Greg Bryan

Columbia University, Professor

Cosmic Catastrophes: 10 Astrophysical Events with Negative Consequences for Life on Earth

The starry skies seem serene and unchanging, a peaceful respite from the bustle on earth. But appearances can be deceiving -- the universe is actually in constant motion, from the billion-year dance of colliding galaxies, to the microsecond timescale of exploding stars. This Friday the 13th join us for an investigation of how some of these events can -- and will -- affect us down on earth. We will discuss a wide array of "cosmic catastrophes", ranging from mundane collisions with near earth objects, to the fate of the sun, to the acceleration of the universe. Some of these events are incredibly unlikely and some are absolutely certain, but all will help us to better understand our place in the cosmos.