Life OFF Earth: are we alone?   "Upstairs" at the Redback Brewery, 75 Flemington Road, North Melbourne Wednesday, 3 May at 7.30-9:30 pm A Science in the Pub with Paul Davies, Heather Couper and Nigel Henbest, guided by ABC Quantum's Paul Willis     Martians, Daleks, ET, The Alien - the media persuade us that the Universe is teeming with intelligent life. From the crucibles of starbirth to the frozen sands of Mars, scientists too, are looking for clues to one of the greatest unanswered questions in the Cosmos. Researchers around the world are using the biggest radio telescopes - from the Caribbean to New South Wales - to seek out artificial signals from the alien hordes. Can we really succeed in tuning into broadcasts from extraterrestrial civilisations? Can "they" detect us from our spaceprobes and the TV signals that leak away from the Earth? Might life have once existed on Mars - and might strange creatures currently inhabit the frozen oceans of Jupiter's moon Europa? Heather Couper and Nigel Henbest produced the recent ABC series "Universe". Both astronomers they have an international reputation for making science accessible through their films and books. As Professor of Theoretical Physics in Newcastle upon Tyne between 1980 and 1990, it came as a relief for Paul Davies to move to South Australia where most people speak English. Having quit the UK, it was only a matter of time before he quit academic life too. Davies became so engrossed with television and radio appearances he forgot to give his lectures, and felt the time had come for a graceful exit from The University of Adelaide. He retains toeholds in academia as Visiting Professor at Imperial College London, and Honorary Professor at the University of Queensland. Otherwise he loafs about in Adelaide, writing books and reflecting on the meaning of existence. He hasn't found the answer yet. Admission $5. First in best dressed. Pub meals are available, please book directly with the Redback Brewery on 9329 9400. (If you tell them you are attending Science in the Pub, seats will be reserved for you.) We recommend you plan to eat at 6 pm. Science in the Pub bookings may be made by email only to Paris Brooke , or just turn up on the night. 'Science in the Pub' (TM) is an initiative of the Australian Science Communicators (NSW) and supported by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. We can organise Science in YOUR Pub anywhere in Australia, or the world! For further information on 'Science in the Pub' please contact Robyn Stutchbury on mailto:rstutch@bigpond.net.auof Peripatus Productions Pty Limited, 1 Carisbrook Street, Lane Cove 2066, Tel: 02 9427 6747, Fax: 02 9418 9605. For more information visit our website at: www.scienceinthepub.html. Future Science in the Pub sessions (see the website for full details): 5-12 May, Science in the Pub goes Outback (these sessions have not all been finalised at present - please check before travelling to any of them!) 5 May, Silverton Pub, Broken Hill. `Life, the Universe and Everything'. 6, May, Birdsville Pub, Birdsville. `Land use in the Eyre basin'. 8, May, Longreach. `Land use in the Eyre basin'. 10, May, Charleville. `Life, the Universe and Everything'. 11, May, Bourke. `Water use in the Murray-Darling basin'. 10 May, Harlequin Inn, Sydney. 'Parascience'. Hosted by the science communicators from 2SER FM. 18 May, Harlequin Inn, Sydney. Fermat's Last Theorem - a mathematical obsession? With author and cryptologist Norman Singh, author of "Fermat's Last Theorem". Sponsored by the British Council. 19 May Brisbane, `Innovation.com or Innovation.con?'. To be held at the Carlton Crest Hotel, Brisbane at 4:30-6:00pm. For further information contact Elizabeth Elenius . 28 June, Harlequin Inn, Sydney. 'Cheats or Champs - the use of drugs in sport', for Chemistry Week.
Science in the Pub™, © 2000. Stutchbury, R, Burton, M.