Famed astronomer and science communicator Carl Sagan said, “The cosmos is within us; we’re made of star-stuff. We are a way for the universe to know itself.” 

In tumultuous times, the resonant truth of this statement can escape us. We can forget that regardless of where we live, we’re all in this together, hurtling through the cosmos on the same precious planet. 

That’s why Lloyd Knox and Markus Luty, both professors in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the College of Letters and Science at UC Davis, created Cosmic Connections, a free event series that brings the expansive awe of the universe directly to the public. 

What is Cosmic Connections? 

Cosmic Connections is a traveling conversation. Knox and Luty are eager to bring their scientific expertise and enthusiasm to wherever curious minds gather, including bars, churches, libraries, barns and even backyards. The goal is to leave the audience with a deeper understanding of the cosmos and their connection to it.           

“On a sunny day, most of us simply enjoy the warmth,” said Knox, the Michael and Ester Vaida Endowed Chair in Cosmology and Astrophysics. “But the sunshine we feel is the result of nuclear fusion happening in the core of a ball of gas 93 million miles away, held together by its own gravity. That ball of gas is mostly hydrogen and helium, nearly all of it forged in the first minutes after the Big Bang.”  

“When we stop to think about this, it is astounding,” he added. “The ordinary becomes extraordinary. And in my experience, that shift — from taking the world for granted to marveling at it — opens something in people. It opens curiosity, and it opens the heart.” 

What happens at a Cosmic Connections event?

Cosmic Connections events kick off with brief presentations from Knox and Luty, which are then followed by extensive question and answer sessions with the audience. No question is too big or too small, both figuratively and literally. Knox is a cosmologist and Luty is a particle physicist. Combined, their expertise spans the universe’s smallest particles to its grandest, gargantuan structures. 

“Engaging with the universe primes people for openness,” said Luty. “A sense of awe about the cosmos can dissolve a sense of separateness — separateness from the universe and separateness from each other. We are, after all, part of the same mystery.”    

How can I bring Cosmic Connections to my community? 

Knox and Luty are currently seeking opportunities to bring Cosmic Connections to the public, with a particular interest in bringing the event series to rural communities. 

Interested in learning more or bringing Cosmic Connection to your community? Go to this webpage and sign up at the form at the bottom.

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