What Were the Atoms in Your Body Doing 8 Billion Years Ago: The Story of Cosmic Evolution

Although few people ever think about it, the atoms that make up your body are “on loan” to you from the Earth’s “atom collection.” Thanks to modern astronomy, we now know the history of these atoms even before they were part of the Earth. In this talk, Dr. Andrew Fraknoi examines the history of the cosmos, and how it evolved from the heat of the Big Bang to conditions that make astronomy fans possible. We focus on the role of exploding stars, which create new elements and recycle them so that to be available to future generations of stars, planets, and life-forms.

Speaker: Andrew Fraknoi, Foothill College, Emeritus

Lecture is free and starts at 1:00 PM in the Thomas Starr King room.  Luncheon starts at 12:00 pm.