Deep in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, three times farther from the sun than the Earth is, orbits a massive asteroid called (16) Psyche. It is one of the largest objects in the belt, potentially containing the equivalent of the world’s total economy in metals, though they cannot be brought back to Earth. But (16) Psyche has the potential to unlock something even more valuable: the story of how planets form, and how our planet formed. Soon we will find out, thanks to the extraordinary work of Lindy Elkins-Tanton, the Principal Investigator of NASA’s $800 million Psyche mission, and the second woman ever to be awarded a major NASA space exploration contract.
The journey that brought her to this place is extraordinary. Amid a childhood of terrible trauma, Elkins-Tanton fell in love with science as a means of healing and consolation. But still she wondered, was forced to wonder: as a woman, was science “for her”? In answering that question, she takes us from the wilds of the Siberian tundra to the furthest reaches of outer space, from the Mayo Clinic, where Elkins-Tanton battled ovarian cancer while writing the Psyche proposal, to NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, where her team brought that proposal to life.
All are welcome and we look forward to seeing you. Please be vaccinated and masked if you plan to attend in person.
Stories, songs and silliness for preschoolers, but all ages are welcome!
Tech and Textiles at Peabody! Drop in for low-key technology chats and assistance, hang out and craft. Bring your device, your crochet/knitting/felting project, both or neither. It’s a flexible space for anyone looking for company while they create, or help setting up their new tablet, or just wanting someone to explain what exactly is cryptocurrency…I don’t know all the answers, but I love digging into these topics. We can chat while we knit, click around together, and set you up with further resources. And of course, you can also check out books.
Thursdays at Peabody from 1:00-5:00 pm.
Stories, songs and silliness for preschoolers, but all ages are welcome!