Watson Lecture: Running on Empty

PASADENA, Calif. — The world is running out of oil, and much sooner than most people expect, possibly within this decade. It may be possible, with considerable difficulty, to substitute other fossil fuels for the missing oil, but even if we do that we may do irreparable damage to Earth's climate. Even then we will still start to run out of all fossil fuels, including coal, probably within this century.

On Wednesday, October 13, David Goodstein, vice provost, professor of physics and applied physics, and Frank J. Gilloon Distinguished Teaching and Service Professor at the California Institute of Technology, will present his talk, "Out of Gas: The End of the Age of Oil," the first of the 2004-2005 Earnest C. Watson Lecture Series to take place on the Caltech campus.

Goodstein will discuss the reasoning that leads to his conclusion and the likely consequences if it is correct, namely: can civilization survive if that happens? Goodstein recently authored the book Out of Gas: The End of the Age of Oil, which will be available for purchase and signing at this event.

Caltech has offered the Watson Lecture Series since 1922, when it was conceived by the late Caltech physicist Earnest Watson as a way to explain science to the local community.

Goodstein's lecture will take place at 8 p.m. in Beckman Auditorium, near Michigan Avenue south of Del Mar Boulevard, on Caltech's campus in Pasadena. Seating is available on a free, no-ticket-required, first-come, first-served basis. For more information, call 1(888) 2CALTECH (1-888-222-5832) or (626) 395-4652.