[FPSPACE] FW: CfA: The Future of Human Life in the Universe

[LARRY KLAES]

> Date: Wed, 15 Apr 2009 13:33:54 -0400
> Subject: CfA: The Future of Human Life in the Universe
> From: rick.fienberg at aas.org
> To: Rick.Fienberg at aas.org
> 
> THE FOLLOWING RELEASE WAS RECEIVED FROM THE HARVARD-SMITHSONIAN CENTER
> FOR ASTROPHYSICS IN CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, AND IS FORWARDED FOR
> YOUR INFORMATION. (FORWARDING DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT BY THE
> AMERICAN ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY.) Rick Fienberg, American Astronomical
> Society: rick.fienberg at aas.org, 1-857-891-5649.
> 
> April 15, 2009
> CfA Media Advisory 2009-01
> 
> Contacts:
> David Aguilar
> 1-617-495-7462
> daguilar at cfa.harvard.edu
> 
> Christine Pulliam
> 1-617-495-7463
> cpulliam at cfa.harvard.edu
> 
> CROSSROADS: THE FUTURE OF HUMAN LIFE IN THE UNIVERSE
> 
> The Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics and Harvard Origins of
> Life Initiative are sponsoring a landmark two-day symposium May 1-2,
> “Crossroads: The Future of Human Life in the Universe.” It is part of
> the Cambridge Science Festival and commemorates the 2009 International
> Year of Astronomy. The conference, which is open to the general
> public, will feature a series of lectures by scientific luminaries.
> 
> About the Symposium:
> 
> Astronomers are on the threshold of discovering the Holy Grail of
> planetary sciences: new Earth-like planets. The next challenge will be
> to determine whether or not these worlds have life on them -
> especially intelligent life that we can communicate with.
> 
> If such life does exist beyond our solar system, will it be
> technologically based life like ours? Or, if we do not find
> intelligent life out there, what does that imply about our place in
> the Universe?
> 
> Are there “filters” like global warming, overpopulation, exhaustion of
> natural resources, and the emergence of AI that sentient species must
> pass through? And, if they don’t, does their dominance end? Is this
> the reason SETI has heard nothing for the past 35 years - because no
> intelligent species near us has survived these types of filters?
> 
> Are humans on the brink of one of these dangerous passages right now?
> These are the topics to be explored in this provocative meeting of
> world experts as we examine the possible future of human life in the
> Universe.
> 
> Schedule:
> 
> Thursday, April 30 - Brattle Theatre, Cambridge, Mass.
> 
> 7:00 pm “The Future According to Hollywood” presented by David Aguilar
> Followed by screening of “Colossus: The Forbin Project”
> 
> Friday, May 1 - Zero Arrow Theatre, Cambridge, Mass.
> 
> 8:30 - 9:00 Welcome/Introduction
> 9:00 -10:00 “What Is Life?” - Andy Knoll
> 10:00-11:00 “The Drake Equation 2009” - Frank Drake
> 11:00-12:00 “Earth, Super Earths and the Fermi Paradox” - Dimitar Sasselov
> 
> 1:30 - 2:30 “The Rise of Artificial Life” - J. Craig Venter
> 2:30 - 3:30 “Why Complex Life is Uncommon in the Universe” - Peter Ward
> 3:30 - 4:30 “Humans on Mars” - Maria Zuber
> 
> Saturday, May 2 - Zero Arrow Theatre, Cambridge, Mass.
> 
> 9:00 - 10:00 “How to Find a Habitable Planet” - David Charbonneau
> 10:00 - 11:00 “The Medea Hypothesis” - Peter Ward
> 11:00 - 12:00 “New Shapes of Things to Come” - Juan Enriquez
> 12:00 - 1:00 “Reflections on Life in the Universe” - Freeman Dyson
> 
> To Participate:
> 
> Journalists may pre-register for this symposium for reserved seating.
> (Seating for the general public is first come, first served.) To
> register, journalists should send an e-mail to
> pubaffairs at cfa.harvard.edu by Monday, April 27th with your name, phone
> number and affiliation.
> 
> Webcast:
> 
> The event will be webcast live at http://livevideo.harvard.edu/internal
> 
> Website:
> 
> Full details about this event are online at http://www.crossroads-future.com
> 
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------
> If you do not wish to receive press releases that are forwarded to the
> news media by the American Astronomical Society, please reply
> accordingly to any incoming press release, or send e-mail to
> rick.fienberg at aas.org. Requests for referrals to experts on astronomy
> and space exploration should be sent to the same address. Rick
> Fienberg, AAS Deputy Press Officer: rick.fienberg at aas.org, telephone
> 1-857-891-5649.
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