[sfevents] SFAA MARCH 17th meeting: Origins of Life in the Universe – Chance or Necessity

[Michael Portuesi]

RANDALL MUSEUM ANNOUNCES
SAN FRANCISCO AMATEUR ASTRONOMERS’ LECTURE SERIES

Origins of Life in the Universe – Chance or Necessity
A Presentation by NASA Scientist
Andrew Pohorille

7:30PM, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2010
AT THE RANDALL MUSEUM THEATER

Join Andrew Pohorille from NASA Ames Research Center for a presentation on the Origins of Life in the Universe.
The new era of space exploration brings to the front stage one of the oldest questions in history of humankind – is there life beyond earth in our solar system and elsewhere in the universe? This leads to other, related questions that have broad philosophical implications. Was the emergence of life a predictable outcome of chemical evolution? Could evolution produce life very different from ours?

A number of experimental and theoretical tools are now available that allow us to shift the problem from the realm of religion and speculations to the realm of rational, scientific inquiry. Starting with a notion that the emergence of life was subjected to universal constraints arising from the laws of physics and chemistry, Pohorille will discuss current views on this issue.

What:       San Francisco Amateur Astronomers’ Lecture
Origins of Life in the Universe – Chance or Necessity
A Presentation by Andrew Pohorille, NASA Ames Research Center

When:        7:30pm, Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Where:      Randall Museum
199 Museum Way, SF, CA

Ages:         Geared for adults; All ages welcome

Cost:          FREE; donations encouraged

Info:           415.554.9600 or www.randallmuseum.org

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