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Nontechnical Talk Open to the Public<br>
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On Wednesday, April 21, 2010, at 7 pm,<br>
Astronomer David Morrison of NASA's Ames<br>
Research Center will give a non-technical,<br>
illustrated talk on:<br>
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A Scientist Looks at "Doomsday 2012" and<br>
the Rise of Cosmophobia<br>
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as part of the Silicon Valley Astronomy Lectures<br>
in the Smithwick Theater, Foothill College,<br>
El Monte Road and Freeway 280,<br>
in Los Altos Hills, California.<br><br>
Free and open to the public.<br>
Parking on campus costs $2.<br><br>
Call the series hot-line at 650-949-7888 for<br>
more information and driving directions.<br><br>
No background in science will be required for<br>
this talk.<br>
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Many people have heard the rumors (through the media,<br>
on the Internet, seeing the big-budget movie, or from friends) <br>
that the world will end in 2012 -- and that some astronomical <br>
event or alignment is to blame. According to some versions, <br>
this doomsday scenario was predicted by ancient civilizations<br>
and we are just waking up to the truth! Is there scientific<br>
basis to these rumors?<br><br>
Dr. David Morrison runs the web site through which<br>
the public can ask NASA questions about life in the universe,<br>
and for the past two years he has found himself <br>
overwhelmed by questions on this topic. He has now tracked <br>
down many of the stories that gave rise to a new fear of the <br>
heavens (what he calls "cosmophobia"). He will tell us about
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the scientific perspective on the chances that we won't be <br>
around after 2012. There are lessons here about the way a <br>
scientifically unsophisticated segment of the public can be <br>
manipulated by hoaxers out to make a buck by <br>
frightening people.<br><br>
David Morrison is the Director of NASA's Lunar<br>
Science Institute and the Director of the Carl Sagan<br>
Center for the Study of Life at the SETI Institute.<br>
Dr. Morrison, a world-renowned planetary scientist<br>
and expert in the field of asteroid impacts, is the <br>
author of more than 155 technical papers<br>
and has published a dozen popular books and intro-<br>
ductory textbooks. He is the recipient of numerous awards<br>
for his scientific and educational work, including the<br>
Sagan Medal of the American Astronomical Society<br>
for public communication. Dr. Morrison was a founder<br>
of the multi-disciplinary field of astrobiology. Asteroid<br>
2410 Morrison is named in his honor, but he assures<br>
us that it is not one of those that might hit the Earth.<br><br>
The lecture is co-sponsored by:<br>
* NASA Ames Research Center<br>
* The Foothill College Astronomy Program<br>
* The SETI Institute<br>
* The Astronomical Society of the Pacific.<br><br>
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Past Silicon Valley Astronomy Lectures are now available<br>
in MP3 format at:<br>
<a href="http://www.astrosociety.org/education/podcast/index.html">
http://www.astrosociety.org/education/podcast/index.html</a><br><br>
<br>
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Andrew Fraknoi, Chair, Astronomy Program<br>
Foothill College, 12345 El Monte Rd.,<br>
Los Altos Hills, CA 94022, USA<br><br>
Telephone: (650) 949-7288<br>
E-mail: fraknoiandrew@fhda.edu<br>
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