Life in a Changing Universe

As environmental change accelerates, the options for wildlife are narrowing to three: move, adapt, or decline. This talk examines the critical evidence of these shifts and explores the direct ripple effects on human society. Join us to bridge the gap between ecological data and the reality of our changing daily lives.

Are we alone? Join me as I take us on an exploration of the diverse worlds orbiting our stellar neighbors. In this talk, I’ll provide a brief overview in how astronomers detect planets around distant stars: from watching stars wobble to catching tiny dips in light. We’ll explore specific characteristics of planet demographics that are of key interest to the astronomical community, such as the “Habitable Zone.” From scorching gas giants to rocky worlds, learn how the complex dance between stars and their planets shapes the search for a second Earth.

All the chemical elements that make up our world—and ourselves—are produced in stars. Whether it is the oxygen we breathe, the calcium in our bones, or the gold on the Golden Dome, they are created in stellar environments. My talk explains how stars and stellar explosions forge the building blocks of matter, and how scientists recreate these extreme conditions in the laboratory to study them. We uncover clues about the cosmic origins of elements and the history of the universe, revealing how we are all made of stardust.