A Grand Tour of the Solar System A Grand Tour of the Solar System

Presented in partnership with George Mason University Observatory

Presented in partnership with George Mason University Observatory

This series treks to the sun and the four inner terrestrial planets before traveling outward to the asteroid belt, four Jovian planets, and beyond. At each session, a professional astronomer presents the latest research on a solar system body. Following the talk and a question-and-answer period, Peter Plavchan, a professor of physics and astronomy at George Mason University, brings that night’s sky right into participants’ living rooms via remote control of the university observatory, weather permitting.

Earth, Our Habitable Home

Being just the right distance from the sun helps make Earth habitable, but the composition of our atmosphere is a key ingredient. That’s because the combination and proportions of gases maintain a climate in which water can exist in its liquid form. Natalie Burls, the director of the Climate Dynamics Program at George Mason University, discusses the crucial role Earth’s atmosphere plays in determining its climate, how Earth’s climate has varied in the past, and how we are the changing the composition of Earth’s atmosphere and thus its climate.

Tues., June 27, 8 p.m.; CODE 1J0-285; Members $25; Nonmembers $30

Our Moon, Lighting the Way

The moon, our closest solar system neighbor, is a familiar object in our night sky. Its seemingly serene appearance, however, is the product of a long history of violent bombardment. Planetary scientist Rebecca Ghent, co-investigator on the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter mission, discusses impact cratering on the moon and examines its significance in understanding the evolution of the moon and other bodies in our solar system.

Tues., July 25, 8 p.m.; CODE 1J0-286; Members $25; Nonmembers $30

Mars, Voted Most Likely

A supermoon, 2014

Mars is the most explored planet in our solar system besides Earth, and for good reason. Although its surface is cold and inhospitable, evidence from nearly 50 years of robotic exploration suggests that Mars was once much more Earth-like. Katie Stack Morgan, the deputy project scientist on the Perseverance rover mission and a mission scientist on the Curiosity rover mission, explains why Mars remains the best place in the solar system to look for signs of ancient life.

Tues., Aug. 29, 8 p.m.; CODE 1J0-284; Members $25; Nonmembers $30

These programs are part of Smithsonian Associates

What time does the program end? Unless noted, Smithsonian Associates programs run 1 hour 15 min.–2 hours, including Q&A

The Three Ages of Water

Prehistoric Past, Imperiled Present, and a Hope for the Future

From the creation of the planet billions of years ago to the present day, water has always been central to existence on Earth. It has shaped civilizations and empires and driven centuries of advances in science and technology as well as progress in health and medicine. But the achievements that propelled humanity forward also brought consequences: unsustainable water use, ecological destruction, and global climate change.

Leading scientist and water expert Peter Gleick traces the long, fraught history of our relationship to this precious resource, outlining how the lessons of the past can be the foundation of action designed to support a sustainable future for water and the planet.

His book The Three Ages of Water: Prehistoric Past, Imperiled Present, and a Hope for the Future (PublicAffairs) is available for purchase.

Thurs., June 15, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1K0-370; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

Live from the UK

Pterosaurs: Soaring Above the Dinosaurs

The pterosaurs are the flying reptiles so often mistakenly called pterodactyls. These animals flew above the heads of dinosaurs, their close relatives, from at least 230 million years ago until they all became extinct 65 million years ago.

Although pterosaurs’ fossils are rarer than those of their dinosaur cousins, we still have a remarkable range of them, from sparrow-sized babies to giants with wingspans of nearly 33 feet. Paleontologist David Hone dives into what we know about these fascinating flying reptiles and what we still have to discover.

Sun., June 25, 2 p.m.; CODE 1J0-274; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

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What an Owl Knows New Insights into the World’s Most Enigmatic Birds

For millennia, owls have captivated and intrigued us. With their forward gaze and quiet flight, they are often a symbol of wisdom, knowledge, and foresight. But what does an owl really know? And what do we really know about owls? Scientists have only recently begun to understand in deep detail the complex nature of these extraordinary avians. Some 260 species of owls exist today, and they reside on every continent except Antarctica, but they are far more difficult to find and study than other birds because they are cryptic, camouflaged, and mostly active in the dark of night. Jennifer Ackerman, author of The Genius of Birds, pulls back the curtain on the rich biology and natural history of owls and examines remarkable new scientific discoveries about their brains and behavior.

Her book What an Owl Knows: The New Science of the World’s Most Enigmatic Birds (Penguin Press) is available for purchase.

Mon., June 26, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1D0-017; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

Exoplanets The Cutting-Edge Science Behind Recent Discoveries

For centuries, people have speculated about the possibility of planets orbiting distant stars, but only since the 1990s has technology allowed astronomers to detect them. More than 6,000 such exoplanets have already been identified, with the pace of discovery accelerating after the launch of NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite and the Webb Space Telescope.

Princeton astrophysicist Joshua Winn provides an inside view of the detective work astronomers perform as they find and study exoplanets and describes the surprising— sometimes downright bizarre—planets and systems they have found. He explains how these discoveries are revolutionizing astronomy, explores the current status and possible future of the search for another Earth, and considers how the discovery of exoplanets and their faraway solar systems changes our perspectives on the universe and our place in it.

Winn’s book, The Little Book of Exoplanets (Princeton University Press), is available for purchase.

Tues., July 11, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1K0-377; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

California’s Channel Islands

The Galápagos of North America

Off the coast of southern California, the Channel Islands seem to float on the horizon like ribbons of dark rock. The 8 islands and their encircling waters are home to over 2,000 species of animals and plants—145 of which are found nowhere else on Earth. Today, five islands are protected as Channel Islands National Park.

