8.00 pm Monday 7 April 2003
University of Tasmania, Sandy Bay
Physics Lecture Theatre 1
"Where do we come from? Who are we? Where are we going?" This is the title Paul Gauguin gave to his masterpiece, a painting he finished shortly before trying to commit suicide on Tahiti a hundred years ago. The answers to these fundamental questions cannot be found from within ourselves; we are creations of the universe, and only by looking outwards, by studying the universe, can we begin to understand our role in the cosmic scheme of things. Astronomy has brought us understanding of our cosmic home; search for life elsewhere in the universe hopefully brings us understanding of life on Earth also. We still do not know the answers to Gauguin's anguished questions, and perhaps never will. However, in the last few decades, we have learned more than during all the recorded history of humankind. I will talk about what we know of life, both on Earth and elsewhere, what we do not know, and what we may learn in the perhaps not too distant
Professor Esko Valtaoja is a Director of Tuorla Observatory, the largest astronomical research institute in Finland, and the Professor of Space Astronomy at Turku University. At present he is on a sabbatical leave and is visiting Australia as part of the Australia Telescope National Facility distinguished visitor program. He is working with Dave Jauncey (ATNF) and team members on the long-term variability of radio sources. Professor Valtaoja has published 170 international scientific papers since 1980, mainly in the fields of Active Galactic Nuclei research and radio astronomy. Esko Valtaoja is also a well-known science populariser in Finland, with regular public talks as well as radio and television appearances. His first book, Kotona Maailmankaikkeudessa ("At Home in the Universe") won the big Finlandia Prize (40 000 euros) as the best non-fiction book of the year 2001. Up to now, the book has sold some 25 000 copies in Finland, a figure ever exceeded only by the translation of Hawking's "A Brief History of Time". The book has also been translated into Swedish. At present, he is writing two new books, a follow-up tentatively titled "The Future" and, together with the Bishop of Finland, a book about science and religion.
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Last updated 19 March 2003.