September 11, 2020

Colloquium Topic: GALILEO and the Science Deniers

GALILEO and the Science Deniers is a fresh biography of Galileo Galilei which puts his scientific discoveries in context. Disturbed by rampant science denial in America—and around the world—that has only intensified in recent years, I began researching the life, ideas, and actions of this brilliant man who encountered similar pressures centuries ago. The result is a biography filled with lessons relevant for today—whether with respect to trusting the advice given by scientists in relation to COVID-19, the reality of climate change, the efficacy of vaccines, or the teaching of creationist theories in schools. I will discuss these topics in this talk.

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Colloquium Speaker: Mario Livio

Dr. Mario Livio is an internationally renowned astrophysicist, a best-selling author, and a popular speaker.  He is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and has published more than 400 scientific papers on topics ranging from Dark Energy and cosmology to black holes and extrasolar planets. 

Dr Livio is also the author of seven popular science books, including The Golden Ratio (an International Bestseller for which he received the "Peano Prize" and the "International Pythagoras Prize”).  Livio's book Brilliant Blunders was a national bestseller in the U.S., and was selected by the Washington Post as one of the "Best Books of the Year.”  His new book, Galileo and the Science Deniers, was published in May 2020 and received rave reviews in The Washington Post, the London Times, Science News, and more.