Lectures

One of the things I like about living in the Boston area is the opportunity to attend so many cultural events and lectures. Now, while it's true that I grew up in New York City and there's no shortage of such things there either, somehow these events are more exciting when they're in Boston. Perhaps it's because Boston and its environs are such a college town, that when people come to talk here they're much more excited about it. Or maybe its because when I first came to Boston, I was finally old enough to appreciate such things.

I still recall that in the first month of my freshman year at Harvard, I got to hear a talk from Nobel-laureate Emilio Segre shortly before he died. Since then, I've managed to meet astronauts, authors, politicians, musicians, actors, and others, and I've found my life enriched enormously by the experience.

All of the above, of course, is prelude to mention the most recent events we're attended.

( Scott McCloud )

( Brad Meltzer )

And tonight, we're going to hear Owen Gingerich, the astronomer who headed the IAU Planetary Definition Committee and did his best to keep Pluto as a planet. I'm hoping to get a book autographed, and I'm planning to present him with an SP3 mug in appreciation of his efforts.

Copyright © Michael Burstein; photo copyright © Nomi Burstein