Science for the Public: Contemporary Science Issues & Innovations
February 18, 2025 public presentation (zoom), Belmont Senior Center

Mario Livio, Ph.D. Astrophysicist & co-author of Is Earth Exceptional?
Mario Livio, the distinguished astrophysicist (Hubble Space Telescope until 2015) and best-selling science author, discusses his latest book, co-authored with Nobel Laureate Jack Szostak, Is Earth Exceptional?

One of the most fascinating questions is whether there is life -and especially intelligent life- beyond our planet? This book provides the best information about the requirements for producing life and how scientists search for life elsewhere. Dr. Livio explains the challenge of identifying life elsewhere when we have only the example of life’s emergence on Earth. Importantly, the book combines the unique expertise of astrophysics (Mario Livio) and geochemistry (Jack Szostak) in a very timely consideration of the possibility of life in the cosmos.

Mario Livio is a prominent astrophysicist at (Hubble Space Telescope until 2015) and best-selling author of numerous popular science books, including Galileo and the Science Deniers; The Golden Ratio; and Brilliant Blunders. He has published more than 500 scientific articles, significantly contributing to topics ranging from cosmology, supernova explosions, and black holes to extrasolar planets and the emergence of life in the universe. Dr. Livio has appeared in several PBS NOVA programs, including one based on one of his books. He is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.