This event is cosponsored by our friends at Chabot Space & Science Center!
Celebrate Berkeley science writer, John Gertz’s, new book about the search for extraterrestrial intelligence with a reading and multimedia presentation by the author, followed by an audience Q&A. And be sure to check out all of the amazing science programs and offerings of our cosponsor, Chabot Space & Science Center!
The search for extraterrestrial intelligence (or SETI) is one of the most fascinating and mysterious edges of science. Fortunately, we have a SETI expert in our own backyard, as Berkeley science writer, SETI advocate, and film producer, John Gertz, has a brand-new book on this topic, Reinventing SETI: New Directions in the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (Oxford University Press, 2025). While published by a renowned academic press, Gertz's book is written for a general interest audience. At this local author event at the Central Library, Gertz will share insights from the cutting edge of SETI, wonder at theoretical possibilities beyond what is currently known, and answers questions from the audience.
Open to all, registration is not required.
ABOUT THE BOOK
Reinventing SETI clears out the cobwebs of outdated or wrongheaded SETI paradigms such as Fermi’s Paradox, the Drake Equation and METI (i.e., proactively sending signals from Earth to putative aliens). The book makes the case that, whereas most past and current SETI searches assume that aliens are transmitting from their own star systems, Reinventing SETI argues that this would be a highly ineffective strategy for ET. Consequently, the current SETI paradigm--observing stars one by one--is doomed to continue to fail. ET’s much better strategy would be to send physical robotic probes to our own Solar System in order to surveil and possibly to communicate with humankind. Interstellar flight by biological beings is virtually impossible, and therefore these probes cannot be "manned" by little green men and must be robotic. Because ET’s robotic probes are not far away but right here somewhere within our own Solar System, it is imperative that humankind prepare now for a possibly imminent encounter with one rather than in befuddlement of the moment after contact. Such contingency planning should involve international cooperation as well as broad cross-disciplinary expertise. Since the stakes will be paramount for all of humankind, an international treaty governing SETI, METI, post-detection protocols, and relations with ET should be adopted. A draft treaty is proffered by the author.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
JOHN GERTZ is the President and CEO of Zorro Productions, Inc. He has produced four Zorro motion pictures, including The Mask of Zorro (1998) and its sequel, The Legend of Zorro, with Antonio Banderas and Catherine Zeta-Jones. During his tenure, 13 different TV versions of Zorro have been produced, as well as more than 75 ZORRO stage productions. In 2005, together with world-renowned author Isabel Allende, he released the best-selling novel about the genesis of Zorro. He teamed up with Quentin Tarantino to create the graphic novel, Django/Zorro, currently being developed into a motion picture by SONY. Gertz is the worldwide lead producer of Zorro: The Musical, with a score by the Gipsy Kings, which premiered on London’s West End in 2008 and has since been produced throughout the world. In the field of SETI, Gertz served three terms as chairman of the board of the SETI institute; is the only layman member of the Breakthrough Advisory Board, and he has published a number of theoretic papers (available at ArXiv.org). He is also a classical pianist, a beekeeper, a mycologist, and an organic vegetable gardener. He has served on innumerable non-profit boards, and as president of five.
ABOUT CHABOT SPACE & SCIENCE CENTER
Chabot Space & Science Center is a non-profit science center that serves Oakland and the greater Bay Area as a place for STEM learning and engagement. Our mission is to inspire and educate learners of all ages about the Universe and Planet Earth. Celebrating the diversity of the Bay Area, Chabot aims to make science and space accessible to a multitude of audiences through immersive exhibits, hands-on STEM activities, planetarium shows, education, and youth development programs.
EVENT TYPE: | Sci, Tech, Engineering & Math | Authors, Books & Writing |
