Written in the Stars: The Narrative Roots of Space Exploration
This lecture is part of the Ritter Library "Our Place in Space: The Ongoing Adventures of Humanity Among the Stars" Lecture Series.
Featuring Kevin P. Keating, BW lecturer of English
Stories of exploration, including space exploration, are so deeply ingrained in the human psyche that they may be working at the level of instinct.
Some scientists speculate that humans have been stargazing for tens of thousands of years and that our desire to reach distant worlds beyond our own planet has been an inspiration for countless stories.
From Paleolithic cave paintings to Space X, from Lascaux to Buzz Lightyear, this talk will examine why we tell ourselves fantastic stories of intergalactic travel.
About Kevin P. Keating
After working in the Cleveland steel mills, Kevin P. Keating became an instructor of English at Baldwin Wallace University. His first novel, "The Natural Order of Things" (Vintage 2013), was a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prizes/First Fiction award and received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and Booklist. His second novel, "The Captive Condition" (Pantheon 2015), was launched at the San Diego Comic-Con International and received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and Library Journal.
Event is free and open to the public.
Registration required.
About "Our Place in Space"
The Earth is infinitesimal in the vastness of the cosmos: one planet amidst the unfathomable dimensions of the universe. This year's Ritter Library series explores the progress we've made in understanding our cosmic neighborhood.
- The first steps taken to reach the stars
- Human firsts in space exploration
- Robotics and their role
- The current state of space exploration
- Future aspirations
Join us as we explore Our Place in Space.