Past Events

90 is the New 50: The Science of Longevity (, from Jun 01, 2008 07:00 PM to Jun 01, 2008 08:30 PM)

Leading longevity researchers Robert Butler, David Sinclair, Richard Weindruch, and embryonic stem cell biologist Renee Reijo Pera, investigated the facts and implications surrounding emerging technologies, novel therapies, and innovative medical practices that forecast a radical extension of a healthy human life. Featured a special performance by acclaimed singer, Marilyn Maye.

Dear Albert: A Reading for the Stage by Alan Alda (, from Jun 01, 2008 07:00 PM to Jun 01, 2008 08:30 PM)

Written by Alan Alda from the letters of Albert Einstein, his wives and friends, directed by Tony award-winning director Daniel Sullivan and featuring Tony-award winning actor Anthony LaPaglia, Kate Burton, and Mia Barron, this new work delves into the treasure trove of letters written by Albert Einstein, tracing an intimate and unfamiliar line across his life and work. 

Looking for the Laws of Life (, from Jun 01, 2008 04:00 PM to Jun 01, 2008 05:30 PM)

Are there universal laws of life, much like the fundamental laws of physics, that govern or limit the characteristics that make life — in any form — possible? Our audience joined John Hockenberry for a vibrant discussion with astrobiologists Paul Davies, Steven Benner, and Maggie Turnbull about the search for life as we don’t know it.

Plague in Gotham (, from Jun 01, 2008 02:00 PM to Jun 01, 2008 03:00 PM)

Visit the New-York Historical Society's exhibition Plague in Gotham (on view through November 2, 2008) about the deadly cholera outbreaks in 19th-century New York City. See maps illustrating the rapid spread of the epidemic and displays of remedies that reflect the limited scientific understanding of the disease at that time.

Science Sunday at the Met (, from Jun 01, 2008 01:30 PM to Jun 01, 2008 05:00 PM)

Sunday at The Met celebrated science through a diverse range of all-ages programming taking place in several locations around the museum. Included in these were gallery talks, educational programs for kids, audio presentations about science and art, and a series of lectures about the science of conservancy. 

Beyond Einstein: In Search of the Ultimate Explanation (, from Jun 01, 2008 01:00 PM to Jun 01, 2008 02:30 PM)

Our audience joined leading physicists Leonard Susskind and Jim Gates, historian of science Peter Galison, and Nobel Laureate Paul Nurse for a spirited discussion of the progress and implications of Einstein's dream of a unified theory of physics.

What it Means to be Human (, from May 31, 2008 08:00 PM to May 31, 2008 09:30 PM)

Scientists, artists and philosophers drew on a range of disciplines including fundamental physics, anthropology and robotics to explore what it means to be human now and what it could mean in the future.

QED: A Reading (, from May 31, 2008 08:00 PM to May 31, 2008 09:30 PM)

Emmy award-winning actor Alan Alda revisited his acclaimed performance as the Nobel Prize winning physicist Richard Feynman in Peter Parnell’s play QED, in a reading followed by a conversation with astronomer Vera Rubin and physicists Pierre Hohenberg and Stephon Alexander about Feynman's life and work.

Armitage Gone! Dance: The Elegant Universe (, from May 31, 2008 07:30 PM to May 31, 2008 08:30 PM)

As part of the Guggenheim Museum's Works & Process series, director/choreographer Karole Armitage presented a new work inspired by physicist Brian Greene's bestselling book, The Elegant Universe. The performance includeed a discussion between Armitage and her collaborators about the process of transforming scientific concepts into aesthetic expression.

Powering the Planet: A Townhall Meeting (, from May 31, 2008 07:00 PM to May 31, 2008 09:00 PM)

The shock of climate change has spurred a worldwide quest to power the planet with clean, renewable energy. In this sweeping town hall meeting moderated by New York Times environmental reporter Andrew Revkin, pioneering scientists, conservationists and policy-makers considered the challenges presented by one of the most urgent problems of the twenty first century.

Peak Experience (, from May 31, 2008 07:00 PM to Jun 01, 2008 07:00 AM)

The ultimate sleepover: forty children (ages 10-12) — roped together alpine-style — confronted the challenges of climbing Mt. Everest. Guided by an expert in wilderness medicine, Everest veterans, and Sherpas, the kids explored the physics and the physiology of mountaineering. A program created in partnership with the Rubin Museum of Art. 

Music and the Brain (, from May 31, 2008 06:00 PM to May 31, 2008 07:30 PM)

The Abyssinian Gospel Choir joined neurologist/author Oliver Sacks in an exploration of the power of music, as the choir's performance provides a stimulating context for accounts of music’s biological foundations, and of patients whose lives were altered by the empowerment of music.

Greengenuity (, from May 31, 2008 05:30 PM to May 31, 2008 06:30 PM)

Our audience join self-described Lazy Environmentalist, media personality and author Josh Dorfman on an investigation of the ever-expanding marketplace for the would-be green consumer. With Dorfman wasthe eco-electronics pioneer behind the super energy-efficient One Laptop per Child computer, Mary Lou Jepsen, and the young entrepreneurs of Ecovative Design, inventors of infinitely recyclable materials and products made from mushrooms. 

Mathemagician (, from May 31, 2008 03:30 PM to May 31, 2008 04:30 PM)

In this highly entertaining show combining math with magic, "Mathemagician" Arthur Benjamin displayed feats of amazing mental mathematical gymnastics and explained the secrets behind his skills. Find out how he can be faster than an electronic calculator!

Faith & Science (, from May 31, 2008 03:30 PM to May 31, 2008 05:00 PM)

An intimate look at what scientists have to say about their religious beliefs and what might be revealed by scientific studies of spirituality.

Seeds, Survival, Stalin (, from May 31, 2008 03:00 PM to May 31, 2008 04:00 PM)

Persecuted by Stalin, Russian geneticist Nikolai Vavilov died before he could enact his grand vision of a comprehensive seed bank. Vavilov's biographer Peter Pringle and environmental scientist Robert Goodman discussed Vavilov's life, and examined strategies for ensuring the long-term survival of Earth's botanical heritage. Science writer Carl Zimmer moderated. Presented in collaboration with the New York Botanical Garden. 

Science of Sports (, from May 31, 2008 03:00 PM to May 31, 2008 04:30 PM)

Fans of all ages found something to cheer about when science and sports united. Olympic athletes and NBA players joined top neurologists, physicists, nutritionists, and trainers, to demonstrate just what it takes to be the best in the world and why science is a major player.

Science of Disney Imagineering (, from May 31, 2008 03:00 PM to May 31, 2008 04:00 PM)

G-Force simulators , elephants with GPS, turning audience members into video game controllers, sounds coming out of your head, and things that go "boom" — it was all part of the science behind the "make believe" at Walt Disney Imagineering. No one left empty-handed with all the fun giveaways! Did we mention walking dinosaurs, talking turtles, and more surprise guests? 

Einstein's Dreams (, from May 31, 2008 02:00 PM to May 31, 2008 03:30 PM)

Presented by Science & the Arts at The Graduate Center of the City University, this work was the stage adaptation of Alan Lightman's internationally acclaimed book, Einstein's Dreams.

Your Biological Biography: Genes and Identity (, from May 31, 2008 01:00 PM to May 31, 2008 02:30 PM)

Nobel Laureate Paul Nurse talked with geneticists Francis Collins and Jim Evans and renowned ethicists about how personal genomics will affect our lives. To what extent do our genes determine our health and who we are? If your DNA can hint at your future, will you read your biological biography?