for a human mission to the planet Mars. Conference Papers and some presentations will be available on www.MarsPapers.org For more information on the Mars Society, visit our website at www.MarsSociety.org

"To Be, Or Not To Be? Mankind's Exodus to the Stars" From the 22nd Annual International Mars Society Convention, held at the University of Southern California from October 17-20, 2019. The four-day International Mars Society Convention brings together leading scientists, engineers, aerospace industry representatives, government policymakers and journalists to talk about the latest scientific discoveries, technological advances and political-economic developments that could help pave the way for a human mission to the planet Mars. Conference Papers and some presentations will be available on www.MarsPapers.org For more information on the Mars Society, visit our website at www.MarsSociety.org

"The Economic Value of Mars" From the 22nd Annual International Mars Society Convention, held at the University of Southern California from October 17-20, 2019. The four-day International Mars Society Convention brings together leading scientists, engineers, aerospace industry representatives, government policymakers and journalists to talk about the latest scientific discoveries, technological advances and political-economic developments that could help pave the way for a human mission to the planet Mars. Conference Papers and some presentations will be available on www.MarsPapers.org For more information on the Mars Society, visit our website at www.MarsSociety.org

"Martian Matter(s): Disability Justice & The Im/possibilities of Space Exploration" From the 22nd Annual International Mars Society Convention, held at the University of Southern California from October 17-20, 2019. The four-day International Mars Society Convention brings together leading scientists, engineers, aerospace industry representatives, government policymakers and journalists to talk about the latest scientific discoveries, technological advances and political-economic developments that could help pave the way for a human mission to the planet Mars. Conference Papers and some presentations will be available on www.MarsPapers.org For more information on the Mars Society, visit our website at www.MarsSociety.org

In this talk I will describe how pulsars were accidentally discovered, and reflect on several instances where they were 'nearly' discovered. I will highlight the implications for new telescopes with high data rates.

Discover how current science missions are revealing the mysteries of the Sun There is the Sun we know. It rises and sets at predictable times. It provides us light and warmth. But the Sun is so much more. Ground-based and space borne observatories have shown us that the Sun emits at all electromagnetic wavelengths. Spacecraft probing interplanetary space have detected magnetized fountains of charged particles emanating from the Sun’s multi-million degree corona. Seeing the Sun through polarized lenses, we know it is pervaded by magnetic fields. On the tenth anniversary of the Solar Dynamics Observatory, join Mark Cheung, senior staff physicist at the Lockheed Martin Advanced Technology Center, for an exploration of how the latest fleet of science missions from NASA and the National Science Foundation are revealing the mysteries of the Sun. See the Sun in all its true colors (from radio waves to X-rays), learn about its temper tantrums (solar storms), and experience the magnetic bond between the Sun and Earth. Let us learn to live with our star, and learn how our newfound wisdom guides us to finding habitable planets around other stars. The Exploring Space Lecture Series is made possible by the generous support of Aerojet Rocketdyne and United Launch Alliance. See More: airandspace.si.edu/event-series/exploring-space-lectures

The State of Space 2020 will bring together senior space community leaders from the public and private sectors for a high-level, robust discussion on how today’s space environment is shaping our national and economic security.

Follow us for updates: @ARIELtelescope | @UCL_CSED | @ESA Find us here: https://arielmission.space/ | https://sci.esa.int/web/ariel | https://ucl.ac.uk/space-exochemistry-data/ | https://ucl.ac.uk/exoplanets/missions/ariel-space-mission Hello and welcome to ARIEL! ARIEL, the Atmospheric Remote-sensing Infrared Exoplanet Large-survey, was selected as the fourth medium-class mission in ESA’s Cosmic Vision programme. During its 4-year mission, ARIEL will study what exoplanets are made of, how they formed and how they evolve, by surveying a diverse sample of about 1000 extrasolar planets, simultaneously in visible and infrared wavelengths. It is the first mission dedicated to measuring the chemical composition and thermal structures of hundreds of transiting exoplanets, enabling planetary science far beyond the boundaries of the Solar System.

