The May 22nd meeting of the RASC Mississauga Centre will feature a talk on the ways the universe could kill you.

Speaker: Dr Bryan Gaensler, Director Dunlap Institute,for Astronomy and Astrophysics, University of Toronto

Title: "How The Cosmos Will Kill You"

ABSTRACT: The stars of the night sky appear gentle, peaceful and unchanging. But this is a lie. The Universe is a violent and catastrophic place, with dozens of tools at its disposal to wipe out all life on Earth with almost no warning.  Astronomers are still only beginning to appreciate the true scope of the dramatic forces that drive the Universe's evolution.

BIO: Professor Bryan Gaensler is an award-winning astronomer and author, who is internationally recognized for his groundbreaking work on dying stars, interstellar magnets and cosmic explosions. A former Young Australian of the Year, NASA Hubble Fellow, Harvard professor and Australian Laureate Fellow, Gaensler is Director of the Dunlap Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics at the University of Toronto. His popular astronomy book "Extreme Cosmos" was published worldwide in 2012, and has been translated into four other languages.  

The meeting will be held from 8:00 to 10:00 p.m. at The University of Toronto, Mississauga Campus, in lecture hall SE2082 in the William Davis Building. The meeting is open to the public and is free.  

Enter off of Mississauga Road. Park in lot 4 or the parkade, across from the fitness centre south of theDavis Building. Enter through the Fitness centre, walk up the stairs untilyou reach the main corridor then turn right. (If you need an elevator,follow the corridor to the right of the stairs, then go up to the mainfloor.) Look for the Mississauga Centre sign in front of the lecture room. 

Post meeting plans: we usually continue the discussion post-meeting at a local bar – please join us!