Starmus returns to Tenerife in September

[Nova]

I just received an email to say my entry has been approved - you should be able to see it now 

[Janet]

yes, it's there! 

[Janet]

I've just realized that there's dinner on Monday and Tuesday in the Abama ... 

[Myrtle Hogan-Lance]

For those of you with press passes!

[Janet]

isn't it part of the conference?? For anyone who paid?? The "conference banquet" can't be extra for attendees, surely ...

edit: no, it's chargeable. The conference banquet alone is 100 a head ...

[Myrtle Hogan-Lance]

Now you understand why you won't see me there.

[Janet]

Starmus got underway today with organizer Garik Israelian at the opening ceremony. Starting as it is clearly intended to go on, famous names and faces filled the stage, with legendary Russian cosmonaut Alexei Leonov, the first human to walk in space, wishing the conference well – Alexei Leonov will be addressing the conference in the Santa Cruz auditorium on Saturday.

With just five minutes warning, Israelian had prevailed on Richard Dawkins and Brian May – two men he said had inspired him enormously in their different ways - to give a brief welcome address. Unscripted, Dawkins said that Starmus had brought together scientists and astronauts, both explorers of a type, using the same techniques, one in space and the other in the mind, both seeking to enlighten human understanding by exploration. In terms of exploration, he said that astronomers used observatories as symbolic eyes, humanity's eyes.

In terms of symbolism, there was ltitle more symbolic, said Brian May, than the gathering together of all those representative of humanity's striving to the future – science, humanitarians, musicians, and those who inspired, and all gathered in a "mad and wonderful enterprise" which could not have happened without the genius of Garik Israelian. The two have known each other for some time, with Israelian mentoring May's PhD thesis and their mutual friendship and respect was very clear to see. Each of these speakers was given the most enthusiastic of welcomes, but perhaps the most emphatic was a standing ovation for Professor Stephen Hawking, who gives the first of two talks today – the second is on Saturday in the Santa Cruz auditorium.

The first panel comprised talks from Nobel Laureate Robert Wilson on the postgraduate research which won him a Nobel prize in 1978 for the discovery of cosmic microwave background radiation. He was followed by David J. Eicher, editor in chief of Astronomy magazine, who talked about how astronomy is presented in the media, and how the demographic is ageing – where are new astronomers coming from, and what image will they have of the discipline, he asked, if everything is either dumbed down or sexed up?

After coffee, the hall was rapt for Richard Dawkins' wonderings about what alien life might look like, and what the necessary or inevitable conditions might be, if we were ever able to reach it. That it existed was effectively taken for granted, but might it have eyes? What sort of ears? It might have to be "intelligent", but did it actually have to be conscious? Could it even have wheels ... ? Today's session was rounded off by Katerina Harvati's paper on early humans and their contemporary Neanderthal competitors, looking to the past, as she said, and our origins, in a different way to astronomers but a way which, none the less, provided glimpses into our own humanity and our place in the universe.

And that was just the first day! The Abama hotel provided a gorgeous backdrop for an event which has brought together a stellar array of names the like of which Tenerife rarely sees! Brian May, who gives his paper tomorrow, said in his introductory welcome that the conference could not have happened without the genius of Garik Israelian, a genius witnessed by the 800 or so people present for the start of the second Starmus - the first, two years ago, attracted 60! The organizers were clearly blown away by the support and enthusiasm that the conferences are generating, and Brian May said the reaction to the second Starmus had been an "amazing response", and he urged everyone to "enjoy this great moment".

[Perikles]

I confess I find it rather weird going to a conference and not knowing quite what it's about. That didn't seem to bother anybody else, and everybody was very enthusiastic.

[El Profesor]

This is great Janet, thanks so much, please keep it up, very interested. 

Penkles - looking forward to some biting criticism when you work out what it is all about. 

- One thing surprises me.
Brian May played in the Magma centre in 2011 with Tangerine Dream.
I am astounded that any musician worth his salts who has been tricked into playing in that abomination of a building would consent to playing there again. The architetc should be forced to attend as a punishment. 

[Perikles]

Penkles - looking forward to some biting criticism when you work out what it is all about. 

No criticism as all, just an observation. Starmus seems to combine Brian May's two passions for astrophysics and a particular form of popular music. That's fine if everybody likes that, but I can't see any connection between the two on any level.

It's as if I were to organise a conference on Middle High German poetry and Canarian lizards. I would find that fascinating, but I'd be the only person there 

I'm guessing that the whole thing was to inspire the youth to get more interested in astronomy, which is absolutely great. So wheel out the pop star. Pity there were no ice creams.

Now I just need an explanation why there was a fascinating talk on Neanderthal man, given by a woman. Great stuff.