This event is organisied by the Oxford Transhumanists, a University of Oxford Society

Summary: The Fermi question "Where are they?" is one of those deceptively simple questions that have ramifications far beyond the obvious topic. It deals with the discrepancy between the enormous number of planetary systems where life might have emerged and the noticeable lack of alien intelligence, and the vast difference between astronomical timescales and the timescale needed for intelligent life to colonize large volumes of the universe. This means that it is not just a question about alien life, but about the limits of technology, long-term species survival, how to think in conditions of extreme ignorance, and our place in the universe. It turns out that most potential answers to the question have surprisingly radical implications.

Speaker: Dr Anders Sandberg, James Martin Fellow, Future of Humanity Institute and the Oxford Martin Programme on the Impacts of Future Technology

Venue: Lecture Room 23, Balliol College, Broad Street

The talk is £1 for non-members and free for members.