#SETI #Astrobiology #PlanetarySociety Books mentioned in this episode: The Eerie Silence: Renewing Our Search for Alien Intelligence by Paul Davies https://www.amazon.com/dp/054742258X/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_GWBqEb5FR8FDR The Demon in the Machine: How Hidden Webs of Information Are Solving the Mystery of Life by Paul Davies https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07YRL1GK6/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_0XBqEb1DA618E Starship Century, Edited by Greggory & James Benford https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EUQKNM0/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_0YBqEbYJ8RGG6 A technologically advanced extraterrestrial civilization could likely detect life on Earth, if such beings exist. Life on Earth could be detectable in our planet’s atmospheric spectral lines for over a billion years. Most of our atmospheric oxygen is due to life, and can be observed over interstellar distances — across thousands of light-years. Over this long time, many stars have swept near our solar system and Earth. If extraterrestrial intelligence (ETI) on such "nearby” planets did send probes to remotely observe our planet, where in the Solar System should we look to find evidence of their past visitation? The Moon is the obvious, closest place. Another option would be a newly discovered class of co-orbital objects, an equally logical place to locate for observing Earth. These objects approach Earth very closely every year at distances much closer than any large body besides our Moon. They are an ideal way for ET's to watch our world from a secure natural object that provides resources an ET life form might need: materials, a firm anchor, and concealment. They might likely be robotic probes, like our own Voyager and New Horizons probes, remaining on site after exhausting their energy supply. Studying the Moon and co-orbitals could be termed "extraterrestrial archeology". For the Moon, we can use the photographic mapping of the Moon’s surface by the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. Co-orbitals have been little studied by astronomy and not at all by SETI or planetary radar observations. This discussion describes a strategy of looking for ETI artifacts. It proposes both passive and active observations by optical and radio listening, radar imaging and launching probes. We might even broadcast to them. But what if we find nothing there? That would be a profound result: suggesting that, perhaps, no ET intelligence has yet come to look at Earth, on that other hand, perhaps other civilizations are simply not as curious as we are or are better at concealing their activities than we are. Such speculation forms the basis of this lively conversation between astrophysicist and associate director of the Arthur C. Clarke Center for Human Imagination, Dr Brian Keating (https://www.youtube.com/DrBrianKeating), Prof. Paul Davies, Dr. James Benford and Mat Kaplan (Planetary Society). =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- James Benford is President of Microwave Sciences, Inc. in Lafayette, California, which does contracting and consulting in High Power Microwaves and space applications of such technologies. His interests include high power systems from conceptual designs to hardware, microwave source physics, electromagnetic power beaming for space propulsion, and experimental intense particle beams. He has a PhD in Physics in plasma physics (UCSD 1969). He is an IEEE Fellow and an EMP Fellow. He has taught 25 courses in High power Microwaves in 9 countries. He has written 10 books. He is the lead author of High Power Microwaves, 3rd Edition, a widely used textbook. He co-edited Starship Century, dealing with the prospect of star travel, an anthology of fact & fiction. See jamesbenford.com. Paul Davies is Director of the Beyond Center for Fundamental Concepts in Science at Arizona State University. His research spans cosmology, astrobiology and theoretical physics. He has made important contributions to quantum field theory in curved spacetime, with applications to inflationary cosmology and black holes. He was among the first to champion the possibility that microbial life could be transferred between Mars and Earth in impact ejecta. He also runs a major cancer research program funded by the NCI. He is the author of 28 books, including most recently The Eerie Silence: Renewing Our Search for Alien Intelligence and The Demon in the Machine: How Hidden Webs of Information Are Finally Solving the Mystery of Life. Mat Kaplan loves hosting and producing Planetary Radio. He was just 17 when he got his first job in broadcasting, yet it wasn't until the 2002 premiere of The Society's popular weekly broadcast and podcast series that he combined his twin loves of space and radio. A Planetary Society staff member for more than 15 years, Mat also plans and manages technical support for Planetfest and other major events and webcasts. He hosts live events for Southern California Public Radio called NEXT, and frequently serves as moderator or speaker at space and science gatherings.

The botanist Hugo de Vries believed that science would allow plants and animals to be designed to order. What is the history of making new plants? A lecture by Jim Endersby, Visiting Professor of the History of Science 10 February 2020 6:00pm UK Time https://www.gresham.ac.uk/lectures-and-events/making-new-plants This lecture examines the work of Hugo de Vries, a Dutch botanist who was one of the first to claim that science would allow plants and animals to be designed to order. It also looks at the early twentieth-century ‘Station for Experimental Evolution’ in New York, and at the utopian vision of Charlotte Gilman Perkins’ Herland (1915), a novel describing a lost world populated by women that took the form of a perfect garden, whose wonderful plants and lack of men were both explained by de Vries’ theory of mutation.

