Events
Upcoming Beyond Center Events
April 2024 Thinking Beyond - The Race for Quantum Computing
April 29, 2024
Zoom Webinar
The “Thinking Beyond” webinar series features renowned physicists Paul Davies, Sara Walker and Maulik Parikh from the Beyond Center for Fundamental Concepts in Science at Arizona State University a
Upcoming ASU Events
Beyond Annual Lecture
Space2inspire: The New Space Age
In September 2021, Dr. Sian Proctor was fortunate to be a member of the first all-civilian space mission to orbit our planet and she became the first black female pilot of a spacecraft. She was selected to go to space as an artist and a poet and while in space, she experienced an Earthlight overview effect. During this presentation, she’ll share her experience as a member of the SpaceX Inspiration4 mission and what she’s learned from this new orbital perspective.
The Beyond Annual Lecture is our premier public event of the year. We ask a scientist or philosopher of international standing to offer a reflective account of their work and interests, and invite them to speculate a little bit "beyond" their normal comfort zone.
Thinking Beyond
Thinking Beyond Webinar Series
Thinking Beyond is the updated Ask a Physicist monthly webinar series. The new name will allow a broader range of topics but our format will remain the same. The webinar series features renowned physicists Paul Davies, Sara Walker and Maulik Parikh from the Beyond Center for Fundamental Concepts in Science at Arizona State University. Each month they will address the big questions in physics with viewers participating in the discussion!
Eugene Shoemaker Memorial Lecture
Shooting for the stars: the Interstellar Breakthrough Initiatives with Pete Worden
Abstract:
On July 20, 2015 at the Royal Society, London, UK Yuri Milner and Professor Stephen Hawking announced the Breakthrough Listen Initiative. It is designed to look for signals from an intelligent civilization in our galaxy or beyond. This SETI search is orders of magnitude more encompassing and complete than any previous search. In addition, On April 12, 2016, in New York, NY, USA Milner and Hawking announced a new Initiative, Breakthrough StarShot designed to send a gram-class interstellar probe to Alpha Centauri within a generation.
About the Eugene Shoemaker Memorial Lecture
Each year, The Beyond Center presents a special award to a leading scientist to honor the life and work of Eugene Shoemaker who, together with his wife Carolyn Shoemaker, pioneered research in the field of asteroid and comet impacts.
Ask a Physicist
Ask a Physicist Webinar Series
Ask a Physicist is a monthly webinar series, with renowned physicists Paul Davies, Sara Walker and Maulik Parikh from the Beyond Center for Fundamental Concepts in Science at Arizona State University. Each month they will address the big questions in physics with viewers participating in the discussion!
Event archive
March 2024 Thinking Beyond- The dark matter in our genome
March 25, 2024
Zoom Webinar
The “Thinking Beyond” webinar series features renowned physicists Paul Davies, Sara Walker and Maulik Parikh from the Beyond Center for Fundamental Concepts in Science at Arizona State University a
2024 Beyond Annual Lecture: Until the End of Time with Brian Greene
March 14th, 2024
Marston Theater
Join New York Times bestselling author and renowned physicist Brian Greene to explore the past and future of the cosmos – from the big bang to the closest science can take us to the very end – ill
February 2024 Thinking Beyond- What happens when a quantum measurement is made: some new ideas
February 26, 2024
Zoom Webinar
The “Thinking Beyond” webinar series features renowned physicists Paul Davies, Sara Walker and Maulik Parikh from the Beyond Center for Fundamental Concepts in Science at Arizona State University a
Against the Clock: The tyranny of time in the construction of our reality
February 15, 2024 at 6:30pm MST
Marston Exploration Theater
A Conversation with acclaimed philosopher and artist Jonathon Keats
Since the invention of modern clocks, most of us take for granted the objective, globally synchronized linear nature of
Desert Time - a workshop by Jonathon Keats
February 15, 2024 3:30-5:30pm MST
School of Art (Room 232)
Desert Time
A Workshop by Jonathon Keats
Standard time is measured on atomic clocks, providing a technical b
January 2024 Thinking Beyond- NASA: Mars likely has an active biosphere but it is up to private organizations to find it
January 29, 2024
Zoom Webinar
The “Thinking Beyond” webinar series features renowned physicists Paul Davies, Sara Walker and Maulik Parikh from the Beyond Center for Fundamental Concepts in Science at Arizona State University a
November 2023 Thinking Beyond - Super black and solar-powered animals
November 27, 2023
Zoom Webinar
A Conversation with Acclaimed Science Fiction Writer Ken Liu
November 13, 2023
Marston Theater
In the Beginning Was the Word: The Place of Narrative in the Construction of Reality
A Conversation with Acclaimed Science Fiction Writer Ken Liu
Niels Bohr declared that
Beyond Happy Hour: Are we alone in the universe?
