Are we alone in the Universe? Is there an extra terrestrial intelligence out there that we have yet to encounter or is it actually here amongst us already? Could a catastrophic volcanic eruption or space impact be the end of mankind and can murky dark archaeological secrets unearthed in Irish caves over the past century shed any light on our ancestors?
These are all just some of the great mysteries that have perplexed mankind since the beginning of time. And they will form part of a fascinating week of Science week lectures at IT Sligo that run every evening next week at IT Sligo.
Click here to watch live lectures
Professor Ian Morison, Gresham Professor of Astronomy began his love of astronomy when, at the age of 12, he made a telescope out of lenses given to him by his optician. He is one of the world’s leading authority’s on the subject and is a member of Project Phoenix – The Search for Extraterrestrial Life.
He lectures widely on astronomy, has co-authored books for amateur astronomers and writes regularly for the UK astronomy magazines Astronomy Now and Sky at Night.
He has contributed to many television programmes and is a regular astronomy commentator on local and national radio.
In 2003 the Minor Planets Committee of the International Astronomical Union named asteroid 15,727 in his honour citing his work with MERLIN, the world’s largest linked array of radio telescopes, and that in searching for intelligent life beyond our Solar System in Project Phoenix.
He will present his lecture, Are we alone? The Hunt for Extraterrestrial Intelligence on Thursday November 11th at 7.30pm.
Another fascinating event with a space theme will be presented by Professor Mike Baillie, Department of Paleoecology, Queens University Belfast, on Monday November 8th at 7.30pm, when he asks the probing question, have human populations been affected by impacts from space or could a catastrophic volcanic eruption or impact from space wipe us all out, like the dinosaurs?
Currently Emeritus Professor of Palaeoecology, in the School of Geography, Archaeology and Palaeoecology at Queen’s, his interest in catastrophic environmental events that showed up in tree-ring chronologies catapulted him onto the international academic stage.
He was one of the first to recognise the existence of global environmental downturns as shown by reductions in tree-rings and as a result of these observations he has spent many years attempting to reconstruct the effects of volcanic eruptions and extraterrestrial impacts on the planet.
Internationally respected as an expert in tree-ring studies and chronology he was elected to the Royal Irish Academy in 1990.
On Wednesday, November 10th at 8.15 pm Dr Marion Dowd from IT Sligo will go deep undercover to delve into our own dark archaeological secrets of the last 100 years in Irish caves and explain how we can learn much from these mysterious nuggets of wisdom from the past.
A leading expert in Irish cave archaeology, Dr Dowd came to national attention earlier this year when a 1,150-year-old Viking necklace was discovered in a Burren Cave in County Clare. It was the largest Viking necklace discovered in Ireland and is said to be “relatively rare in the Viking world”. In many cases, Dr Dowd has found herself in places, where humans have not stood foot, for centuries. And IT Sligo is gaining huge respect internationally for their Applied Archaeology research programme.
Science week evening lectures will be held in Room A0006 in IT Sligo each evening, located next to Reception at the main entrance. The 11th annual Science Fair at IT Sligo also takes place on Sunday November 7th.
Professor Ian Morison, Gresham Professor of Astronomy.
The full list of must attend lectures during IT Sligo Science week include:
Monday 8th November at 7.30 pm
Title: “Have Human Populations Been Affected by Impacts from Space”
Professor Mike Baillie, Department of Paleoecology, Queens University Belfast.
Tuesday 9th November at 7.30pm
Title: From Cancer to Dirty Bombs: Research on DNA Repair
Dr Ciaran Morrison, Department of Biochemistry, NUI Galway
Wednesday 10th November from 6pm – 7pm
Title: Archaeology Roadshow – Bringing unknown objects for archaeological analysis to the panel. Shirley Markley, IT Sligo
Wednesday 10th November at 7.30 pm
Title: Sailing through the Past – Sligo’s Marine Archaeological Heritage
Auriel Robinson, Department of the Environment.
Wednesday 10th November at 8.15 pm
Title: Ireland’s Caves: Exciting Archaeological Discoveries over the Last 100 years.
Dr Marion Dowd, IT Sligo.
Thursday 11th – November at 8pm
BirdWatch Ireland
Title: Mountains in the Sea: A year on Tristan Da Cunha.
Brad Robson, Fermanagh Area Manager, Royal Society for Protection of Birds,
Thursday 11th – November at 7.30pm
Title: Are we alone? The Hunt for Extraterrestrial Intelligence.
Professor Ian Morison, Gresham Professor of Astronomy & Member of Project Phoenix – The Search for Extraterrestrial Life.