"Artemis to the Moon in 2024 - Why This Date is Absolutely Critical" From the 22nd Annual International Mars Society Convention, held at the University of Southern California from October 17-20, 2019. The four-day International Mars Society Convention brings together leading scientists, engineers, aerospace industry representatives, government policymakers and journalists to talk about the latest scientific discoveries, technological advances and political-economic developments that could help pave the way for a human mission to the planet Mars. Conference Papers and some presentations will be available on www.MarsPapers.org For more information on the Mars Society, visit our website at www.MarsSociety.org

"Mars Exports for Interplanetary Trade" From the 22nd Annual International Mars Society Convention, held at the University of Southern California from October 17-20, 2019. The four-day International Mars Society Convention brings together leading scientists, engineers, aerospace industry representatives, government policymakers and journalists to talk about the latest scientific discoveries, technological advances and political-economic developments that could help pave the way for a human mission to the planet Mars. Conference Papers and some presentations will be available on www.MarsPapers.org For more information on the Mars Society, visit our website at www.MarsSociety.org

"Sirius - An Analog Mars Rover From SKA Robotics" From the 22nd Annual International Mars Society Convention, held at the University of Southern California from October 17-20, 2019. The four-day International Mars Society Convention brings together leading scientists, engineers, aerospace industry representatives, government policymakers and journalists to talk about the latest scientific discoveries, technological advances and political-economic developments that could help pave the way for a human mission to the planet Mars. Conference Papers and some presentations will be available on www.MarsPapers.org For more information on the Mars Society, visit our website at www.MarsSociety.org

Short Talk: "Chasing Comets" by Doug Bock A brief overview of a recent comet C/2017 T2 (Panstarrs), as observed from the Northern Cross Observatory. Doug Bock is a past President, VP, and WASP editor of the Warren Astronomical Society, and a member since the Spring of 1973. He has also been a member of a ½ dozen other clubs over the years, and chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Great Lakes Region of the Astronomical League in the early ‘80’s. He retired from Ford Motor Company at the end of 2018 and is now a full-time astrophotographer. --- If you would like to present either a short talk (10-15 minutes) or a full-length talk (45-60 minutes) at a future meeting, please email Dale Partin at [email protected] --- The views expressed in presentations are those of the speakers and do not necessarily represent, and should not be attributed to, the Warren Astronomical Society.

Mission managers discuss tomorrows Antares launch of the Cygnus CRS-13 cargo craft.

On the 30th anniversary of the "Pale Blue Dot" image taken by NASA’s Voyager mission, we’ll look at the impact of that image and other distant views of Earth. We'll then turn to the quest to photograph another Earth — an exoplanet orbiting another star — as its own pale blue dot. Join us for a discussion about perspective: the value of what a single pixel can tell us and what it can make us feel. Host: Preston Dyches Speaker(s): Rich Terrile, astronomer and Voyager imaging team member, NASA-JPL Rob Zellem, exoplanetary astronomer, NASA-JPL Original Air Date: February 6, 2020 - 7 pm PT (10 pm ET)

February 6, 2020 Phillips Auditorium James Steiner Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian Host: Avi Loeb Abstract: One of the most remarkable properties of an astrophysical black hole is that it can be completely described by just its mass and spin. Knowledge of spin is fundamental for testing how black holes form, for testing the production of relativistic jets, for producing GRBs, and more. X-ray techniques measure black-hole spin by measuring the inner radius of the accretion disk, which corresponds to the innermost stable circular orbit (ISCO). I will describe the foundation of these measurements and summarize our progress, highlighting where we stand 15-years into the field, having achieved a census comprised of several dozen black holes in our Galaxy and Local Group. This talk is dedicated to the memory of Jeff McClintock, whose vision and indomitable curiosity drove him to discover all that could be known about a black hole.

In his live public lecture at Perimeter Institute on February 5, 2020, astronomer Bryan Gaensler (Dunlap Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics, University of Toronto) explored the latest thinking on interstellar travel and on the search for alien life – including why he believes the frontiers of current research may be more exciting and visionary than any fictional stories we can imagine. Perimeter Institute (charitable registration number 88981 4323 RR0001) is the world’s largest independent research hub devoted to theoretical physics, created to foster breakthroughs in the fundamental understanding of our universe, from the smallest particles to the entire cosmos. The Perimeter Institute Public Lecture Series is made possible in part by the support of donors like you. Be part of the equation: https://insidetheperimeter.ca/donate Subscribe for updates on future live webcasts, events, free posters, and more: https://insidetheperimeter.ca/newsletter/ facebook.com/pioutreach twitter.com/perimeter instagram.com/perimeterinstitute Donate: https://insidetheperimeter.ca/donate

