Cornell astronomy talk to ask, ‘Are we alone in universe?’

Director of the Carl Sagan Institute and an associate professor in Cornell’s Department of Astronomy, Lisa Kaltenegger says we live in an age when we finally may be able to answer the millennia-old question, “Are we alone in the universe?”

Although she’s not promising to answer the question, Kaltenegger will share her research on potentially habitable planets beyond our solar system in a free public lecture, “A Thousand New Worlds,” on July 8 at 7:00 p.m. in Call Auditorium.

Kaltenegger, who earned her doctorate in astrophysics from the University of Graz, has been examining alien worlds for biosignatures—the pre-conditions and indications of life. “We are on the cusp of discovery, mapping our place among the thousands of worlds in the night sky,” she says—adding that this new era of astronomic exploration and discovery will also “give us the opportunity to better understand our own planet, and perhaps even a glimpse into our future.”

Cornell’s free summer events, which run from June 23 to July 31, include Tuesday performances at the Schwartz Center for the Performing Arts, Wednesday lectures at Call Auditorium* in Kennedy Hall, and Friday concerts on the Arts Quad. For more information, visit summer.cornell.edu/events, e-mail cusce@cornell.edu, or call 607.255.4987. If you need accommodations to participate in this event, please contact us as soon as possible.


*The School of Continuing Education and Summer Sessions thanks the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences for generously donating the use of Call Auditorium for the summer lecture series.