“Cosmic perspectives: from planets to the multiverse” by Professor Martin Rees, Baron Rees of Ludlow, O.M., F.R.S.
Mon 19 Nov 6:00pm, Theatre L, Newman Building, Arts Block, UCD. Admission free.
Poster
Cosmic perspectives: from planets to the multiverse
Astronomers have made astonishing progress in probing our cosmic environment. We can trace cosmic history from some mysterious ‘beginning’ nearly 14 billion years ago, and understand in outline the emergence of atoms, galaxies, stars and planets — and how, on at least one planet, life emerged and developed a complex biosphere of which we are part.
Unmanned spacecraft have visited the other planets of our Solar System (and some of their moons), beaming back pictures of varied and distinctive worlds. And, probing far beyond our Solar System, telescopes, have revealed a vast universe, containing billions of galaxies, each containing billions of stars.
An exciting development in the last decade has been the realisation that many other stars are orbited by retinues of planets — some resembling our Earth.
But these advances pose new questions: What does the long-range future hold? How widespread is life in our cosmos? Should we be surprised that the physical laws permitted the emergence of complexity? and: Is physical reality even more extensive than the domain that our telescopes can probe? This illustrated lecture will attempt to address such issues.
Biography
Until his retirement earlier this year, Professor Martin Rees, Baron Rees of Ludlow, O.M., F.R.S., was the Master of Trinity College, Cambridge. Professor Rees was appointed to the House of Lords as a non-party-political peer, sitting on the Cross Benches in 2005, in which year he also became President of the Royal Society, a post he held until 2010. He is also Emeritus Professor of Cosmology and Astrophysics in the Institute of Astronomy at Cambridge. Among many other academic distinctions he holds the honorary title of Astronomer Royal.
Lord Rees’ awards include the Gold Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society, the Balzan International Prize, the Bruce Medal of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, the Heineman Prize for Astrophysics (AAS/AIP), the Bower Award for Science of the Franklin Institute, the Cosmology Prize of the Peter Gruber Foundation and the Einstein Award of the World Cultural Council.
Among Professor Rees’s publications are the following books: Cosmic Coincidences (UK title: The Stuff of the Universe) with J. Gribbin (1989); New Perspectives in Astrophysical Cosmology (2000); Before the Beginning—Our Universe and Others (1997); Gravity’s Fatal Attraction: Black Holes in the Universe (1995); Just Six Numbers (1999); Our Cosmic Habitat (2001);Our Final Century (US title: Our Final Hour) (2003); La Lucciola e il Rifletorre (in Italian only) (2004); Universe, editor (2005); What We Still Don’t Know (2007).
Leave a Comment
Last Updated: 22nd March 2016 by Anne Grace
2012-11-19 School of Theoretical Physics Statutory Public Lecture 2012 in association with the School of Cosmic Physics
“Cosmic perspectives: from planets to the multiverse” by Professor Martin Rees, Baron Rees of Ludlow, O.M., F.R.S.
Mon 19 Nov 6:00pm, Theatre L, Newman Building, Arts Block, UCD. Admission free.
Poster
Cosmic perspectives: from planets to the multiverse
Astronomers have made astonishing progress in probing our cosmic environment. We can trace cosmic history from some mysterious ‘beginning’ nearly 14 billion years ago, and understand in outline the emergence of atoms, galaxies, stars and planets — and how, on at least one planet, life emerged and developed a complex biosphere of which we are part.
Unmanned spacecraft have visited the other planets of our Solar System (and some of their moons), beaming back pictures of varied and distinctive worlds. And, probing far beyond our Solar System, telescopes, have revealed a vast universe, containing billions of galaxies, each containing billions of stars.
An exciting development in the last decade has been the realisation that many other stars are orbited by retinues of planets — some resembling our Earth.
But these advances pose new questions: What does the long-range future hold? How widespread is life in our cosmos? Should we be surprised that the physical laws permitted the emergence of complexity? and: Is physical reality even more extensive than the domain that our telescopes can probe? This illustrated lecture will attempt to address such issues.
Biography
Until his retirement earlier this year, Professor Martin Rees, Baron Rees of Ludlow, O.M., F.R.S., was the Master of Trinity College, Cambridge. Professor Rees was appointed to the House of Lords as a non-party-political peer, sitting on the Cross Benches in 2005, in which year he also became President of the Royal Society, a post he held until 2010. He is also Emeritus Professor of Cosmology and Astrophysics in the Institute of Astronomy at Cambridge. Among many other academic distinctions he holds the honorary title of Astronomer Royal.
