2009 Signature Events

In the second installment of this World Science Festival annual event, selected New York City High School students will interview Nobel laureate and co-chair of the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, Harold Varmus, and preeminent marine biologist, Sylvia Earle. In these insightful interviews, youthful curiosity compels unusually candid conversations, revealing the essence of pioneering science. read more

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So you thought nobody could know what you're thinking? Well, you're right. For now. But fMRI brain research, identifying patterns linked to thoughts, is moving forward at a pace that's surprising even experts. Host Scott Simon joins leading neuroscientists for a state-of-the-art tour through research that's closing in on an ability to make our thoughts visible. The program will also explore related research on brain controlled prostheses and the newly emerging field of neuroethics. read more

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Why is there something rather than nothing? And what does ‘nothing’ really mean? More than a philosophical musing, understanding nothing may be the key to unlocking deep mysteries of the universe, from dark energy to why particles have mass. Journalist John Hockenberry hosts Nobel laureate Frank Wilczek, esteemed cosmologist John Barrow, and leading physicists Paul Davies and George Ellis as they explore physics, philosophy and the nothing they share. read more

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In December, world leaders will gather in Copenhagen to negotiate the atmospheric level of CO₂ beyond which we believe earth will fail to support life as we know it. Bill Ritter hosts a powerhouse panel including James Hansen,Thomas Lovejoy, Bill McKibben, Sylvia Earle, David Battisti and Robert Corell to probe the science and policy behind one of the most urgent debates of our times. read more

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Hailed by Newsweek as "the most exciting individual in American theater", Actress and playwright Anna Deavere Smith melds journalism and performance to create insightful one-woman vignettes depicting two of the most influential scientists of our day – Nobel Laureate and co-discoverer of DNA, James Watson, and "father of biodiversity and sociobiology" E.O. Wilson. Following the performance, Charlie Rose hosts Nobel Laureate Harold Varmus and head of NOAA Jane Lubchenco in an exploration of the impact Watson and Wilson have had on modern life and how their work will profoundly shape the future. read more

Can marching ants, schooling fish, and herding wildebeests teach us something about the morning commute? Robert Krulwich guides this unique melding of mathematics, physics, and behavioral science as Mitchell Joachim, Anna Nagurney and Iain Couzin examine the creative and sometimes counterintuitive solutions to one of the modern world's most annoying problems. read more

What makes Mona Lisa's smile so intriguing? What makes Picasso's portraits so compelling? Kurt Andersen hosts artists Chuck Close and Devorah Sperber, with neuroscientists Margaret Livingstone, Chris Tyler and Ken Nakayama, as they examine the power of brain imaging technology to illuminate how we perceive the most intimate yet public of features, the human face. read more

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Though many animals display cooperative behavior, human cooperation is distinct. Alan Alda hosts E.O. Wilson, Sarah Hrdy and other leading evolutionary biologists, anthropologists and humanitarians as they examine the origins and evolution of human cooperative behavior. read more

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Climate change and rising sea levels threaten substantial flooding and droughts worldwide. How do we avoid mass migrations, food shortages, disease and political conflict that could accompany such devastation? Join the world's foremost adaptation experts as they survey threatened regions of the planet, including New York City, and suggest strategies for changing our strained relationship with H₂O. read more

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Is our response to music hard-wired or culturally determined? Is the reaction to rhythm and melody universal or influenced by environment? Join host John Schaefer, scientist Daniel Levitin and musical artist Bobby McFerrin for live performances and cross cultural demonstrations to illustrate music’s note-worthy interaction with the brain and our emotions. read more

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How do we learn to speak? What is the connection between language and movement? Join a broad and distinguished panel of biologists, psychologists, neuroscientists, philosophers, musicians and writers, including leading bird scientists Erich Jarvis and Irene Pepperberg, on an exploration of how striking parallels between bird and human brains are providing sharp new insights into how we acquire language and links between hearing and movement. Featuring a special appearance of Snowball, the dancing cockatoo of YouTube fame. read more

Public debate, pitting atheist against believer, typically yields a polarized picture. Might a more nuanced conversation that transcends simplistic assertions, and weaves insights from physics, biology, and psychology provide a more fruitful exchange of ideas? Bill Blakemore hosts scientists Lawrence Krauss, Ken Miller and Guy Consolmagno, and philosopher Colin McGinn to find out. read more

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Alan Alda explores the nature of creative breakthroughs with innovators Dean Kamen, holder of more than 440 U.S. patents, and Hugh Herr, Director of the MIT Biomechatronics lab. The instant of inspiration can be as unpredictable as lightening, but true innovators create optimum conditions for transformative insights. What does it take to throw out conventional approaches to a problem and come up with something entirely new? Join us for a discussion about curiosity, passion, perseverance, collaboration and discovery. read more

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Albert Einstein shattered previous ideas about time, but left many pivotal questions unanswered: Does time have a beginning? An end? Why does it move in only one direction? Is it real, or something our minds impose on reality? Journalist John Hockenberry leads a distinguished panel, including renowned physicist Sir Roger Penrose and prominent philosopher David Albert, as they explore the nature of time. read more

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Time allows us to live in the moment, reflect on the past, plan for the future. It’s our most familiar, precious, yet mysterious commodity. Celebrated author and neurologist Oliver Sacks and psychologist Daniel Gilbert draw on converging insights from physical, biological and neurological perspectives to reflect on this most vital factor shaping the human experience. read more

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The multiverse hypothesis, suggesting that our universe is but one of perhaps infinitely many, speaks to the very nature of reality. Join physicist Brian Greene, cosmologists Alan Guth and Andrei Linde, and philosopher Nick Bostrom as they discuss and debate this controversial implication of forefront research and explore its potential for redefining the cosmic order. Moderated by Robert Krulwich and featuring an original musical interlude, inspired by parallel worlds, by DJ Spooky. read more

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Some of the most ardent foes of nuclear power now believe it must be a large part of the mix to solve the worlds' energy problems. Join renowned broadcast journalist Garrick Utley and distinguished panel including James Hanson, Shirley Ann Jackson and Stephen Tindale to explore the science and rationale behind giving nuclear power a second chance. read more

In this one-woman show, join writer/comedian Emily Levine on two parallel journeys: from Newton's rational universe to the universe of chaos and from her own perfect health to mysterious, devastating illness. A surprising, thought-provoking and entertaining meditation on what the lessons of science can teach us about ourselves, followed by a conversation with physicists Lawrence Krauss and Janna Levin. read more

Discovery Theatre and Author’s Corner will host some of today’s most dynamic science authors for a full day of readings, activities, and presentations in Discovery Theatre. Pick up a copy of the newest titles and meet our distinguished authors in person in Authors Corner. Great books make the most complicated topics accessible and exciting. Enjoy readings, discussions, and other activities throughout the day. read more

This event is free. Admission will be first-come, first-served.