The UC Santa Cruz Kraw Lecture Series presents: Stars to Soil: A Journey from the Big Bang to Planet Earth

In this Kraw lecture, Professor Alexie Leauthaud will present the latest results on the nature of our universe, including groundbreaking and prize-winning new results on the nature of dark energy. Leauthaud will discuss our current understanding of the basic ingredients of our Universe and will explain why recent results from the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument Collaboration (DESI) collaboration made international headline news earlier this year. She will speculate on what this might mean for the future of our Universe. Zooming into planet Earth, Professor Leauthaud will then explain why astronomers are increasingly becoming involved in the fight against climate change. She will discuss her own journey in recognizing the predicament of life on this blue planet will conclude with a big picture view of the challenges that lie ahead.