Why the Scopes Trial (1925) is Still Relevant
Sunday, September 21, 20252:30 PM PACIFIC TIME This is a Zoom meeting. Please register: https://livepresentation.link/SEP Look for a confirmation email from ZOOM it will contain the link that you will need to join Trial of the Century”: Tennessee vs. John T. Scopes. The first major sally against the teaching of evolution in the US, and, mostly because of the fictional play and movie Inherit the Wind, Scopes is wrongly perceived as a victory for evolution over the forces of obscurantism. The full story is much more complex and interesting, involving science, religion, law, education, politics, celebrities, modern communications, and the politicization of science. Dr. Eugenie C. Scott is an expert on the creationism and evolution controversy and science denialism. The former director of the National Center for Science Education, she is the recipient of numerous awards from scientists and educators, and has been awarded ten honorary degrees. Asteroid 249540 Eugeniescott was named for her but she assures us it is not aimed at...A Trip to the Center of our Galaxy
Sunday, October 19, 20252:30 PM PACIFIC TIME This is a Zoom meeting. Please register: https://livepresentation.link/OCT Look for a confirmation email from ZOOM it will contain the link that you will need to join The heart of the Milky Way is home to Sagittarius A*, a supermassive black hole approximately four million times the mass of the Sun. Although it remains largely quiet today, it is surrounded by a turbulent sea of gas, dust, and exotic objects that could one day trigger dramatic outbursts. This presentation delves into this extreme environment, exploring the large-scale gas clouds and the closer-in structures that fuel the black hole. It examines how molecular hydrogen manages to survive intense ultraviolet radiation and introduces a newly identified class of enigmatic objects orbiting perilously close to Sagittarius A*. Observed over two decades with the Keck Observatory, these objects may represent the remnants of stellar collisions or merged binaries, offering valuable insights into how matter behaves under immense gravitational forces. Mapping this region helps to illuminate the intricate interplay of stars, gas, and gravity at the core of the galaxy. Anna Ciurlo‘s research focuses on stars and gas around the supermassive black hole in the center of our Galaxy. Her work leverages high-resolution imaging and spectroscopy from large ground and space-based observatories like Keck and the JWST. She earned her PhD in astrophysics from the Sorbonne Paris CitĂ© and pursued postdoctoral research at UCLA. She was an inaugural year Keck Visiting Scholar at Keck Observatory. Anna continues at UCLA in the Galactic Center Group as an assistant researcher and adjunct assistant...October 2025
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September 2025
Meet your fellow Mensans at one of our monthly events!
August 2025
Meet your fellow Mensans at one of our monthly events!
July 2025
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June 2025
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May 2025
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April 2025
Meet your fellow Mensans at one of our monthly events!