NEXT TALK: Next talk 31st of October, 7pm - Sesonal mood disorders
Cittie Of Yorke, 22 High Holborn, WC1V 6BN
Where are the Aliens: how common is intelligent life in the Universe?
Tuesday, 26th of April 2016
A podcast of this talk is available on the KEWO Science website
A transcript of the Q&A session is also available on the KEWO Science website
This talk will discuss what modern results in astrobiology tell us about the prospects for finding intelligent life elsewhere in the universe. It will be based around a discussion of the famous 'Drake Equation', which provides a rough estimation of the number of civilisations in our galaxy based on (more or less unknown) parameters such as the number of planets in the universe, the probability of life arising on suitable planets, and the probability of natural selection evolving intelligent creatures and technological civilisations.
Ian Crawford is an astronomer turned planetary scientist, and is currently Professor of Planetary Science and Astrobiology at Birkbeck College, London. He is presently also Senior Secretary of the UK’s Royal Astronomical Society. The main focus of his research is in the area of lunar exploration, including the remote sensing of the lunar surface and the laboratory analysis of lunar samples. Ian also has strong interests in the new science of astrobiology, the study of the astronomical and planetary context of the origin and evolution of life. A more detailed summary of interests, and list of publications, can be found there.
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