Frank Summers, Space Telescope Science Institute Massive stars do not go gentle into that good night. They rage against the dying of the light in titanic supernova explosions. These stars, more than 10 times the mass of our sun, exhaust their nuclear fuel in less than 1 percent of the Sun's lifetime. Their brilliant blasts, in which a single star can outshine an entire galaxy, serve as both galactic recycling engines and cosmic beacons. The stellar remains range from the densest objects in the universe to gossamer gas filaments expanding across interstellar space. In one particular supernova remnant, the Crab Nebula, its 3D nested structure showcases the energetics and interconnections revealed by multiwavelength astronomy. Recorded live on Tuesday, February 4, 2020, at the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.A. More information: www.stsci.edu/public-lectures

What are the latest discoveries with Exoplanets? Prof. Paul Delaney of York University brings us up to date on the fast-breaking advancements in our knowledge of planets in other solar systems. Prof. Delaney is a Senior Lecturer and the Allan I. Caswell Chair for the Public Understanding of Astronomy at York University. He is also the 2nd Vice-President for the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada - Toronto Centre. He gave his presentation at the Speaker's Night for RASC-Toronto Centre, which was held on January 15th, 2020 at the Ontario Science Centre.

Today at 2:34 pm, we said farewell to the Spitzer Space Telescope mission. Project Scientist Michael Werner and Senior Research Scientist Peter Eisenhardt joined our ASC team mid-January to discuss the incredible mission. All Space Considered is Griffith Observatory’s live science program that is free and open to the public, held the first Friday of every month. Subscribe now for more All Space Considered clips: https://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=griffithobservatory Watch All Space Considered videos: https://www.youtube.com/griffithobservatory Learn more about All Space Considered on our official site: http://griffithobservatory.org/asc/all_space.html Follow All Space Considered on SOCIAL MEDIA: Twitter: https://twitter.com/allspacecnsdrd Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AllSpaceConsidered/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allspaceconsidered/ -Disclaimer- WE DO NOT OWN THE RIGHTS TO THE, VIDEOS, MUSICAL MATERIAL OR PICTURES PRESENT THAT WERE NOT CREATED DIRECTLY BY GRIFFITH OBSERVATORY OR ITS AFFILIATES, ALL CREDIT FOR THIS MATERIAL GOES TO THE ORIGINAL ARTISTS, CREATORS AND COMPOSERS. Fair Use: "Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use."

Original Air Date: Jan. 23, 2020 The Spitzer Space Telescope has been observing the universe in infrared light for over 16 years. As the mission comes to a close, we’ll take a look at some of the amazing highlights and the lasting legacy of this incredible observatory. Host: Brian White Speaker(s): Varoujan Gorjian, Spitzer Research Scientist, JPL Robert Hurt, Spitzer Visualization Scientist, Caltech/IPAC Suzanne Dodd, Former Spitzer Project Manager (2010-2016), JPL Joseph Hunt, Spitzer Project Manager (Current), JPL

Once a month, SAGANet (www.saganet.org) and the NASA Astrobiology Program host a program called "Ask an Astrobiologist", where the public is invited to interact with a high-profile astrobiologist, who replies to Twitter, Facebook, and chat questions live on video. Each session lasts about an hour. Hosted by Dr. Graham Lau (Blue Marble Space Institute of Science) Featured Guest: Dr. Daniel Angerhausen (Astrophysicist & Astrobiologist, Bern University) Directed by Mike Toillion (NASA Astrobiology Program) Illustrations by Aaron Gronstal (NASA Astrobiology Program) Music & Animation by Mike Toillion (NASA Astrobiology Program)

After 16 years of amazing infrared discoveries throughout the cosmos, NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope mission is coming to an end. Join us on Jan. 22 at 1 p.m. EST for a live broadcast celebrating the life and legacy of one of our four great observatories. Mission members will discuss the observatory's far-reaching scientific impact and the incredible team that kept the mission going far longer than anticipated.

A Legal System to Deal with the "Cosmigrocene" Era From the 22nd Annual International Mars Society Convention, held at the University of Southern California from October 17-20, 2019. #MarsLaw The four-day International Mars Society Convention brings together leading scientists, engineers, aerospace industry representatives, government policymakers and journalists to talk about the latest scientific discoveries, technological advances and political-economic developments that could help pave the way for a human mission to the planet Mars. Conference Papers and some presentations will be available on www.MarsPapers.org For more information on the Mars Society, visit our website at www.MarsSociety.org

