William Herschel and the Universe
Museum of the History of Science, Oxford 13th June
William Herschel was a composer who dabbled enthusiastically in astronomy, even building his own telescopes. He discovered Uranus in 1781 and subsequently uncovered two of Saturn’s moons. He worked with his sister Caroline, also a renowned astronomer in her own right, and eventually abandoned music to become Court Astronomer to George III. There is a special viewing of a new film documenting Herschel’s astonishing life and legacy, and a Q&A afterwards with US filmmaker George Sibley.
Artificial Intelligence
Museum of London, 13th June
Gresham College is an august institution that has been providing free public lectures in the City of London for four centuries—and it has appointed its first professor of Information Technology. Martyn Thomas, affiliated to the Worshipful Company of Information Technologists, will turn his attention to artificial intelligence. The cryptography genius Alan Turing wanted to test it; Stephen Hawking warns us to be wary of it. What can AI currently do? Is it possible to build a brain from silicon and, if so, will it spell the end of mankind? Thomas has previously spoken of our need to “shore up the foundations of a digital society, which is increasingly built on sand.”
Museum of the History of Science, Oxford 13th June
William Herschel was a composer who dabbled enthusiastically in astronomy, even building his own telescopes. He discovered Uranus in 1781 and subsequently uncovered two of Saturn’s moons. He worked with his sister Caroline, also a renowned astronomer in her own right, and eventually abandoned music to become Court Astronomer to George III. There is a special viewing of a new film documenting Herschel’s astonishing life and legacy, and a Q&A afterwards with US filmmaker George Sibley.
Artificial Intelligence
Museum of London, 13th June
Gresham College is an august institution that has been providing free public lectures in the City of London for four centuries—and it has appointed its first professor of Information Technology. Martyn Thomas, affiliated to the Worshipful Company of Information Technologists, will turn his attention to artificial intelligence. The cryptography genius Alan Turing wanted to test it; Stephen Hawking warns us to be wary of it. What can AI currently do? Is it possible to build a brain from silicon and, if so, will it spell the end of mankind? Thomas has previously spoken of our need to “shore up the foundations of a digital society, which is increasingly built on sand.”