November 7, 2023
Mirabella at ASU
*Event is full. Please email deepthought@asu.edu if you would like to be added to the waitlist*
September 2023 Thinking Beyond - Cracking the Magnetic Code of Life
Zoom webinar
“Ask a Physicist” has been renamed “Thinking Beyond” in order to encompass a broader range of topics.
August 2023 Thinking Beyond - Oppenheimer: Beyond the Bomb
August 28, 2023
Zoom webinar
We are excited to announce our previous webinar series “Ask a Physicist” has been renamed “Thinking Beyond” in order to encompass a broader range of topics.
April 2023 Ask a Physicist: Are plants intelligent?
April 24th, 2023
Zoom Webinar
Join us for a monthly webinar series, ASK A PHYSICIST, with renowned physicists Paul Davies, Sara Walker and Maulik Parikh from the Beyond Center for Fundamental Concepts in Science at Arizona Stat
March 2023 Ask a Physicist - "Life in the solar system"
March 27th, 2023
Zoom Webinar
Join us for a monthly webinar series, ASK A PHYSICIST, with renowned physicists Paul Davies, Sara Walker and Maulik Parikh from the Beyond Center for Fundamental Concepts in Science at Arizona Stat
2023 Beyond Annual Lecture: A Hip Hopper's Guide to the Universe with Stephon Alexander
The Beyond Annual Lecture is our premier public event of the year.
February 2023 Ask a Physicist - "Interstellar Objects in the Solar System"
February 27th, 2023
Zoom Webinar
Join us for a monthly webinar series, ASK A PHYSICIST, with renowned physicists Paul Davies, Sara Walker and Maulik Parikh from the Beyond Center for Fundamental Concepts in Science at Arizona Stat
Ask A Physicist: Wormholes in space: are they real and how could we find them?
Zoom
Join us for a monthly webinar series, ASK A PHYSICIST, with renowned physicists Paul Davies, Sara Walker and Maulik Parikh from the Beyond Center for Fundamental Concepts in Science at Arizona Stat
CORES2023: 'Let There Be Light': Religion and the Birth of Modern Science
Zoom
Did key ideas in religious thought ultimately prove critical to the birth of science?
October 2022 Ask a Physicist - What if the Victorians had discovered quantum computing?
Zoom Webinar
Join us for a monthly webinar series, ASK A PHYSICIST, with renowned physicists Paul Davies, Sara Walker and Maulik Parikh from the Beyond Center for Fundamental Concepts in Science at Arizona Stat
Beyond Happy Hour: What happened before the big bang?
Beyond Happy Hour: What happened before the big bang?
Hobbs Club at Sun Devil Stadium
Come and discuss a deep scientific topic in a convivial atmosphere. Discussion leaders Sara Walker and Paul Davies will host the evening's activities.
Ask a Physicist: Can you hear the shape of space?
Ask a Physicist: Can you hear the shape of space?
Zoom webinar
Join us for a monthly webinar series, ASK A PHYSICIST, with renowned physicists Paul Davies, Sara Walker and Maulik Parikh from the Beyond Center for Fundamental Concepts in Science at Arizona Stat
Ask A Physicist: What happens to an atom when somebody looks?
August 29, 2022 | 6 p.m.
Zoom
Join us for a monthly webinar series, ASK A PHYSICIST, with renowned physicists Paul Davies, Sara Walker and Maulik Parikh, August's webinar: ‘What happens to an atom when somebody looks?’
