Renowned astrophysicist explores the 'dark side of the Universe' in Sept. 20 lecture

Contacts:

Ursula Becker, Fine Theoretical Physics Institute, becke356@umn.edu, 612-625-6055

Rhonda Zurn, College of Science and Engineering, rzurn@umn.edu, (612) 626-7959

Preston Smith, University News Services, smith@umn.edu, (612) 625-0552

What: 6th Annual Misel Family Lecture: The Dark Side of the Universe
When: 7 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 20. Event is free and open to the public.
Where: McNamara Alumni Center, Memorial Hall, 200 Oak St. S.E., Minneapolis

MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (09/15/2011) – Our understanding of the Universe is undergoing a revolution. Astronomical measurements have demonstrated that about 21 percent of Universe is in the form of “dark matter,” which gravitationally attracts but is otherwise invisible and most of the remaining 75 percent takes the form of “dark energy,” which causes space to expand at an ever-increasing rate. This implies that only a small fraction (about 4 percent) of the Universe is matter that we understand.

World-renowned astrophysicist and Stanford University Professor Roger Blandford will explore the evidence for dark matter and dark energy, as well as the experiments being developed to investigate their fundamental nature in his upcoming lecture, “The Dark Side of the Universe” at 7 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 20, McNamara Alumni Center, Memorial Hall, 200 Oak St. S.E., Minneapolis. The event is free and open to the public. No background in physics is needed, simply an enthusiasm or curiosity for science.

This 6th Annual Misel Family Lecture is hosted by the Fine Theoretical Physics Institute, which is part of the University of Minnesota’s College of Science and Engineering.

Being primarily a theoretical astrophysicist, Blandford, is known for successfully relating theory to specific observations and fruitfully collaborating with observers. In particular his work on gravitational lensing, applied to specific data, has led to finding new unusual faint objects in the sky. His research spans many of the major areas of astronomy and astrophysics, from cosmology to the properties of specific celestial objects, such as galaxies and stars, to exploring the phenomena through which we receive the knowledge about distant objects, such as the gravitational lensing and the cosmic rays.

The Misel Lecture Series is endowed by a generous gift from Irving and Edythe Misel to honor their life-long friendship with William and Bianca Fine. William Fine’s bold vision and generous gift to the University, inspired by his genuine interest in physics, were instrumental in the establishment of the Fine Theoretical Physics Institute and its successful development over the past two decades.

For more information about the lecture or the speaker, visit www.ftpi.umn.edu/misel.