Lord Rees’ awards include the Gold Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society, the Balzan International Prize, the Bruce Medal of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, the Heineman Prize for Astrophysics (AAS/AIP), the Bower Award for Science of the Franklin Institute, the Cosmology Prize of the Peter Gruber Foundation and the Einstein Award of the World Cultural Council.
Among Professor Rees’s publications are the following books: Cosmic Coincidences (UK title: The Stuff of the Universe) with J. Gribbin (1989); New Perspectives in Astrophysical Cosmology (2000); Before the Beginning—Our Universe and Others (1997); Gravity’s Fatal Attraction: Black Holes in the Universe (1995); Just Six Numbers (1999); Our Cosmic Habitat (2001);Our Final Century (US title: Our Final Hour) (2003); La Lucciola e il Rifletorre (in Italian only) (2004); Universe, editor (2005); What We Still Don’t Know (2007).
Category: Astronomy and Astrophysics Section News & Events
Great @thetimesIE article on recent findings on how plasma matter in the Sun’s atmosphere may hold the key to developing safe and efficient nuclear energy, a project that @petertgallagher, Head of the School of Astrophysics, collaborated on. Read - bit.ly/2WpQxr1
Some great coverage on DIAS's Postdoc scholar Eoin Carley's latest paper: "Irish scientists help unveil mystery of exotic matter in the sun's atmosphere" via @IrishTimes irishtimes.com/news/science/i…
Great to see Sergei Lebedev, Assistant Professor of Seismology at @dias_geophysics having his co-authored paper published in @NatureGeosci today! You can read the paper at: bit.ly/2Jqxoz2
What can black holes and quantum computers tell us about the other? This Wednesday at 7:15pm, in the Joly Lecture Theatre, @tcddublin Marika Taylor will present on this topic. This event is free but places must be booked at: bit.ly/2J64tzu. #DIASdiscovers
You're invited to join us for the @StpDias Statutory Public Lecture 2019 on 23 May 2019, 6pm by Prof. Don Zagier in @tcddublin. Prof. Zaigier will deliver an exciting look at 'Numbers, Knots, & Quantum Theory'. Info and tickets at: bit.ly/2JLsAUj #DIASdiscovers
As part of IQF 2019 on 22 May, Prof. Marika Taylor will explain what #BlackHoles might teach us about #QuantumComputing and conversely, what quantum theory implies about the fundamental properties of black holes. Register at bit.ly/2WuKgHo #DIASdiscovers
The annual Irish Quantum Foundations meeting will take place this year in @tcddublin on 23 & 24 May, bringing together Irish and international theoretical physicists who work fundamental theory and quantum foundations. More info and registration at maths.tcd.ie/~tristan/IQF20….
At last week's final #WhatIsLife lecture, Director of @StpDias Professor Werner Nahm contemplated the impact of Ada Yonath's work for the question 'what is life?' and tying into the impact and legacy of #Schrödinger. #DIASdiscovers
Martin Möllhoff, Director of Irish National Seismic Network spoke to @OceanFmIreland about yesterday's earthquake in Donegal. You can lsiten back at: oceanfm.ie/2019/04/30/ano… #DIASdiscovers
On Thursday, Werner Nahm had us 'thinking outside the box' at the fourth and final @DIAS_Dublin 'What is Life?' lecture series. The series commemorated the 75th anniversary of Erwin #Schrödinger's ground breaking series being published as a book. #DIASdiscovers
Another Earthquake recorded in Donegal by the Irish National Seismic Network. Magnitude 2.1. You can read more about it at tinyurl.com/y4bewx3h. #DIASdiscovers twitter.com/dias_geophysic…
If you haven't booked your place at today's lunchtime lecture from the @StpDias, exploring the legacy of Schrödinger’s 'What is Life?' lectures and book, do so now at: bit.ly/2KZStSH It's te final one lecture of the series. #DIASdiscovers
Don't miss the 4th and final lecture in our #WhatisLife series with Prof Werner Nahm, Director of @StpDias, looking at ‘Beyond the ‘What is Life?’ lectures and book’. This lecture, at 1pm tomorrow, will explore the legacy of Professor Erwin Schrödinger. bit.ly/2KZStSH