Further information
Professor Andy Purvis, Professor of Biodiversity, presents the 2008 Annnual Children’s Christmas demonstration lecture.
This lecture is open to all, but is aimed at secondary school aged children.
A mince pie reception will follow the lecture.
Entrance is by ticket only.
Abstract: Biodiversity is under attack all around the world, as people take ever more of our planet’s resources for ourselves. Are we, as some scientists claim, in the midst of a sixth mass extinction? To find out, we need to ask some other questions along the way: What were previous mass extinctions like? How quickly are we wiping species out now? Is extinction random, or are there patterns that can let us predict who might die out next? And what does the loss of biodiversity mean for us? Then there are those other questions that we perhaps don’t need to answer, but will anyway: Why is the fossil record like the Top 40? Is extinction like the Battle of the Somme, or more like The Matrix? And can statistics prove that Elvis is dead?
Biography: Andy Purvis is Professor of Biodiversity at Imperial College London. Most of his research uses the Tree of Life – the family tree linking all species – to test explanations about large-scale biodiversity patterns. He also jointly holds the world record for the tiddlywinks four-pot relay.
Listen to traditional carols sung by the Imperial College Chamber Choir, as well as a variety of Christmas classic songs, whilst enjoying mulled wine, cocktails, mince pies and other winter warming treats after the lecture with the Office of Alumni’s Winter Wonderland.
For more information and how to purchase a ticket for this event please go to; https://www.imperial.ac.uk/NetCommunity/SSLPage.aspx?pid=850&srcid=183