Often referred to as the Galápagos of North America, isolation over thousands of years and the mingling of warm and cold ocean currents give rise to the rich biodiversity of the Channel Islands, which have attracted many explorers, scientists, and historians during the past few centuries. Jasmine Reinhardt, a National Park Service interpretation and education program manager, covers the diverse history, geography, and unique flora and fauna of these islands and the people who protect them today.

Thurs., July 13, 8 p.m.; CODE 1NV-039; Members $25; Nonmembers $30

Why Do Predators Matter?

Sometimes scary but always intriguing, the world’s top predators are also quite necessary. Robert Johnson, a wildlife specialist and conservationist; Sharon Gilman, a biology professor specializing in vertebrates and science education; and Dan Abel, a marine science professor and shark specialist, share facts and tell stories about these fearsome and often misunderstood animals. Their book, Tooth and Claw: Top Predators of the World (Princeton University Press), is available for purchase.

Mon., July 17, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1J0-277; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

From One Cell

Life’s Origins and the Future of Medicine

Each of us began life as a single cell, eventually emerging as a dazzlingly complex, exquisitely engineered assemblage of trillions. This metamorphosis constitutes one of nature’s most spectacular yet commonplace magic tricks—and one of its most coveted secrets. Physician and researcher Ben Stanger offers a glimpse into what scientists are discovering about how life and the body take shape and why these revelations might hold solutions to some of our most persistently confounding medical challenges, from cancer to cognitive decline to degenerative disease.

Stanger’s book, From One Cell: A Journey into Life’s Origins and the Future of Medicine (W. W. Norton & Company), is available for purchase.

Thurs., Aug. 10, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1K0-391 Members $20; Nonmembers $25

The Deep Ocean

A Mysterious World Beneath the Waves

For centuries, people believed the deep was a sinister realm of fiendish creatures and deadly peril. But as cutting-edge technologies have allowed scientists and explorers to dive miles beneath the surface, we are beginning to understand this underworld: It’s a place of soaring mountains, smoldering volcanoes, pink gelatinous predators, and sharks that live for half a millennium.

Join award-winning journalist and New York Times bestselling author Susan Casey for a dive into the deep ocean. Casey’s book The Underworld: Journeys to the Depths of the Ocean (Doubleday) is available for purchase.

Thurs., Aug. 17, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1K0-379; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

Take Control of Your Heart Disease Risk

With WebMD’s John Whyte

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women. Although some causes are genetic, most heart disease is rooted in lifestyle. Physician John Whyte, chief medical officer of WebMD, separates heart-health fact from fiction and provides practical advice that can help reduce your risk of a heart attack.

Whyte offers tools and information to take control of your health. They include guidelines to assess your personal risk level; what you should and shouldn’t eat; an exercise guide to get your body moving without purchasing fancy equipment; and his thoughts on the value of various digital tools and apps. He also addresses the role our emotions—especially depression and anxiety—play in heart disease and stresses that it’s time we stop ignoring the mind–body connection when it comes to our heart.

Attendees receive a complimentary copy of Whyte’s book Take Control of Your Heart Disease Risk (Harper Horizon).

Wed., July 26, 6:45 p.m; CODE 1K0-383; Ripley Center; Members $20; Nonmembers $25 (includes book)

Age-Proof Your Brain

There’s more to keeping your brain in tip-top shape and lowering your risk for dementia than crossword puzzles, brain games, and Sudoku, according to scientist and author Marc Milstein. Drawing on his book The Age-Proof Brain: New Strategies to Improve Memory, Protect Immunity, and Fight Off Dementia, he examines why serious mental decline may not be an inevitable part of aging—and how individuals can boost short- and long-term brain health.

Milstein covers daily practices to improve memory and productivity; increase energy and boost your mood; reduce the risk of anxiety and depression; form healthy habits to supercharge your brain; and prevent nongenetic Alzheimer’s and dementia. He also offers science-based guidance in identifying the difference between what’s real and what’s hype in the world of brain health.

Tues., Aug. 29, 7 p.m.; CODE 1NV-045; Members $25; Nonmembers $30

The Body Farm: What the Bones Reveal

To many people, a skeleton is just a hopeless pile of bones. But to a forensic anthropologist, skeletal remains are the key to identifying an individual and how and when they died. And nowhere else do they get a better understanding of decomposition than at the Forensic Anthropology Center at the University of Tennessee, aka the body farm. Here donated bodies decompose under every imaginable circumstance in order to allow scientists to determine exactly how and when real-life murder victims died. Dawnie Wolfe Steadman, the director of the center, digs into how forensic anthropologists from around the world learn from these bodies.

Thurs., Aug. 24, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1H0-781; Members $20; Nonmembers $25

We are proud to work with C-SPAN. This digital library offers a selection of our past programs on a wide variety of intriguing topics. Learn more at SmithsonianAssociates.org/replay

Bonsai: Small Wonders

Bonsai, tiny trees in pots or miniature landscapes on trays, have delighted and intrigued people for centuries, from their origins in China to their extraordinary refinement in Japan to their global popularity today. Join Michael James, the U.S. National Arboretum’s bonsai curator, and Ann McClellan, author of Bonsai and Penjing: Ambassadors of Peace and Beauty, for an illustrated talk about the arboretum’s National Bonsai & Penjing Museum and its unique collections. They share stories about how the diminutive trees were created and came to Washington, plus a few tips on how to care for these living works of art.

Wed., Aug. 23, 12-1:30 p.m.; CODE 1NV-046; Members $25; Nonmembers $30

Smithsonian Art Collectors presents