HOn June 28, the University hosted the inaugural Cafe Science salon featuring Columbia astronomer and ober-scientist David Helfand , who led a discussion on intelligent life in the universe. Held at Picnic Cafe on the Upper West Side ( 2665 Broadway , between 101 and 102 Streets), the standing-room-only event drew participants from across the University and even a few visitors from outside the country. Cafe Science is an informal gathering of regular folks to discuss, learn about or debate scientific ideas. Upcoming salons will feature biologist Darcy B. Kelley on "How Your Brian Works...or Not (July 26)" and ecologist Shaid Naeem on "How Much Is Nature Worth? (Aug. 23)." The discussions, which are free and open to the public, will be held at Cafe Picnic from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

The hunt for intelligent life in space is likely to prove fruitless, according to a scientist from the University of East Anglia in Norwich. Professor Andrew Watson says his statistical and environmental research leads him to the conclusion that humans are alone in the universe. But although intelligent life "out there" is unlikely, he believes there is a good chance of finding bacterial life on other planets. Professor Watson told BBC News Online that in geological time Earth, which is about 4.5 billion years old, is towards the end of its life cycle, but multi-cell organisms only developed 0.9 billion years ago.

When you look at it mathematically and statistically the chances of complex life developing is extremely low. "We have good reason to believe that Earth is not a typical planet. "The sun's output has increased so much over time that we might expect life to have died out. "But the Earth has adapted by altering the atmosphere around it. "When you look at it mathematically and statistically the chances of complex life developing is extremely low. "We have good reason to believe that Earth is not a typical planet. "The sun's output has increased so much over time that we might expect life to have died out. "But the Earth has adapted by altering the atmosphere around it. "I think we can conclude from this that we are probably effectively alone in the universe." He said complex organisms took a long time to develop on Earth, not appearing until a good fraction "through the likely lifespan of the planet". "This is consistent with the notion that structurally complex life, particularly sentient beings, are very rare - and most planets never reach that stage of evolution," said Professor Watson. "On the rare occasions when sentient life does arise, it will almost always find itself awakening towards the end of the life of the biosphere in which it has arisen."

He said there was more hope of finding bacterial life. "We know that simple life was established on Earth probably as soon as it became habitable. "This suggests that bacteria evolve relatively easily from inorganic matter, or that they were 'seeded' from elsewhere. "In either case, it is reasonable to assume this could also have happened on other planets." Professor Watson believes planets such as Mars, which once had water on its surface, may well have had some simple life forms such as bacteria.

David J. Helfand joined Quest University Canada as a visiting tutor for the Fall term of 2007 and continues to work with Quest as an advisor and Visiting Tutor. Having returned from a year as the Sackler Distinguished Visiting Astronomer at the University of Cambridge, he is now Professor of Astronomy at Columbia University where he has served as Department Chair for more than ten years.

His work has covered many areas of modern astrophysics including radio, optical, and X-ray observations of celestial sources ranging from nearby stars to the most distant quasars. He is currently involved in a major project to survey the Galaxy with a sensitivity and angular resolution a hundred times greater than currently available using the Very Large Array radio telescope in New Mexico, the XMM-Newton orbiting X-ray telescope, and Columbia's MDM Observatory in Arizona. The goal is to obtain a complete picture of birth and death (for stars) in the Milky Way.

David teaches primarily undergraduate courses for non-science majors, including one of his own design which treats the atom as a tool for revealing the quantitative history of everything from human diet and works of art to the Earth's climate and the Universe. He also recently implemented a vision he began working on in 1982 that has all Columbia freshman taking a science course as part of Columbia's famed Core Curriculum. He received the 2001 Presidential Teaching Award and the 2002 Great Teacher Award from the Society of Columbia Graduates.

Several years ago, David appeared weekly on the Discovery Channel's program Science News, bringing the latest astronomical discoveries to the US television audience. More recently, his television appearances have been limited to more serious matters on Comedy Central's The Daily Show. He serves on far too many University, government, and American Astronomical Society committees for his own (or anyone else's) good. David believes he is a better cook than astronomer and, ambiguously, most of his colleagues who have sampled his gastronomical undertakings agree.

To contact David, you can email him at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call him at 604.898.8000 or the toll free number in North America 1.888.QUEST.08 (1.888.783.7808).

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