Are we alone in the Universe? It’s an age-old question that has captivated scientists, leaders and philosophers for centuries. But the question we should really be asking is… how might the discovery of extraterrestrial life affect society?
On November 7 at Kansas City’s Linda Hall Library, former NASA Chief Historian Steven J. Dick will give context to the 13.8 billion years of cosmic evolution and what that means for you here on Earth in his free public program, Cosmic Evolution, Astrobiology, and the Societal Impact of Finding Extraterrestrial Intelligence.
Dr. Dick will give attendees an overview of astrobiology, discussing planetary science, the search for exoplanets, origins of life, and the search for extraterrestrial intelligence. He will hypothesize upon the possible discovery scenarios, whether extraterrestrial life may be microbial or intelligent, near or far, biological or post-biological, and the social implications and impacts of each scenario.
“When we look up at the stars, it’s hard not to imagine that there is extraterrestrial life somewhere in the universe,” said Eric Ward, Vice President for Public Programs at the Linda Hall Library. “If we are not alone, what do we do then? Do we make contact? Who speaks on behalf of humanity? This program is full of thought-provoking questions and context that helps us shape our destiny in the search for extraterrestrial life.”
Steven J. Dick, PhD is an accomplished astronomer and science historian. He served as the NASA Chief Historian and Director of the NASA History Office from 2003 to 2009 and worked at the U.S. Naval Observatory for more than two decades. Dr. Dick has held the Baruch S. Blumberg NASA/Library of Congress Chair in Astrobiology at the Library of Congress and the Charles A. Lindbergh Chair in Aerospace History at the National Air and Space Museum, and his astrobiology expertise has been called on by the United States Congress.
Dr. Dick is the author or editor of 25 books, including his most recent work, Astrobiology, Discovery, and Societal Impact. In 2006, he received the LeRoy E. Doggett Prize from the American Astronomical Society for a career that has significantly influenced the field of the history of astronomy, and Minor planet 6544 Stevendick is named in his honor.
Cosmic Evolution, Astrobiology, and the Societal Impact of Finding Extraterrestrial Intelligence is free and open to the public, though preregistration is required. A virtual live stream is also free and available for registration. Click here to register for the virtual program.
The program will be held on Thursday, November 7, from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Linda Hall Library, located at 5109 Cherry Street in Kansas City, MO. For more information, visit lindahall.org.
