Infinity and Beyond: Humanity and Space

Series

Spring Fling

Where

Melbourne Planetarium, Scienceworks

When

Thursday, 5 Oct 2023, 07:00pm - 09:00pm

Event Status

Past event

Featuring

About the Event

In 1966, the opening sequence of Star Trek proclaimed the mission to explore strange new worlds. Since then, humanity has travelled further and deeper into space – from first footsteps on the Moon and rovers on Mars, to space telescopes that reveal how the universe has evolved over billions of years.

For this special Spring Fling event during World Space Week, a line-up of scientists, philosophers and writers come together at the Melbourne Planetarium to consider a question famously addressed by Hannah Arendt in 1963: ‘Has humanity’s conquest of space increased or diminished our stature?’.

Gomeroi astrophysicist Krystal De Napoli, theologist Reverend Professor Andrew Dutney and science poet Alicia Sometimes will investigate the boundaries of humanity’s relationship with the universe and examine the ethics surrounding space exploration, with host and guest curator, space archaeologist Dr Alice Gorman.

Following the discussion, extragalactic astronomer Dr Tanya Hill will transport audience members with a guided tour of the universe in the Planetarium Theatre.

Presented in partnership with Museums Victoria.

Accessibility

Accessible toilets available

Registered Assistance Animals welcome

Wheelchair accessible

Learn more about Scienceworks accessibility here.

Please notify us of all access requirements when booking online so we can assist you with your visit. If you require further information, please contact reception on 03 9094 7800 or ticketing@wheelercentre.com.

About the Bookseller

The bookseller for this event is the Sun Bookshop.

About Spring Fling

Spring Fling returns in 2023, and this year we’re going Above and Beyond.

We’re looking further, delving deeper, and asking bigger questions with outstanding thinkers who are reshaping our world and envisioning extraordinary futures.

Spring Fling is supported by the Victorian State Government.

Spring Fling

Featuring

Krystal de Napoli

Krystal De Napoli is a Gomeroi award-winning author, astrophysicist and science communicator devoted to the advocacy of Indigenous knowledges and equity in STEM. Krystal is co-author of Astronomy: Sky Country (2022), winner of the Victorian Premier’s Literary Award People’s Choice Awar... Read more

Andrew Dutney

Reverend Professor Andrew Dutney is a Christian scholar, writer, and musician. He is a Professor within the College of Humanities Arts and Social Sciences, Flinders University. He is the former principal of Uniting College for Leadership and Theology (the Uniting Church in Australia theological coll... Read more

@AndrewDutney

@ANDREWDUTNEY

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Alice Gorman

Dr Alice Gorman is space archaeologist and author of the award-winning book Dr Space Junk vs the Universe: Archaeology and the Future (MIT Press, 2019). Her research focuses on the archaeology and heritage of space exploration, including space junk, planetary landing sites, off-earth mining, and spa... Read more

@drspacejunk

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Tanya Hill

Dr Tanya Hill is the Senior Curator, Astronomy for the Melbourne Planetarium at Scienceworks. Tanya was part of the team that opened the planetarium in 1999 and has gone on to create award-winning planetarium shows that are screened across 20 countries worldwide. Her astronomy research was in the f... Read more

Alicia Sometimes

Alicia Sometimes is an Australian poet, multi-media artist and broadcaster. She has performed her spoken word at many venues, festivals and events around the world. Her poems have been in Best Australian Science Writing, Best Australian Poems, Meanjin, Griffith Review, The Age and many more. She i... Read more

@aliciasometimes

@sometimesalicia

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