Michael Werner, the lead scientist for the Spitzer Space Telescope, is a senior research scientist at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology. Peter Eisenhardt, a senior research scientist at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory received NASA's Exceptional Scientific Achievement Medal for his work on Spitzer. All Space Considered is Griffith Observatory’s live science program that is free and open to the public, held the first Friday of every month. Subscribe now for more All Space Considered clips: https://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=griffithobservatory Watch All Space Considered videos: https://www.youtube.com/griffithobservatory Learn more about All Space Considered on our official site: http://griffithobservatory.org/asc/all_space.html Follow All Space Considered on SOCIAL MEDIA: Twitter: https://twitter.com/allspacecnsdrd Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AllSpaceConsidered/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allspaceconsidered/ -Disclaimer- WE DO NOT OWN THE RIGHTS TO THE, VIDEOS, MUSICAL MATERIAL OR PICTURES PRESENT THAT WERE NOT CREATED DIRECTLY BY GRIFFITH OBSERVATORY OR ITS AFFILIATES, ALL CREDIT FOR THIS MATERIAL GOES TO THE ORIGINAL ARTISTS, CREATORS AND COMPOSERS. Fair Use: "Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use."

"Managing the Effect of Damaging Radiation in Deep Space: A New Hope" From the 22nd Annual International Mars Society Convention, held at the University of Southern California from October 17-20, 2019. #MarsHealthSafety #MarsRadiationProtection The four-day International Mars Society Convention brings together leading scientists, engineers, aerospace industry representatives, government policymakers and journalists to talk about the latest scientific discoveries, technological advances and political-economic developments that could help pave the way for a human mission to the planet Mars. Conference Papers and some presentations will be available on www.MarsPapers.org For more information on the Mars Society, visit our website at www.MarsSociety.org

7:30 PM Wednesday, January 8th, 2020 Room A104, Bob Wright Centre, University of Victoria, Canada - a presentation made to the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, Victoria Centre. The ALMA Observatory is a billion dollar multi-national astronomy facility located at high elevation in the Atacama desert of northern Chile. Its 66 antennas work together as if one giant telescope 16 km in diameter, to give us unprecedented images of the cold, dark universe, including the birth of planets around other stars, organic molecules in the early universe, and the first image of the event horizon of the super-massive black hole at the centre of the M87 galaxy. Gerald will talk about the observatory, what it’s like to work there, and some of the astonishing discoveries being made by this facility. More info: https://victoria.rasc.ca/january-2020-speaker-from-baby-planets-to-black-holes-alma-explores-the-cold-universe/

Our keynote speaker is Don Klaser, who you normally see running the AV equipment at Cranbrook. He will be presenting "Skylore & Mythology: Stories from Around the World" He says: "In this talk I present the stories told about the constellations by many cultures around our world and across time. While many of these tales are unique to the culture they are found in, a good number are surprisingly similar; so similar that one might wonder – how can this be the case in cultures continents apart in the days before books, fax machines and the internet. "We’ll look at the stories we’re familiar with – Greco/Roman - and then venture into how the Sumerian, Babylonian, Egyptian, Aboriginal Australian & Native American cultures tried to understand their place beneath the heavenly sphere." It's a great talk for all knowledge and interest levels, so bring your friends and family! Don has been interested in astronomy since he first went out in his parents' backyard with a map of the night sky from National Geographic. He says, "The skies in Roseville were much darker then, which made finding things easier (although I did use a white light flashlight – who knew!). I took a couple of courses in astronomy at Macomb College, but didn’t do much after that, until one weekend – I was up north, in a canoe out on a small lake during new moon; the Milky Way shone so brightly overhead. From then on I was hooked, and I haven’t looked back." Don works for Cranbrook Institute of Science and Michigan Science Center, primarily giving presentations in the planetariums, and is a member and former president of the Ford Amateur Astronomy Club. He also is the driving force behind the "Astronomy for Everyone" television show, shown on many local cable channels and also on YouTube! --- The views expressed in presentations are those of the speakers and do not necessarily represent, and should not be attributed to, the Warren Astronomical Society.

President Jeff Macleod reviews 2019's award winners, people we've lost, and what we've accomplished. --- The views expressed in presentations are those of the speakers and do not necessarily represent, and should not be attributed to, the Warren Astronomical Society.

Dr. Renée Hložek, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics at the University of Toronto, gave a presentation on why supernovae are important in learning how the universe is accelerating. She went on to explain the importance of the new Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) that will be coming online in a few years and how it will allow astronomers to observe many facets of the universe and potentially detect a supernova every few minutes with possibly over 10 million alerts each evening. She gave this presentation at the Speaker's Night on November 27, 2019 organised by the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada - Toronto Centre at the Ontario Science Centre.

