ASX Star Talk: Warp Drives & Aliens
Hello astrophiles! Star Trek, Star Wars, and basically all space-based sci-fi are stuffed full of exotic extraterrestrials and peculiar planets. But what is the scientific basis of these weird and wonderful worlds? To find out, come out to ASX's November Star Talk on Wednesday, November 21st, in McLennan Physical Laboratories (MP), Room 102 where Dunlap Institute Director Prof. Bryan Gaensler will be shedding light on the hard facts underpinning science fiction! The free, public lecture itself is from 7:00-8:00pm followed, weather permitting, by a free, public telescope viewing atop MP. Everyone is welcome!
Lecture Abstract
Science fiction and science are both wondrous and inspiring, albeit in very different ways. At its best, science fiction asks profound questions about the human condition. In contrast, science asks -- and often answers -- even more profound questions about the very nature of matter, space and time. Bryan Gaensler is both a professional astrophysicist and a science-fiction fan, and sometimes his two great passions converge. Specifically, two of the ever-present themes explored in both fact and fiction are the prospect of journeying to other stars, and the possibility of life on other worlds. In this presentation, he will provide an overview of the latest thinking on interstellar travel and on the search for alien life. The remarkable frontiers of current research provide a rich canvas to tell stories of our place in the cosmos.
About the Speaker
This star talk features Prof. Bryan Gaensler, Director of UofT's Dunlap Institute for Astronomy & Astrophysics. Additionally, he is the Canada Research Chair and Professor of Astronomy in the Department of Astronomy & Astrophysics, and the Canadian Science Director for the Square Kilometre Array (SKA). Prof. Gaensler's research interests include cosmic magnetism, time-domain astrophysics, and the diffuse Universe.
Who can attend: Everyone
Fee: Free
Registration: Not required
Organized by: Astronomy & Space Exploration Society
Location: University of Toronto, McLennan Physical Laboratories (MP 102), 60 St George St, Toronto, ON M5S 1A7