April 2022 Ask a Physicist - Emergence: Fact or Fiction?
April 2022 Ask a Physicist - Emergence: Fact or Fiction?
Zoom webinar
Join us for a monthly webinar series, ASK A PHYSICIST, with renowned physicists Paul Davies and Sara Walker from the Beyond Center for Fundamental Concepts in Science at ASU and guest presenter Eri
2022 Beyond Annual Lecture with Sian Proctor - Space2inspire: The New Space Age
April 14, 2022 | 7 p.m.
Marston Exploration Theater
The Beyond Annual Lecture is our premier public event of the year.
March 2002 Ask a Physicist - A New Window on the Universe: what will the James Webb Space Telescope do?
March 28th, 2022
Zoom Webinar
Join us for a monthly webinar series, ASK A PHYSICIST, with renowned physicists Paul Davies from the Beyond Center for Fundamental Concepts in Science at ASU and guest presenters Rogier Windhorst a
February 2022 Ask a Physicist - Black Hole Survival Guide
Zoom Webinar
Join us for a monthly webinar series, ASK A PHYSICIST, with renowned physicists Paul Davies and Maulik Parikh from the Beyond Center for Fundamental Concepts in Science at Arizona State University
Ask A Physicist: What is Reality?
November 29, 2021 | 6 p.m.
Zoom
Join us for a monthly webinar series, Ask A Physicist, with renowned physicists Paul Davies, Sara Walker, and Maulik Parikh from the Beyond Center. November's webinar question: "What is reality?"
Ask A Physicist: Is There a Shadow Biosphere?
October 25, 2021 | 6 p.m.
Zoom
Join us for a monthly webinar series, ASK A PHYSICIST, with renowned physicists Paul Davies, Sara Walker, and Maulik Parikh from the Beyond Center.
Past Workshops
Past Workshops hosted by The Beyond Center for Fundamental Concepts in Science
Ask A Physicist: Self-Replicating Machines - Technology of the Future? (Featuring Frank Wilczek)
September 27, 2021 | 6 p.m.
Zoom
Join us for a monthly webinar series, Ask A Physicist, with renowned physicists Sara Walker and Maulik Parikh from the Beyond Center. This month, Nobel Laureate Frank Wilczek will join in the conversation!
Ask A Physicist: UAPS - Are Aliens Really Zooming Around in Our Skies?
August 30, 2021 | 6 p.m.
Zoom
Join us for a monthly webinar series, Ask A Physicist, with renowned physicists Paul Davies, Sara Walker and Maulik Parikh from the Beyond Center. August's webinar question: "UAPs: are aliens really zooming around in our skies?"
Ask A Physicist: BYOQ - Bring Your Own Questions!
April 26, 2021 | 6 p.m.
Zoom
Join us for a monthly webinar series, Ask A Physicist, with renowned physicists Paul Davies, Sara Walker and Maulik Parikh from the Beyond Center. This month, the entire webinar will be dedicated to questions from the audience!
Ask A Physicist: Can Computers be Conscious?
March 29, 2021 | 6 p.m.
Zoom
Join us for a monthly webinar series, Ask A Physicist, with renowned physicists Paul Davies, Sara Walker and Maulik Parikh from the Beyond Center. March's webinar question: "Can computers be conscious?"
2021 Beyond Annual Lecture with Paul Nurse
March 24, 2021 | 1 p.m.
Zoom
So, what is life? Following the lecture by Paul Nurse, we will solicit the thoughts of four leading ASU researchers on this most profound of scientific mysteries. Stay with us after the lecture to hear what they have to say.
Ask A Physicist: Dark Energy - The End of the Universe?
February 22, 2021 | 6 p.m.
Zoom
Join us for a monthly webinar series, Ask A Physicist, with renowned physicists Paul Davies, Sara Walker and Maulik Parikh from the Beyond Center. February's webinar question: "Dark energy: the end of the universe?"
Ask A Physicist: Did Life on Earth Happen More Than Once?
January 25, 2021 | 6 p.m.
Zoom
Join us for a monthly webinar series, Ask A Physicist, with renowned physicists Paul Davies, Sara Walker and Maulik Parikh. January's webinar question: "Did life on Earth happen more than once?"
