The weather, geology and social change topic of next Frontiers of Science lecture at Syracuse University

The weather, geology and social change topic of next Frontiers of Science lecture at Syracuse UniversityOctober 14, 2002Judy Holmesjlholmes@syr.edu

“Does the Weather Really Matter? A Geologist’s Perspective” is the topic of the next Frontiers of Science lecture, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 22 in Syracuse University’s College of Law Grant Auditorium. The lecture is free and open to the public.

Presented by Geoffrey Seltzer, associate professor in the Department of Earth Sciences in SU’s College of Arts and Sciences, the lecture will explore how scientists use a variety of natural records to determine how climate has changed throughout earth’s history. In modern times, floods, storms and droughts can significantly disrupt society, but can these events cause permanent changes to societies? History is filled with examples of ancient societies that simply disappeared from existence. Scientists are trying to determine to what extent the disappearance of these societies may have been caused by climate change.

Seltzer will describe some of the innovative approaches used to read the geologic record and to explore tropical climate variability over different time periods. Ultimately, the research should increase understanding about the variability of the earth’s climate system and how that variability could impact the future of civilization.

The Frontiers of Science Lecture Series is sponsored by SU’s departments of Science Teaching, Biology, Chemistry, Earth Sciences, Mathematics and Physics in The College of Arts and Sciences, the L.C. Smith College of Engineering and Computer Science, the School of Education, the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry and several community organizations. The series is designed to increase public awareness of advances in science and to stimulate thought and discussion about the moral, ethical and societal implications of the advances.