For the last half century we have slipped the surly bonds of earth with landers, rovers and spacecraft that have allowed us to touch the very edge of the Solar System and beyond. Voyager 1, launched in 1977, has entered interstellar space. The Parker Solar Probe will soon graze the Sun. We have visited and photographed all eight planets and their moons, and powerful space telescopes are seeking signs of life on thousands of planets we have discovered circling other stars. Capping it off, we now have the first image of a black hole, at the heart of a galaxy 55 million light years away. Join us for a trip across the cosmos, guided by renowned astronomers and space scientists whose spacefaring probes provide humankind’s sharply focused eyes in the skies. This program is part of the BIG IDEAS SERIES, made possible with support from the JOHN TEMPLETON FOUNDATION. PARTICIPANTS: Farah Alibay, Padi Boyd, Jim Irons, Nour Raouafi MODERATOR: Caleb Scharf MORE INFO ABOUT THE PROGRAM AND PARTICIPANTS: https://www.worldsciencefestival.com/programs/eyes-skies-bringing-universe-earth/ - SUBSCRIBE to our YouTube Channel and "ring the bell" for all the latest videos from WSF - VISIT our Website: http://www.worldsciencefestival.com - LIKE us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/worldsciencefestival - FOLLOW us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/WorldSciFest

Thanks to Wix for sponsoring this video! Create your website now: http://www.wix.com/go/startalk What is right and what is wrong? How do we set our moral compass? On this episode of StarTalk Radio, recorded live at the Kings Theatre in Brooklyn, New York, as a part of the final Eugene Mirman Comedy Festival, we explore the intersection of science and morality. Neil deGrasse Tyson is joined by comic co-host Eugene Mirman, author and editor of Skeptic magazine Michael Shermer, comedian Michael Ian Black, Rev. James Martin, SJ, and the legendary Whoopi Goldberg. Explore the different origins of how people get their sense of right and wrong, including how Whoopi got hers from her mother. Ponder the definition of morality through the lens of religion in our modern society. You’ll confront the idea that morality might just be a constructed narrative that humanity uses to justify actions. Discover if other animals have any sense of morality. You’ll also ponder how much of morality is culturally conditioned and/or shaped by the time in which you live. You’ll hear if science can be used to determine human values, whether the moral arc of civilization is constantly evolving, and more about the comparative method of natural experiments. We discuss the importance of debunking wrong ideas that we’ve developed over time as a species. You’ll hear our onstage debate about whether science should help eradicate prejudice in the world – like the prejudice against the LGBTQ community. Explore the roles science and morality play in the public debate over reproductive rights. Father Martin shares his thoughts about the contributions of religion to our civilization’s moral arc – has it helped, hindered, or been neutral to moral progress? We also look to the future: is it immoral to kill a sentient A.I. machine? Is it moral to live forever? What will be considered immoral behavior in ten years that is accepted now? Last, but not least, we ponder whether, in certain moral situations, science is actually irrelevant. (Warning: Adult Language). This episode originally aired on April 6, 2018 and April 13, 2018

Doctor Martin George, The Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery Collections and Research Manager presenting the title of Planetariums of the World.

Richard Grudzien a Member of the Astronomical Society of Tasmania will present the Facinating Small and Large Magellanic Clouds, The Large a Galaxy which is part of the Milky Way and the Small Magellanic Cloud which is a Dwarf galaxy in the Southern Hemisphere

Once a month, SAGANet (www.saganet.org) and the NASA Astrobiology Program host a program called "Ask an Astrobiologist", where the public is invited to interact with a high-profile astrobiologist, who replies to Twitter, Facebook, and chat questions live on video. Each session lasts about an hour. Hosted by Dr. Graham Lau (Blue Marble Space Institute of Science) Featured Guest: Dr. Susan Schneider (Baruch S. Blumberg NASA/Library of Congress Chair in Astrobiology) Directed by Mike Toillion (NASA Astrobiology Program) Illustrations by Aaron Gronstal (NASA Astrobiology Program) Music & Animation by Mike Toillion (NASA Astrobiology Program) Additional Reading & Related Links: Nick Bostrom’s book “Superintelligence: Paths, Dangers, Strategies”: https://www.amazon.com/Superintelligence-Dangers-Strategies-Nick-Bostrom/dp/0198739834/ref=sr_1_2?crid=29S5RIN40YLEP&keywords=superintelligence+by+nick+bostrom&qid=1576172091&sprefix=superintel%2Caps%2C177&sr=8-2) The Control Problem: https://futureoflife.org/2015/11/23/the-superintelligence-control-problem/?cn-reloaded=1 An essay on Frankenstein & AI: https://aeon.co/essays/what-frankensteins-creature-can-really-tell-us-about-ai Recursive self-improvement algorithms and AI, an article from the Future of Life Institute: https://futureoflife.org/2019/03/19/the-unavoidable-problem-of-self-improvement-in-ai-an-interview-with-ramana-kumar-part-1/ On the Dark Forest hypothesis and Liu Cixen’s novels: https://www.discovermagazine.com/the-sciences/chinas-dark-forest-answer-to-star-wars-optimism

