PALS - 2015-16

The Origin of the Elements

When Mar 10, 2016
from 07:30 PM to 08:30 PM
Where Natural Science 112
Contact Name
Contact Phone (502)-852-1986
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Speaker: James Lauroesch

Abstract: Have you ever wondered where the silicon and iron in the Earth, the nitrogen and oxygen in the air we breathe, and the carbon in our bodies comes from? It has been made over the past 13.7 billion years in stars and then returned to the interstellar medium out of which new stars and planets are formed. We will discuss how this occurs and how we can measure where and when it happens.

You Would Not Have Stood With Galileo: The surprising (and forgotten) strength of the science against Copernicus in Galileo's time

When Feb 24, 2016
from 07:30 PM to 08:30 PM
Where Natural Science 112
Contact Name
Contact Phone (502)-852-1986
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Speaker: Christopher Graney

Abstract: Illustration from the 1651 New Almagest of Giovanni Battista Riccioli, showing geocentric and heliocentric models of the universe being weighed in light of telescopic discoveries.

Proto-Planetary Disks: Where Do Baby Solar Systems Come From?

When Feb 11, 2016
from 07:30 PM to 08:30 PM
Where Natural Science 112
Contact Name
Contact Phone (502)-852-1986
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Speaker: Gerard Williger

Abstract: We will see a guided tour through the steps of the formation of a solar system, from a giant gas cloud to a spinning disk to the formation of proto-planets, courtesy of the Hubble Space Telescope, the Atacama Large Millimeter Array and other instruments.

Mars Today

When Dec 03, 2015
from 07:30 PM to 08:30 PM
Where Natural Science 112
Contact Name
Contact Phone (502)-852-1986
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Speaker: Timothy Dowling

Abstract: NASA recently confirmed liquid water is running down the sides of crater walls near the equator on Mars. All life as we understand it requires a solvent, and liquid water is the universe’s most reliable solvent, so this discovery has reignited the question and quest for extraterrestrial life. This talk will highlight current conditions on Mars and compare with what the planet was probably like 3 billion years ago. The audience will be encouraged to ask questions about the science versus the fiction in “The Martian” and NASA’s plans for future space exploration.

Galaxy Evolution

When Nov 05, 2015
from 07:00 PM to 08:00 PM
Where Natural Science 112
Contact Name
Contact Phone (502)-852-1986
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Speaker: Lutz Haberzettl

Abstract: Understanding the formation and evolution of galaxies is key in understanding the formation and evolution of the Universe as a whole, including our own origins. The stars, gas, and dust in galaxies undergo complex evolutionary cycles. I present some of our work at UofL, which is mainly focused on the study of strongly star-forming galaxies at an epoch where the Universe was about 15-20% of its current age or only 2-3 billion years old. I will give an inside in the work of our team and demonstrate how we utilize high quality data observed by world leading ground- and space based telescopes such as the Very Large Telescope at the European Southern Observatory, the Hubble Space Telescope, and the Herschel Satellite.