In the Universe does God = 42?   Science in the Pub Number 62 With panelists Charley Lineweaver and Martin Hendry Compered by Fred Watson Wednesday, July 4th 2001, 7:00-9:00pm Harlequin Inn, 152 Harris Street, Pyrmont, Sydney Science in the Pub takes a look at what modern astrophysics tells us about the origin and evolution of the Universe: its size, age, even its eventual fate. Is there strong evidence for the existence of a creator? Are science and religion incompatible? Dr Martin Hendry, Astrophysicist from the University of Glasgow, Scotland and Dr Charles Lineweaver, Astrophysicist from the UNSW will discuss these and several other issues relating to whether or not God can be built into our studies of the Universe and modern physics. And to keep it all 'in house', Dr Fred Watson, Astronomer-in-Charge of the Anglo-Australian Observatory near Coonabarabran will be our special guest compere. Fred is well known to SciPub followers as a panellist for a number of sessions over the past three years and was also one of the stars of our Science in the Pub goes Outback programs, Starry Starry Night and Science meets the Arts. You might even be lucky enough to be serenaded by the famous Fred as he croons his cosmic compositions whilst accompanying himself by guitar. In fact, with Martin's talents thrown in, we might just be in for a musical evening! Does God = 42? This has been built into tonight's title as a tribute to Douglas Adams of The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy fame and one of our very starry Science in the Pub stars (May 1999). Douglas died at the age of 49 in May this year. Martin Hendry's visit to Australia for The 2nd International Philosophy, Science & Theology Festival in Grafton, 26 June - 1 July, 2001 has been supported by the British Council. Martin Hendry is a Lecturer in Astronomy at the University of Glasgow, UK. He returned there in 1996, after spending five years as a Research Fellow at the University of Sussex, having previously completed his undergraduate and PhD studies at Glasgow. His main research interests lie in improving statistical methods for measuring galaxy distances and motions, and using these data to measure how fast the Universe is expanding and how much matter it contains. He has written more than fifty articles on these, and other, statistical problems in astrophysics. In addition to his University teaching, Martin regularly gives public talks and lectures on astronomy, and leads "Reach for the Stars" - a project, sponsored by the UK astronomy research council, to develop multimedia astronomy lectures for schoolchildren. He is visiting Australia in 2001 to participate in the 2nd International Philosophy, Science and Theology Festival, held in Grafton NSW, where he is discussing the Big Bang and Life in the Universe. Martin is the organist at his local church and is sings tenor with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra Chorus. His previous visit to Australia was in 1999, on a concert tour with the RSNO Chorus. Charley Lineweaver received a Ph.D. in physics from the University of California at Berkeley in 1994. He was a member of the COBE-DMR team which discovered temperature variations in the cosmic microwave background in 1992. He is author of more than 30 articles dealing with the cosmic microwave background and an editor of the recently published "The Cosmic Microwave Background" (Kluwer, 1997). He has visited or lived in 59 countries and speaks four languages. He was a semi-professional soccer player and has a degree in history from the State University of New York at Binghamton and in English from Brown University. He is currently a Research astronomer in the School of Physics, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia. Charley is also the star of previous Science in the Pub sessions, including God and the Big Bang. True to the tradition of Science in the Pub, Charley and Martin have written their 'abstracts' in verse. Charley ponders: 'What is the Universe made of?' and 'How old is the Universe?' Occasionally my thoughts wander towards the question 'What does it all mean?' The resulting aimlessness often inspires poetry: As I was drifting on the sea a lonely thought came to me, How old should the Universe be? My dad replied: "infinity" But dad, I simply can't agree... You can't recycle entropy "You'll find a way my son, you'll see'' "The answer is infinity'' And from Martin: Why are we here, in a Universe so vast? (pondering such can leave you aghast) The tiniest adjustment in the laws of physicists and, lo, we have a Universe in which we can't exist! Such delicate conditions, a cosmos tune so fine, Some argue points the finger at intelligent design, The chances of us being here without divine assistance, are so slim, it must imply proof of God's existence. And yet there is a point of view, a principle anthropic, which warns us that such divine proofs are just a bit myopic. The puzzle of our Universe - why so special, why so rare - can be explained quite simply by the fact that we are here!   Science in the Pub™ is an initiative of the Australian Science Communicators (NSW). Regular sessions are staged from 7.00-9.00 pm on the last Wednesday of every even month (February - October) at the Harlequin Inn, 152 Harris Street, Pyrmont in Sydney.   Admission costs $5 worth of raffle tickets, your chance to win one of many excellent prizes! We can organise Science in YOUR Pub anywhere in Australia, or the world! Please contact Robyn Stutchbury, phone: 02 9427 6747; fax: 02 9427 6767; email: Robyn Stutchbury on rstutch@bigpond.net.au.  Visit our website at http://www.scienceinthepub.com/. Future Science in the Pub sessions (see the website for full details): Tuesday July 10, 2001, at the CONASTA conference (Australian Science Teachers Association), in Sydney. With Margaret Wertheim and Kirsten Benkendorff (Young Scientist of the Year, 2000). On Science Ethics across the Board. September 2001, as part of the Australian Science Communicator's annual conference, 2001 A Science Odyssey: Chance for Change.
Science in the Pub™, © 2000. Stutchbury, R, Burton, M.