The region around the Galactic Center contains a well-characterized excess of gamma rays, which has garnered great interest as a possible signal of either dark matter particles colliding and annihilating, or a previously undiscovered population of pulsars in the stellar bulge. Analyses of the photon statistics of this excess have been used to argue that the pulsar interpretation is strongly favored -- however, I will present recent work arguing that it may be premature to exclude a dark matter origin for the excess on these grounds. I will outline the history of our understanding of the excess and the arguments for various interpretations, describe the current status of the controversy, and discuss future paths forward

Description: The nature of dark matter is one of the most captivating and fundamental open problems facing physicists today. Over many decades, we have collected overwhelming evidence for the existence of dark matter in the universe. Some of the strongest evidence comes from observations of the growth of galaxies and clusters of galaxies, from tiny clumps of matter at the earliest times to the vast patterns of stellar structures that we see in our telescopes today. These patterns are created by streams of dark matter coming together under the influence of their gravitational attraction. There are new ideas about dark matter in which these streams are not completely dark but, rather, can be coaxed into revealing themselves as they shine ever so faintly. This talk will review our knowledge of dark matter, and describe new methods for revealing its flow being developed here at SLAC. About the Speaker: Sebastian Ellis is a theoretical physicist working to understand the mysteries of elementary particle physics. After completing his undergraduate and masters degrees in the UK, he obtained his PhD from the University of Michigan in 2017. Later that year he joined the SLAC theory group as a postdoctoral researcher. His recent research has been focused on understanding dark matter, and studying what role it might play in answering other fundamental questions of nature.

What is a degenerate object in space? From white dwarfs to neutron stars, and brown dwarfs to planets, the universe is full of degenerate objects, a classification used in physics. Museum Curator Dr. Rebecca Oppenheimer discusses 25 years of her own research on these small but fascinating denizens of the universe. Dr. Oppenheimer is a comparative exoplanetary scientist: she studies planets orbiting stars other than the Sun. Her optics laboratory in the Rose Center for Earth and Space is the birthplace of a number of new astronomical instruments designed to tackle the problem of directly seeing and taking spectra of nearby solar systems. In March 2004, Dr. Oppenheimer deployed the world’s most sensitive coronagraph at the AEOS Telescope in Maui. See lyot.org for more information. In June 2008, her team deployed an even more precise and sensitive exoplanet imaging system at the Palomar Observatory. This instrument is called Project 1640 and involves researchers at AMNH, Cambridge, Caltech, and NASA/JPL. All of these instrumentation efforts, as well as several others including the starlight suppression system for the International Gemini Observatory Planet Imager project (GPI), were conducted in Oppenheimer’s lab in the Museum’s Rose Center for Earth and Space. Project 1640 became the first research effort to conduct a reconnaissance of all the known planets in another planetary system in March 2013. Dr. Oppenheimer also works on faint white dwarfs, the remnants of normal stars, and brown dwarfs, star-like objects that are too small to be stars but too large to be called planets. She is the co-discoverer of the first brown dwarf, called Gliese 229B, and was the first scientist to study the atmospheric composition, chemistry, and physics of a sub-stellar object outside our solar system. This is Dr. Oppenheimer’s second visit to the Westport Observatory. Her last visit was November 2011 when she spoke about recent Kepler findings in her talk The Universe of Worlds: Comparative Exoplanet Science.

Thirty-five years ago, a group of entrepreneurs and scientists founded the SETI Institute – the first scientific institute dedicated to the search for extraterrestrial life in the universe. We’re excited to commemorate this anniversary. We invited SETI Institute co-founder Jill Tarter and 2018 Drake Award Recipient Vikki Meadows to discuss the challenges and possible future strategies for the detection of life. Initiated by Jill Tarter in 1990s, Project Phoenix marked the first systematic search for technosignatures. Today, the Allen Telescope Array and Laser SETI are driving our technosignature search. The discovery that exoplanets are common has radically changed our view of the universe. The likelihood that there are habitable worlds elsewhere in the universe seems more plausible than ever before. Astronomers, including Vikki Meadows, are developing new instruments to help search for life on other planets. By analyzing data from exoplanets and identifying biosignatures, we will be able to search for habitable planets and the presence of life. Which approach will discover the first evidence of extraterrestrial life? Will technosignatures or biosignatures confirm our hypothesis that life exists outside our watery, shimmering planet and that, indeed, we are not alone? Molly Bentley, the co-host and producer of the radio program and podcast, Big Picture Science, will be the moderator.

