After a brief hiatus last year, the annual Astrobiology Science Conference is back, and 650+ assorted scientists of various flavours are gathered in sunny Santa Clara where the SETI Institute is hosting.
The meeting just started, and I'll liveblog random snippets and news, as and when I get the chance.
The opening plenary talk was given by Sir Martin Rees, Baron Rees of Ludlow, Astronomer Royal, and a very good talk it was too, covering pretty much everything, cheerfully and provocatively.
I will leave you, for now, with a quote from him:
"It is better to read first rate science fiction than second rate science"
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It was a pleasure to hear Tom Rees, one of my favorite religion & data bloggers, on Thinking Allowed, one of my regular podcasts.
A couple of articles came across my feeds in the last day or two that highlight the truly important cultural divide in academia. Not the gap between sciences and "humanities," but the much greater divide between faculty and administration.
I have to acknowledge the very silly Mark Vernon, who considers the award a triumph.
Martin Rees wins 2011 Templeton Prize
£1,000,000 - nothing to sneeze at.
Hope he doesn't spend it all at once...