Talk Archives

Our memories are the essence of who we are. But our memories are not merely a record of the past, rather our memories are a guide to both the present and the future. Dr. Alison Preston explores how the human brain builds memories that can be used to anticipate future events.

Professor Parmesan invites you to look at what current impacts of rapid climate change has on wildlife, and explores innovative solutions to animal and plant conservation in the 21st century.

Dr. Julia Clarke brings the study of dinosaurs to life and explore questions of where birds fit in the paleontological record. Clarke will present recent research and discoveries that enable scientists to paint a vibrant picture of what these animals looked like, compare them with living ancestors, and explain how everything you knew about dinosaurs may be wrong.

With Your Inner Fish, Professor Neil Shubin tells the story of evolution by tracing the organs of the human body back millions of years, long before the first creatures walked the earth. By examining fossils and DNA, Shubin shows us that our hands actually resemble fish fins, our head is organized like that of a long-extinct jawless fish, and major parts of our genome look and function like those of worms and bacteria.

Thanks to cutting edge technology, solar cells could soon be produced more cheaply using nanoparticle “inks” that allow them to be printed like newspaper or painted onto the sides of buildings or rooftops to absorb electricity-producing sunlight. Professor Korgel discusses how nanomaterials can help enable the creation of exciting new devices and practices.

Professor Stone shares his insight into his research with machine learning, touch on advances with artificial intelligence and his real world successes with robots playing soccer. Professor Stone’s robot soccer team won the 2010 U.S. open RoboCup competition.

Mark Moffett, a.k.a. Dr. Bugs, describes his adventures around the world with marauder ants, army ants, weaver ants, slavery ants, leaf-cutter ants, and invasive ants, combined with detailed science about the parallels between ant societies and human bodies, minds, and societies.

Two centuries of natural history – from the epic journeys of pioneering naturalists to the breakthroughs making headlines today – have inspired and expanded one of the greatest ideas of modern science: evolution. Encounter the many amazing creatures and the researchers and scientists whose achievements sparked a revolution that changed, our perception of the living world and our place within it.

Can technology allow us to work smarter instead of harder to meet people’s energy needs? The city of Austin proposes to lead the nation in developing and deploying smart grid technology that sends energy where it is needed most, allows household appliances to communicate and distribute demand, and provides other efficient solutions. Learn more about smart grids – what they are, why they’re cool – and the future of Austin’s energy.

Physicists from all over the world, searching for new particles, types of matter and even extra dimensions of space are on the verge of tomorrow’s scientific discoveries. Dr. Sacha Kopp discusses antimatter, Armageddon and more.