WHAT: Using Star Trek to Understand Evolution ALLELE Lecture

WHO: Mohamed Noor, a professor and former department chair of biology at Duke University, will talk about how “Star Trek” can be used to understand evolution.

WHEN: Nov. 28, 7:30-9:30 p.m.

WHERE: 159 Russell Hall

WHY:

The Using Star Trek to Understand Evolution is part of the Alabama Lectures on Life’s Evolution (ALLELE) lecture series.

“Evolution in general is fundamental to all of our understanding of biology and human behavior,” Laura Reed, an associate professor of biological sciences, said.

Reed said six public lectures have been held per year for the last 13 years.

The event is free to the public.

“‘Star Trek’ has been an organizing science fiction movement for many years,” Reed said. “Multiple generations have been inspired by it. Many scientists have described that they were motivated to go into science because of watching ‘Star Trek’ as a kid.”

Reed said “Star Trek” is an important phenomenon in scientific development.

Noor is a lifelong “Star Trek” fan and uses it to teach genetics and evolution.

The lecture will be based on Noor’s upcoming book “Live Long and Evolve: What Star Trek Can Teach Us about Evolution, Genetics, and Life on Other Worlds.”

The book was published on Sept. 18.

“Dr. Noor is a very compelling speaker, and I think this is going to be a really entertaining talk in addition to being educational,” Reed said.