From exoplanets, with their surprising lack of spectral features, to Titan and its characteristic haze layer, numerous planetary atmospheres may possess photochemically produced particles of "haze". With few exceptions, we lack strong observational constraints (in situ or remote sensing) on the size, shape, density, and composition of these particles. Photochemical models, which can generally explain the observed abundances of smaller, gas phase molecules, are not well suited for investigations of much larger, solid phase particles. Laboratory investigations of haze formation in planetary atmospheres therefore play a key role in improving our understanding of the formation and composition of haze particles. I will discuss a series of experiments aimed at improving our understanding of the physical and chemical properties of planetary atmospheric hazes on Titan, Pluto, super-Earths, and mini-Neptunes.

Just as the Earth has cycles, our closest star, the Sun, has cycles of activity that we call space weather. Throughout the 11-year solar cycle, the Sun goes from a relatively quiet, spotless disk to a busy, flaring ball of plasma. If these flares are pointed at Earth, we see the effects in our GPS, radio, power grid systems, and even in high altitude or polar flights. In this talk, we will see how the Sun is a dynamic source of energy that in turn affects our planet Earth in many ways in the form of space weather. By Dr. Anthony DeStefano, NASA Marshall Flight Space Center. From the November 1, 2019 General Meeting of the Memphis Astronomical Society. Due to a microphone glitch, only 22 minutes of the talk was captured, sorry about that 🙁 http://www.MemphisAstro.org https://www.facebook.com/groups/memphisastro/ https://twitter.com/society_memphis

Some of the smallest and lightest rockets in NASA’s lineup have made some of the biggest impacts on science. With a flight time of just about 15 minutes before falling back to Earth, sounding rockets collect unique observations on everything from our planet’s atmosphere to the Sun and even distant galaxies. Join us live to hear from scientists who have traveled to the ends of the Earth to launch sounding rockets, flown cutting-edge instruments on these suborbital flights, and used sounding rockets to make brand-new scientific discoveries.

Former NASA Associate Administrator for the Office of Policy and Plans, Alan Ladwig, will discuss his book, See You in Orbit? Our Dream of Spaceflight. The lecture will be followed by a book signing. Books will be available for purchase in the Observatory gift shop. All Space Considered is Griffith Observatory’s live science program that is free and open to the public, held the first Friday of every month. Subscribe now for more All Space Considered clips: https://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=griffithobservatory Watch All Space Considered videos: https://www.youtube.com/griffithobservatory Learn more about All Space Considered on our official site: http://griffithobservatory.org/asc/all_space.html Follow All Space Considered on SOCIAL MEDIA: Twitter: https://twitter.com/allspacecnsdrd Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AllSpaceConsidered/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allspaceconsidered/ -Disclaimer- WE DO NOT OWN THE RIGHTS TO THE, VIDEOS, MUSICAL MATERIAL OR PICTURES PRESENT THAT WERE NOT CREATED DIRECTLY BY GRIFFITH OBSERVATORY OR ITS AFFILIATES, ALL CREDIT FOR THIS MATERIAL GOES TO THE ORIGINAL ARTISTS, CREATORS AND COMPOSERS. Fair Use: "Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use."

1080P - 60 Host: Mercedes Lopez-Morales Speaker: David Sing (STScI) Abstract: To date, Hubble has played the definitive role in the characterization of exoplanet atmospheres. From the first planets available, we have learned that their atmospheres are incredibly diverse. With HST, JWST, and TESS a new era of atmospheric studies is opening up, where wide scale comparative planetology is now possible. Such studies can provide insight into the underlying physical process through comparative studies. Hubble’s full spectroscopic capabilities are now being used to produce the first large-scale, simultaneous UVOIR comparative study of 20 exoplanets ranging from super-Earth to Neptune and Jupiter sizes. With full UV to infrared wavelength coverage, an entire planet’s atmosphere can be probed simultaneously and with sufficient numbers of planets, it will be possible to statistically compare their features with physical parameters. The panchromatic treasury program aims at build a lasting HST legacy, providing the UV and blue-optical exoplanet spectra which will be unavailable to JWST, providing key insights into clouds and mass loss. I will review the highlights of the program to date, which include atmospheric water resolved in emission and new absorption features seen in transmission such as escaping ionized metals. I will also present the latest findings from the ongoing Hubble Treasury program and discuss synergies with JWST.