Nov. Science Café: Answering the Really BIG Questions of the Universe

Speaker: Dr. E. Sterl Phinney, Caltech/NASA

When: Saturday, November 18, 2006, 3:00 PM

Where: Vroman's Bookstore, 695 E Colorado Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91101 FREE RSVP Requested at

Description:

Please be with us as we:

1) See a special video on NASA's new "Beyond Einstein" program trying to understand the puzzling mysteries of Black Holes, Dark Matter, and Gravitational Waves.

How did the Universe begin? Does time have a beginning and an end? Does space have edges? Einstein's theory of relativity replies with three startling predictions: that the universe is expanding from a Big Bang; that time stops at the edges of black holes; and that a dark energy could be pulling space apart, sending galaxies forever beyond the edge of the visible Universe. Observations confirm these remarkable predictions. Yet Einstein's legacy is incomplete. His theory raises, but cannot answer, three profound

questions:

What powered the Big Bang?

What happens at the edge of a black hole?

What is dark energy?

We will see how scientists have come to these questions, and the plans they have developed to answer them with the missions of the Beyond Einstein program.

2) Scientists have developed a series of space missions which will help answer these fundamental questions. Join us as we hear about these amazing experiments from Dr. Sterl Phinney, Caltech Professor of Theoretical Astrophysics and author of many of the plans behind NASA's "Beyond Einstein"

program.

3) Talk and get questions answered on the Universe, black holes, dark matter, gravitational waves, and any other astronomy questions you may have.