After our successful first season, and a healthy summer break, we kicked off season two of Caf̩ Scientifique Syracuse last night, with a gathering of just under fifty people at our swanky downtown venue РAmbrosia.
Our speaker for the all-important first talk was my friend and Café Scientifique Syracuse co-organizer Scott Samson, Jessie Page Heroy Professor and Chair of the Earth Sciences department. One of Scott’s areas of expertise is geochronology, and his presentation was titled
The Dating Game: How We Know the Earth is 4.5 Billion Years Old
In 20 minutes precisely (and this is quite a feat, since keeping speakers to time is a real challenge in this setting), Scott was able to cover radiocarbon dating, the physics of solar system formation, the origin of the heavy elements, the role of plate tectonics (basically in making it particularly difficult to find rocks which date from the earliest times, because of recycling material as the plates move), and the origin of the moon, among many other fascinating topics.
After our usual 10-minute break to refill our glasses and to stock up on various sushi snacks, we reconvened for the discussion period, which was rather lively and lasted for a further hour. While we didn’t have any young Earth creationists in the audience, one interesting question was how to respond when confronted with such a person. Scott provided an impressive array of different techniques and measurements that solidly place the Earth’s age around 4.5 billion years. This would be more than enough to convince any reasonable person, but, sadly, I suspect that anyone who is truly a young Earth creationist is well past the point where reasoned argument and evidence will have an effect.
It was something of a relief to see our series pick up with about the same popularity as when we left off in May. One never knows if the momentum will be sustainable, but if last night is anything to go by, we’re doing just fine.
The rest of this semester’s speakers should be wonderful. Our schedule for the next two months in particular is
- October 3, 2006
On Being Healthy as a Horse: Where Do We Put Descartes?
Prof. Joshua Smyth (Department of Psychology) - November 7, 2006
Controlling Turbulence: Is it feasible?
Prof. Mark Glauser (Associate Director for Research, EQS Center; Professor, Mechanical, Aerospace and Manufacturing Engineering, Syracuse University)
I know both these guys personally and can guarantee that they will be lively, engaging and entertaining speakers. If you’re in the area, please drop by – we love to see new faces at our meetings.
September 6th, 2006 at 7:26 pm
This sounds like alot of fun. I am new to new york and in the rochester area (RIT), is there a way (bus? train? crazy people with cars) for me to get down to syracuse?
September 6th, 2006 at 9:53 pm
Sounds very interesting. Is there a transcript or video available?
September 7th, 2006 at 3:21 am
When I’m confronted Earth creationists, I avoid the debate because it is rarely constructive. I’m also shocked by the number of people who are suprised I am a christian, and yet work on evolutionary Biology. This view that if you belive in God you must cast science aside is a recent trend I really don’t like.
September 7th, 2006 at 10:29 am
These sound so wonderful. It’s a shame that I live 300 miles away in NYC
Wonderful work you’re doing. In spirit I think it is extending the work of the eminent Victorian scientists who were so concerned (unlike Newton, etc) to communicate their work to the layperson. With specialization, a lay audience now includes other scientists.
I remember about 10 years ago giving a lift to a senior scientist (now in a very powerful administrative position at a senior graduate center) who rather bashfully admitted thinking about getting a Scientific American subscription in order to find out what was happening in the rest of the sciences.
I respect the admission. I have been a science writer, so there is no shame approaching any subject signaling ignorance in advance. Practicing scientists are in a more conflicted situation. 100-150 years ago I don’t think this would have been the case. While it is true that what we know now and are learning is a much greater mass of material than in 1880, the means of cross communication and formal and informal means of learning are now much more circumscribed. I am often shocked that my general knowledge is sometimes deeper in aspects of the sciences outside a scientist’s field of specialization than is the scientist’s.
The barriers are coming down a little bit through efforts such as yours.
September 7th, 2006 at 11:41 am
The subject is fascinating, is there a transcript of the talk online or is there a review
article by Scott which covers the same ground. One thing you did not mention in your post is that geo-neutrinos, seen at Kamland , originate in the decay of Thorium and Uranium in the earths mantle and crust, and can give us some useful information about the formation of earth.
September 7th, 2006 at 1:31 pm
Very impressive to cover those particular topics in popular science format in only 20 minutes!
September 7th, 2006 at 1:59 pm
Excellent news…my local university here in Portsmouth (UK) has been running Cafe Scientifiques since spring this year, and they’re a great idea – as well as a great night out, and a good source of material for blogging…I managed to snare an interview with Igor Aleksander buy asking him nicely after his appearance.
The new season for us starts later this month – I can’t wait! It’s a shame that few people who aren’t already into science turn up, but that’s only to be expected, I guess. Good luck with future events!
September 7th, 2006 at 8:42 pm
Oooooh, interesting. I’ve had this discussion but get a bit confused and tongue-tied about the science/measurements. Can you expand a bit on this? I’m also sometimes struck speechless by the “this watch is complex, it was obviously created by an intelligent designer, ergo, we are complex and obviously made from a magical lump o’ clay” weirdness. Anyone know where that came from? How do people here respond (after the speechless wears off)?
September 7th, 2006 at 11:10 pm
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