UofT AstroTour: The Butterfly Effect: Chaos theory and its influence on our lives

What would the Solar System look like today if we turned back time and started again? What would life be like if Jesus Christ never existed? These are just a couple of questions that can be answered using Chaos Theory, a fascinating process pervading all facets of the universe from galactic evolution to financial markets. Chaos Theory can be difficult to grasp since it operates on complex systems, but in this lecture Ari Silburt will explain it in simple terms anyone can understand, giving numerous astronomical and everyday examples.

About the Speaker
Ari Silburt is a PhD candidate at the University of Toronto studying chaos in planetary systems. In particular he works on planets embedded in planetesimal disks, using N-body simulations to aid his research. When he is not conducting research, Ari spends his time Lindy hopping, making space noises with his band, and praying to the chaos gods for Blue Jays victories.

The U of T Astronomy Public Tour, or AstroTour, is a monthly event operated by the graduate students of the U of T Astronomy Department. The Tour features a public lecture by a member of the Department on topics ranging from their research to great moments in astronomical history. Following the lecture, tour-goers can peer at the night sky through the Department’s balcony and dome telescopes, or watch a planetarium show run live by astronomer. Admission to the tour is free. Seating for the lecture is on a first-come, first-served basis (doors open ten minutes before the start of the lecture), and the telescope observing is walk-in.

Who can attend: Everyone
Fee: Free
Reservations: Only required for Planetarium Shows
Organized by: Graduate Astronomy Students Association. The AstroTours are generously financed by the Department of Astronomy & Astrophysics and the Dunlap Institute for Astronomy & Astrophysics.
Location: University of Toronto, McLennan Physical Laboratories (MP 203), 60 St George St., Toronto, ON  M5S 1A7

http://www.astro.utoronto.ca/astrotours/?page_id=392
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