Ask A Physicist: How Many Universes Are There?
November 30, 2020 | 6 p.m.
Zoom
Join us for a monthly webinar series, Ask A Physicist, with renowned physicists Paul Davies, Sara Walker and Maulik Parikh from the Beyond Center, November's webinar question: "How many universes are there?"
Ask A Physicist: Is ET Lurking in our Cosmic Backyard?
October 26, 2020 | 6 p.m.
Zoom
Join us for a monthly webinar series, Ask A Physicist, with renowned physicists Paul Davies, Sara Walker and Maulik Parikh. September's webinar question: "Is ET Lurking in Our Cosmic Backyard?"
Ask A Physicist: What Is The Origin of Time's Arrow?
September 28, 2020 | 6 p.m.
Zoom
Join us for a monthly webinar series, Ask A Physicist, with renowned physicists Paul Davies, Sara Walker and Maulik Parikh from the Beyond Center. September's webinar question: "What is the origin of time's arrow?"
Morality: Restoring the Common Good in Divided Times
September 10, 2020 | 11 a.m.
Zoom
Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, an international religious leader, philosopher, award-winning author and respected moral voice will be joined by directors for a conversation centered around the release of his latest book.
Ask A Physicist: Are We Living in a Computer Simulation?
August 31, 2020 | 6 p.m.
Zoom
Join us for a monthly webinar series, Ask A Physicist, with renowned physicists Paul Davies, Sara Walker and Maulik Parikh from the Beyond Center. August's webinar question: "Are we in a computer simulation?"
Coffee@Beyond with Hyunju Kim
April 27, 2018 | 3 p.m.
Biodesign Institute
Hyunju Kim is a Research Scientist at Arizona State University. She is studying the relationship between informational architecture of biological networks and transition from non-living being to living being.
Coffee@Beyond with Erik Hoel
March 30, 2020 | 3 p.m.
Biodesign Institute
Erik Hoel is a postdoctoral researcher at Columbia University in the NeuroTechnology Lab working under Rafael Yuste. At this month's Coffee@Beyond, he will answer the question, "can computers be conscious?"
Coffee@Beyond with Sara Walker
February 24, 2020 | 3 p.m.
Biodesign Institute
Sara Walker is an astrobiologist and theoretical physicist interested in the origin of life and how to find life on other worlds. While there are many things to be solved, she is most interested in whether or not there are ‘laws of life’.
Coffee@Beyond with Steffi Kapsetaki
January 27, 2020 | 3 p.m.
Biodesign Institute
Dr. Kapsetaki completed a Masters and Ph.D. at the University of Oxford where she studied social evolution, the major evolutionary transitions in individuality, and specifically the evolution of multicellularity.
2020 Beyond Annual Lecture with Lee Cronin
January 23, 2020 | 6 p.m.
Neeb Hall
Cronin and his team work to make artificial life forms, find alien life, understand how information can be encoded into chemicals, and construct chemical computers.
Coffee@Beyond with Paul Davies
November 25, 2019 | 3 p.m.
Biodesign Institute
Paul Davies is a theoretical physicist, cosmologist, astrobiologist and author. His research has ranged from the origin of the universe to the nature of time, astrobiology and the deep evolutionary roots of cancer.
Coffee@Beyond with Fred Adams
September 30, 2019 | 3 p.m.
Biodesign Institute
Born in Redwood City, Fred Adams received his PhD in Physics from the University of California, Berkeley. His work in cosmology also includes explorations into the long term fate and evolution of the universe, as well as fine-tuning issues.
Coffee@Beyond with Kate Dorsch
September 30, 2019 | 3 p.m.
Biodesign Institute
Dr. Dorsch is a historian of science and technology currently serving as a postdoctoral teaching fellow at the University of Pennsylvania. She studies scientific expertise, knowledge-making, and boundary formation.
2019 Shoemaker Lecture with Dr. James Benford
September 5, 2019 | 7 p.m.
Marston Theater, ISTB 4
Dr. James Benford is President of Microwave Sciences, Inc., which does contracting and consulting in High Power Microwaves and space applications of such technologies.
