How and when did life originate on Earth? How many other Earth-like planets exist in our Solar
System and universe?
From the beginnings of recorded history, humans have had a fascination with their origins and
with questions such as these. As part of our ongoing Science & Society project,
Carnegie Science is pleased to present a series of four discussion forums on origins-
related questions, including: How did we get here, where are we going, are we alone and what
does that mean for humanity?
The invitation-only events and subsequent video series will highlight the importance and process
of discovery science—emphasizing both how scientists think about fundamental questions and
that science is an ongoing data-based debate.
The second of four forums will focus on how our planet’s geological activity set the stage for the
rise of life. Get up close and personal in our town hall setting with the experts whose discoveries
are linking our planet’s most-fundamental processes to the origin of life. There are aspects of our
planet’s geology that have not been observed on other worlds and it turns out that they could be
crucial for creating the conditions that allowed life to thrive here. For example, the deep Earth
activity that drives plate tectonics could have introduced the cycles of chemistry that laid the
groundwork for life’s origin.
On-site experts will include:
Dr. Joseph Berry, Carnegie Institution for Science
Dr. George Cody, Carnegie Institution for Science, Session Chair
Dr. Devaki Bhaya, Carnegie Institution for Science
Dr. Douglas Erwin, Smithsonian Institution
Dr. Marilyn Fogel, University of California, Riverside
Dr. Arthur Grossman, Carnegie Institution for Science Dr. Sue Rhee, Carnegie Institution for Science, Session Chair
Dr. Patrick Shih, Indiana University Bloomington
Dr. Andrew Steele, Carnegie Institution for Science
Dr. Jing-Ke Weng, The Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Dr. Yixian Zheng, Carnegie Institution for Science, Session Chair
The program will be moderated by Washington Post science writer Sarah Kaplan.
THIS IS AN INVITATION-ONLY PROGRAM. REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED TO
ATTEND.
This program is made possible with support from the Carnegie Corporation of New York.