GeekSpeak – Earth: A New Hope? Join the discussion on Saturday, January 14th at 12pm SLT

In the darkest part of the year, at the start of a new one, we need to ask what will bring hope to the world.  Hope means something different for everyone and we all have our own personal hopes.  But how can we give humanity as a whole some hope for the future?  What is needed to turn the current feeling of hopelessness around?

Should we talk about all the progress that has been made in the past?  Or describe how the world will look if everything goes well? Does space exploration offer hope?  Is there an invention that would bring hope?  A book?  A movie?  Or even a pop singer?  What do we need to show us a bright future for humanity?

Join us in GeekSpeak at noon SLT on Saturday to talk about all the reasons for hope.  Bring a notebook and your friends!

IM Vulcan Viper, who teaches a meditation class every Wednesday in the GeekSpeak auditorium, if you have ideas for new subjects.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Danmu/143/127/51

 

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GeekSpeak subject for Saturday 14th November at noon SLT:

 

GeekSpeak – Asteroids!  Are they a threat or an opportunity?

 

Join us in GeekSpeak to talk about asteroids.  How many kinds of asteroid are there?  How were asteroids made?  We have visited and sampled a few asteroids now.  Are there plans to catch one?  (The answer is yes.)

Which asteroids are a threat to us, and which ones could be useful?  What would happen if a fluffy asteroid like Bennu (sampled 2 months ago) were to hit Earth?  And what would happen if a very heavy one like Psyche were to hit us? Is there anything we can do to defend ourselves?

Will we ever find life on an asteroid?

Ask all the questions about asteroids that you never dared to ask before.  Hopefully we can get some answers.  Bring a spacesuit, and your friends!

IM Vulcan Viper, who teaches a meditation class every Wednesday at 1pm SLT in the GeekSpeak auditorium, if you have ideas for new subjects.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Danmu/143/127/51

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GeekSpeak subject for Saturday 19th September at noon SLT

 

Scientists have discovered a marker for phosphine in the clouds of Venus.  That might indicate life on this barren planet since phosphine on Earth is produced only by living organisms.

But how barren is Venus?  On the surface of the planet lead will melt but up in the clouds it can be a comfy 30C.  We could live in cloud cities there, especially since Venus is ‘en route’ to Mars because of orbital mechanics.  Would you like to live in a Venus cloud city?  Are there maybe sentient lifeforms living in such cities now?

If there is no life on Venus where do you think we will find it?  On Europa, Callisto, Titan, Pluto?  What is life anyway?  Would we know it if we found it?  And if we find it, how will it change our art, our religion and our way of living?

Come and discuss alien microbes in GeekSpeak.  Bring your friends.

IM Vulcan Viper, who teaches a meditation class every Wednesday in the GeekSpeak auditorium at 1pm SLT, if you have ideas for new subjects.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Danmu/143/127/51

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GeekSpeak – Healing the Earth- Join the discussion Saturday Nov 16th at 12pm SLT

So much damage has been done to the planet.  Deforestation, seas filled with plastic, acid rain.  This week we will be talking about the various ways in which humanity has started to clean up the world.  There are many efforts underway, from recycling plastic to planting millions of trees.

What is really needed to make cleaning up economically viable?  Can we think of ways to make money out of it?  Will there be ‘recycling billionaires’?  Can we trust the people in charge of recycling not to tip it all into landfill?

What are we doing to reduce the stream of waste that we produce?  Do you see an era coming when everything will be made from renewable materials?  What will that world be like? 

Can we ever succeed in healing the planet completely?  Is it worth trying to do so?  Join us in the discussion.  Bring your friends!

IM Vulcan Viper if you have ideas for new subjects.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Danmu/143/127/51

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GeekSpeak – what if we were the only life in the universe? Join the discusion July 13th at 12pm SLT

Let’s suppose we could somehow scientifically prove that there are no aliens in the rest of the universe?  Would we lose interest in space exploration?  Or would you try harder to explore the universe in order to establish new human colonies?

Would it be our duty to take life out into the galaxy?  Or would we see it as our duty to keep life on Earth forever?

What religious implications would such a discovery have?  Would we fly out into the galaxy to find out what we could learn?  Or stay here and keep safe?

What would you do? Go out and explore?  Or stay here and do the best you can?

IM Vulcan Viper if you have any ideas for new subjects.

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ScienceCircle Foundation and James Woods Presents Astrobiology and the search for microbial life- March 24th at 10 am SLT

Introduction to astrobiology and the scientific search for evidence of microbial life beyond Earth, especially on moons in the solar system. Review, with questions welcome, the very real and exciting possibility of finding such life in the fairly near future, and its far-reaching implications. For a general audience, brief discussion of key basic principles in areas of microbiology, physics and chemistry that drive, inform and focus the search.

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— James Woods

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/The%20Science%20Circle/61/127/31

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