2019 Beyond Annual Lecture with Jennifer Doudna
March 19, 2019 | 7 p.m.
Neeb Hall
Our technological capacity to make changes to genomic data has expanded exponentially since the 2012 discovery of CRISPR-Cas9 as an RNA-programmable genome editing tool.
Special Lecture with Harrison Steel
March 18, 2019 | 3 p.m.
Goldwater Center, #505
Harrison Steel, from the University of Oxford, will present recent work on a range of problems at the interface of control theory and synthetic biology. The talk aims to highlight many exciting new directions for research.
Coffee@Beyond with Frank Wilczek
February 25, 2018 | 3 p.m.
Room 240, ISTB4
Dr. Wilczek is a theoretical physicist, author, and intellectual adventurer. He has received many prizes for his work, including a Nobel Prize in Physics. This month's talk is titled "Applying Physics to Philosophy".
Coffee@Beyond with Paul Davies
November 26, 2018 | 3 p.m.
Paul Davies is a British-born theoretical physicist, cosmologist, astrobiologist and best-selling author. He is Regents’ Professor and Director of Beyond: Center for Fundamental Concepts in Science.
Special Lecture by Andrew Briggs
November 7, 2018 | 5:15 p.m.
Marston Theater, ISTB 4
The Beyond Center for Fundamental Concepts in Science invites you to attend a special lecture by Andrew Briggs, "It Keeps Me Seeking", to be followed with a panel discussion featuring Paul Davies, Barry Ritchie and Hava Samuelson.
Planetary Intelligence Symposium
October 3, 2018 | 9 a.m.
Memorial Union
The Beyond Center for Fundamental Concepts in Science is collaborating with the Interplanetary Initiative to present a symposium on "Planetary Intelligence: Humanities' Future in the Age of AI". There will be a variety of different talks.
2018 Shoemaker Lecture with David Grinspoon
October 2, 2018 | 7 p.m.
Marston Theater, ISTB 4
Each year the Beyond Center presents a special award to a leading scientist to honor the life and work of Eugene Shoemaker and his wife Carolyn Shoemaker.
Coffee@Beyond with Stephanie Forrest
September 24, 2018 | 3 p.m.
Biodesign Institute
Dr. Forrest is a Professor in CIDSE and Center Director in the Biodesign Institute. She studies the biology of computation and computation in biology.
Coffee@Beyond with Chris Adami
August 27, 2018 | 3 p.m.
Biodesign Institute
Dr. Adami obtained his Ph.D. and M.A. in theoretical physics from the State University of New York at Stony Brook, as well as a Diploma in Physics from Bonn University (Germany). His main research focus is Darwinian evolution.
Coffee@Beyond with Curtis Marean
April 30, 2018 | 3 p.m.
Biodesign Institute
Everywhere modern humans went, they constructed their own ecological niche by eliminating competitors. How did this relatively young species accomplish so much in so little time? Join Curtis Marean in this discussion.
Why Cancers and Infections Beat Us and How to Turn the Tables
April 25, 2018 | 6 p.m.
Marston Theater, ISTB 4
Dr. Susan Rosenberg’s group reports phylogenetically deep translational discovery of fundamental, conserved biology in the bacterium E. coli.
Coffee@Beyond with George Ellis
March 26, 2018 | 3 p.m.
Biodesign Institute
Physical emergence-crystals, rocks, sandpiles, turbulent eddies, planets, stars-is fundamentally different from biological emergence-amoeba, mice, humans-even though the latter is based in the former.
Coffee@Beyond with Michael Lynch
February 26, 2018 | 3 p.m.
Biodesign Institute
Join us for coffee, cookies, and an interesting discussion at this month’s Coffee@Beyond! This month's talk, which will be delivered by Michael Lynch, is titled "Evolution is Not Simply Natural Selection".
2018 Beyond Annual Lecture with Max Tegmark
February 20, 2018 | 7 p.m.
Neeb Hall
If AI succeeds in eclipsing human general intelligence within decades, as many AI researchers predict, then how can we make it the best thing ever to happen to humanity?